Self Starting Saw

[Brian William]

Well here's one for you guys. I was working on in my shop last evening. After cleaning up and putting things away turned out the lights then went to bed. At 2 am I woke up and heard a strange sound like something was running. I finally got up, nothing in the house out of the norm. Went to the shop and my table saw was running. I know without a doubt that I had shut it down. As the last time I used it was at 10 pm,and I left the shop at 11.30 pm. The only thing I can think of is that switch did not make it to the full off position. I'm beginning to think that maybe I need some kind of theropy. I checked the switch and all seems fine. Anybody with any ideas. I know my wife thinks I've gone nuts. She came into the shop and see's me standing there in my skivies watching a saw running at 2 in the morning. Rolled her eyes and said next stop twilight zone. Hmmmm. strange.

[Greg Sznajdruk]

What type of power switch do you have? Simple mechanical or relay contactor?

Greg

[John Keeton]

Which is exactly why we pull the plug to change blades!!! Strange stuff happens, and best it doesn't happen when you have your hands on the blade:eek:

[Ben Martin]

My guess would be that you have a magnetic starter, do a quick google search and you will see this happens quite often. Mostly when something is dropped on the tool.

[Bruce Volden]

I"ve had the same thing happen on my PM. The switch on that machine is a simple mechanical switch. I called PM and told them about it and they sent me a new switch immediately so I assumed it has happened before to somebody :confused:. I shudder to think of what might happen with sharp spinny things. I will someday switch over to a magnetic starter!

Bruce

[Zach England]

That is why I want to get all my tools on their own sub-panel and turn it off when I turn off the lights. It will probably never happen, though.

[Chris Tsutsui]

Maybe somebody in the house is a sleep walking woodworker? jk

At least you were home when it turned on and not on vacation where it could have started a fire or raised your electric bill...

[Carl Babel]

I have heard of this happening before. Try turning off your saw, and then tapping on (or near) the power switch with a mallet or a screwdriver handle). If your saw roars to life, time to get a new switch.

[Charles Krieger]

I always lower the blade, lock it down and unplug the 220V twist-lock plug from my table saw when I am finished for the day. Someone would have to do three things to get themself hurt. (I do have a sub-panel but I never seem to turn off the breakers.) I have had one instance of my dust collector false starting when I was not in the shop. It has a RF controller on it and something triggered the system. I now flip the switch off on that as well. Bandsaw and router table are always unplugged unless they are being used. Jointer and planer are another story. I need to flip those breakers now that I think about it.