Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Equipment alert light
Jerry Gibbs
Has anybody rigged a flashing light or whatever so that you are aware a machine is running? My problem is when I am wearing hearing protection and the dust collector is running I can forget that I left the saw running or whatever. Any suggestions for type of light would be appreciated.
Re: Equipment alert light
Jim DeLaney, Austintown, Ohio
I have one on my compressor - just to remind me not to leave the shop without turning it off.
I power the compressor via a switched outlet, and just have the light plugged into that same outlet.
Re: Equipment alert light
John McGaw
Rigging a light would be simple -- just a bulb (of the proper voltage) in parallel with the motor and mounted someplace visible. But wouldn't it be easier to readjust your method of work? -- I automatically shut off a tool the instant I'm done with it and then close the attached dust collector gate so that the DC will stop. After a while it is instinctive and never takes a conscious thought.
Oh, and you must have some really good hearing protection if it covers up the sound of a table saw. Mine knocks it down about 30-35dB but everything is still audible.
Dust collector is loud
Finish The Cut
Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey
Turn off the saw.
Doesn't matter how loud the vacuum is. Leave a cutting machine running, you're asking for trouble.
and pain.
Amen to that rule
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
The couple of times I foolishly ignored this rule I had close calls. Twice was enough warning.
When the board clears the blade the switch is hit to stop the blade. No exceptions. No need for additional alerts. No risk.
Re: Finish The Cut
john lucas
Ditto what Mark says. I never leave a machine running.
even more protection
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
I have foot operated switches on the drill press and router table. Not practical for a table saw but I think they provide additional safety for machines that can use them.
Re: even more protection
James Runchey
I rigged up a lever shut-off on my tablesaw. It's hinged at the top part of the saw and hangs down within an inch of the floor, so I just have to kick it to shut off the saw.
Ditto
Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey
on the knee-kick switch. Put one on my then-new cab saw before I even used it. Hole in the board for the "on" button. Don't have lose control of a board in order to stop the saw.
Turn it off.
Re: even more protection
Stuart Johnson
I use foot pedal on my miter saw/shop vac combination so insure the vac is on. I do not use it on any spinning machine or tool. It was hooked up to my router table until the day I accidentally stepped on it. My hand was next to the collet and would have been a mess if I had left in a bit. I use bluetooth headset along with ear muffs when dust collector and saw are running and can normally hear just enough to know they are running. I did switch to some in the ear tips that basically knock out the sound but will switch back. I was using the tablesaw sneaking up on a cut for a piece in the house. It was a case of back and forth several times. I know I should turn it off after every cut but twice I failed and could have easily had an avoidable accident. For whatever reason we don't always do everything we should do and accidents do happen.
Re: Equipment alert light
TM Stock
Seems like becoming dependent on a 'machine is on' light to determine if the machine is on may lead to 'light off - machine off' trained response, which can be a problem if the system fails. Maybe treating every machine as on and blade as turning until verified off would be a better approach. Sort of like weapons safeties.
Re: Equipment alert light *LINK*
Norman (Ottawa, Ont.)
I set a lamp up ( red neon) on a stacked set of air cleaners. With a machine running in the shop I couldn't tell if the air cleaners had been turned on. The light is fairly bright and a quick look tells me they are powered on. Found a link to a pic embedded in a blog post.
Norman
Air cleaner Lamp
foot switch
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
Agree that exposed foot switches are a menace. Mine are mounted in boxes. Your toe has to step into the box to activate it.
Re: SawStop and DeWalt RAS
William Duffield
My SawStop (industrial model) came equipped with a large paddle switch, that I've never not been able to find immediately with one knee or the other. I always power it down just as the blade finishes the cut. However, I am now concerned that I am missing something, and maybe I should build a large hanging gate that I can reach with a toe from anywhere on the front or left side of the saw. I have an ancillary concern that such a gate would block access to the override key switch and the error analysis lights.
My radial arm saw (like this one: http://www.finewoodworking.com/2016/10/20/9-dewalt-radial-arm-saw) is a horse of a different feather. When I turn it off, it continues to free wheel silently for a couple of minutes, because there is no dynamic breaking feature built into the 60+ year old motor. While I know to look out for it, I am concerned that someone else may use the saw and be unaware of the danger. Is there anything I can reasonably do to make it safer, short of re-placing it with a Kapex. (Roland's article explains some of the advantages that make me reluctant to toss it out.)
Re: Manual Stop
Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey
A lumber yard I dealt with had a big (12 or 16") RAS and they used a gum rubber block mounted on a wood block to stop their blade. The block fit against the fence and was slid along so that only the overhanging rubber made contact with the side on the blade to stop it.
Re: Equipment alert light
Keith Newton
Jerry, If you know what is what in your motor starter box, it would be easy to rig a pigtail that hangs out of the box which you could plug whatever light you choose into. You can pick up the hot leg between the contacts and the heaters or overload protection. Without knowing anything about what saw and how it is wired, I can't say where to get the neutral. Then if you choose a LED, you won't need many wats to energize it if your wiring isn't oversize.
Re: SawStop and DeWalt RAS *LINK*
Bob Entwisle in NJ
Perhaps retrofit one of those centrifugal force activated lasers to the RAS, should stay on as the blade spins down, at least providing a little indication that the blade is still moving.
I've no experience with these so this idea is worth what you paid for it.