Has any one put a micro switch like a burglar alarm window contact on a blast gate. When the gate is opened, the DC comes on. A gate at each stationary tool connected to the DC. Wireless (?) By the time you've stopped cutting, collected/stacked your work, a few seconds, (10-15) have gone by, and the gate can be closed, shutting down the DC. Any thoughts? Thanks
I've seen kits that do this using Hall Effect switches.
er
Should be easy todo with X-10 goodies.
They even sell security door/window sensors and with the correct equipment they could detect the change in status with no extra wires... Might have to try that in my new shop.
Alan
When I set up the dust collection in my shop I mounted a 2x4 utility box with a single pole wall switch adjacent to each blast gate (wired in parallel) to turn the DC on an off using a relay. That worked okay, but when I would move from machine to machine I found I would leave the switch on and have to go around and hunt for the switch I forgot to turn off. After a while I went back and added magnet reed switches (used for burglar alarms) to each blast gate (I happen to have metal blast gates). I attached the magnets to the metal slides, and mounted the reed switch on a piece of
3/4" aluminum angle attached to the frame of the gate by a couple of long #8 machine screws. Now, when I open a blast gate the DC comes on, When I shut it, it goes off. If you are interested in details let me know or I would be glad to send a photo of the mounting setup. It's kind of hard to describe but it was really easy to do. Just be sure to use switches whose contacts are open when in proximity to the magnet.Rick
Loads of people. It's easy to do, hard to do well.
Waste of time and effort, IMHO. Microswitching the gate itself is asking for trouble with dust clogging. As no-one really needs to save that amount of effort, just mount another switch nearby and use both shutter and switch together.
Even easier is to simply wall mount a remote switch for the DC. Few workshops are going to need more than a couple to put a switch within easy reach of any machine.
Thanks for the info, but a photo is not needed. Have a good idea on how to set it up. But contact open when in magnetic field will save me some hassle, Thanks. On second thought, if you wanna post a pic on alt. bi pic woodworking, I'll keep an eye open.
Catchy idea, but personally I favor any method that involves fewer points for failure and less exposure to repair costs.
Don Dando
By the time I'd screw around with everything, purchase the parts and wire, and occasionally fix it, the Long Ranger wireless remote looks cheap. With a free source of surplus materials...
My personal setup has one overhead switch in each machine area, which works well until you stack boards in the way and need a yardstick to shut the switch off.
Barry
That's what I basically had in my old shop. Next to the DC was a medium size electrical box containing a 220/24V contactor and a 24v tranformer. The single pole switches were just powering on and off the low-voltage current to the contactor, which in turn, powered on and off the 220v current to the nearby DC outlet.
Due to the same frustrations you suffered, the new shop used the same contactor/low voltage transformer setup, I just went with two 3-way and six
4-way switches (dang them 4-ways are pricey!!) giving me 8 spots to turn on and off the DC, regardless of where I last switched it on. I was a little scared of the 4-way wiring scematic at first, but my FIL showed me the light. In the end, its pretty simple, you just have a perimeter system where starting one direction from the DC you have one wire going to the first 3-way, then two wires going to the first 4-way, to the next 4-way and so one until you hit the final 3-way near the other side of the DC, where you have one wire going back to the DC electrical box. There are two points where I needed four wires going to and from the middle of the shop floor (I buried 1" conduit and DC piping before they poured the floor), but in reality its a simple system that works great and you don't have to worry about tricky electronics or misplacing your remote.I'm thinking about upgrading my 2HP Grizz DC with custom felt bag to the 3HP Oneida Gorilla, but I'm actually discouraged that it comes with a magnetic switch, since that will be useless given my setup. Well, I suppose I can use that switch on another machine, as long as its 3hp.
Cheers Joe
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