# Long Sleeve Shirt Turned on Table Saw Switch



## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Wow, almost had an accident in my shop. :surprise2:

I was reaching under my Old Craftsman Contractors saw to change the angle and my long sleeve shirt caught the switch turning it on. I had a stack of plywood pieces setting on top of the saw, but luckily, they weren’t against the blade.

I have a separate safety switch on the left side of the saw, but for some reason I turned off the Craftsman switch last night while ripping some wide plywood pieces. I may have to install a flashing red light to the safety switch so I don’t forget to turn it off. I could just remove the Craftsman switch but it come in handy sometimes when I can’t easily reach the new switch.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Keep it simple*

I wouldn't add too many links in the chain as you'll forget which switch is on or off. Just use the one switch that is most accessible without bending over and having to look for it. I moved all my switches to the front just under the rails where I can easily bump them off with my thigh in an emergency. You DO NOT want to take your eyes off the spinning blade to find the off switch!


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

I have something similar. My magnetic starter has a flush on button which needs to be depressed about 1/2" for the saw to turn on and the off button is much larger and sticks out. I don't remember the last time I turned my tablesaw off with my finger. I just bump it with my thigh.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

I originally planned to plug the motor directly into the safety switch, but the cord was too short and it was a huge hassle to replace the cord so I left the original switch in the loop. I should just remove the original because it is always in my way when I need to change the blade angle anyway.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

I never leave the blade up after I finished with the saw. I crank it down even in between cutting sessions during the same day.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

mikechell said:


> I never leave the blade up after I finished with the saw. I crank it down even in between cutting sessions during the same day.


That's probably a good idea, but in this case I was actualy adjusting the angle. I usaly do drop the blade because i use the saw top as a table when I'm not cutting anything.


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

I always unplug the saw when setting angles.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

sanchez said:


> I always unplug the saw when setting angles.


I just have a huge issue with unpluging a saw when thats the job of the safety switch. I mean if I'm going to do that, then why not also turn off all the breakers including the main house breaker and since I'm doing it why not also have the power company come by and disconnect all the power lines. In my mind that is just ludacris. There is a point when too much is just too much. LOL

In my case it just would not have happned if I didn't have the original switch still in the loop without it locked out with the Saftey key.. 

Now it might have been justifiable to unplug the saw if I only had a switch without the safety key to pull out like in the original switch.


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## tjdux (Feb 3, 2017)

I second unplugging the saw but i dont have a saftey switch plus i have small kids in my shop sometimes and they love buttons.

Also if your saftey switch is set up in a manner that you saw can turn on anyways then "saftey" of the saftey switch is defeated. Your lucky there wasnt a chunk of plywood shot into your face as i imagine your head was near the table surface to adjust the blade.

Also sounds like a poorly designed factory switch of its in the way of blade adjustments and can easily be snagged in a manner to power on.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

When forum members post a safety concern or a "this happened to me" issue, I try to glean what I can from it.

I have a paddle switch on my saw so nothing to consider there. 

I always think of loose clothes the same as long hair. I think of the same image today as I did 40 years ago. There was a "Rosie the riveter" safety poster from ww2 that had a woman with her hair wrapped around a drill. Clearly in that image it was directed at woman workers but the message remains the same, use care when operating machinery.

I found the image:

link


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

tjdux said:


> I second unplugging the saw but i dont have a saftey switch plus i have small kids in my shop sometimes and they love buttons.
> 
> Also if your saftey switch is set up in a manner that you saw can turn on anyways then "saftey" of the saftey switch is defeated. Your lucky there wasnt a chunk of plywood shot into your face as i imagine your head was near the table surface to adjust the blade.
> 
> ...


Well I don’t deny the Craftsman saw switch may have been poorly designed, the saw is a 30 year design and meant to be an inexpensive and light weight contractor’s saw. That’s why I bought and installed a new safety switch. I only got lazy and didn’t want to remove the motor to install a longer cord, but that’s what I will have to do. I’ve had this saw for at least 25 years or more and never had a problem, but I never before wore long sleeve shirts either. The loose clothing is the problem here and not the plug or the switch.

As far as unplugging the saw, I still say that’s stupid and maybe the person that is so insecure about working with power tools that they have to unplug every time shouldn’t be using them. 

I have said this before many times that the plug IS NOT meant to be a switch and it used to say that in the NEC. I haven’t read the NEC in years and I’m not sure if it is still in there. Plugs are not designed to be used as switch and DO wear out when plugging and unplugging them in. When I was working as an Electrician and was called to trouble shot a plug circuit out, the first thing I ask was where do you plug in the vacuum cleaner and 98% of the time the problem was the outlet with the most use.

The original Craftsman switches has a yellow plastic key in their switches that you are suposed to pull out to keep the kids from turning them on. A child can always plug the plug back in especially when the plug is worn out from unplugging it so many times, but if the key is in your pocket then thats not going to happen.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

subroc said:


> When forum members post a safety concern or a "this happened to me" issue, I try to glean what I can from it.
> 
> I have a paddle switch on my saw so nothing to consider there.
> 
> ...


This was the point I was thinking of when I started this thread. It was the Shirt Sleeve that caused the problem.  Thanks


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

****Double post***

Oh boy what the heck happned


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

I expect every one of us decides what is safe when working on a circuit or anything electrical in our homes or shop.

At the shipyard working on piping systems and connected components we lived by a safety protocol called 2 valve protection. For us to break into a system there had to be 2 valves tagged shut or a hard blank between us and system pressure with the component or part of the system we planned on working on vented. At home I expect most of us would break into our plumbing using just one valve and not think a thing about it.

There was also a tagging process for electrical circuits. Not being an electrician or an electrical worker I am not versed in those protocols. At home, depending on the situation, I would work on something with just the switch thrown maybe not even throw the breaker. Check the circuit with a meter or one of those plugged in things and work away. Is it more safe to throw the switch and the breaker? Sure. Still, I expect that is a decision that we all make for ourselves.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

We had “Lockout Tag out” in place on the job site where I worked which is needed for sure when you have other people working on similar things. I never had a problem using “Lockout Tag out especially having firsthand experience of what can happen. 

Once Years ago before “Lockout Tagout” was even around, I was working with a complete moron who watched me shut everything down to work on an electrical control panel with lots of relays and contactors. I was working inside the panel when I sent him to the truck to get a relay and the idiot decided on his own to turn on the power on his way back. Ouch, I just couldn’t imagine what possessed him to do that since he was in training and had no idea how the system even worked. 

So you to have a safety system in place when working with others, but I don’t feel it’s necessary when I’m the only one working and there isn’t another soul around. Plus it is sometimes necessary to have the power on to troubleshoot, but an experienced electrician develops practices to prevent accidents.

I've found that the people who do get injured are the the ones who don't understand and are afried. People who are afried of heights should not work on roofs or towers and the same for those who don't understand and are afried of electricity.


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

Sleeper said:


> As far as unplugging the saw, I still say that?s stupid and maybe the person that is so insecure about working with power tools that they have to unplug every time shouldn?t be using them.


Oh, thanks. You posted, I offered.

I'm not sure how stating that I unplugged my saw warranted insults, or the tirade about shutting off the power.

My saw has the safety key, I just find it easier to unplug rather than pull the key out.

I also don't wear button down long sleeves in my shop.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

sanchez said:


> Oh, thanks. You posted, I offered.
> 
> I'm not sure how stating that I unplugged my saw warranted insults, or the tirade about shutting off the power.
> 
> ...


Oh, please don’t take offense, it is just me personally. I went on a rant and probably shouldn't have worded it like I did, but it is how I feel.

It’s a pet peeve that I have from 30 years of dealing with stupid Safety inspectors over ridicules assumptions. If they manage to get something into law then I will abide, but I will not accept nonsense from someone’s personal opinion unless they can prove to me that it a valid. It’s just me and everybody else can do what they want.


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