Angle grinder to go aloft etc.

[Tantalus]

If you use the Milwaukee solution you'll need one of these too.

WINCH BIT HOME

[AiniA]

We run a halyard to our powered anchor windlass to hoist me up the mast. Works quite well as long as you can get the correct lead.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by boden36

I second Viking Sailor's comment. You are venturing deep into Darwin Award territory!
Regards,
Richard.

While cutting the top plate of a keel tank, I had a disk shatter on a 6 amp Makita 4.5 inch grinder:

I had proper eye and hand protection, but if that had happened at face level as opposed to "thick jeans over legs" level, I would be even less pretty than I am already.

If you have enough work to justify taking a grinder aloft, you have enough work to justify pulling the stick and doing the job on four sawhorses, safely on the ground and not with a whirring grinder at right angles to the halyard that's keeping you 50 feet up. As you can see, even down in an engine bay on a secure cradle, accidents happen.

A friend of mine told me of a woman who fell from a crow's nest she was specifically told by the skipper not to climb up to. Alcohol may have been involved. She fell, clubbing her head on granny bars at the mast base. Here's the problem with that: She didn't die. She was just permanently brain damaged. Some might say ignoring the skipper's warning indicated a pre-existing condition, but one should strive in life to avoid this person's fate and not be a horrible warning.

[CPseudonym]

S/V Alchemy's photo in his post above should serve to remind all to check and see that the tool is even appropriate for the task. The overwhelming majority of disks for grinders should be used on steel. Not lead, aluminum, (non ferrous metals) fiberglass, wood etc.

When disks "load up" with non ferrous material they will tend to break apart, sometimes violently as above.

[hpeer]

At 7+ billion population, we have too many folks already. Go right ahead! (NOT)

I NEVER pick up an angle grinder without heavy leather gloves.

I NEVER touch the disk, even to change it, while plugged in.

Wire wheels WILL remove copious amounts of skin, quickly and efficiently.

Wire wheels WILL throw small sharp wires which can destroy your eyes.

Etc.

Burned up a couple of grinders last year including a 9"er from Harbor Freight while cutting off my old bowsprit and building a new one. Having two steel boats I'm far too familiar with the damn things.

A portable bandsaw is a wonderful tool for cutting sections up to about 3-1/2"

[scoobert]

guys, stop telling him he will kill himself. he will not kill himself; it just will not work.
man you guys can be
Prima donna's

.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by CPseudonym

S/V Alchemy's photo in his post above should serve to remind all to check and see that the tool is even appropriate for the task. The overwhelming majority of disks for grinders should be used on steel. Not lead, aluminum, (non ferrous metals) fiberglass, wood etc.

When disks "load up" with non ferrous material they will tend to break apart, sometimes violently as above.

Actually, that was on steel, the mild steel top of an integral keel tank on my steel boat. I was using the right disk, too. Sometimes poop manifests!

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Scott Berg

However, a Milwaukee 28v 90 degree drill works perfectly

Also hoists our 200# rib on board

Milwaukee 1/2" right angle with 2/1 reduction bevel gear. 28 VDC lithium battery. Operate only in forward or the chuck will unscrew. This rotation coincedentally is my winch low gear. This easily hauls my 180 pounds to the top of our 80 foot mast. We keep three batteries AND it can operate directly from the boat 24 VDC system. We use this to furl the #1 genoa for tacking as well. You can find the adapter on line but I made mine in the shop from key-stock.

There is enough torque available on our roller furler to part the 7/16 spectra line so be careful. BTW - you can find a factory rebuilt Milwaukee for about 2/3 original price & they also have a mess'o other useful tools that use the same batteries - including a cable cutting grinder.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by CPseudonym

S/V Alchemy's photo in his post above should serve to remind all to check and see that the tool is even appropriate for the task. The overwhelming majority of disks for grinders should be used on steel. Not lead, aluminum, (non ferrous metals) fiberglass, wood etc.

When disks "load up" with non ferrous material they will tend to break apart, sometimes violently as above.

Agree - don't use a rigid disk - use a flap disk. These are self-cleaning. I use these on any material. They cut fiberglass like mad, sharpen knives; shape steel etc.
McMaster-Carr

[Reefmagnet]

Flap disks are for grinding. Modern thin cutting, or cut-off, disks will cut just about all ferrous and non ferrous metals safely, along with fibreglass. I would guess most people unfamiliar with them would be concerned that they are too fragile, but they are surprisingly tough and very resistant to breakage. With experience these disks can be used to cut reasonably intricate shapes. My friend, who is a metal working tradesman, uses a 4 1/2" grinder with cutting disk to cut materials to shape for repairs as a matter of course. He works mostly with steels, stainless steels and aluminium. As an ex industry specialist myself, my complaint to him is he does all this with the safety guard removed from the grinder - something that definitely shouldn't be done by the average user.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Flap disks are for grinding. Modern thin cutting, or cut-off, disks will cut just about all ferrous and non ferrous metals safely, along with fibreglass. I would guess most people unfamiliar with them would be concerned that they are too fragile, but they are surprisingly tough and very resistant to breakage. With experience these disks can be used to cut reasonably intricate shapes. My friend, who is a metal working tradesman, uses a 4 1/2" grinder with cutting disk to cut materials to shape for repairs as a matter of course. He works mostly with steels, stainless steels and aluminium. As an ex industry specialist myself, my complaint to him is he does all this with the safety guard removed from the grinder - something that definitely shouldn't be done by the average user.

Agreed. With a steel boat, I have to shape bar stock or grind plate in places where the guard would be in the way. I am considering buying extra guards and cutting them down (with the grinder, naturally!) to perhaps 1/3 of a full circle from 1/2. That would give me "better than nothing" protection, but still let me get where I need without doing the same job with 10 Dremel wheels in five times the time.