Warning!

[Allan]

I have used a wire wheel buff on one end of my bench grinder for many years to remove light rust in preparation for painting. Standard rule of operation is always to buff off from any edge on the workpiece so it doesn't snag and wrap it around the buff. When working on a headlight rim, the outside was a piece of cake. The inside meant holding the rim above the buff so it was passing off the inside edge. I'd done it often before, but my new wire wheel was an 8" one rather than my usual 6". I got caught out, the rim was caught, my right thumb was caught, the nail was caught and peeled off to the bone, I caught an ambulance to hospital and now I have a splint and 6 weeks of recovery to look forward to. Thankfully, it is painless, until I bump it.
Be careful out there.
Allan from down under.

[Wayne Sheldon]

Oh-OUCH! Allan, how could you? It hurts just reading about it, tingles down to my knees.
However, thank you for sharing this. We ALL need reminders from time to time! It only takes a fraction of a second to suffer a permanent injury or loss.
For much of my working career, I oddly worked in cutting edge technologies and communications systems. I also had to do a lot of the construction work around the installation of those systems, and custom build antenna arrays, and equipment mounting racks. I also had to run the trenching machine, and horizontal drill across under parking lots and streets in order to bury needed cables (hey, somebody had to do it). The amazing thing is that I still have all my fingers and toes! Many times I came close to losing a digit the hard way. Only by being very careful and paying very close attention to everything going on was I able to keep all my original parts!
So, take it easy for a bit, and let that thumb get back to good!

[Henry K. Lee]

Been there, done that! Ouch! Glad you are OK!

Hank from Up Yonder!

[George House]

Ow !! I cringed at just reading your experience. Sorry you were hurt. Take it easy for a while.

[Craig Leach]

Polishing wheels can do that too. Just got that one healed up. Take care of it we don't heal up as fast as we use to.
Craig.

[George House]

Ah ha ! Polishing wheels I did not want to mention this but DON’T use a polishing wheel to remove crud from the brass glass channel - unless you want a worthless pretzel of a glass channel. And, of course, don’t ask me how I know this

[Hap_Tucker]

Allan,

So sorry to hear of that. I'm glad you are on the mend. And as Craig said, "Take care of it we don't heal up as fast as we use to." is so true..... Thank you for the warning and reminder.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

[Oldav8tor]

Ouch! I cringed reading your post. I hope you have a speedy and painless recovery.

[Dennis Prince]

Allan, sorry to hear about your injury, that is why I have a low power wire wheel/grinder that will stall instead of continuing to eat me. I hope you heal quickly.

[Duey_C]

Ouch! Those wire wheels can be cagey little animals. One false move and they bite. You know that already.
I've lost parts that were grabbed by the wire wheel and flung away but thankfully not much damage. So far. There's always tomorrow!
That's the poopy part, some bench grinders will stall (yay!) and some will trudge on and... Oww.
I worked for a short time in a shop that didn't have a wire wheel and missed it terribly...

[KeithG]

Hi
Allan, Somehow I feel your anguish and frustation. I've been bitten like that also, & now I'm more careful. Hope you
get well soon.

Keith

[Rich Eagle]

My sympathies and best wishes. I have escaped disaster for many years but you never know.
If you are ever in a plating shop, look at the ceiling above the buffing wheels. It usually tells the story.
Take care.
Rich

[Allan]

There are two upsides to this. It is painless, unless I bump it! After the plastic surgeons and the team of student doctors had had a poke around, I did take one oxycodiene tablet. In the end, there was no surgery. It has been left to heal.
Second upside, two delightful young nurses have come each day to change the dressings. I could take more of this treatment.

Thank you all for your concerns and commiserations. I just wanted to put it out there to alert all to what can happen if one gets a little too familiar with things.

Allan from down under.

[ivaldes1]

Can confirm the danger. I was bloodied today by the buffing wheel when it catches an edge it just pulls whatever you are holding right into the buff including your hand.

I have used a wire wheel buff on one end of my bench grinder for many years to remove light rust in preparation for painting. Standard rule of operation is always to buff off from any edge on the workpiece so it doesn't snag and wrap it around the buff. When working on a headlight rim, the outside was a piece of cake. The inside meant holding the rim above the buff so it was passing off the inside edge. I'd done it often before, but my new wire wheel was an 8" one rather than my usual 6". I got caught out, the rim was caught, my right thumb was caught, the nail was caught and peeled off to the bone, I caught an ambulance to hospital and now I have a splint and 6 weeks of recovery to look forward to. Thankfully, it is painless, until I bump it.
Be careful out there.
Allan from down under.

[Eck]

I was polishing an antique mirror with a buffer and was caught and pulled into the wheel. Stopped a 3/4 HP Baldor motor. Needless to say I still have the finger joint In a Jar. Lesson Learned.