Wiring a footswitch

[browntown]

Recently bought a swag band-saw table for my Milwaukee 6230. They reccomend using a clamp to keep the switch in the on position, then plug the tool into a harbor freight foot switch.

I thought I'd go made in USA, so I bought a LineMaster Clipper switch - which is much beefier.

There are three ways I imagine wiring this, and I thought I'd ask for the sage wisdom of the forum. I have plenty of cord and male/female plug ends lying around.

Option #1: Buy a "piggyback" plug - easiest, also costliest

Option #2: One cord out of the footswitch to the side of a handi-box with an outlet on the face plate for the saw and another power cord that goes to the wall from the opposite side of the box.

Option #3: Run two cords into the foot switch. One with a female plug for the saw, and the other with a male plug for the wall power. Might have some problems with space inside the pedal, also with the strain relief. Probably have a short pigtail with the female plug for the saw, and a longer one for the wall power plug.

Any experience doing this kind of thing? Other ideas?

Thanks in advance.
-josh

 

[browntown]

Found some pics of the options.

Bigger version of option #2, this guy used a big project box because he has a SSR in there. I wouldn't bother, but just to give an idea of how I envision #2.


Option #3 as lifted from an ebay auction.

 

[Norcal]

Is the foot switch even rated for the load? I would suspect most are pilot duty, not intended to handle a motor load.

 

[browntown]

The main reason I bought the Linemaster was because of those worries with the cheap-o harbor freight unit. This thing is 20A 1HP 125-250vac it's pretty beefy, guys use them for router tables I think . The terminals look stout enough, and it is heavy cast zinc.

 

[CJ7VFR]

Is the foot switch even rated for the load? I would suspect most are pilot duty, not intended to handle a motor load.

The 18 inch scroll saw I have (Craftsman brand) came with a foot switch that can be installed to turn the power on/off if you want. Or it says you can just plug the saw directly into a normal receptacle and use the On/Off switch on the top of the saw to control it.

The wire coming out of the foot switch has the same "piggy back" plug as the OP has shown. You hook up the cord from the saw to the foot switch, and then hook the cord from the foot switch to your receptacle.

The foot switch on my saw has a sticker on it with specs that show it is rated for 13 amps at 120V.

I have actually used this foot switch for other things besides the scroll saw and it has always worked great.

Jim