Dremel wire wheels.

[Broithe]

It seems that escaping wires, from the small wire wheels that are so handy for cleaning things via a Dremel, are a bit of an issue.

I've always been aware of the possibility and have been careful about eyes, etc.

However, over the last couple of days, I have had increasing difficulty in walking, due to very sharp and intense pain in my left heel. I had 'left things to sort themselves out', as points of thorns, splinters, etc., will often do, but things were even worse this morning - so, by means of some considerable contortion and a small bright Maglite torch, I was able to examine the underside of my heel.

Initially, I could see nothing untoward, but then I noticed a tiny, very slight gleam and, by means of a fine pair of tweezers, I was able to locate and grasp the end of the offending 'foreign body'.

This proved to be a wire from a Dremel wire wheel and it had gone in by most of the 6mm of its length.

It had, presumably, ended up in my sock somehow and then been pushed in as I walked around.

It does seem to be regarded as quite an issue by some people, especially with children and other animals around the place. It is suggested that running superglue into the hub will reduce the issue considerable, probably by reducing the work-hardening effect, rather than holding in broken wires.

Be warned - I was virtually immobile this morning.

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by Broithe

[Mike 84C]

Thanks Jim Thats a new one on me.

[JasonB]

On 15/11/2023 at 6:35 PM, Broithe said:

This proved to be a wire from a Dremel wire wheel and it had gone in by most of the 6mm of its length.

It had, presumably, ended up in my sock somehow and then been pushed in as I walked around.

Damn, that sounds painful. I'm wincing just reading this. 

[spudfan]

That does sound painful and you are lucky you got it before the area became infected. Thankfully you did not have to carry someone over the threshold that day...

[skinner75]

Nothing worse than a splinter/sliver when it gets deep into the skin - also shows the importance of eye protection when using those wire wheels

[LNERW1]

God, this happened to me once- I'll never walk barefoot in my dad's shed again. Thanks for the warning, i have a dremel tool myself and the wire attachment in particular is used a lot cleaning my LGB track, glad you removed it.

[LNERW1]

Re-reading that post I realise it sounds like i was saying i was glad you removed my dremel tool. i need to start proofreading.

[Broithe]

23 minutes ago, LNERW1 said:

Re-reading that post I realise it sounds like i was saying i was glad you removed my dremel tool. i need to start proofreading.

Well, if it had been necessary,,,

... but, I probably wouldn't have needed the torch to find it.

[Broithe]

Mmm, I've just got a small metal splinter out of a finger.

It wasn't causing much distress, but I decided to get it out as my tea was cooking.

It was a good bit smaller, probably 1.5 to 2mm long and possibly a bit finer than the 'big one' described above. 

The Dremel may not be responsible for this, as I don't remember using it in that manner since about August.

This one may be a result of sharpening some edge-tools a few days ago, with a bit of a resulting burr ending up embedded in me.

This one took an inordinate amount of digging out. Even my super-pointy tweezers were unable to draw it and I had to default to a more open-cast approach with a pin.

I expect to survive the resultant wound.

[Gabhal Luimnigh]

It's amazing how sore the smallest little things are.

[spudfan]

I remember in the late seventies I was working on a building site and I walked on a nail which went into my foot. So I was taken to the nearest hospital for a tetanus shot. When getting the tetanus shot, I was told "Don't tense up", but I did. The needle broke and the tip lodged in my lower regions. It was a painful day.

[LNERW1]

9 hours ago, spudfan said:

I remember in the late seventies I was working on a building site and I walked on a nail which went into my foot. So I was taken to the nearest hospital for a tetanus shot. When getting the tetanus shot, I was told "Don't tense up", but I did. The needle broke and the tip lodged in my lower regions. It was a painful day.

owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[spudfan]

And I had to cycle from the site in Ballybrack to where I lived in Drimnagh after all of that!!!

[LNERW1]

3 minutes ago, spudfan said:

And I had to cycle from the site in Ballybrack to where I lived in Drimnagh after all of that!!!

Oof. That sounds very painful.

[spudfan]

Yep, I was younger then. Cycled from Drimnagh to site on Ballybrack every morning, then home in the evenings! Lots of tales from the site but things were different then.