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Hammer K3 - off switch paddle



I have found the off switch for the Hammer K3 frustrating and potentially dangerous. It is tucked away under the rail and difficult to get to when working with the rip fence ...



The on-switch is also small ...



... but I am not bothered much by this since switching on is a deliberate act, while switching off may need to be done quickly.

There is an off switch on the side by the panel, but this is only accessible when using the slider ...



So today I built a paddle switch. This was to be a prototype, but it is good enough to stay on permanently ...





The body is made of Jarrah (it needed to be stiff and have some weight), and covered in 1/8” thick red Lexan. The end is a simple butt hinge.

It has been attached with double-sided tape, and it feels pretty strong. The intention has been to add a better quality hinge, but this one soldiers on without any sign of coming loose.

The positioning allows the on-button to be accessed as easily as before ...



... while the off switch is now within reach of a palm or knee ...




From the side, it can be seen that the off-switch is slightly higher than the on-switch. There is sufficient clearance to tap the paddle and depress the button.



I love the way it works! Bump with a knee, or just slap with a hand. No more search for the off button.



Regards from Perth

Derek


August 2020