key in chuck safety device

[DIYer]

Thanks Cascao! We've added your Lathe Cutoff Switch to our Safety category,
as well as to your builder page: Cascao's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Lathe Cutoff Switch by Cascao

tags: lathe, switch

[Gary A. Wills]

No matter what you do YA just faint fix stupid . Good way to start but they would disable it somehow.

[Toolmaker51]

I see there is a happy little band following this thread, about Cascao's chuck key.
You'll all laugh at this, but I have instances where the key needs use often. Wearing shop apron, or pants and tucked-in shirt, I find slipping the keys shank in the belt awfully convenient.
Otherwise, my rule of thumb is if the key's in the chuck, one hand is on it. On some lathes, keys are a good 'handle' jogging gear trains when shifting speeds. That's part of the belt & key thing, it is in my right hand.

[Frank S]

Key in the right hand? Only us old guys who have had to jog a 20" or larger chuck a few degrees back and forth to be able to get the gears to change Don't remember ever tucking one in my belt but have dropped it in my apron pocket on occasion rip more pockets off that way

[Scrounga]

I think that is a brilliant idea. Simple and effective. While I have never made the mistake of leaving the key in the chuck (I put that down to a very good metal work teacher at high school) I have come close. It’s so tempting sometimes to just leave the key there for a second while I get something but I always stop myself and remove the key. Your idea will stop that and I hope you don’t mind me using it. I think I will call it a Cascao key . Thanks Stuart, Australia.

[Crusty]

Early on I formed the habit of never leaving the key in the chuck - it always goes right back to its parking space even before I pull the work out of the chuck. It's a habit that hasn't failed me so far and in fact it's even a bit of a reminder to stay alert and not be doing anything while on autopilot.

I do tie wrap my other tools' chuck keys to the plug end of their power cords so that I'm forced to disconnect power before putting a key in any chuck.

Still got ten and no stubbys (knock on wood) but I have had a hole cutter bar and cutting tool go flying close by me at not quite mach 1.

[Hans Pearson]

The idea of stopping and starting the motor every time something has to be done or looked at seems to me to be a waste of electricity and a drastic reduction in the life of the motor. Any lathe worth even a little salt should have a clutch to disengage the spindle from the drive. A more sensible idea would be to make the clutch inoperable if the key were not inserted in a special receptical and leave the poor long suffering motor running. Of course it is imperative to remove the idiot factor too.