On off switch/ buttons

[caretaker]

On most of my machines I have an on/off button that is covered with a yellow cover, hinged and a red round cap, (this is when a picture would be good).
Now this cover is a pain as it keeps coming down and I need to flip it back to press stop button.
I am thinking of removing this flap, (gasp of horror I hear).
Mutter mutter Health and Safety.
I have no children and I am the only person allowed in my workshop unless I am there to supervise them.
What are the down falls to this, please be kind as I think I mat be getting a telling off.
Reg

 

[Slim]

Reg, If you push the red round cap, does it not switch off the machine?

 

[motownmartin]

On most of my machines I have an on/off button that is covered with a yellow cover, hinged and a red round cap, (this is when a picture would be good).
Now this cover is a pain as it keeps coming down and I need to flip it back to press stop button.
I am thinking of removing this flap, (gasp of horror I hear).
Mutter mutter Health and Safety.
I have no children and I am the only person allowed in my workshop unless I am there to supervise them.
What are the down falls to this, please be kind as I think I mat be getting a telling off.
Reg

If I am reading it right, this flap is used as the E-Stop, it saves you fumbling around for the stop buttoor if you need to stop the machine in an emergency, if you were to take this flap off I would strongly advise that a seperate E-stop be fitted.

 

[Nick.]

Hi Reg, as Slim said, the whole point to the 'flap' is that it acts as a larger surface area to press when you need to stop the machine..

If you push the red button on the yellow flap and the machine doesn't switch off, then you may have a problem, but that is what it is there for.


regards
Nick

 

[caretaker]

Well yes but...
I have a bit of a problem with my hands and find it a little difficult to open the flap again, something to do with an extra rib in me, now don't laugh.
You wont to see me putting a nut on a bolt only takes me one evening as I cant fill the nut very well.
My wife calls me spare ribs, only joking.

 

[Streepips]

I think you will find the yellow flap cover you mention is there to serve two purposes perhaps even three.
First, the start button cannot be unintentionally pushed "ON" when the yellow flap is in place
Secondly once the machine is running you just need to press/ clout the yellow cover which in turn will hit the large red button and shut the machine down. no fiddling with the cover necessary.

This is to make sure that turning the machine on is a conscious action and that shutting it down does not require identifying a button before pressing it which is all around a safer machine environment.
Thirdly, and probably just incidentally the flap keeps dust away from the switch workings.

 

[OLD]

From what you have been saying removing the flap could be a safer option for you. On my table saw i have done this and fitted a long wooden flap or kick strip hinged at the top that rests on the stop button so just push and it stops. The wood is drilled over the start button so you push a finger in the hole to start, if you like this you could adapt for your m/c's.

 

[Rich]

Caretaker, if you feel the bottom edge of the yellow flap you will notice a little catch, when you want to switch the machine on, with one finger, push the catch up and at the same time lift the yellow cover, it's easy, but I would not remove the cover if I were you, it's there for safety and insurance purposes.
regards,
Rich.

 

[caretaker]

I can see it is a health and safety point and agree with you all, it's just me and my numb fingers.
The wood idea sounds good may look into that more.
I have coped so far so will persevere a bit more.
Dam this getting old lark.

 

[OPJ]

I find that, in order to stop the machine using the Emergency Stop cover, you don't actually have to press it fully until it clicks in place to stop the machine.

 

[johnjin]

Hi Caretaker

On the bottom of the switch is a little catch and I usually cut this catch off with a knife. This way you can still use the switch by just pressing the big red button and when you want to switch on you just flip it up and press the green button. Its the little catch on the bottom that is the problem. I don't think it would be a good idea to remove the switch.

Best wishes

John

 

[Digit]

Oh Gawd, I'm going to get into trouble again.
If you are speaking of the type that covers just the STOP button, and it is held in the OFF position by a little catch, what I do is to cut the catch away. This leaves the cover in place and still functioning, but it then springs away when released.
All my machines are wired into switched sockets, so if I am fitting/removing cutters etc I then switch them off at the socket.
I once had a machine start up on its own due to damp sawdust in an NVR so I always switch off at the socket as a backup and that saves fiddling with the OFF cover catch for normal useage.

Roy.

 

[caretaker]

I think the cutting the bottom catch will do the trick as it is this part I can not fill with my fingers.
Reg....

 

[Digit]

It's another case of over kill Reg. The designers of these things don't think about rheumatism and so on, as I said, cutting the catch works for me and saves the switch from being struck by a very large hammer! :twisted:

Roy.