Steel, Micarta, and G10 dust and serious health concerns

ggoose said:
Please keep us posted (with pics) of your safety upgrades, particularly the wet grinding setup...
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I will post the upgrades when I get them done. I tried wet grinding last fall using two adjustable spray nozzles aimed at the platen but they were difficult to manage and the water output was too high. The water always shot in my face when I was grinding bevels. My plan now is to set up a heavy misting system that will be fed either with a water pump or directly from a hose. I grind all my blades post HT so a wet setup is best anyways. Currently I have to quench every pass and it really slows me down.

In my shop I will have 1 dedicated wet KMG for grinding bevels, stock removal, and handle shaping, and 1 a dedicated dry KMG for Trizact belts/ final finishing. Its looking like I'm going to run my surface grinder wet as well when i finish the belt conversion. Shouldn't be a problem as long as I keep it oiled well. For that setup I'm going to use the spray nozzles and recycle cool mist cutting aid.
 
Tryppyr,
Good idea working outside. I also am a hobbyist and take safety seriously, in all its aspects.
Do you wet grind outside, or if not, how do you prevent toxic metal dust or just metL dust from getting on landscape and plants, bushes and trees, as well as not harming any wildlife.
This is my concern to keep peace with my wife.
We have a 1/2 Acre, but in a busy town, with lots of trees and wildlife in our yard. Hard to find a place that will be ok with the wife.
But I applaud you for going the extra mile to please the wife and keep the peace.
Jon
 
Many people underestimate the health concerns. Welders that breathe the fumes all day in a closed shop and grind away without a second thought, while smoking cigs in between. I visit them and its a cloud in there. Can't be good.

Best is grinding outside if in any way possible while wearing a mask. There is just much more air movement/replacement a great air filter system probably can't match. Of course real makers cannot grind outside in the winter when hobbyists decide that its too cold to make knives anyways

Proper level filtration and a decent half mask. I have had good experiences with the 3M series silicone ones, fit wise. I also use the 3M "snow goggle" looking eye protection. All the other ones had me rubbing my eyes.

The wet setup sounds great! Would it affect the bearings a lot? The cooling while grinding sounds perfect though.
 
Ome108 said:
Tryppyr,
Good idea working outside. I also am a hobbyist and take safety seriously, in all its aspects.
Do you wet grind outside, or if not, how do you prevent toxic metal dust or just metL dust from getting on landscape and plants, bushes and trees, as well as not harming any wildlife.
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Jon, I dry sand outside, and only grind the handle materials, for the most part (excluding pins, when used, and the small amount of tang material that is touched when dressing the edges). Therefore, metal dust isn't much of a problem. Most of the dust I do generate either gets blown to the wind or ends up in a pile near the belt sanders. That which ends up in the pile is swept up and thrown into the trash. That which remains on the ground afterwards is hosed down. Since I don't use synthetics often, mostly the dust I create is wood, stabilized wood, or ivory dust.
 
I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

It's a dangerous world boy's, ain't none of us getting out alive.

Just take the appropriate safety measures and you'll be fine.

Greg
 
I have a setup outside. I try and do as much as I can out there. It's mostly because I hate being cooped up indoors all the time. I also have a workshop inside. Most of my grinding (easily 90%) occurs outside. During inclement weather, or extremely cold days, I will try and focus on steps that don't require grinding and complete them indoors. I wear a respirator often, even being outside, and especially with synthetics.
 
Hang out with some woodworkers for a while. I've been a woodworker for a while now and can tell you they pay much more attention to dust collection. As you know, I'm in the market for a grinder, but one of the things I've found is that most grinders are designed with no thought about dust collection - simmilar to woodworking tools 25 years ago. Read up on dust collection on some of the wood working forums like sawmill creek and woodnet. Tons of info. Search for Bill Pentz. He wrote a lot of very informative stuff.

Call up Oneida Air and talk to them about your concerns and your budget. Its what they do. I also use a particle counter from time to time just to make sure my shop dust collection is effective. Bottom line is your machines will need some sort of shroud around it to effectively contain the dust, and and open machine like a kmg grinder just wasn't designed with that in mind. It can be done though. The other thing you can do after a grinding session is use compressed air to blow the dust off yourself and then go take a shower. Don't forget, the dust hangs in the air for a looong time after you switch off the grinder,and the settled dust gets kicked up into the air with the slightest motion. Hence the particle counter. Assuming your shop air is not infiltrating or mixing with the air in your house, I really don't think you have much to worry about if you are proactive.
 
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For 24 years my full time job has been making sanitary static inline mixers for the food industry. I've been doing knives for a year and a half now and it doesn't even come close to my full time job for the amount of dust created. Cutting out blades made of 316l stainless and grinding, welding, and polishing them with unitized abrasives on a die grinder and dremel. I have made literally thousands of these, each making more mess then any knife I have ever made. Every day, covered in fine dust. Black under the fingernails. Pores of my skin filled with dirt. Cuts. Burns. Even with a dust mask, blowing my nose and it comes out dirty. And guess what? I've been doing it since I was 17, and am now almost 42 and I'm as healthy as an ox. (other then being a little heavy, which eating fast food will take you out much faster then dust and particulates). I don't drink or smoke, and I look much younger then most 42 year olds. I guess what I am saying is that when it's your time, it's your time. Don't let the thoughts of every little thing bring up your stress level to the point that you stop doing what you enjoy doing, because the stress will end up being the thing that does you in.
 
rjfm1972 said:
For 24 years my full time job has been making sanitary static inline mixers for the food industry. I've been doing knives for a year and a half now and it doesn't even come close to my full time job for the amount of dust created. Cutting out blades made of 316l stainless and grinding, welding, and polishing them with unitized abrasives on a die grinder and dremel. I have made literally thousands of these, each making more mess then any knife I have ever made. Every day, covered in fine dust. Black under the fingernails. Pores of my skin filled with dirt. Cuts. Burns. Even with a dust mask, blowing my nose and it comes out dirty. And guess what? I've been doing it since I was 17, and am now almost 42 and I'm as healthy as an ox. (other then being a little heavy, which eating fast food will take you out much faster then dust and particulates). I don't drink or smoke, and I look much younger then most 42 year olds. I guess what I am saying is that when it's your time, it's your time. Don't let the thoughts of every little thing bring up your stress level to the point that you stop doing what you enjoy doing, because the stress will end up being the thing that does you in.
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Thank you!! Your last sentence is profound!
 
Hate to say it dude, but if you're blowing black shit out your nose every day after work, you better change your habits ASAP. Better hike up your life insurance policy for your family - you're on borrowed time. In 15 years your body is going to be a lot different than it is now at age 42. Don't be stupid. Fix the problem.

rjfm1972 said:
For 24 years my full time job has been making sanitary static inline mixers for the food industry. I've been doing knives for a year and a half now and it doesn't even come close to my full time job for the amount of dust created. Cutting out blades made of 316l stainless and grinding, welding, and polishing them with unitized abrasives on a die grinder and dremel. I have made literally thousands of these, each making more mess then any knife I have ever made. Every day, covered in fine dust. Black under the fingernails. Pores of my skin filled with dirt. Cuts. Burns. Even with a dust mask, blowing my nose and it comes out dirty. And guess what? I've been doing it since I was 17, and am now almost 42 and I'm as healthy as an ox. (other then being a little heavy, which eating fast food will take you out much faster then dust and particulates). I don't drink or smoke, and I look much younger then most 42 year olds. I guess what I am saying is that when it's your time, it's your time. Don't let the thoughts of every little thing bring up your stress level to the point that you stop doing what you enjoy doing, because the stress will end up being the thing that does you in.
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rjfm1972 said:
Even with a dust mask, blowing my nose and it comes out dirty .
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That right there should be telling you that that mask is NFG

The damage is cumulative


Go to a proper safety store and let them fit you and train you how to wear it.


A good half mask is $25 ish.

You don't think about breathing until you can't.

Read Ed Caffrey's posts on the topic if you can't take my word for it.
 
Many of the important tips and facts have been addressed already here.

One trick that I learned from a woodworker buddy is to have a air filtration system on a timer that will run for a few hours after you are done working to get any dust still lingering.

There is concern for others and just plain Liability!
I never let anyone in the work area of my shop without eye protection and proper shoes, I live by the ocean and many stroll in wearing flip flops! NO!

If they are going to be around in my shop for awhile I hand them one of these to use. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N1NZEQ/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And i use all of the time one of these.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KA0CMO/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Always wear Nitrite gloves when handling epoxies & super glue along with Acetone or any of the other chemicals we use.

It's mostly common sense and if your body or sprit is reluctant to use a certain material or even a machine your body is telling you something. "Danger Danger Will Robinson" Listen to it!!!!
 
Jeezy peezy,

Some of you ladies need to put on your big girl pants.

Or try quilting.

Put on a good respirator, leather apron, some glove's where appropriate and make some knives.

Or go hide under the bed.

Gre
 
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