Davidadew":31262bm3 said:
I have a table to mount my Wickes router on, but am not sure how to override the on/off switch on it - it has two switches on right hand, both of which need to be pressed to make machine work, and there is no obvious way of overriding this to put it on a router table.
I don't want to break into the machine to override it ideally, anyone done this on a Wickes or similar router before safely?
My B+Q one had a pivoting mechanical safety lock and a trigger switch, like this:
I first of all dismantled the handle it was fitted in (two bolts into the metal casting of the router), and found removing the interlock bit was easy. The trigger was a bit of a nuisance though (being polite). Cable ties kept slipping off, and sticky tape didn't pull it in enough, etc. Several times it stopped on me mid-cut. Then the penny dropped: when used handheld, you squeeze the trigger and it pivots. The outer end moves
upwards in the handle (downwards when it's in in the router table). Internally it does this:
I realised that if I made a hole through the handle (with a soldering iron - I was in a hurry!), I could wedge an old 1/4inch plug in, to jam the trigger into the 'on' position:
For handheld use, you just pull the plug out and it reverts to normal trigger action. It's a through hole in the handle (which is hollow, obviously), so the waisted bit at the pointy end of the plug catches on the far side, and it doesn't fall out when the router is running. It's worked really well - no sticky tape, cable ties or Velcro required!
I hope yours is similar enough for this to be possible, or at least to spark some ideas. I thought diagrams might make more sense than photos - now I'm not so sure!
Cheers,
S.
