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Simple Jet add-on safety switch

Posts

Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#1

Simple Jet add-on safety switch

GaryG in MD

>I know that this is passé for many members, but it might be interesting to some new people.

When I got my Jet 1236, I immediately found it awkward to use the standard power "off" switch in the case of a catch or other problem requiring quick action. The switch is on the left side, and I am right handed and work mostly on the right (tailstock) side. If anything untoward happens, I would have to reach back across the spinning piece to access the hard-to-push switch. That was both dangerous and too slow.

I know that better lathes have a moveable switch panel which is handy for things like hollowing, and I decided to put a switch on the right side. My simple, inexpensive solution is pictured below. A $5 power tap (surge suppressor not needed) is glued to the outside of the bed with contact cement. The location is far enough back (to the right) to be away from faceplate or hollowing work. A scrap-metal handle is glued to the power switch. “Off” is away from the lathe. I used an old piece of antenna with a spade lug on it. I covered that with a piece of rubber tubing, with the tubing extending out several inches beyond the end of the metal, as a bounce suppressor. The unused sockets are covered with masking tape to keep the shavings out. The cables on both ends are tied up neatly and secured with long twist ties.

The location is perfect for a quick swipe of the hand if needed, and the lathe stops immediately. I have found it to be very effective, if rarely used. It is also handy for power control when using a drill bit in a Jacob’s chuck in the headstock and holding the workpiece at the tailstock. Other than that, I make a point of using only the standard switch for normal operation so as not to have any careless startup surprises.

I think every lathe should have a switch on the right side. If yours doesn’t, it’s easy to add one.

Gary

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#2

And now the pic

GaryG in MD

>WC note: If you are in preview and change one word before posting, it apparently deletes the photo that was attached. ...Gary

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#3

no luck, try again

GaryG in MD

>For some reason, the photo is not coming across even though it shows up just fine in Preview mode.


img

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#4

Re: no luck, try again

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>That's ingeneous, and quite useful, I think. I have a question, which leads directly to a concern. Why attach the switch to the back of the bed? I turn lots of long spindles, and I sure wouldn't want to get in the habit of reaching across the bed and under a spindle to reach the switch if something went wrong when I was roughing out one of those. I suppose it may be very difficult to find a position for the switch that would be convenient for all possible operations, and still not get in the way for any operation. Maybe a bar you could hit with your knee from any place you may be standing while turning?

BTW, I notice from your photo that your 1236 is missing a critical performance enhancement that I added to mine: specifically, you need a plywood box filled with a couple hundred pounds of concrete, built into the leg assembly.

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#5

Re: no luck, try again

GaryG in MD

>William,

I'm glad you found it interesting. In my case, I don't do long spindles, and I wanted the switch where it wouldn't be in the way (hence not on the near side of the lathe where I stand) but close to where my hands end up when I'm doing headstock work and jump back reflexively due to a catch. For that application, I find the chosen location to be quite handy.

You can attach a switch in whatever location most fits your personal needs -- you could even do more than one and connect them in series. In your case, you might want one on the extreme-right near side, for example. You could also buy or make a foot switch or a knee bar -- whatever gives you quick, reliable, and comfortable access to a shutoff.

Gary

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#6

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch *LINK*

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey

>Gary,

Good idea. Wish I had thought of that when I had my 1236. From the picture your switch lever looks a little fragile, so I wonder if it might be more durable with a moveable "pendent" kill switch.

Examples at the link are item Nos. 6785K71 or 72 which are mushroom pull-to-reset e-switches that would be easy to wire into the lathe circuit and then mount anywhere with a magnet glued to the back of the enclosure box. Bill could place it at knee-height or it could be set on top of the ways behind the tailstock for a right-hand tap.

Used as emergency only with the original switch still functioning, but you would have to remember to flip the main switch off before resetting the mushroom. You can also get pendent enclosure switches with both on and mushroom-off buttons, but they can get rather expensive.

Mark


McMaster-Carr

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#7

Re: no luck, try again

Ryan McMullen - Memphis

>Gary,

One other way to mount your new saftey switch would be to expoxy (or whatever securing method you want) a couple of rare earth magnets to the side or bottome of the power strip. The magnets would have enough holding power to stay, but yet allow you to move the switch from the back to the front or closer to the HS if needed.

Great idea, BTW!

Ryan

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#8

Re: no luck, try again

GaryG in MD

>Ryan,

The magnets are an excellent idea. I should have thought of that. It would add flexibility for all situations. Thanks.

Gary

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#9

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

GaryG in MD

>Mark,

Thanks for your thoughts. I suppose you might consider my solution a little "fragile", but it's actually quite effective, fast and trivial to implement (plug and play), and you can't beat the price. With the addition of Ryan's magnets, it would also be very flexible.

Gary

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#10

Re: Picture vs. Words - Oops?

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey

>Gary,

From the picture you posted it looks to me like a pretty good sized lever on that powerstrip switch that would tend to put a lot pressure on the parts. If I'm misreading the photo, please forgive me as I didn't mean to imply that your "engineering" was lacking.

Mark

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#11

Re: no luck, try again

Ryan McMullen - Memphis

>No problem. I have a "shop" light with R.E. Magnets on it. I picked up the the light from the good will. It's a light with a big clip for putting anywhere. I was able to screw in a R.E. Magnet I got from a computer hard drive and now the thing will really mount any where!

The magenets from hard drives can be nice since they will usually be mounted to a piece of metal and have holes already drilled in them for mounting.

Ryan

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#12

Good idea. Thanks.

GaryG in MD

>

Re: Simple Jet add-on safety switch

#13

Re: Picture vs. Words - Oops?

GaryG in MD

>Mark,

No problem. You're right that if I were to hit it hard enough on the metal part of the handle, something would give -- that's why I built it with the empty rubber tube at the top. Hopefully, that keeps it from being struck so hard it bounces back to the "on" position and also protects it from being ripped off. The switch itself has an internal stop, so I think the worst thing that would happen would be the contact cement letting go. In that case, I think it would still have worked, and it would be easy to glue the handle back on. Overall, I think it's reasonably robust.

Gary

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