Don't forget your pedal restoration athletic supporter (P-RAS) either. Aint worth taking a Ghost spring to the grapes!

Glad you made it Bill!

Really glad you didnt get hurt. I think we all get in a hurry at times (especially when your trying to feed the family with your work) and try things that we know might not be a good idea but we try it anyway. Yor saftey steps 1,2,3 are good ones and thank you for taking the time to remind us of it. And thanks for thinking of us as friends, thats nice thing to hear.

Your friend,

Jeff C

On the grinding stones, once you do aluminum and other metals and it sticks (melts) to the stone it can cause a harmonic imbalance and shatter. Not sure if that's what happened to you but I'd say it's very possible. Also when you change them from brushes, buffers etc... and the stones can get knocked around a bit it can cause hairline fractures. Or inferior wheels to start with. I agree on the safety gear I wear, safety glasses, HD mechanic gloves and a leather apron while working on the bench grinder. I will use the wire wheel and buffers without the guard and covers in place but never the stone. You might want to get a small hand DA grinder and secure the part in a vise. I've had several stones shatter over the years and it's not fun at all. But mostly contained by the covers and shields. Wire wheels can fragment when they get older too. Little metal needles shooting at you at 3000 rpms hurts a bit. ;)So check and change those as well. Glad to hear you didn't get hurt and end up in the ER. I should really get a full face mask as I've had a few close calls to the face just wearing the glasses.

Thanks for all the tips... and personal messages, too...

I'll never do it again, that's for sure.

FFR 428 - what is the small hand DA grinder? That's a new one to me. And considering the low volume, custom type projects I'm doing these days, it sounds like just the ticket.

And I can say this, too: I think I'll stop getting some stuff from Harbor Freight. Sometimes you don't want to buy the cheapest stuff you can get!

Oh... "Dual Action"? Maybe I should just get small tools I can use on my drill...

I only ever use the wire-wheel and buffer-pads on mine. Glad you're still here to tell the tale!

For small jobs, nothing beats a Dremel with a good set of attachments. Just make sure you're holding the parts in a vise or wearing a good leather glove in case of a slip.

Great set of rules you made. Everybody should make a mental note of them. Especially the eye-gear!

John

Yes buy better stuff if you can. Now this is starting into a nice little side bizz for you it really pushes your home tools to the edge. We are all attracted to cheap prices but things like stones and wire wheels try not to skimp. DA yes dual action hand grinder. Like a smaller version of the ones a body shop would use. My son has one he roughs out the guitar bodys with. All kinds of small grinding wheels and sanding discs you can get for them and interchange. Even a dremel is pretty effective with the right bits. They have some pretty aggressive metal bits besides the sanding drums.

bfulton,

So very glad you are OK. Thanks for the reminders.

Thanks, gang, for the personal best wishes. Couple of things I've decided:

I'm going to back to bead blasting the footboards, and wet sanding... spritz on some polyurethane. I've been doing some of the wire brushing and polishing in the garage, to save the drive to the bead blasting shop. It's DIY, by the hour...

Some of the work the grinder did, I'm going to do by hand. It isn't that onerous, and is really pretty satisfying.

For the one or two things I need a grinder for? I just recalled that I have a very good/high quality hand grinder -- left over from the car restoration days when I'd grind welds! Good grief! Plus, it's electric, not an air tool, so I can use it in the basement where the vice is. I MAY have to take it down there while my best friend wife isn't in the room!

But it would do the ONE thing I need a grinder for, and it's the right tool.

Oh, and p.s.: This really isn't a side biz-- it's a hobby that's out of control!

Again -- thanks...