Shopsmith Forums

Would a safety STOP paddle switch be a wise idea on a Shopsmith?

No, technically this is NOT an actual review but i thought this was a good place to pose the question plus any additional thoughts.

SawStop has. BIG stop paddle on it and I am seeing more table saws with paddle like off switches so I began wondering if having one on a Shopsmith was feasible , wise, obtrusive ??

If you were to place one, should it be something that was moveable like on the bench tubes or way tubes or attach to the table itself (and if was attached to the table, would using the table in a tilted position present problems)? Or some other place - more or less a permanent location? Having it on the head stock seems less logical since the main on/off switch is already there.

Any thoughts, ideas, warnings....... Does anyone actually have one installed on their Shopsmith? I have one on my router table which sets on the way tubes but it's more for convenience and technically not part of the saw, so that does not count.

Be well,
Ben

I was wondering this the other night after having some issues with som wood i was cutting. Nice to be able to find the switch if you need to shut it off. You could instal an aftermarket foot operated kill switch

I have one of these on my TS and Router table, mounted on the left side at knee level, I am right handed, and can just lift up my left leg a bit and hit that Stop with my left knee. I love them!! I use my SS more for a dedicated DP, belt sander, disc sander, jounter and Band Saw, I do see them critical on a TS or Router Table for shut down. I just did not think about/need on my SS, mounting one on a SS, it would take some thought to position.
http://www.rockler.com/safety-power-tool-switch

I've never had the occasion to need a paddle except possibly once but then a magnetic drop out switch would have worked as well...........

I was once cutting up some plywood in the garage at night when the power failed. No light, I mean pitch black and my fear was that the power would come back on while I was trying to find the switch. Thank goodness that didn't happen.

I got a "flash light" that plugged in to an outlet and came on if he power failed. The light was enough to see a little and since it had batteries you could unplug it and use it as a flash light. The batteries went bad some years ago and while I should replace it I have not. But then I can use the machine as a table saw in the garage anymore either.

Ed

I saw a Jet lathe video just today that showed a magnet mounted round panic stop button on a cord. They showed it being positioned in various places on the lathe. That might be tougher on a Shopsmith with aluminum castings.
My Ridgid TS-3650 saw has a paddle switch and I had one mounted on the low ceiling above my old table saw in the farm shop where I could just reach up and swat the switch. I really liked the overhead position best (but only with a low ceiling ).

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reible wrote:I've never had the occasion to need a paddle except possibly once but then a magnetic drop out switch would have worked as well...........

I was once cutting up some plywood in the garage at night when the power failed. No light, I mean pitch black and my fear was that the power would come back on while I was trying to find the switch. Thank goodness that didn't happen.

I got a "flash light" that plugged in to an outlet and came on if he power failed. The light was enough to see a little and since it had batteries you could unplug it and use it as a flash light. The batteries went bad some years ago and while I should replace it I have not. But then I can use the machine as a table saw in the garage anymore either.

Ed

When I wire any building even in simple cases I always split the circuits so that one breaker tripping will not kill all of the lights...
I have been left in the dark before.


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My garage is that way too but it doesn't do much good when everyone's power goes like in the case I was mentioning. We have few power failures here, maybe due to underground cables but have lost power twice since they added the new "smart grid" last summer. It has been years between failures here, much different then the last place we lived where it would happen 3 or 4 times a year.

Ed

Would be a good idea on a SS with the conventional headstock but difficult with a Power Pro. With a conventional headstock you could mount an after market paddle switch on a piece of tubing and put the tubing in a bucket of cement with casters on the bottom and position it any where you want for convenience.
Bill V

wa2crk wrote:Would be a good idea on a SS with the conventional headstock but difficult with a Power Pro. With a conventional headstock you could mount an after market paddle switch on a piece of tubing and put the tubing in a bucket of cement with casters on the bottom and position it any where you want for convenience.
Bill V

For use as an 'Emergency Stop' the bucket etc. would work on anything.

JPG
Keerect. When I upgraded to the PP the paddle switch was not practical. So I used the paddle on my Delta lathe when the on/off switch failed.
Those after market paddle switches can be used on drill presses, router tables and table saws or anything that cuts the AC with the on/off function. Real convenient item.
Bill V