Here is my situation. I've a 60% hearing loss so normally wear hearing aids. When I'm in my shop I remove the aids and weaR plugs or muffs to protect what is left. With most tools like my stock duplicator, table saw router there is still enough noise that I can hear the tool is running.

What happened the other day I was removing some extra wood from a blank using my band saw. Came back probably 30 minutes later got ready to trim another blank only to find the saw was still on. I couldn't hear it with the dust collector running. Lucky my hands/fingers weren't close to the blade.

Does anyone know of any type of "machine on" or warning light? I thought about attaching my work light to the switch but that wouldn't work because sometimes I need the light for setup.

Any thoughts?

I would think you could wire a small socket into your saw switch box in series with the switch and use a low wattage colored bulb as an indicator when the switch was on.

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I would think you could wire a small socket into your saw switch box in series with the switch and use a low wattage colored bulb as an indicator when the switch was on.

That was my thought. I want something I would notice but not be distracting. I was thinking something like a c7 Christmas light on a magnetic base just above the blade area.

The light should be in parallel with the motor.
Series won't work.

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The light should be in parallel with the motor.

You are correct. I knew how to hook it up just didn't think about the series issue. Yep that 1+HP motor wouldn't do a little Christmas light any favors.

it is called a pilot light. it is a small red light/switch combination . when the switch is on the red pilot light is on etc

What about wearing something like the Peltor Tac 7 muffs? Protection and some amplification for hearing phones or knowing if someone else is around etc.

I've even seen shops that have the phone wired into lights.

Does the motor start thru a contactor? If so you can maybe a add an auxliary set to run a light thats bright enough to see.

Shouldn't be hard to wire a light into the circuit.

Well the heavy duty switch on the saw is a large push button. Green and red. So the switch with the light as one I'm thinking of wouldn't work.

I have a set of in the ear units that shut down At 90 dbs. However I know if I used them in the shop the next time I went to the range I would forget to take them so they will stay in the shooting bag. But a set of muffs with a mic in them I'm be a good idea.

The only one that comes into the shop is the wife. She stops at the bottom of the stairs and blinks one of the lights. Doesn't want to scare the old man.

Not sure what a contactor is.

The guy next door said he had a blinking LED with a magnet base. Now if he can find it.

Thanks for all the great ideas. Might need to try both a muff with a mic and warning light. Sure don't want to hit that moving blade. Had the table saw 15 years ago take some meat off the trigger finger and that was the last time I care to have that happen.

If your saw is one HP I suspect the motor is 120 volt?

Possibly not the best way but one of the most simple ways to put a light on your machine would be to just use some "quick splice" connectors and add either an outlet or hard wire in the leads from a lamp right at the motor.



Even if you have a 220 V motor you can still use this method and connect to the common and just one of the legs.

Personally, I'd buy another magnetic base lamp, wire it in like this and just leave it on so it goes on and off with the motor so you not only have an indicator but a useful work light that goes on and off automatically.

Just buy a foot pressure switch and place it front of the machine on the floor. When you step off the switch it will shut down electric and stop the saw. Granger should have these switches.

Les

Zola Nothing like that. It is a simple push button on/off has 2 wires in 2 out. Every wire goes through a junction box on the side of the motor.

There is room to attach the wires behind the switch. Hadn't thought of the quick connect but they would work.

I think the little light from the neighbor will work. Gluing the magnet back on now. Not so bright that it would be a pain but bright enough and blinks so I would notice it.

Looking at the label the motor is a 1hp 110/220 set up on 110 because I'm to lazy to run a 220 circuit close enough.

Les I should have thought of the foot switch. I have exactly that set up on my scroll saw. I don't think the little switch I have would handle the larger motor. But definitely something to think about.

Key thing is to start treating it like a gun. Always assume it is loaded (running)

Thanks guys for all the great suggestions.