Remote lathe switch.

I'm not a spinny guy, but I do have a lathe. I must be missing something here, because it seems to me a remote switch on a lathe could be a safety issue. :dunno:
 
Bill

The remote switch idea is to get you away from the head stock where the regular switch is usually located should you see that your turning project is coming apart or about to depart the lathe. If you have a remote switch say magnetically mounted at the tail stock end you step to that end away from the potential path of distruction & shut the lathe down.
 
It is generally a bad idea to interrupt power to a VFD while it is powering a motor (can damage the VFD). An extra switch at the tailstock end is a good idea and it is not too difficult to wire one into the controls of most VFDs. This allows the VFD to stop the motor like it was designed to do.
 
Bill

The remote switch idea is to get you away from the head stock where the regular switch is usually located should you see that your turning project is coming apart or about to depart the lathe. If you have a remote switch say magnetically mounted at the tail stock end you step to that end away from the potential path of distruction & shut the lathe down.

Bart,
I can say with certainty that if something is coming off the lathe, you may not necessarily be safe at the tail stock end either... if you remember my little incident last year, I was closer to the tail stock than to the headstock when that bowl came out of the chuck and careened off my face. I have a lathe with a Reeves unit, so when I flip the switch, it starts at speed... I TRY to remember to always start at 450 and work back up to speed... I also always step to the left of the headstock, clear of the work when I start the lathe.
 
G'day all,
I have fitted a remote emergency switch & found it very handy when turning deep vases etc. When working at or near the tailstock end & something starts to go wrong it is so easy just to stop the lathe from there rather than lean over the spinning item to reach the standard switch.
I used a "Triton" switch, just plugged in into the mains & plugged the lathe into that. I also added a couple of Rare Earth magnets to the back which means I can move it anywhere along the bed.
Hope I have explained this correctly.

HTH

Col
 
I agree with Dennis. Interrupting the power to the VFD when the motor is under load isn't usually recommended, as far as I know. But I'm a very enthusiastic supporter of remote switches on lathes. I pretty much never use the switch on the headstock of my lathe. I have a magnetically-attached remote (but not wireless) on-off switch that interrupts the power to the main on-off switch. I just move the remote to wherever I need at the time. In most cases, that's somewhere within easy reach of my right hand, often just a few inches below it. When I want to stop the lathe, I can hit the remote switch much more quickly than I can reach over a piece with my left hand and hit the main switch.

According to the wiring schematic that came with my 3520B, the main on-off switch is dealing with less than 12 volts DC. It's definitely not switching the 240v mains power that the lathe is plugged into. (I think it's something like 10v, but I don't feel like looking up the exact number right now.) As I said, it's simple to do. There are two wires going into your present on-off switch. Break the connection on one of those wireds, and connect the remote switch in between. When wired this way, both switches need to be in the On position. I just leave my main on-off switch in the On position full-time.

Now if you want to use a wireless remote, that should be doable, too. But I wouldn't use it on the main power to the lathe. Instead, I'd use it to switch whatever circuit the lathe's on-off switch is handing.
 
G'day all,
I have fitted a remote emergency switch & found it very handy when turning deep vases etc. When working at or near the tailstock end & something starts to go wrong it is so easy just to stop the lathe from there rather than lean over the spinning item to reach the standard switch.
I used a "Triton" switch, just plugged in into the mains & plugged the lathe into that. I also added a couple of Rare Earth magnets to the back which means I can move it anywhere along the bed.
Hope I have explained this correctly.

HTH

Col

Does your lathe have a variable Frequency Drive? I ask this because of what Dennis Ford said in post #6 of this thread.

"It is generally a bad idea to interrupt power to a VFD while it is powering a motor (can damage the VFD). An extra switch at the tailstock end is a good idea and it is not too difficult to wire one into the controls of most VFDs. This allows the VFD to stop the motor like it was designed to do."

Post #10 By Vaughn.

" I agree with Dennis. Interrupting the power to the VFD when the motor is under load isn't usually recommended, as far as I know. But I'm a very enthusiastic supporter of remote switches on lathes. I pretty much never use the switch on the headstock of my lathe. I have a magnetically-attached remote (but not wireless) on-off switch that interrupts the power to the main on-off switch. I just move the remote to wherever I need at the time. In most cases, that's somewhere within easy reach of my right hand, often just a few inches below it. When I want to stop the lathe, I can hit the remote switch much more quickly than I can reach over a piece with my left hand and hit the main switch.

According to the wiring schematic that came with my 3520B, the main on-off switch is dealing with less than 12 volts DC. It's definitely not switching the 240v mains power that the lathe is plugged into. (I think it's something like 10v, but I don't feel like looking up the exact number right now.) As I said, it's simple to do. There are two wires going into your present on-off switch. Break the connection on one of those wireds, and connect the remote switch in between. When wired this way, both switches need to be in the On position. I just leave my main on-off switch in the On position full-time.

Now if you want to use a wireless remote, that should be doable, too. But I wouldn't use it on the main power to the lathe. Instead, I'd use it to switch whatever circuit the lathe's on-off switch is handing. "
 
Last edited:
http://www.timbecon.com.au/details/deluxe-variable-speed-lathe-14358.aspx
I am not sure if my lathe has a VFD or not. Sorry I can't be of more help.
I was a carpenter/joiner for 100 years & electricity is all foreign to me.
This is the lathe I have.

I do not use the remote swithch regularly, I have only used it a couple of times this last year.






Col

http://www.timbecon.com.au/details/deluxe-variable-speed-lathe-14358.aspx

You have a 2 speed range variable speed lathe yes you have a variable frequency drive. It's mounted in a rectangular box on the back side of your lathe head stock.
 
Bart,
I can say with certainty that if something is coming off the lathe, you may not necessarily be safe at the tail stock end either... if you remember my little incident last year, I was closer to the tail stock than to the headstock when that bowl came out of the chuck and careened off my face. I have a lathe with a Reeves unit, so when I flip the switch, it starts at speed... I TRY to remember to always start at 450 and work back up to speed... I also always step to the left of the headstock, clear of the work when I start the lathe.

the first thing I remember when I took my one woodworking class, introduction course to lathes, the first thing the young kid teaching the class said was to always stand off left of the headstock when starting it up incase something is not secure.
 
View attachment 64580Hi,

I went down to the shop and shot a photo of my "remote" switch. I use it as often as I use the "main" switch. I use it to cut the power to the lathe motor. You might use it to cut the wire that actually is cut by the Machine's switch.

Regardless of where you cut the power, this will work. It consists of a slightly fancy home lighting switch which would work well if you put it in the 10v dc line. It would also work well if you use it to cut 120v ac if that is what your motor uses. Just check your motor amperage and be sure the switch is bigger. The switch cost about four bucks at a big box.

The strip of wood flooring that you see running across the length of the lathe, just below the lathe, only needs to be touched (an extremely light touch will do it---or you can adjust so you have to press harder) to stop the motor. There is no reason that the "switch board" cannot be longer or wider if desired.

The whole setup cost about five dollars. I have used this on both of my lathes. If I ever get around to building a jointer cabinet, I will put one on it also. I have remote switches on my DP, BS, TS. Jointer, and router table. Sometimes I even plug a router into a foot switch (not all router switches are easy to get to in an emergency).

Enjoy,

JimB

If this sounds interesting to anyone, I can do a detailed "How to."
 
Last edited:
As far as the location of the remote switch and starting your lathe. You certainly don't want to reach acrossed the line of fire in an emergency but to initally start the lathe You should stand left of the headstock because that is where the flying object is leaving from. It can go anywhere to the right. The remote is handy at the right and essentcial when you have to cross the line of fire in an emergency. With any vfd you should control it with the control circuit always.
 
This is what I use as an Emergency cut off. I do not use it for normal operation, nor can I; if my Nova loses power it automatically resets to “off” in the event power comes back on. It was from Grizzly and rated for 2hp, 35 amps, 110 or 220 the best I remember and about $14.
I have no idea if it would mess up an electronic control but what would happen if your shop lost power? Again, mine is only for emergency and it is fixed firmly so that I always know exactly where it is and can turn off without fumbling around.
 

Attachments

  • Emerg Switch.jpg
    Emerg Switch.jpg
    76.4 KB · Views: 16
My machines are all fitted with NVR (No Volt Release) main supply contacts.
For emergency stop purposes I have several large Push switches (micro-switches) located around the shop, wired so that they interrupt the main power feed to the lathes etc.
Hitting any one of them immediately breaks the primary power supply to the machines and shuts down any that are running.
stop.JPG
 
Top