Okay I am almost too embarrassed to ask this but I am so frustrated!

I have been polishing up the trim on my car with my Home Depot bought 6" bench grinder and it keeps shocking the bejesus out of me! I tried thin rubber gloves and I tried grounding myself, which resulted in a wonderful electrical current flowing through my body.

Any tips here? I realize I am a total dork here but it is getting very aggravating!!! :angry::angry::angry:

Dude, if that tool is shocking you, it is probably defective.

First thing I'd do is take it back. Or take it apart and fix the short. If I didn't beat it to death first;).

I'd also take my little yellow AC outlet tester(GB GRT-500 circuit tester) to the receptacle in use, see if it is wired right. Little $10 gizmo with 2 yellow and 1 red light that the order of illumination tells you the status of the wire landings. And in case you have a 2 wire outlet, those testers still tell you polarity with the use of a 3 by 2 prong adapter.

Most grinders are 2 prong, but if yours is a 3 prong and you have it adapted into a 2 wire outlet, that might explain. That 3 rd prong, although a PITA sometimes is there to return current in the case to ground(instead of you providing the path:D).

I can tell you don't have a ground fault breaker or outlet, I hate those damthings too:D LMAO, they are way too expensive and temperamental:D:D. LMFAO, I see me in you. Damn I learned some electricity lessons the hard way. But I'm still kickin, just paid attention to each lesson.

No it's not defective it's static electricity. You can try grounding the body of the grinder, Rubbing a piece of metal at high rates of speed with a cotton polishing wheel is going to build up a charge. I have my polisher mouted on rubber (actually a stand I made out of a spare rim and tire, works great).

The key to not getting shocked is to either insualte yourself or make your body the same potential as the part you're working on/with.

Lol this would be a funny thing to watch honestly...cuz u would keep buffing it huh ^_^. Sounds like static to me as well...

:oOk, I see now, bench grinder. I was thinking grinder grinder, like handheld because I've been using one this week working on my truck. My mistake:o. Yeah, if you're not touching the body of the tool, then the work is developing static. That's why most shops have heavy rubber mats in front of bench grinders.

Not sure if it's static. Could be micro shock. I work in the medical field and we test equipment for the smallest of ground leaks. You should get less than a half an ohm (.5 ohm )from your ground tab on the plug to the grinder (case ground). It can mess you up so I don't recommend using it till you can confirm the ground.

nope its from the buffing wheel
I fixed that by standing on a rubber mat.
btw when the humidity gets to around 30% or lower itll happen just like rubbing your stocking feet on a rug then touching a door knob.

Yeah I am thinking it is static build-up. My wife was cracking up watching me until I gave her a little kiss! ZAP!

I will have to try the rubber mat. I got some rubber gloves but if this keeps up the grinder will be launched out into the desert!

Thanks guys. :)

you can also take a length of 20 gauge wire and attach an alligator clip to it and other end grounded to your electrical recepticle.
Attach the clip to your work and it will disipate the static as well.

I had the same thing happen when I polished my window trim. Dawg's solution will work, or instead of fastening to the trim work you can connect the wire around your wrist. Just be careful you don't get the wire tangled up on the buffing pad, that could get real ugly real fast.

Maybe clip it around your ankle

Maybe clip it around your ankle

That would work too. And connect the other end directly to the framework of the grinder motor. Just remember to disconnect before you walk away.

Clip it to your zipper, then give your honey a kiss!! LMFAO!