Photos -- Knee Operated Kill Switch

[Ken Vaughn]

Today I made a knee operated kill switch for my Jet table saw. Here is a photo of the finished switch:

made a mounting plate from 1/4" Baltic Birch ply to which I glued and screwed two pivot arms made from scrap oak. This plate was installed between the switch and the mounting bracket:

knee plate was made from 3/8" Baltic Birch and scrap oak.

My design criteria:

1) switch should not interfere with depth adjustment wheel when blade set to 45 degree bevel (it does not) 2) no obstruction of switch start button (it does not) 3) minimal forward extension of entire switch (adds about 5/8" -- 1/4" for mounting plate and 3/8" for knee plate) 4) minimal throw to operate switch (about 1" at bottom of plate, about 3/4" where knee contacts plate) 5) minimal cost (made entirely from existing scrap and hardware)

[Steve]

Professional (22124) table saw at Sears. The only thing missing seems to be the provision for inserting a long-hasp padlock as a preventive measure against "unauthorized" use :-)

-- Steve

[AAvK]

Well done! That is awesome and entirely a great idea. I use one myself in adult ed. class though it is a plastic factory made product. Yours looks far more artistic.

Alex

[Eric Ryder]

Posted another in a.b.p.w for the cabinet saw.

[patriarch]

"Ken Vaughn" wrote in news:q6Ydd.3701$% [e-mail]:

Such a switch needn't be original to be _very_ useful. I'm much more comfortable killing the power with my leg, and keeping my eyes on the sharp, spinning bits.

Thanks for posting, Ken.

Patriarch

[mac davis]

I'm really glad that you explained that, Ken... I saw the pictures in the other NG and liked your work, but had no idea what the switch was for..

So, it's not a "deadman" switch, but a quick "no hands" way to shut the saw off?

[Ken Vaughn]

Yes, that's correct -- there are times, not often thankfully, when ripping certain pieces of wood that the kerf wants to spread ahead of the cut and bind against the fence or close (pinch) on the blade. This is often the result of "reaction" wood, where the wood has grown under stress because of a bend in the tree. If the binding is not severe and you are using a good push block you can usually work through it, but every so often the only safe solution is to shut the saw down and finish the cut with a bandsaw or find another way to cut the board. With the knee switch you don't have to take your eyes off the board to cut the power.

[mac davis]

Good point... I usually try to turn the saw off if I can't relieve the bind quickly... being cheap, I hate to burn a blade...

I'm working on how to put one on my RAS now... It can be a real hassle trying to get up and out to the end of the arm where the switch is when you're ripping... which is when you might need to kill it the most..

[RonB]

Nice, simple and bookmarked for addition to a couple of my tools.

Thanks RonB

[DIYGUY]