old:equipment:bench-grinder

Use

Ensure that the wheels are free from defects and have no aluminium embedded in them. They should be dull, not shiny.
Ensure that the rests are near but not touching the wheels.
Ensure that the guards are down - adjust them from the hinge not the loose end.
Ensure the wheels rotate freely before switching the grinder on by turning them by hand.
When adjusting the clear guards, make sure to adjust the left-hand by grabbing the top of the guard. It has snapped off in the past and been reattached using epoxy.

Do not grip the work too close to the wheel - it gets hot
Do not force the work too hard - the grinder relies on speed, not on power
When smoothing the end of a rod, steady it with the hand closest to the grinder and turn and rotate it with the other.

Wear eye protection - hot metal in the eye is not pleasant
Do NOT wear gloves - they could get entangled and pull your hand into the machine
Never use the side of the wheel, however convenient it may seem. This can cause the wheel to shatter
Don't stand in the path of the wheel when starting the grinder in case a wheel should shatter
Don't leave the grinder until it has completely stopped spinning - other members may not realise it is still dangerous