Using a Foot Switch on a Wen

[Insane Dust Maker]

Good day to my fellow scrollers, I need some help please I have a Wen 16” and I want to disconnect the speed control completely and only use a foot switch. I have contacted Wen but they have failed to come back to me. I don’t want to just start ripping wires off the pc board. I don’t use the light switch at all I have a external illuminated magnify glass.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[ChelCass]

I'm not sure why you want to disconnect the speed control?  I have the Wen 21 and I use a dead mans switch which you plug the saw into and then plug the switch into the electrical outlet. I can change the blade speed by the control on the machine.  i bought mine on Amazon for less than 15.00 I believe.  Is this what you were thinking about??

 

[jpburcham]

5 minutes ago, ChelCass said:

I'm not sure why you want to disconnect the speed control?  I have the Wen 21 and I use a dead mans switch which you plug the saw into and then plug the switch into the electrical outlet. I can change the blade speed by the control on the machine.  i bought mine on Amazon for less than 15.00 I believe.  Is this what you were thinking about??

 

I operate my Dewalt as ChelCass described. . I agree - I wouldn't recommend modifying the wiring. . 

Here's the amazon switch that I use:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BZX4XGY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[kmmcrafts]

I'm just guessing but I think he's talking about using a variable speed control foot switch.. much like some of the sewing machines use.. I've heard of people doing this and also heard that some burnt up their motor by doing it.. I don't know enough about this sort of thing but anyway I just wanted to say I believe he means to hook up a variable speed foot controller. 

[Roberta Moreton]

Connecting a variable speed foot control WILL ruin the saw. It is NOT recommended. I use a deadman switch. Press and it runs, let go it stops. Some use a press it’s on, press again and it’s off. 
 

[Scrappile]

@Roberta Moreton I'm not trying to be a wise guy, just showing how little I know.  But. if it is a variable speed saw, why will attaching a VS switch to it, hurt it?  I used to use a deadman foot switch, but a player here whom, I respect greatly, here told me to try a push-for-on, push-for-off one and I preferred the push-on/push-off.   Just personal preference.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Well I too do not want to be a wise guy. But to go into the workings of varying AC current on a DC motor is not a good idea. You will burn the motor out. Believe me. Besides you scroll all the time at one speed. If you have to control speed while cutting you will not be able to control it with your foot and concentrate on the cutting. Way too many things to be thinking about when cutting fine details. Control speed with the saw's controller. This question has been asked recently here and the OP wanted to leave the saw at full speed and use a sewing machine foot pedal. But again you can not do it or should I say can not do it for a long sustained time without damage to either the control board or motor. The way you control cutting speed is done  one of 2 ways. speed of the saw with that controller or your feed rate. Plain and simple. 

Edited July 23 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[Insane Dust Maker]

Thanks so much for your replies and very good comments, I see now I was on the wrong track all together the foot switch IS a dead man switch not a variable speed foot pedal. So having tested it it works just great, thank you all once again.

[Scrappile]

Okay, but just for the sake of argument, My wife sews all the time and controls the speed with a foot pedal.  I drive a car, more complicated than scrolling, I control the speed with a foot pedal. I am one who really would like to be able to control the speed of my saw with a foot pedal.  I do not scroll at the same speed all the time. Different speeds for different parts of scrolling. But I yield to your advice.  I do not know enough about motors to mess around with them. But, the speed control of a scroll saw is not part of the motor.  It is controlled by a switch outside the motor.  You turn a knob, could that not be a push mechanism?  Oh, well no matter, back to scrolling.

[kmmcrafts]

Paul, You know I always try to give the best advice I can and I think I have a solution for you with this device here.. won't burn up any electric motors guaranteed.. 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1680623041/antique-american-1876-cast-iron-pedal?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-home_and_living-furniture-living_room_furniture-other&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAjwqf20BhBwEiwAt7dtdWwpEDNe3d2hmpa1YrEzi0HyhGkHnVfglhzY9OrYmK-1woYP8cYuWxoCfv4QAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_12570712527_123240177087_507395010691_aud-2007167693469:pla-307001398688_c__1680623041_111184285&utm_custom2=12570712527&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwqf20BhBwEiwAt7dtdWwpEDNe3d2hmpa1YrEzi0HyhGkHnVfglhzY9OrYmK-1woYP8cYuWxoCfv4QAvD_BwE

 

[Me and my buddy]

4 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Okay, but just for the sake of argument, My wife sews all the time and controls the speed with a foot pedal.  I drive a car, more complicated than scrolling, I control the speed with a foot pedal. I am one who really would like to be able to control the speed of my saw with a foot pedal.  I do not scroll at the same speed all the time. Different speeds for different parts of scrolling. But I yield to your advice.  I do not know enough about motors to mess around with them. But, the speed control of a scroll saw is not part of the motor.  It is controlled by a switch outside the motor.  You turn a knob, could that not be a push mechanism?  Oh, well no matter, back to scrolling.

i have the same scroll saw as insane dust maker its a nob that you use 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

10 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Okay, but just for the sake of argument, My wife sews all the time and controls the speed with a foot pedal.  I drive a car, more complicated than scrolling, I control the speed with a foot pedal. I am one who really would like to be able to control the speed of my saw with a foot pedal.  I do not scroll at the same speed all the time. Different speeds for different parts of scrolling. But I yield to your advice.  I do not know enough about motors to mess around with them. But, the speed control of a scroll saw is not part of the motor.  It is controlled by a switch outside the motor.  You turn a knob, could that not be a push mechanism?  Oh, well no matter, back to scrolling.

Many things here. A sewing machine uses a universal motor that can be wired to be run on AC or DC. The speed is controlled with the foot which is part of the motor circuitry. The scrollsaw motor has a resistor pot that controls the speed of the motor and is part of that circuitry. if you add another speed controller you now change the current supplied through the pot on the saw and thus can burn up the board or the motor or both because they work in tandem. Change out the scrollsaw motor to a sewing machine motor and have at it. Comparing driving a car to operating a scrollsaw is apples and watermellons. You do not have to believe me for one second. Have at it. Now each saw does not use the same type motors but if it has brushes I advise you to not try but heck I am  nobody.  Good luck. Learning to control speed by feed pressure is the best way to scroll in my opinion.