Safety switch for home made machines

[Christophe Mineau]

Here is my proposal for an effective safety switch that can easily be made, based on a standard commercial wall rocker switch.
Here it is, nothing fancy, not a master piece of woodworking, but it actually works pretty well

[chy_farm]

Hi Christophe, nice one thanks. Want to see and know the trick a tad more please.

Chy

[Karl_H]

My version:











I need to add a spring like Christophe did since mine will occasionally turn itself off if there is too much vibration in the saw.

The box, switch and hinge are readily available at the big box stores or any hardware store. The paddle is just a scrap of wood with a hole drilled through it.

You might need to add a small block to contact the "Off" side of the switch if your hinge isn't just right

[Christophe Mineau]

Hi Christophe, nice one thanks. Want to see and know the trick a tad more please.

Chy

Hi Chy,
Given the very detailed level of explanation you provided for your VFD, shame on me to be so poor on this one.
I spent some time to do a 3D model, here are the pictures :

[Christophe Mineau]

My version: ...

Well done !
Did you do it following my post or did we had the same idea ?
I'm glad if my post could inspire you !

[Karl_H]

We had the same idea! (I actually saw it somewhere else and "stole" / modified to my liking.)
I bought a new fence system for my table saw and the existing switch was too far out of reach for safety. It was going to be a pain to re-mount the old switch in a better location, so I decided to build a better switch that was easier to reach.
The date on the photos in my archive is 9/15/14, so for almost 6 years I have been considering how to stop the "auto-shutoff" bug, and today, you gave me the solution. Thanks.

[mklotz]

Perhaps a useful addition to these safety switches would be to add a long horizontal bar to the actuator. With such a bar along the side of the machine where the operator stands, any bump with hip or thigh would shut the machine down. Emergency situations are stressful and not a time when you need to think how to find the switch with your hand.

One possible problem with my idea is the operator accidentally bumping the bar during normal operation of the machine. Careful design of the geometry or a strong spring to prevent accidental triggering might help. Final solutions would be situation specific.

[chy_farm]

Hi Chy,
--------------------------
I spent some time to do a 3D model, here are the pictures :

Good morning Christophe, thank you so much for you illustration, it tell perfect!
Chy

[DIYer]

Thanks Christophe Mineau! We've added your Safety Stop Switch to our Switches category,
as well as to your builder page: Christophe Mineau's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Safety Stop Switch by Christophe Mineau

tags: safety, switch

[DIYer]

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

Safety Stop Switch by Karl_H

tags: safety, switch