Foot Switches

[Dean]

Stupid question time.

Most of the foot switches I've seen on lathes are for emergency stop.
My foot switch is wired up for on/off ie, foot down to start and foot off to stop which seems a safer way than emergency stop. :? are emergency stop swtches rigged to a brake

 

[CHJ]

Not too keen on a foot-on switch unless it shielded in some way to stop accidental actuation.

What happens when you want to move away from the lathe momentarily or move along the bed, does the machine switch off?

Most Stop switches just break the supply to the NVR relay.

 

[Dean]

Chas, my switch is inside a box to prevent accidents, most of my tools are within reach and I'd turn the lathe off regardless of the foot switch if I need to leave it.

I was thinking more of reaction time, how many people stand at the lathe with their foot permanantly hovering over the emergency stop foot switch, it just makes more sense to me to have on/off rather than emergency stop and I thought there might be another reason for having ES

 

[Chems]

Like a dead mans switch then? If it was supplied say with a 3 tap on sort of configuration It would be loads better than an Emergency Stop Button.

 

[Dean]

yes Chems, it's a dead mans switch but You've lost me with the next part

"If it was supplied say with a 3 tap on sort of configuration It would be loads better than an Emergency Stop Button."