How often do you unplug when servicing your tools?

[Stuart Gardner]

So - I generally do not unplug my tools when changing blades, bits, etc. Sometime I do, but it just depends on the tool and what I'm doing to it. How often do you unplug your tools? And - have you ever had an accident due to not unplugging?

Update - this is about 150 responses into the poll, and I'm amazed by how many Always or Almost Always responses there are. And yes, it's okay to answer almost always even if you don't unplug your Random Orbital Sander. Me, I hardly ever unplug my Table Saw, but Almost Always unplug my Routers when changing a bit. And DEFINITELY unplug the planer when changing blades. There are a few stories about bad starts that are really interesting. Thanks.

[Matt Meiser]

I marked usually. I have a disconnect switch at the side of my TS that I always throw. And I virtually always unplug the router though I occasionally forget. DP, BS, etc. never.

[Thomas Williams]

OK so I don't unplug the drill press. But otherwise it is cheap insurance.

[Matt Logana]

I try to when ever possible... but have had occurances where I am changing the blade only to look over and find it plugged in.... opps...

Drills and stuff like that, nah..

So I marked Usually.

[Chris Kennedy]

Some things I always unplug -- the router comes to mind. I won't necessarily unplug the saw, but I have a lock on it, which I slip into place "just in case." I never unplug the ROS, but I always unplug the belt sander (after once plugging it in to find that it was actually turned on, and it went flying across the bench:o).


Cheers,

Chris

[george wilson]

You really should. Years ago I had an old 6" jointer that would turn itself on at times,when I was completely away from it!!! Dust gets into switches and does funny stuff.

I'm reminded of the letter to FWW years ago. Some guy who DID NOT unplug his Makita jointer was changing knives. The phone rang. When he got back to his unfinished blade changing job,he idly flipped the jointer on. The blades and gibs flew out of the jointer and messed up the infeed table's edge.

He wrote to complain about the lack of help he was getting from Makita about spare parts. Of course,his stupid story completely deflected his intent,and he got no sympathy whatever over Makita's lack of customer service!!:)

He was lucky that the knives didn't hit him in the eye,wasn't he?

I had loaned my 12" Parks planer to a friend when I didn't have space to store it. He was also changing knives WITHOUT UNPLUGGING IT,when another friend came in,and TURNED IT ON. It ruined the gibs and knives,which they had to replace. It wasn't real cheap,either.

So,I ask you, SHOULD YOU UNPLUG??????

[Bill Huber]

If I am changing the blade on the TS, the bit on the router, drill on the drill press, sanding belt on the sander I have never been one to unplug the tool.

Now on a skill saw or jig saw or router used hand held I will unplug it because I could hit the switch. With the main power tools it would be imposable to hit the switch while I was changing a tool.

The way I see it is that an electric motor is not like a gas engine, you can't start them my turning them.

I am 65 years old and have been around electric motors all my life and I have never seen one start by itself.

[Bill Huber]

You really should. Years ago I had an old 6" jointer that would turn itself on at times,when I was completely away from it!!! Dust gets into switches and does funny stuff.:)

Why didn't you fix the switch the first time it happened ?

[Steven Hsieh]

Unplugging your tools makes a big difference in your electric bills:D:D

[Bruce Page]

I usually do, depending on the tool.
Question for the people that ALWAYS do: does that include changing the paper on your ROS?

[Jim Summers]

Since I work out of my garage, I am pretty OCD about unplugging when not in use. And pretty much always when doing any adjustments. Why wouldn't I?

[Richard Wagner]

I would like to be able to say "ALWAYS" but that would not be truthful. I believe "ALWAYS" is the right answer but I often get too engrossed in the project and forget. Fortunately, I am yet to have that disastrous accident.

[Lee Koepke]

I too have a disconnect for my TS. I actually will throw the disconnect if I switch machines so I feel a little safer.

Router - always
Drill press - most of the time

I do my woodworking to relax, so I dont like to be 'in a hurry'.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I usually do, depending on the tool.
Question for the people that ALWAYS do: does that include changing the paper on your ROS?

I marked sometimes depending on the tool, since I NEVER unplug my ROS to change paper. My table router too, but I have a remote switch so it's pretty hard to start by accident, and since it turns itself off and locks when it's raised to change bits I feel pretty safe. For other things I usually unplug. Probably not the drill press.

[Rod Sheridan]

I voted always because I do.

My saw/shaper and jointer/planer have a locking disconnect switch as original equipment, so they're very easy, no unplugging.

My drill press I have to unplug, same as my bandsaw.

Same for circular saws, jig saws, electric drills etc.

You'll laugh however I take the battery out of cordless drills when changing tools also.

One of my cow-orkers has a great scar from a cordless drill that started spinning while he was trying to get the slug out of a hole saw.

Regards, Rod.

[Van Huskey]

This is one thing I am anal about it is just too easy not to do. However, I am not as anal as Rod since I only remove batts from cordless saws but never drills, but could see where the problem could occur.

[george wilson]

Bill,I didn't say I never fixed it. At the time I was about 22 years old,and not as safety conscious as you get when older. If you read my post,you might have heard a few good reasons why it is best to unplug,even if you never had a motor start by itself. Do you have an infallible memory,or ever have another person in your shop?

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I was a shop teacher for 42 years. What do you think I checked? Of course I unplug tools.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

In a shop I was working at,almost 15 years ago, I was using an old Unisaw as an assembly table when it turned on by itself (the blade was down). Ever since then, I always unplug saws and routers. Exceptions are my Bosch jigsaw and my drill press.

[Leo Graywacz]

Rarely or never.

When I change the sawblace the wrench stays in place and would likely not let the arbor turn. Same with the router, probably make th erouter jump if it got turned on somehow.

Drill press, never. Edge sander, never. Chop saw, sometimes. Even the router is sometimes. Anything with a magnetic starter would really be tough to start on its own. You really have to push the button to make it go.

[Myk Rian]

I unplug the tools ALL the time. The auto company I retired from hammered safety into us. Of course there were always the idiots that didn't pay attention, or give safety a thought. I stayed away from them.

I gave our son a drill holster.
He was hanging drywall on a ceiling. Forgot the drill. Climbed down the ladder, got the drill, stuck it in his pant waist.
On the way back up, the drill hit a step, turned on, and the next thing he knows, the ratchet on the drill is clacking away, with the bit winding his skin up.
We jokingly call him twisticles now.
That one called for a hospital visit.
He learned about safety that day.

[Jack Wilson]

Ok I admit it, I am a bad person, I usually DON'T wear my seat belt. BUT I ALMOST always unplug tools. I don't want to say always, but I try. I have been around tools for 30 years, I can't remember actually seeing someone get hurt, but I have seen lots of scars, missing digits, I have shot myself a few times with nail guns... I believe the tools job is to hurt me, my job is to NOT let it. I exercise control and authority over the tool by unplugging it, that's all I got.

[glenn bradley]

Any tool that I am handling a moving part on gets unplugged. I have had more than one (but very few) occurrence where I finished changing that big ole gnarly panel bit in the router table and then been shocked when I reach to plug it back in to find that I never unplugged it. This is usually followed by a high speed movie in my head that involves the cutter in question and my fingers flying around the shop :eek:.

Always is good, almost always may not be good enough one of these times.

P.s. the exception is the drill press for no reason I can think of.

[Maurice Ungaro]

I also unplug my stationary tools when I'm out of the shop. Why? One serious power surge is all it takes. I'm not taking the chance.

[Matt Logana]

In a shop I was working at,almost 15 years ago, I was using an old Unisaw as an assembly table when it turned on by itself (the blade was down). Ever since then, I always unplug saws and routers. Exceptions are my Bosch jigsaw and my drill press.

Very Very scary... atleast you didnt get hurt... I am sure now you unplug everything...:eek:


I unplug the tools ALL the time. The auto company I retired from hammered safety into us. Of course there were always the idiots that didn't pay attention, or give safety a thought. I stayed away from them.

I gave our son a drill holster.
He was hanging drywall on a ceiling. Forgot the drill. Climbed down the ladder, got the drill, stuck it in his pant waist.
On the way back up, the drill hit a step, turned on, and the next thing he knows, the ratchet on the drill is clacking away, with the bit winding his skin up.
We jokingly call him twisticles now.
That one called for a hospital visit.
He learned about safety that day.

Youch.... that must have hurt....
Twisticles... thats definately one for the books... I guess its better than explaining to his wife why it looks like he angered a baker...

[Nathan Callender]

I always do on tools that if started could do serious harm. That exempts the rod and palm sanders and cordless drills when im using small bits and drivers. My ya has a very safely desinged safety switch but I still managed to get something snagged on it. If you don't want to unplug, then get disconnects. This is one of the most basic safety precautions we can take so why wouldn't we? Remember accidents do happen. I would hate to see what would happen to my hands if my router started up as i was changing bits.

[Joe Shinall]

I answered always because I have a really small shop and all my 220 tools run on one extension cord. So when not in use, the cord is rolled up and on the wall. As far as the other tools, i always unplug, I don't chance it. Except for the drill press. I never unplug when changing bits.

[Matt Logana]

I always do on tools that if started could do serious harm. That exempts the rod and palm sanders and cordless drills when im using small bits and drivers. My ya has a very safely desinged safety switch but I still managed to get something snagged on it. If you don't want to unplug, then get disconnects. This is one of the most basic safety precautions we can take so why wouldn't we? Remember accidents do happen. I would hate to see what would happen to my hands if my router started up as i was changing bits.

Type "Safety Test: Part2" I believe.... look for the one thats Jefferson School Woodshop... you'll see what it does... perfect example of someone changing a bit, when someone bumps it on... ouch... gore warning though... It nearly made me vomit...

[george wilson]

Aw,Gerry,that couldn't turn on by itself. Bill says he's 65 and never saw it happen. He thinks I lied about my jointer. Actually,Bill,it isn't the motor that turns itself on. It's the defective old switch.

LEO,IF the saw EVER did start with the wrench on the arbor nut,you might NEVER get the nut off again. What happens if you forget the wrench is on it,and turn the saw on? I advise not leaving the wrench on. I'm too old and absent minded to risk that. how about you?

[Micheal Roth]

I always unplug any and all machinery i'm working on. LOCK-OUT, TAG-OUT,TRY-OUT, Always , NO exceptions!

[Don Alexander]

changing blades on a saw(miter,table,circular,band, etc.) with it still plugged in and no disconnect in use is on the same level of dumb as cutting freehand on a tablesaw

if you do it and haven't had it bite you yet, you have just been lucky so far

i don't do it because , to quote an old song, "if it weren't for bad luck i'd have no luck at all"

[Bret Duffin]

I have no excuse for not unplugging. I've been stupid and lucky. I'm going to start unplugging. Thanks for bringing this unsafe practice to light.

Bret

[Rick Markham]

Having worked in an industrial manufacturing facility for awhile there is no excuse for not using proper lock out tag out procedures, when there is no place for a lock out, the machine is ALWAYS disconnected from it's power source. The only tool I don't unplug to change a bit etc, is the drill press, honestly I'm pushing my luck with that and should unplug it (torque can do some nasty things to your body in a hurry.)

Safety always takes diligence, and accidents always happen because of a brief moment of inattention. I guess I would rather be safe than sorry. I personally don't feel right if I am doing something "I know I shouldn't"!

[Chris Parks]

Why didn't you fix the switch the first time it happened ?

I did. My experience was with a saw that one day switched itself on when I dropped a length of timber on it and frightened the **** out of me. It was my first experience with saw dust in a switch and I routinely cleaned there after and it always had a build up in it. I always pull the plug after that, safe but not sorry.

[Karl Card]

I have had 3 fingers cut off due to a machine at work. It was an accident but it took awhile to get my fingers back to doing half of what they used to. I am lazy but man it only takes a second or two to unplug something, it takes alot longer to get a finger to heal.

Plus the blood you might have to clean up in the shop...

Seriously though I have visions of accidents in the back of my head and I really try hard to not make me the leading star in one of these pics...

On jobs I have been on I have seen guys do some really unsafe things "just to get it done". I dont believe in that and in my shop at least I have the say so, so I say so...

[Mark Patoka]

My table saw, router table and planer all are mobile and have to be plugged into an extension cord so I always unplug before changing a blade or bit. Just one of those ingrained safety things I do.

Drill press, sanders and lathe stay plugged in.

[John A. Schaefer]

Like a previous poster, for me it depends on if it's a stationary tool or not.

And I don't so much "unplug" as I "disconnect."

When I wired my shop, I laid out the circuits so that two breakers will shut-off all of the 110v outlets in the shop (I don't have any 220v tools yet). It's much easier to just throw the breakers than try to get to the plugs for some of the tools.

[Stuart Gardner]

...a saw that one day switched itself on when I dropped a length of timber on it and frightened the **** out of me.

So - I'm not going to pretend I know exactly how magnetic switches work, but it sounds like that may have been a magnetic switch. I read an article recently about this very phenomenon. When you start a mag switch, an electro magnet holds the contacts together, and when you stop it, the electro magnet is turned off, and the contacts pull away. The benefit is that if the machine is turned off by a blown breaker, power outage, or pulled cord, then the switch is off and you don't have to worry about it going on when the power is restored. The down side is that a hard enough bump can swing the contacts together and complete the circuit. I've never experienced this, but boy do I keep it in mind.

[Dave Sweeney]

I do not usually unplug my drill when changing bits or my ROS when changing paper but every other tool gets unplugged when pulling maintenance on it. I really don't care how remote the chances are that the tool will start up on me, I just flat don't want to be "that guy" that it happens too.

[Dave Gaul]

I said sometimes, cause it just depends on the tool and what I'm doing. Inside the planer, unplug it! Router in the table, has a safety switch with a cover that must be lifted to start, so I don't unplug. My TS blades are stored just above the outlet for the TS, so I almost always unplug the saw when chaning blades...

Just the other day I got one of those power-twist link belts in hopes to improve my old jointer performance... I was in the back of it, trying to get the new belt fitted, and realized I really should unplug this sucker:eek::eek:! and of course, I did!!

[ray hampton]

I can not remove a drill bit from my cordless drill if the battery are out but if I can not hold a hand power tool without placing a hand on the trigger then it gets unplug,---my lathe and drill press stay plug -in

[Thomas love]

I believe you George I have had it happen to me, I was no where near the saw and it scared the s out of me. For me unplugging most of the time means shutting off breakers in another room as most of the machines are hard wired in pipe, so no is the answere, Hand held power tools yes.

[David Cefai]

A question for the Americans: Do your sockets have switches? The British style of socket is usually switched so sometimes I switch off at the socket instead of unplugging.

[Cody Colston]

Almost always.

I don't unplug the drill press nor the OSS...just like I don't unplug the lathe when changing chucks, blanks, etc., don't even consider it.

Now, the TS, router table, jointer, BS, etc. all have short lanyards attached to the plug end of the cord and the wall so that I can unplug them and let them dangle near the receptacle.

On occassion, however, I have gone to plug the TS back in and found that I forgot to unplug it prior to changing blades...rare, but it has happened. I can still count to ten.

I think there is a point where concern for "safety" overides any enjoyment experienced when woodworking as a hobby. If I ever reach that point, I will find a new hobby, one where I'm not in constant fear of hurting my widdle self...stamp collecting comes to mind.

[Jon van der Linden]

I'm too lazy to screw up my siesta schedule just for a stupid plug, so almost everything gets unplugged.

The ONLY kinds of things where that doesn't happen are modern equipment where there are at least 3 switches that need to be on for something to work, i.e. main power switch, motor starting switch, and all safety cover switches must be closed as well. Given that the cover needs to be open to work on the machine, and the other switches aren't on, there's some level of redundancy.

It's just too easy to have an accident happen with only one switch, no matter how "safe" it is. I have plans for sloth and laziness, so I'm not going to let one little plug ruin it.

[Charles Krieger]

I had a minor accident even though I did unplug the router. Unfortunately while changing the bit I had inadvertantly bumped the switch to on. When I plugged the router in the starting torque caused it to tip off the bench and it fell to the floor. The router base was damaged and the bit was broken. Only my pride and wallet were hurt. I straightened the base and bought a new $29.00 bit.

No doubt the results would have been much more serious if I had not unplugged the router and it had started while I was changing the bit.

Lesson learned. I now check each time, that the tool I'm plugging in, is actually turned off.

[george wilson]

Once when I was young,I turned on a Stanley router with just the motor held in my hands. It twisted from the torque when it started,and I lost my grip. The motor stayed vertical from the gyro effect. It went straight down to the floor,barely missing me,landed on the 1/2" HSS bit,and spun like a top. I grabbed the cord and unplugged it quickly. The router bit lost about half its height before I got it turned off.

Keep a GOOD grip on when starting a router!

[James Baker SD]

I am so paranoid (injured once, paranoid a long time) that not only do I always unplug my TS when changing blades, I sometimes also throw the circuit breaker just to be sure :D

James

[Dan Karachio]

Absolutely every time, except for drill press. Gees, I thought I learned this right here from all the veterans! :)

[Matt Logana]

I am so paranoid (injured once, paranoid a long time) that not only do I always unplug my TS when changing blades, I sometimes also throw the circuit breaker just to be sure :D

James

For some stuff, like if I am messing with the V-belt on the bandsaw, Ill unplug it in two places.... because it wouldnt be hard for it to break all your fingers should it run them through... atleast when cutting you know exactly when its going to start eating material... so you can make sure its just wood not flesh that it eats....

[michael p williams]

I like all of my fingers and both my thumbs. If it's not plugged in it prevents accidents, which would likely be caused by my being careless or in a hurry..

[Tyler Howell]

Always ,always, always!!!:eek:

Even changing the vacuum cleaner bag..

"The only thing worse than following the rules, is getting caught breaking them".

A trip to to the ER or morgue is getting caught.


Pinched up on the North Shore

[ray hampton]

unplugging your tools are a good idea but your freezer & fridge do not need to be unplug , they use to make a metal cover for plugs that kept them from being pull out by a cat or small kid

[Josiah Bartlett]

A question for the Americans: Do your sockets have switches? The British style of socket is usually switched so sometimes I switch off at the socket instead of unplugging.

No, our sockets do not normally have switches. It is possible to add them, but they are not required by code and switched sockets are far from common.

I usually throw the circuit breaker before unplugging my 240V tools, mainly because I once plugged in a 240V 30A plug that had an internal short and it blew up in my hand. It flashed and then blew the breaker and the shop got dark, which added to the momentary panic that I had just killed myself, or at least made myself blind.

[Matt Logana]

No, our sockets do not normally have switches. It is possible to add them, but they are not required by code and switched sockets are far from common.

I usually throw the circuit breaker before unplugging my 240V tools, mainly because I once plugged in a 240V 30A plug that had an internal short and it blew up in my hand. It flashed and then blew the breaker and the shop got dark, which added to the momentary panic that I had just killed myself, or at least made myself blind.

They were common before the 60s... most elder homes have switched sockets, since people often used lamps instead of ceiling fixtures.

[Leo Graywacz]

Aw,Gerry,that couldn't turn on by itself. Bill says he's 65 and never saw it happen. He thinks I lied about my jointer. Actually,Bill,it isn't the motor that turns itself on. It's the defective old switch.

LEO,IF the saw EVER did start with the wrench on the arbor nut,you might NEVER get the nut off again. What happens if you forget the wrench is on it,and turn the saw on? I advise not leaving the wrench on. I'm too old and absent minded to risk that. how about you?

The wrench is not on the arbor nut, it is on the arbor itself. The wrench has a bend in it to fit in the special area on the arbor which has two flat spots to fit the wrench. You use the other wrench to turn the nut.

Pretty sure I won't forget the wrench is on it. It sticks out of the table 5" and you cannot put the blade insert in the saw with the wrench on it. Just not going to happen.

With a magnetic starter the only way it can start is by pressing the on button or by catastrophic magnetic anomaly in the vicinity of the relay.

[Matt Logana]

unplugging your tools are a good idea but your freezer & fridge do not need to be unplug , they use to make a metal cover for plugs that kept them from being pull out by a cat or small kid

Then they realized that was a bad idea.... since a small nick in the wire turned that electrified... and well... what happens when you go to unplug it.... not to mention incase of fire.... Now you can opt to have twist lock put in.... just safer...

[ray hampton]

Then they realized that was a bad idea.... since a small nick in the wire turned that electrified... and well... what happens when you go to unplug it.... not to mention incase of fire.... Now you can opt to have twist lock put in.... just safer...



SO someone good idea turn out to be a BAD idea

[Josiah Bartlett]

They were common before the 60s... most elder homes have switched sockets, since people often used lamps instead of ceiling fixtures.

Most people aren't running routers and table saws in their living room, either.

[Matt Kestenbaum]

Like my life depended on it...because I believe it does!

[Robert foster]

Always when I get close to anything that moves and is sharp. I'm of the opinion that if something can go wrong it probably will for me. I'm not paranoid or anything but on the otherhand I want to be able to count to ten. As a pilot I've learned to stay ahead of the plane and that the two most important things are the next two things. I've had six "unscheduled" landings and broke my back once. Being careful is being smart even for a MAN. If it isn't plugged in it might not bite me.

Bob

[Joseph Tarantino]

there's not much to add to all those who comment/advocate that they disconnect power when servicing individual tools. like others here, my shop is all mobile. nothing is "permenantly" plugged in, so plugging and unplugging is natural my my operating sequence of events. plugs are pulled and, becaue i'm paranoid about safety, the safety key for that individual machine is also pulled. just the thought of my hand spinning off the arbor nut on my TS and it powering up with my hand holding the blade, always raises my safety consciousness.

[Bud Millis]

Would you clean a loaded gun! You never know, stranger things happen. Its only a extra couple of seconds.