foot pedal switch for your Belt grinder?

rfrink

rfrink

Joined
Aug 1, 2000
Messages
863
What do you guys think about running your belt grinders from a foot switch? Just step on the switch to start it...step off to stop it.

How about a variable speed control from the foot pedal? The more to press it, the faster your VS grinder runs?

Same for your disk....you could carefully put the work piece on the disk before you start it...with VS, you could very gradually start it.

I've been kicking these ideas around for a few years. The KB VFD really lend them selves to this set-up.

Whattaya think?

-Rob
 
I would love it. I dont have VS yet, but hope to upgrade someday. A foot pedal would be great as well...I accomplish this by using a power strip and tap the button with my foot right now (im on 110v)
 
hopefully your foot doesn't decide to fall alseep on the pedal when you're need a creep on the belt for heat treated blades! :eek:
 
rfrink said:
What do you guys think about running your belt grinders from a foot switch? Just step on the switch to start it...step off to stop it.

How about a variable speed control from the foot pedal? The more to press it, the faster your VS grinder runs?

Same for your disk....you could carefully put the work piece on the disk before you start it...with VS, you could very gradually start it.

I've been kicking these ideas around for a few years. The KB VFD really lend them selves to this set-up.

Whattaya think?

-Rob
Click to expand...

Great(?) minds think alike- I've been wanting to ask this for a while (don't have a grinder yet, so no hurry). I wonder if it wouldn't burn out motors pretty quick, but hopefully someone who knows will come along!

Thanks for asking
 
For my belt grinder I think I'd prefer an on/off foot switch as Page says. Trying to keep
constant pressure on a variable speed switch while shifting my weight guiding a blade
across the belt just does not sound like a good idea.

For a disk grinder a variable speed switch might make more sense but I think I'd still go
for on/off. Just too many other things to keep track of when the motor is on.
 
I use one on my drill press and love it because I have both hands on my work. I have used it on the disc before too. It makes for some accurate grinding because you can have the piece contacting the wheel first instead of hunting and pecking for the sweet spot. Dont they make a 2 position switch so you dont have to stand on it for hours?
 
I like the idea of a foot-actuated on-off, but I'm with the crowd here on the VS portion of it.

-d
 
you could use for the controler basicly a sowing machine foot control, how to rig it to a VS is something else?
 
I like the idea alot...! But there are two potential issues
I can see with it.
First, Being right under the grinder, longevity would be shortened.

Second; When I grind, where I stand depends on what I'm doing...
whether it's the right side of the blade, or the left...so on.

The two could perhaps be rectified by having the actual switch
mounted upside down under the bench, and connected by a rod
or a cable in a conduit, to a plate mounted toggle on the floor....?

Use of the cable set-up could allow the toggle asm. to be moved
for the operator's preference..
 
I think it's usefulness would be limited for a belt grinder, but I would love to have a foot on/off switch for my disc grinder. :thumbup:
 
the guy that taught me to grind a long time ago had a foot switch for his horizontal disk. The usefulness would be limited on a grinder because most of us tend to "sway" from side to side as we work from ricasso to point.
 
Will Leavitt said:
the guy that taught me to grind a long time ago had a foot switch for his horizontal disk. The usefulness would be limited on a grinder because most of us tend to "sway" from side to side as we work from ricasso to point.
Click to expand...

I tend agree with Will. For other machinery we use, a foot switch may be useful.

Craig
 
Rob you've been playing with your wife's sewing machine lately? :D

for me I use my dip bucket right in front of me while grinding,
for two reasons , 1 to catch grindings and 2 of course to cool my steel.
so it would be a problem for me and with what some of the other guys say also..

if you could have a two way switch just to the left and right of the wheel/platen to bump your wrist up against lightly to start the thing that would be nice but would present it's own problems..

nOW
the cats a$$ would be a pressure sensitive switch behind the belt to activate the motor :) maybe on a platen but on a wheel would be a trick to do :D with all kidding aside

a little remote like the ones to start your car with would be great you could hold that in either hand and use your pinky to operate it
water proofed of course..:eek: :thumbup::

just watch out when your wife starts her car remotly while you are changing belts :foot: :D

this would be an easy one to make.. and old car door remote and parts would work for a crude one on a micro switch
 
Hi Rob,
A retofit kit for existing KB VFD's would be tempting. A vs pedal with a flip switch for forward/reverse would be nice.

Take care, Craig
 
Love the thought. How about for the VS foot switch do a side mount so you keep your foot planted flat and just press sideways to adjust the speed? OR you could mount the side actuated pedal on an armature (adjustable for left, right, height, etc.) that you could mount on the bench base or support. Then it would keep it up out of the way of your dip bucket and away from water spills.
 
Hello Rob,

I like the idea of an on/off foot switch but would not want to have to use constant foot pressure to control speed.

It would be nice to have a two pedal foot control. One pedal that turned the unit on/off and the other that could have 5 pre programmed speeds in it. Example, first position of pedal would have no speed control so that in this position the user could use the manual dial when fine adjustment is needed, second is for low speed, click pedal for medium speed, one more time for medium-high speed another one high speed. Four pots on the side of the foot switch could allow the user to "dial-in" what speeds are to be used for low, medium, medium-high and high.

I'd buy one of these!
 
Something like this for a power hammer would be sweet too!

Rob, I have been thinking on this idea, but along the lines of using a 5HP briggs for the power plant:D.
 
I shift my (plentiful) weight from hip to hip when I make passes on the belt grinder so I personally couldn't make use of an on/off or variable speed on my belt grinder. I can see how that would appeal to a lot of makers though.
There is a about a billion times when I wanted a foot actuated on/off switch for my drill presses when I have a hole center punched hole located and maybe a quarter billion on my disk grinder when I want stuff flat.
 
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