A short story here:
The other day, wanting to clean my newly repaired fuel tanks, and because it was raining here in South Carolina, couldn't use my media blaster, I decided to do it the old fashioned way and fit a wire brush onto my hand grinder. After 10 mi minutes or so, I cleared about 25% of one side and thought a large wheel brush would be better. I pulled one out off my drawer, put it in my corded electric drill and in 5 minute, the side was done. Unfortunately, so were my wrists.
OK, I thought, my small angle grinder, being lighter, should do the job. Now this little thing is powerful and spins at 10,000 rpm and has no variable switch. I searched my drawer and came up with an old wheel that fit, but it was only rated to 7,500 rpm. "Close enough" I thought, as I took the grinding wheel off and screwed the lock nut onto the brush.
What a difference! The job was done in 20 minutes.
Fast forward to bedtime: getting undressed, I kept getting jabbed by sharp little things embedded in my jeans. Not just a few, either. Dozens of wires had shot like those photos of straws stuck through trees after a tornado. I pulled out as many as I found (and finding them hurt) and set them on my night stand, like fish bones on the edge of a plate.
I promptly forgot them until this morning, when I reached for my iPod as I often do before getting up. Pulling it over, I noticed shiny things falling like snow, all over the bed covers.
I haven't found any yet. They hide quite well. I'm going to catch the devil when I tell my wife, and will be VERY careful not to be so lazy in the future.
Moral: Don't be dumb like me. Use the proper tools. If you don't have the proper tools, get them, or don't do the job.
Ouch! I think I found one.
Bruce
