Foot Operated ON/OFF switch

[donwatson]

Hi,
Can I ask if anyone on here uses a foot operated control switch and did you fit it yourself ?

take care
Don W

 

[woodfarmer]

I use one for my Holbrook metal lathe. Reason is in case I don't have a hand free and am caught in the beast. all i need do is step on the big red switch.

 

[Alexam]

For what machine Don? Scrollsaw footswitches are fairly common but bigger machines may have a foot NVR switch?
Malcolm

 

[donwatson]

@ Malcolm, for my newly purchased Parkside/Scheppach scroll saw. I think the saw a pretty good buy but while I am still fettling it I thought I could add a foot switch. Would it be a simple job ?

@ woodfarmer, a good idea that, we had 2 lathes in the workshop that had a foot pedal that ran the length of the machine and extra foot pressure brought in a mechanical brake.

take care
Don W

 

[Alexam]

I think it may be best to get used to the machine first and then consider if a footswitch would help you. If you are intending to cut very small pieces, I find that a wooden clamp is great. It stays flat on the table and keeps the work vertical, which sometimes is difficult by hand. I did have a foot switch onto my Recors 16 SSSD which was helpful rather than reaching for the switch.

 

[scrimper]

I know people here do use foot switches with their scroll saws but personally I have never felt the need for one, I manage perfectly well using a hand to switch off.

 

[Aggrajag]

I recently bought a footswitch and I don't know how I managed without it. The on/off switch on my Excalibur is a little fiddly, plus it's above the work so isn't in my line of sight whilst working. Although I got used to operating it without moving my head (for brief stops to quickly spin work) I find the footswitch infinitely easier.

My machine doesn't have an NVR breakout so I fitted a cheap £15 Ebay footswitch by following a stupidly simple wiring diagram I found on this site. I believe it's a more complicated affair if you do have a NVR switch.

(To test if you have NVR, turn your machine on and get the blade moving. Remove all hands/feet/bodyparts and with the machine still running turn it off at the wall/plug/mains. Wait a few seconds and turn it back on. If the blade starts up without you doing anything else then you don't have an NVR. )

 

[NazNomad]

I'd spend most of my time falling over a footswitch if I had one. My finger does the job just as well (and it's harder to trip over your fingers).

 

[AES]

As per usual, it seems it's "different strokes for different folks".

I bought a (horribly expensive, I thought) foot switch as an add on to my new Excalibur 21 about a year ago. Since having that "proper" scroll saw I've been doing a bit of "proper" scrolling like lettering (I use the scroll saw mainly for "non-scroll saw general uses") and now I have it I'd never go back to not having a foot switch. Just my own experience.

But regarding fitting or installing, there isn't any to be done really, unless your machine has a NVR switch instead of/as well as a normal on/off switch.

Assuming no NVR all you need is a simple ON/OFF foot switch (no speed control like a sewing machine) with the correct amperage for your machine.

In simple terms the foot switch should have a plug on one end of the lead and a socket on the switch itself. You plug the plug end into the wall, plug the plug from your machine into the socket on the foot switch and then as they say, your father's brother becomes Uncle Bob

HTH

AES

 

[nadnerb]

I use a foot switch on an extension cord so the saw and two dust extractors stop running at the same time ,I wouldn't be without it
Brendan

 

[donwatson]

Thanks for all your experiences guys. It does seem to be a very mixed bag of answers, some wouldn't be without and some wouldn't be with.
This machine has a NVR switch at the front which acts as an On/Off switch so I reckon it will be a little difficult to fit a foot switch, so I will leave that idea aside for the moment.

take care
Don W