Foot switch mod for high chair operation

[davidg]

Ray asked a question about using a foot switch in conjunction with a high chair/stool (some examples shown in the original thread).

For forum search purposes, I thought I'd start a dedicated thread for this important topic and share with you my own idea. Basically, the height of my single pedestal saw table meant that I had to use an elevated stool for a seated work position, which also meant that I could not locate the foot switch pedal directly at floor level, as my foot wouldn't then reach. For added comfort whilst seated, I built a plywood box footstool, instead of using the footrest rail on the stool itself. I was then going to place the foot pedal on top of the stool, but the physical size of it seemed cumbersome. I then had a very simple idea of remotely operating the pedal, effectively using a much smaller pedal, which could be in any size/shape I wanted, with the original pedal being mounted below.

The concept utilises a short length of aluminium tubing (sawn from an old curtain pole) with in this case, a rubber walking stick end cap at one end to act as the foot actuator/pedal extension. Whist designing this, I decided to use a side to side rocking foot action instead of the normal front to back rocking movement, so a hole was made in the foot stool top, with an alignment biased towards the ball of my right foot, more inline with my big toe. The right edge of my foot will now rest directly on the foot stool and the switch will be activated by moving my knee from right to left (with foot following). Adequate space was given to the right of the pedal extension, so that my right foot can comfortably rest at the same height as my left, without any possibility of pedal actuation when needed.

The original foot pedal was mounted below the hole made for the tubing, such that the back (non-hinged section) of the lower pedal footplate aligned centrally with the aluminium pole. A small piece of wood was screwed to a large washer, which would fit inside the aluminium tubing and subsequently glued in position onto the original pedal so that the tubing couldn't move around when actuated from above. Apart from getting the most ergonomic position for the upper pedal extension, care was needed to ensure the correct length of tubing, allowing sufficient hole clearance so as to operate freely, as well as ensuring the weight of the pedal extension tube did not actuate the pedal under its own weight.

In practice, I'm finding the ergonomics of the foot pedal modification far more comfortable than using the original pedal as is, with the added benefit of being able to modify the new pedal foot plate still further if desired.

 

[teachnlearn]

Interesting, Steve Good had a blog on it and built a wood box to the height he wanted and mounted the pedal to it. I think he was also writing on a switch mod. for turning a timer on and off to keep track of project time and scroll saw run time. RJF

[OCtoolguy]

Excellent idea. I like it. Thanks for all the great description of how you did it and the pics too. I'll have to do some thinking on my situation. I have a different switch but it should still work as yours did. This is going to be an interesting topic. I hope others chime in with their configurations also. Right now, my biggest move will be to find the right chair. Then I can worry about how to access the switch. More to come.

 

[teachnlearn]

Could be a 'scroll saw project'. I don't have access to my  drawing package, but I was thinking of building two U's out of 3/4" plywood. Have one U fit outside the other. Now either drill a group of holes like the side of shelving in the lags of one U and one or two aligned holed in the inside U. The pieces could adjust up and down by aligning the holes and putting a bolt in each side. Or up scale it and create an open slot in each leg of the outer U. legs. With a bolt though the inner U legs and outer slots, it would be continuously adjustable. RJF

[OCtoolguy]

13 minutes ago, teachnlearn said:

Could be a 'scroll saw project'. I don't have access to my  drawing package, but I was thinking of building two U's out of 3/4" plywood. Have one U fit outside the other. Now either drill a group of holes like the side of shelving in the lags of one U and one or two aligned holed in the inside U. The pieces could adjust up and down by aligning the holes and putting a bolt in each side. Or up scale it and create an open slot in each leg of the outer U. legs. With a bolt though the inner U legs and outer slots, it would be continuously adjustable. RJF

I'm trying to picture what you are suggesting but it's not coming through the thick brain matter. I can see what you are saying but it would require more than two plywood U shaped legs. In my minds eye, I can see 4 U shaped legs as you said with a platform to connect them on top for the switch to perch on. If I had a design software, it would make no difference because I can't seem to figure out how to even use Inkscape. I would love to see what you are describing.

 

[teachnlearn]

1 hour ago, octoolguy said:

I'm trying to picture what you are suggesting but it's not coming through the thick brain matter. I can see what you are saying but it would require more than two plywood U shaped legs. In my minds eye, I can see 4 U shaped legs as you said with a platform to connect them on top for the switch to perch on. If I had a design software, it would make no difference because I can't seem to figure out how to even use Inkscape. I would love to see what you are describing.

 

Think of a gift box that has a lid that fits over the bottom box. It could be two box shapes that fit like the gift box, or I was thinking of a open frame that adjusts.

The top 'cover' is made so it fit completely to the bottom box. Then holes are drilled like shelve holes 'One on two sides of the bottom box for the bolt' Then a group of vertical holes on the 'lid side' for the lid to adjust. A wing nut or nice knob secures the two bolts. The bottom box would have to have just sides so you can insert the bolts from the inside. RJF

Edited January 13, 2020 by teachnlearn

[OCtoolguy]

5 minutes ago, teachnlearn said:

Think of a gift box that has a lid that fits over the bottom box. It could be two box shapes that fit like the gift box, or I was thinking of a open frame that adjusts.

The top 'cover' is made so it fit completely to the bottom box. Then holes are drilled like shelve holes 'One on two sides of the bottom box for the bolt' Then a group of vertical holes on the 'lid side' for the lid to adjust. A wing nut or nice knob secures the two bolts. RJF

Thanks, I was pretty sure I understood what you were saying but it would require 4 pieces instead of 2. Both of the top and bottoms would be held together with 2 more flat pieces to act as top and bottom if I'm picturing it correctly. The inner would be upside down, the upper would slide down over the lower with adjusting holes/slots on either side to raise/lower the upper. Great minds think alike. LOL.

 

[teachnlearn]

1 minute ago, octoolguy said:

Thanks, I was pretty sure I understood what you were saying but it would require 4 pieces instead of 2. Both of the top and bottoms would be held together with 2 more flat pieces to act as top and bottom if I'm picturing it correctly. The inner would be upside down, the upper would slide down over the lower with adjusting holes/slots on either side to raise/lower the upper. Great minds think alike. LOL.

 

I THINK YOU GOT IT! RJF

I started with a frame idea and moved to a box.

[trackman]

Brought a small step stool. 

[barb.j.enders]

I have a Dewalt with the stand. I ise a hydraulic bar chair.  I have the foot switch clamped to the middle support on the Dewalt stand.

[Roberta Moreton]

The middle support on the Dewalt is perfect. I had to mount my switch to a stool for My Excalibur 

[Scrappile]

I guess I never understood why this could be a complicated issue.  This works just fine for me.

 

[OCtoolguy]

50 minutes ago, Scrappile said:

I guess I never understood why this could be a complicated issue.  This works just fine for me.

 

I like that Paul. Simplicity rules the day. There is no lower support on the Hawk stands and not enough space between the legs to sit comfortably. This will solve that problem. Thanks.

 

[teachnlearn]

1 hour ago, Scrappile said:

I guess I never understood why this could be a complicated issue.  This works just fine for me.

 

As people age there becomes more of a need of adjustments, since sitting in one position becomes painful. There are many chairs with multiple levers just to adjust the positions. I use to squat and work for hours. No more. RJF

[Scrappile]

37 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

I like that Paul. Simplicity rules the day. There is no lower support on the Hawk stands and not enough space between the legs to sit comfortably. This will solve that problem. Thanks.

 

I had this "stool" so it fit between the legs of the stand and I fought it because the legs on my sitting only fit under it if I had them pointing in one direction. I needed them to fit under it to get me closer to the saw.  So a couple days ago, I said enough is enough and I built a new one that is expended out past the legs.  No more problems so easy, took me about 1/2 hour.  No more frustration.  Should have do it a year ago.