Vintage power tool safety
- Thread starter wosh
- Start date
ishiboo
Well-known member
Portable GFCI is the way to go!
It's amazing people ever lived before 1980 let alone used electricity 
How is it brand new? Can you provide a model number? Picture?
What type of cord does it have on it? Two or three prong? Polarized? Start by checking the plug and case with a meter, check for continuity. If the cord is crunchy, replace it. Best to replace the cord with a 3 prong (grounded) cord and properly ground the tool. Back to my first line though.
How is it brand new? Can you provide a model number? Picture?
What type of cord does it have on it? Two or three prong? Polarized? Start by checking the plug and case with a meter, check for continuity. If the cord is crunchy, replace it. Best to replace the cord with a 3 prong (grounded) cord and properly ground the tool. Back to my first line though.
It's amazing people ever lived before 1980 let alone used electricity
Simple, not all of them lived.
Simple, replace the cord and ground wire goes to the metal tool body. Also, make yourself a J-box with a GFCI in it. I usually do a four-square or larger and add another GFCI protected outlet. Saves me from plugging and unplugging a bunch of power cords. No matter where I go to work, even if the homeowner/business has GFCI outlets, I use my own portable ones and test them regularly so that I know they work. ANYTIME you are on a bare concrete floor, are working outside, or with minimal amount of moisture, you are at risk for getting the ---- knocked out of you if you have a ground fault (as with that older tool). And YES 120 will KILL YOU DEAD. And you cannot,
I repeat, you CANNOT let go if you have a full-bodied shocking event from arm to arm or thru your feet. Only thing that saved my bacon one time was fact that the GFCI did what it was supposed to do and broke the circuit in a millionth of a second (which seemed like an eternity until it shut off.)
I repeat, you CANNOT let go if you have a full-bodied shocking event from arm to arm or thru your feet. Only thing that saved my bacon one time was fact that the GFCI did what it was supposed to do and broke the circuit in a millionth of a second (which seemed like an eternity until it shut off.)
Zeke
Well-known member
Some good ideas here. I have an old B & D 1/2 drill motor that I use to mix mud so I'm around water and in water. I know the tool is a 'leaker' but it doesn't trip breakers.
And that's where the danger is with these old tools. All the rest have had their cords cut and hang on the display wall.
And that's where the danger is with these old tools. All the rest have had their cords cut and hang on the display wall.
Packard V8
Well-known member
This topic comes around about every three months.
Yes, switch to a three-wire plug and ground the body of the tool if it will make you feel better about using it.
No, I've been using metal bodied tools with two-prong plugs for more than 50 years and none of the dozen or so have killed me yet. Your results may vary.
Maybe, add a GCFI box if one wants belt and suspenders.
jack vines
Yes, switch to a three-wire plug and ground the body of the tool if it will make you feel better about using it.
No, I've been using metal bodied tools with two-prong plugs for more than 50 years and none of the dozen or so have killed me yet. Your results may vary.
Maybe, add a GCFI box if one wants belt and suspenders.
jack vines
rsanter
Well-known member
General safety rules for old power tools
1 unplug when changing the bit or the blade
2 keep you damn fingers, hands, arms, legs, feet...etc away from the blade or the bit when it's plugged in
Done
Bob
1 unplug when changing the bit or the blade
2 keep you damn fingers, hands, arms, legs, feet...etc away from the blade or the bit when it's plugged in
Done
Bob
rlitman
Well-known member
If it is double insulated (the ratings plate will have a pair of concentric squares), then no ground is necessary. Just a metal gearbox, does not mean that the entire tool is metal bodied or not double insulated.
I believe that double insulated tools were introduced in the '60's however, and not the '50's.
If it is a tool with a full metal body, the tool absolutely should be grounded. Go ahead and put on a 3 wire cord with a grounded plug, and ground the body.
To be honest, pretty much all power tools should be used with GFCI protection. By all means, plug into a GFCI.
I believe that double insulated tools were introduced in the '60's however, and not the '50's.
If it is a tool with a full metal body, the tool absolutely should be grounded. Go ahead and put on a 3 wire cord with a grounded plug, and ground the body.
To be honest, pretty much all power tools should be used with GFCI protection. By all means, plug into a GFCI.
This is probably a stupid question, but will a GFI protect a 2 prong corded tool?
Or does GFI depend on current leakage thru ground prong on a 3 wire cord to detect the fault and open the circuit?
TIA
MikeF2316
Well-known member
GFCI "compares" current in the hot and neutral and trips if they're not equal. The ground path doesn't have to be the ground wire - in fact what it's main purpose is to protect when the alternate path to ground includes you and then some other way to ground like a water pipe or wet concrete floor.
Steinmetz
Well-known member
Yes. The GFI is configured to detect small current differences between source and neutral (using a differential transformer and a detection circuit) and to interrupt the current to the machine when the current difference exceeds a predetermined threshold.