Bike builders that have machine tools/shops

Just two months ago a tiny sliver of steel was removed from my cornea. Still don't know how it got in my eye.

Steve's recounting of a wire wheel blow up reminds me of
my friend Bob Olden and his untimely death. Bob was snagging welds inside a boiler with an un-guarded hand grinder. The wheel exploded, a chunk of it struck him and sheared off the top off his heart. He was just twenty years old and newly married. That was back in 1970.
Tom from Rubicon
 
I was once told that taking a grinder or cut off wheel and before attaching it to the tool, you balance it on like a screwdriver through it, lightly tap the disc and listen for the sound it makes. A ring sound is good. A lower thud sound probably indicates that there is a crack in it and it should be discarded in the trash. Small Dremel disc I have had come apart after they have worn more than you should allow them to be worn down, but averted any injury luckily. While welding I have had spatter land on the back of my neck. I turned up my collar on my medium weight linen jacket I wear, but later added a make shift skarf of some natural cloth material. Sorry to hear about Bob. The guard on the grinder can be adjusted, but yea only so much good can it do. Of the minor current issue I just had with changing out a belt tensioner on my truck, I only had some other gloves too large and stiff to use in tight spaces. With bare hands the knurled surface on my torque wrench causes abrasion. I plan to sand down the handle and wire brush and clean it to what I think would be better. As for awkward climbing around the engine compartment I have to rest some sore muscles a few days. Hey the wa wa sound has gone away. Oh before I forget, or maybe I should leave it out? Not that Car Talk Radio giving me the idea that the sound was the pulley bearings in the belt tensioner was a bad idea. No, but a friend that mentioned if you do not have a stethoscope, and not using a small hose either as on Car Talk Radio mentions, but a large screw driver with a big handle to transmit the sound to the ear. The fan blade was but only about 4 inches from the plastic fan blade. A the time I turned my head to put the long screw drivers handle to my ear, I was not able to look at the screw driver. Discerning, but there was grinding sound heard and that pinpointed that part as the culprit. You see the wa wa sound was only at certain rpm just above idle. The grinding sound using the method was only heard on that part. Pretty neat, but I think getting my Parabolic Amplified Mirror Kit (Big Ear) assembled and see if it can do the same without even touching the engine.
 
MT, good of you to remind me of Car Talk. One of the most entertaining and informative programs on NPR.
Regarding grinding wheels. I thank my Masters for their sage advise. I never mount a grinding wheel unless I "ring" it..
Big Surface grinding wheels. especially are balanced to ensure a high grade of surface finish and flatness.
Tom from Rubicon
 
M.T. mentioned face shields. I have face shields that cover your neck area. The ones I use now cost almost $40 and the plastic visor is $25 to replace. High grade plastic that's shatter resistant. I have bought these since the early seventies simply because before that I always bought the cheap ones until a piece of small piece of wood came off the table saw when it jammed in between the blade and the fence.

It caught me in the side of my neck. The doctor did tell me that it was a first for him. It was a first for me as well and the last.

When I was cutting some steel plate for the tri car I couldn't be bothered using the chop saw and used the grinder and a cut off wheel instead. The cut off wheel jammed and shattered and a large chunk of it hit the face shield I was wearing. Good thing it was shatter proof because the force of the blow snapped my head back.

When I looked at the impact area on face shield if I hadn't been wearing the face shield I would have lost my left eye and most likely had a lot of damage to my cheek and mouth not to mention every thing under it. I had the guard off so I could see what I was doing better. Never did that again.

Steve.
 
indian22 said:
Was there & done that...luck plays a part, but working smart is always best.

Rick C.
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So true, and slow down some, take time to use the safety stuff, When i was younger working under a car got a piece of steel in my left eye, regular Doc. would not be around till next day. So went to one down town office, could smell booze on him. By the time he got done i ended up with a scar, just enough to make things blurry, as others take the time to use safety gear.
 
Tom from Rubicon said:
Just two months ago a tiny sliver of steel was removed from my cornea. Still don't know how it got in my eye.

Steve's recounting of a wire wheel blow up reminds me of
my friend Bob Olden and his untimely death. Bob was snagging welds inside a boiler with an un-guarded hand grinder. The wheel exploded, a chunk of it struck him and sheared off the top off his heart. He was just twenty years old and newly married. That was back in 1970.
Tom from Rubicon
Click to expand...
Power equipment can be DANGEROUS!!! As far as the grinders, always wear leather gloves, face protection and even protective
clothing you never know what can go wrong. I've seen fellas riding motorcycles with shorts on and short sleeve shirts. I know I'm
guilty of riding the bike with a short sleeve shirt in the summer. I learned my lesson when I was young riding a bicycle with shorts.
Boots, leather,a helmet and gloves are the best for riding.
 
Greg58 said:
On a side note, after working with the tools we've all talked about for over 40 years or so I started having trouble with my foot, the Dr. sent me for a MRI, the first thing the asked me when filling out the paper work was was I a machinist, they sent me to have head x-rays to make sure I didn't have metal in my eyes. They told me that the magnetic power of the MRI would either pull out the metal or the eye.
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Scary on a MRI. I had a MRI at a VA clinic and they never asked me anything and I have worked in machine shops
most of my life but not anymore. We were around some nasty chemicals too and one is banned by OSHA and EPA.
 
curtisfox said:
So true, and slow down some, take time to use the safety stuff, When i was younger working under a car got a piece of steel in my left eye, regular Doc. would not be around till next day. So went to one down town office, could smell booze on him. By the time he got done i ended up with a scar, just enough to make things blurry, as others take the time to use safety gear.
Click to expand...
Been there and done that too! Using a cutting torch crawling around on the floor under a car working on exhaust systems and heating
parts to remove is a pain!
 
With me the irony was that I wasn't wearing the face shield for the first couple of passes with the cutting wheel and then thought if something is going to happen it will be now and put the shield on. The next pass the cutting wheel blew up.

Steve.
 
Tom, it's poly carbonate. I'll include the link below to the information on Amazon below. They are on sale for $29 our money this month and I'll go up and buy another one as back up. It seems that there are a lot of hiding places for the two I have in the garage.

They are incredibly comfortable to wear and have a lot of room in them.

Steve.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...p/B001VY3ACE&usg=AOvVaw2kaeytajE2TMXP0MMablxV
 
Tom from Rubicon said:
Hey EZL,
Your are just South of Pontiac, ILL.. Canoe and kayak raced down there on the Vermillion river . More of a drainage ditch :) That was before I got married.
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Yes, and I use to have a square-ended canoe with a 4 hp Evinrude for going up the Vermillion fishing. The best fishing
on the river was when it was high and flooding. The Indian Creek was even better when it was rising from high rain
fishing from the banks at night for Flatheads and Channel Cats. The last few years I haven't been back to fish the
creek. Sold the canoe years ago and regretted it.
 
fasteddy said:
Tom, it's poly carbonate. I'll include the link below to the information on Amazon below. They are on sale for $29 our money this month and I'll go up and buy another one as back up. It seems that there are a lot of hiding places for the two I have in the garage.

They are incredibly comfortable to wear and have a lot of room in them.

Steve.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=13&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjExPmFjeDiAhWBwMQHHcRwDTMQFjAMegQIABAB&url=https://www.amazon.ca/Uvex-S8510-Polycarbonate-Anti-Fog-Hardcoat/dp/B001VY3ACE&usg=AOvVaw2kaeytajE2TMXP0MMablxV
Click to expand...
Wow Steve! That is a real face shield and thanks for the link.
Tom from Rubicon
 
Thank you, Tom. I was working on the tri car this afternoon and while I had the face shield on I took a better look at it to make sure what I said was right and it was. Part of your head as well as you forehead are covered And it came down to the very uppermost part of my chest and I'm pretty beefy.

Some one who has a smaller build would get even more coverage. It may be available at Lowe's or Home Depot as well. That Amazon site is for Canada so the prices are high.

Steve.
 
For that money Tom I'd do it. I will be up at the tool supplier I use this week and I'm going to purchase at least one more and some more of the clear plastic windows.

I've seen a lot of face guards but none this good for what I payed. I'm sure you will find yourself reaching for it a lot.

Steve.
 
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