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General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: Jim-78028 on March 30, 2016, 06:14:10 am

Title: foot switch
Post by: Jim-78028 on March 30, 2016, 06:14:10 am
So everyone talks about a foot sw, I figure what the hey, so I order one, I order an on/off sw since that is what I saw another post talk about making.

They send me the wrong one, it is momentary on.  Nothing ventured - so I try it .... I LIKE it!  Who would have thought.
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: Aggrajag on March 30, 2016, 07:06:00 am
I bought a cheapo one for my Excal-16 and I love it, it's so much easier for doing all the interior cuts of fine work than the fiddly on/off button atop the machine. (My Excal doesn't have the safety cutout switch that I forget the name of.)
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: Bill Wilson on March 30, 2016, 09:42:22 am
If by momentary on, you mean like the deadman style switch where you need to keep your foot on the pedal, then I think that is actually the type that is most popular among scrollers.  I scrolled for several years before I got one.  It took me a little while to un-train myself to instinctively reach for the switch every time, but once I got used to it, there was no going back.  The new one I just got with my EX-21 is larger and sits higher than my old one.  I'm still getting used to it, but they are indeed a game changer, IMHO.
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: tvman44 on March 30, 2016, 10:43:14 am
The harbor Freight foot switches are great and a lot cheaper.  I have 2 of them, a momentary one for my Scroll-saw and a on/off for my router that I use when carving signs.  Love them.
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: Judy Hunter on March 30, 2016, 11:31:42 am
Foot switches are great. I put a triple plug in mine , then I plug in my saw and the shop vac so when I step on the switch, they both come on, step again and they both go off.
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: dirtrider73068 on March 30, 2016, 08:24:22 pm
I love mine as well, makes it alot easier to tap a switch with your foot keeping both hands on the project. I got mine at harbor frieght its a tap on tap off. I also put a triple plug on mine and did have my shop vac on it but the noise I could not handle from the shop vac and to me was just easier to vac off the saw after a job was complete.
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: Jim Finn on March 30, 2016, 09:19:57 pm
I use the tap on tap off switch from Harbor Freight also.  Six of them.  I have one on each of two scroll saws, one on my drill press, band saw, and on both of my stationary belt sanders.
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: dwssr2 on April 03, 2016, 06:31:19 pm
On my Poly Max saw, the foot switch will turn the saw off but not on, works for 1/2 of the process, better 1/2 than nothing at all, and on my 14" Hegner which is on wheels/castors, (like most of my machines and work benches, because of limited space, and I can wheel them around and out to the drive way) that I have heavily  modified by using a jack shaft and different motor and pulley and belt, I have the the foot switch zip tied to the stand, and use my knee to turn the saw on and off, so I guess I could call it a knee switch.  I like using the foot switch and it could be used on different machines. Or maybe  a safety switch like on a table saw.  dan in Pa 
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: slowcutter on April 04, 2016, 07:48:39 pm
also put on a 3 plug
I use a household canister vac,not as loud
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: Jim Finn on April 04, 2016, 10:13:51 pm
On my Poly Max saw, the foot switch will turn the saw off but not on, works for 1/2 of the process, better 1/2 than nothing at all, and on my 14" Hegner which is on wheels/castors, (like most of my machines and work benches, because of limited space, and I can wheel them around and out to the drive way) that I have heavily  modified by using a jack shaft and different motor and pulley and belt, I have the the foot switch zip tied to the stand, and use my knee to turn the saw on and off, so I guess I could call it a knee switch.  I like using the foot switch and it could be used on different machines. Or maybe  a safety switch like on a table saw.  dan in Pa

     I also have a Polymax and wanted a foot switch so I took the motor to a elect motor shop and had them replace the original magnetic switch with a regular rocker switch.  I then use a Harbor Freight foot switch and it works well for me.
Title: Re: foot switch
Post by: mamell on April 09, 2016, 10:32:34 pm
Just because I'm probably too lazy to go to HF's site to look it up  how much are they?
Oh never mind.. I'm not THAT lazy and they're right up the road from me.. lol
I need to get one..