Shop safety: Power locks... yet again.

[Brian McDermaid]

I know this question gets asked alot... but i wasn't able to find a good solution doing a search.

I've got a small shop ~14'x24' in the back of my garage that attracts kids of all ages.

http://www.lostbyte.net/shop.jpg

All of my kids know the shop rules but i still worry about their friends and peer pressure. (don't ask how many times i've gone into the shop only to see a go-cart 'mocked' up in walnut or curly maple)

What i'd like is an outlet with a lock in it... i've seen the power-plug locks but they would be a pain to put on everything. I can't lock it from the breaker due to a fridge and a few other items in the garage. Locking outlets would (for me) be the best solution. Do they make anything like that?

Any other ideas?


~Brian

[Roger Frazee]

Hi Brian

Are you wanting a 120 volt receptacle that can have the cord plugged but the power to it locked out at the receptacle?

What you could do is install a gfci like below and wire it to the line side terminals so that the fridge and other stuff wouldn't be turned off if the gfci trips.. I know it is a gfci but it shouldn't effect the operation of your tools. In fact it may be considered to be code required for gfci in a garage shop for all outlets by 2008 standards. You would install the gfci then put a locking cover over it and then trip the gfci with the test button. You would simply have to take the padlock off the cover and reset the gfci to operate your tool.

Here is link to my favorite kit for DIY...you have the option of metal or lexan covers. You will have to determine if the cover will fit your device box but there will be one that will fit a typical device box indoors.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://s7d3.scene7.com/is/image/ThomasBetts/2ccb_le1&imgrefurl=http://www.tnb.com/ps/endeca/index.cgi%3Fa%3Dnav%26N%3D579%26Ntt%3D&usg=__U552ZiU5KQOK_GB7Cs7nQthm4CA=&h=500&w=500&sz=18&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=ZMqkghTJQU6UzM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dred%2Bdot%2Bin%2Buse%2Bcover%26gbv%3D 2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG



There are other options but not so cheap...IMO.

http://www.1000bulbs.com/images/ELEC-WP1110C-600x.jpg

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Brian, are you looking to lockout only one machine such as the TS, or do you wish to lock out all the machines?

When my children were younger the TS, jointer and planer were forbidden, so I put a disconnect switch on the 240 circuit in my shop.

They were allowed to use the small bandsaw, scrollsaw and drill press.

If you want to lock out only the TS for example you could put a switch lock on the TS, or put the plug for the saw in a lock box.

Regards, Rod.

[mike holden]

Brian,
This is not the cheapest solution, but probably the safest.
Determine which circuits you want controlled, then have an electrician wire them through a lock-out box, then padlock the box off when desired.
The lock-out box is a standard in manufacturing facilities, before anyone can work on the equipment, or in it, in the case of presses or robotic lines, the employee puts his own lock on the lock-out box. Then, until all the employees remove their locks, the equipment is without power. This is a safety regulation.
Works well in business, should work well for you.
Another advantage is that if someone should work around it, the lockbox is defensible in court (God forbid anything should happen, but...)
Mike

[Michael Parr]

You could also turn off the breakers to the area and lock the breaker box. Personally I have a small horror story. As a kid my brother and I made a go cart (I was 14 and bro was 12) and we did fine working as a team but then the parents came home early so we had to hide things with 1 more cut. My brother sat on the hood of the car making one more cut on a 4X4 and hit a nail that chipped off and hit him in the chin. He still has the scar tell today. It was a total peer pressure area but teaching our kids common sense with power tools has to be our #1 idea. The problem is my Dad always made me the helper or out feed table and never the designer or user of the tools. If my brother and I had been more involved with the safety of the table saw we probably would have not hurt our selves if we had. My son is due to be born in 5 weeks and once I feel he is old enough I will start doing projects with him to teach him the uses of these things.

On another note I have seen small locks that can be locked onto the power prongs. They usually have a small hole and an object that prevents plugging them in would make power a 0 issue.

On a totally different note is there a lock that can be purchased for nail guns. I have a brad nailer that came with the Porter Cable Pancake compressor.

[Rob Russell]

There are push-button switches that can be locked in an On or Off position, or made so if you hit an emergency stop button you need a key to pull it back out. I've never seen or heard of a receptacle with a key that you can lock. That doesn't mean they don't exist.

I think Roger's suggestion of the cover that you can lock makes the most sense. That cover also looks like you could put one on the 'frig receptacle so the kids can't unplug the 'frig and run an extension cord to the machinery.

[Roger Frazee]

Someone that looks like me in my younger days living in the shop could be just as effective as a lock....:)

[Rob Young]

Mc-Master Carr www.mcmaster.com (http://www.mcmaster.com)

10715A19 -- this one should fit most 2 and 3 prong plugs and all from this part number are keyed alike. Sorry, copying links with Mc-Master doesn't always work so well.

Also, search using the term "lockout" and you will find others inclding breaker lockouts.

And from Grainger :
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/productIndex.shtml?L2=Plug&operator=prodIndexRefinementSearch&originalValue=lockout&L1=Lockouts%2C

Two more thoughts, most power plugs have a small hole in one or both of the blades of the connector. You might be able to use a small luggage lock. Frankly, all you are doing with one of those is stopping somebody until they find a paperclip (these are WAY easy to pick) or if it is the three-digit combo lock, they are pretty easy to defeat too.

And finally, you can buy zip-tie security bands for pretty small money. You write on them with a Sharpie and zip them through one of the holes in a plug blade. It can't be inserted in an outlet unless it is clipped off. And unless they forge your initials or mark, it can't be replaced with a new one.

[Thomas Bank]

What i'd like is an outlet with a lock in it... i've seen the power-plug locks but they would be a pain to put on everything. I can't lock it from the breaker due to a fridge and a few other items in the garage. Locking outlets would (for me) be the best solution. Do they make anything like that?

Are you saying that all the outlets are on one breaker? I wouldn't do that because if something trips the breaker you lose the food in the fridge...

Also, if you're locking the outlets, kids are inventive. Unplug the fridge and run an extension cord from the table saw to that outlet... Or even run the extension cord out of the workshop to the closest "open" outlet.

I'd consider a lock on the door to the shop. Shop use is then with adult supervision only.

[Paul Demetropoulos]

I ran a subpanel to my shop, I bought one that has a lock and key. I have the lights on their own circuit so when I leave I kill all the outlets.
I guess if the kids really wanted to they could take a tool to the garage and use it but hey, you do what you can.

[Sonny Edmonds]

...simple answer.
Just apply one of these. (http://www.horse.com/Leather-Bullwhip-WQC10.html?scode=hfroogle)
You don't have to learn to use it, just display it.
"Touch a tool, I poppa you tail!"
Then make it snap for them. (Practice first advised)
Next problem... :D

[Rob Damon]

All my tools (stationary) have been converted to 240v. I put a straight plug on the power cord connected to the tools (6-20P or 6-30P). All the 240V outlets at the walls are twist-lock style receptacles (L6-20R or L6-30R).

I then bought some "SOJW" portable cord, put a slot blade receptacle (6-20R or 6-30R) on one end (connects to power cord from tool) and a twist-lock plug (L6-20P or L6-30P)on the other end (connects to wall receptacle). When I finish for the night, I take the convertor cord and lock it in the tool box. Without the convertor cable it is impossible for anybody to power up the tools. You can't plug a straight blade plug into a twist-lock receptacle.

It would get expensive, but in theory you could change all the plugs on your cord hand tools to twist lock plugs, and makeup a "convertor" cable, so even it the kids took the tool out of the shop, there would be no place to plug it in without the convertor cord.

Rob

[Rich Lightfoot]

Do a search for "circuit breaker lockout". There several of them out there and range in price from about $6.00 on up depending on exactly what you need. These things lock out individual breakers inside the panel so you could move your fridge to it's own circuit and lock out any tool related breakers. Also you could change the fridge recep and plug to a type that isn't used anywhere else so kids couldn't unplug the fridge and run an extension cord.

[Larry Fox]

Won't help you with the 110 stuff but I put a disconnect on the power to my 220v tools. The key is attached to my remote DC fob. Only exception is my MM-16 which I figure is safe because I can't even figure out how to turn it on sometimes. :)