Table saw switch

[Keith Nuttle]

The cord on the switch on my 40 year old Sears table saw has been run over one too many times and I decided to replace it. However when I took it apart to replace the cord I notice at some time something got hot and the covering of on wire is slightly melted.

The switch consist of two plugs, one controlled by a rocker switch (Standard one that came with the saw) I have done some googling and checked some of the local stores and have not been able to find a replacement.

What are other people using for switches?

[Chris Friesen]

Something like this would be your best bet (but size it for your motor HP rating):

you don't want to pay for the added safety of a magnetic switch then something like this would work:

[Ed Edelenbos]

Or go to the Sears website and follow the links to Sears Parts Direct. Typically, I've been able to enter a few numbers and find exact replacements.

Ed

[TD Driver]

[Keith Nuttle]

How would you install one of these switches ie. the paddle switch?

The shrouding around the guts of the saw is only about two thirds of the table and my current switch fits on the underside of the other third of cast iron table. The switch is about a finger length from the front edge of the table.

The only other places the switch would fit would be quite low on the legs of the support rack or way back under the table on the saw body.

[Chris Friesen]

That switch is supposed to fit normal electrical boxes, so the simplest is probably to mount an electrical box under the table at a suitable location. Worst-case, you can drill/tap the cast iron to accept some bolts, or there might be a way to use existing holes--hard to tell without looking at the saw. You'll probably need to use a spacer or bracket of some sort to mount the box so that the switch has enough clearance to fasten to the box.

Chris

[Pat Barber]

Get or make an angle bracket and mount the electrical box to that and then add the switch.

The bracket could be a piece of flat steel that's the correct width of the electrical box.

Keith Nuttle wrote:

[LRod]

Years ago I drilled and tapped the CI top of my Sears Model 100 and mounted a ½" pipe flange under the table. I then fitted a 3 or 4" nipple into the flange, then a ½" NPT threaded collar, followed by the electrical box, followed by another ½" NPT threaded collar. Mount the switch inside, and voila.

There's a couple of pictures of the switch on my saw at my website:

[Phisherman]

A magnetic switch is added safety, well worth the extra cost and never need it.

[Jack Stein]

've never used one of those and most of my switches are just regular light switches. My largest motor is 1 1/2 HP on my Table saw, and that is a heavy duty switch but not magnetic. When I bought the saw it had a regular light switch on it. I only replaced it because I came stumbled over a pair of heavy duty switches with heat fuses in them...

If it were me I would buy the paddle switch you listed. I rarely have power outages other than a rare blown fuse and I've never forgotten to turn off a switch after a power outage. I'm not getting any younger though, and forgetting to turn of a switch could be a real...

....Damn, what was it we were we talking about again...