Always or Almost Always
Usually
Sometimes - when I think of it
Sometimes - but depends on what tools it is
Rarely or Never
Member
changing blades on a saw(miter,table,circular,band, etc.) with it still plugged in and no disconnect in use is on the same level of dumb as cutting freehand on a tablesaw
if you do it and haven't had it bite you yet, you have just been lucky so far
i don't do it because , to quote an old song, "if it weren't for bad luck i'd have no luck at all"
Member
I have no excuse for not unplugging. I've been stupid and lucky. I'm going to start unplugging. Thanks for bringing this unsafe practice to light.
Bret
Member
Having worked in an industrial manufacturing facility for awhile there is no excuse for not using proper lock out tag out procedures, when there is no place for a lock out, the machine is ALWAYS disconnected from it's power source. The only tool I don't unplug to change a bit etc, is the drill press, honestly I'm pushing my luck with that and should unplug it (torque can do some nasty things to your body in a hurry.)
Safety always takes diligence, and accidents always happen because of a brief moment of inattention. I guess I would rather be safe than sorry. I personally don't feel right if I am doing something "I know I shouldn't"!
Member
I did. My experience was with a saw that one day switched itself on when I dropped a length of timber on it and frightened the **** out of me. It was my first experience with saw dust in a switch and I routinely cleaned there after and it always had a build up in it. I always pull the plug after that, safe but not sorry.Originally Posted by Bill Huber
Chris
Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening
Member
I have had 3 fingers cut off due to a machine at work. It was an accident but it took awhile to get my fingers back to doing half of what they used to. I am lazy but man it only takes a second or two to unplug something, it takes alot longer to get a finger to heal.
Plus the blood you might have to clean up in the shop...
Seriously though I have visions of accidents in the back of my head and I really try hard to not make me the leading star in one of these pics...
On jobs I have been on I have seen guys do some really unsafe things "just to get it done". I dont believe in that and in my shop at least I have the say so, so I say so...
"To me, there's nothing freer than a bird, you know, just flying wherever he wants to go. And, I don't know, that's what this country is all about, being free. I think everyone wants to be a free bird." - Ronnie Van Zant
Member
My table saw, router table and planer all are mobile and have to be plugged into an extension cord so I always unplug before changing a blade or bit. Just one of those ingrained safety things I do.
Drill press, sanders and lathe stay plugged in.
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Mark Patoka
Stafford, VA
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Member
Like a previous poster, for me it depends on if it's a stationary tool or not.
And I don't so much "unplug" as I "disconnect."
When I wired my shop, I laid out the circuits so that two breakers will shut-off all of the 110v outlets in the shop (I don't have any 220v tools yet). It's much easier to just throw the breakers than try to get to the plugs for some of the tools.
Sanity is like a parachute. Just because you've lost yours doesn't mean you can take mine.
[OP]
Member
So - I'm not going to pretend I know exactly how magnetic switches work, but it sounds like that may have been a magnetic switch. I read an article recently about this very phenomenon. When you start a mag switch, an electro magnet holds the contacts together, and when you stop it, the electro magnet is turned off, and the contacts pull away. The benefit is that if the machine is turned off by a blown breaker, power outage, or pulled cord, then the switch is off and you don't have to worry about it going on when the power is restored. The down side is that a hard enough bump can swing the contacts together and complete the circuit. I've never experienced this, but boy do I keep it in mind.
Member
I do not usually unplug my drill when changing bits or my ROS when changing paper but every other tool gets unplugged when pulling maintenance on it. I really don't care how remote the chances are that the tool will start up on me, I just flat don't want to be "that guy" that it happens too.
Member
I said sometimes, cause it just depends on the tool and what I'm doing. Inside the planer, unplug it! Router in the table, has a safety switch with a cover that must be lifted to start, so I don't unplug. My TS blades are stored just above the outlet for the TS, so I almost always unplug the saw when chaning blades...
Just the other day I got one of those power-twist link belts in hopes to improve my old jointer performance... I was in the back of it, trying to get the new belt fitted, and realized I really should unplug this sucker! and of course, I did!!
Contributor
I can not remove a drill bit from my cordless drill if the battery are out but if I can not hold a hand power tool without placing a hand on the trigger then it gets unplug,---my lathe and drill press stay plug -in
Member
I believe you George I have had it happen to me, I was no where near the saw and it scared the s out of me. For me unplugging most of the time means shutting off breakers in another room as most of the machines are hard wired in pipe, so no is the answere, Hand held power tools yes.
Member
A question for the Americans: Do your sockets have switches? The British style of socket is usually switched so sometimes I switch off at the socket instead of unplugging.
In Memoriam
Almost always.
I don't unplug the drill press nor the OSS...just like I don't unplug the lathe when changing chucks, blanks, etc., don't even consider it.
Now, the TS, router table, jointer, BS, etc. all have short lanyards attached to the plug end of the cord and the wall so that I can unplug them and let them dangle near the receptacle.
On occassion, however, I have gone to plug the TS back in and found that I forgot to unplug it prior to changing blades...rare, but it has happened. I can still count to ten.
I think there is a point where concern for "safety" overides any enjoyment experienced when woodworking as a hobby. If I ever reach that point, I will find a new hobby, one where I'm not in constant fear of hurting my widdle self...stamp collecting comes to mind.
Cody
Logmaster LM-1 sawmill, 30 hp Kioti tractor w/ FEL, Stihl 290 chainsaw, 300 bf cap. Solar Kiln
Member
I'm too lazy to screw up my siesta schedule just for a stupid plug, so almost everything gets unplugged.
The ONLY kinds of things where that doesn't happen are modern equipment where there are at least 3 switches that need to be on for something to work, i.e. main power switch, motor starting switch, and all safety cover switches must be closed as well. Given that the cover needs to be open to work on the machine, and the other switches aren't on, there's some level of redundancy.
It's just too easy to have an accident happen with only one switch, no matter how "safe" it is. I have plans for sloth and laziness, so I'm not going to let one little plug ruin it.
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