Shopsmith Forums

made a plate to lock switch and maybe more important the speed control dial.

like it says prototype the hole for the switch is not perfect but, the padlock still stops the switch....

Innovative!!!

There is a design for one of those that I have been looking for of late. I don't recall if it was in one of the shopsmith publications or books but I know it is somewhere.

It certainly looks like your idea will work, might heavy on the iron works but what you had on hand I would guess. Even sheet metal would work.

Thanks for sharing,

Ed

Excellent idea! Thanks for sharing it with us!!! Stops unintentional start up while protecting the speed control from the curious or uneducated operator...

Mike

Reible: I used what I had. 3/16 x 1 1/4 flat plate .
should be 1 inch wide then it would fit without grinding.
3/16 thick would still be my choice. anything thinner
would be able to be bent up or cut with a shears.
kids and relatives are sometimes quite innovative..

oldc6 wrote:Reible: I used what I had. 3/16 x 1 1/4 flat plate .
should be 1 inch wide then it would fit without grinding.
3/16 thick would still be my choice. anything thinner
would be able to be bent up or cut with a shears.
kids and relatives are sometimes quite innovative..

If it would get to that point with the kids and or relatives, other action, less passive, needs to be implemented!!!!!

Ed, I recall reading about that speed dial lock many years ago in the old "Hands On" magazine...
My design change would be to use a circular disk as the lower part of the lock with a ring of holes about like the old phone dials. Then there should always be a hole close enough to lock it without having to turn it on to move the dial to line it up. There is always enough slack in the dial to move it a tiny bit without having it running to get in position to lock it. I would find having to flip it on to move the dial to be one of those nuisances that would keep me from bothering to lock it. My woodshop is in the basement and there is no kid access to it. Adults can be a problem at times though. A second mounting point at the bottom of the dial might be helpful.
I'm also putting an extra SS in the farm shop for some more carpentry type work and it will be more exposed to the adult problem and in even more need of locking.
I am more concerned about the speed dial damage than the tool getting turned on but a lock-out could be a good idea too.
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Since the weather is getting better I will get back to rewiring the farm shop and I'm looking at sections or single machine feeds that might be well served by having convenient disconnects near them rather than flipping breakers back at the main box 50' away.
I just bought one of these AC disconnects (very low cost) at Lowes to use in the feed line of a 100 mile electric charger at our stable just down the road where a number of clients are often around.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_95578-82364-DPU222RP_1z0yt2s__
It is a 15 amp circuit from a breaker and the charger draws far less than that so 60 amps for a disconnect is really a lot of overkill but it doesn't matter, it is after all just a light-switch. But it is a very cheap way to lockout a feed for personal safety. I can pull out the switching bar and flip it over and then lock the door shut. That way I don't have to worry about some client or one of their kids (or adult friends} deciding that the fence charger needs to be plugged in not knowing that I am somewhere else on the farm working on the fence. These fencers are low amperage but very high voltage and 7 joules will really light you up...
That is the purpose they serve on outdoor air conditioner units. The repairman can pull the disconnect and work on the unit without fearing that someone in the house might flip the breaker on at the main box...

Very interesting. I had not seen anything like this before in the things I have read. I guess that shows that like 'Scotty' in the old Star Trek series, I have got some technical journal reading to catch up on that I have missed.

Nice job on how you approached it.

Everett

These are all good ideas. I'm going to have to try and implement one or more of them in my shop here soon. Wandering fingers are imminent.