Pixietown

Yikes, Lidl sells an angle grinder without a dead man's switch

So here's a PSA: if you intend to buy an angle grinder, DO NOT buy one that's continuous-operation. A safe cutting tool MUST have a switch that automatically turns the tool off as soon as you stop holding it, a so-called "dead man's switch".

Consider what happens if you accidentally drop your angle grinder, and it doesn't have automatic turn-off; the disc can hit the floor, which will launch it off in a random direction, which is potentially going to be your legs.

It can and will severely injure you if that happens, possibly fucking up your legs irrecoverably, for the rest of your life.

Do not buy continuous-operation cutting devices.

@joepie91 That's still legal to sell? We don't get bottles that are nice to drink out of and plastic straws are also banned because we can not be trusted to act like adults with our trash.... but cutting devices without an auto-cutoff are somehow okey? What a world 🫣🤷

@gilgwath Yeah, I was surprised too. I thought this was legally required by now in EU. Apparently not?

@joepie91 Someone in a, uh, local hackerspace, once thought it is a good idea to make a similar tool automatic by:

Imagine the surprise when someone turns on that random power strip and hears a funny little motor for a fucking blade spin up

@navi I would be having Words with that person if I saw that

@joepie91 Words were had from what have been told

@joepie91 oh yeah, it was also a handheld device being made to be "stationary". also zip ties.

@navi I mean, making a stationary tool out of a handheld tool *could* at least be a reasonable thing to do... assuming that the person doing it has done sufficient research on safety and ergonomics (which sure doesn't sound the case here)

@navi @joepie91 please say that didn't also mean taking off the safety shield around the cutter

@Ember @joepie91 i do not know

@Ember @navi @joepie91 reminds me of a video of person turning a drill into a bench grinder. Though umm damn lots have that damn idea just have a grinder drill attachment. 😩

@joepie91 we have one but you have to actively put it over the lock on for continuous operation

Its by default you have to hold the switch

@Kuniti_shino Yeah that's somewhat acceptable at least (though I would still never use the continuous mode); but the one I was looking at *only* has a continuous mode 😕

@joepie91 someone close to me came inches from dying this way recently. Clothing caught in angle grinder, no dead man switch. Minor chest and shoulder injuries, made a full recovery. Slightly different angle would have gone through the side of his neck.