Angle Grinder Disc Removal?

[catlad]

Yeah.. once you have moved over to the quick release nut you will be wondering why you didn't buy one earlier.

 

[^woody^]

I've not used a removal spanner for years. Hand tight only, and that's enough to just lock the spindle and rotate the disc by hand to remove it.

 

[lostinthelight]

I've not used a removal spanner for years. Hand tight only, and that's enough to just lock the spindle and rotate the disc by hand to remove it.

Same here.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

That's great until you get a disc that seemingly welds itself in place... that or the wheel breaks up and leaves you with too little trapped by the nut to grab a hold of... and then you can't find the pin spanner...

 

[mattylad]

When you have a wheel that breaks up in use and a serious accident occurs, will telling the HSE be happy with someone not using the correct tool to tighten it correctly as per the manufactures instructions?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

AFAIK the Bosch and Metabo items are both CE marked and Metabo do offer some of their grinders with this type of nut factory fitted (or at least they did when I bought my Metabo grinder). In use they are designed to automatically tighten when the grinder spins up and will generally not unload the disc even if if is suddenly decellerated or disintegrates. TBH I cannot see these firms (Bosch, Metabo, Milwaukee) introducing a product which does not meet the requirements of the Grinding Wheel Regs, PUWER 98 or the HSWA, can you? Surely by the same judgement it could be said that if it is possible to release the grinding wheel by hand pressure alone that it was improperly (ergo dangerously?) installed, as the pin spanner was not used?

I think that the biggest issues when a wheel breaks up are the operative not wearing appropriate eye protection (risk of eye injury), grinding wheel guard not fitted or adjusted incorrectly or not of correct type (risk of impact injury, lacerations, or worse) and using damaged or wet (and thus unbalanced) grinding wheels - which can also disintegrate at speed.

 

[Keithmac]

I've had a few disks explode, with the googles and guard on it was a none event really.

Anyone who goes near a grinder without proper eye protection is rolling the dice..

 

[lostinthelight]

I've had a few disks explode, with the googles and guard on it was a none event really.

Anyone who goes near a grinder without proper eye protection is rolling the dice..

In over 50 years of using disc cutters/ grinders I can honestly say that ive not had a disc over 1mm thick break in use.. broke more of the latter by treading on grinder though.

 

[Keithmac]

In over 50 years of using disc cutters/ grinders I can honestly say that ive not had a disc over 1mm thick break in use.. broke more of the latter by treading on grinder though.

We use 0.5mm cutting disks and they don't like any kind of bending.

 

[lostinthelight]

We use 0.5mm cutting disks and they don't like any kind of bending.

Ive not seen or looked for anything that thin ,115mm disc ? I think .8mm is the thinnest ive used

 

[Keithmac]

Ive not seen or looked for anything that thin ,115mm disc ? I think .8mm is the thinnest ive used

Sorry you're right, 1mm thick discs (just checked).

 

[^woody^]

That's great until you get a disc that seemingly welds itself in place

The point is, there is no need to torque the thing up to high heaven. Hand tight and then undo by hand. That will do for almost all usage. If it's too tight to undo, then use the spanner!

 

[Deleted member 174758]

If it's too tight to undo, then use the spanner!

Always assuming you can find it.... I've had my fill of going to look for the pin spanner only to realise that I've left it in the workshop 50 miles away, or that I've brought the wrong one, or that the last guy using the grinder didn't return it to the box, etc, etc. The alternative is one of those nifty SDS nuts.....

 

[frutbunn]

I've used a tool less spindle nut for years now, don't know what they cost these days but it wasn't cheap, well worth it as more often than not I'm constantly swapping from cutting/grinding/flap discs/cup brushes but I restore old 4x4's, scooters etc., you don't really need to change as often with building work.
These days I set up two angle grinders, one for cutting the other for grinding and have a big metal cutting chop saw on the bench, and if its may mates crappy Transit I'm welding we use his angle grinder as well.

In over 50 years of using disc cutters/ grinders I can honestly say that I've not had a disc over 1mm thick break in use.. broke more of the latter by treading on grinder though.

Must admit I've not had a disc break in use yet apart from when I've dropped the grinder on the floor, and I use a lot of them. Although I use a few less these days since I bought a reciprocating saw, you can cut a floor pan out in a fraction of the time and the blade is still good to go.

 

[^woody^]

The alternative is one of those nifty SDS nuts.....

Or a hammer and a nail.

My grinder spanner is actually in the handle. Good old Ryobi.