The Inexpensive Dremel Foot Switch

This is a very easy to make, inexpensive, durable foot-controlled on/off switch that can control the power on any small tool or appliance, such as a Dremel or other rotary tool, a "Leslie" rotating organ speaker motor, lights, or anything really. We're going to cut the extension cord partway along the length, and add in the switchbox, so that the outlet or outlets at the end of the extension cord are switched on or off when the foot switch is actuated.

Step 1: So Why?

So... Why Do I want to make a foot switch that lets me turn a 110v appliance on and off- specifically a dremel?


I do a lot of project work on motorcycles and motorcycle-shop-related electronics, namely cordless phones which do not survive well in a shop environment. I use my dremel for a veriety of things, at several different speed settings, but the tool has a simple slider on the body to control on/off and speed, and it's aggrivating to have to reach up and slide it all the way off because i need to use that hand to hold something else, and then have to try and get the speed right again 10 seconds later. This way I can just tap a switch with my foot, needing zero hands free to control the power- AND the Dremel can be left at a specific speed setting, with no fiddling around needed to get back to that setting later.

Comments

[jherncal]

How the Switch. Live in Caracas Venezuela, and do not get the respuesto original, so I'm looking for ways susituirlo by adapting, but for that I need, you know how it works. Your input is 110 volts, but do any measurements with the multimeter and No. Y723 MOSFET device, I have 12 volts, but it is damaged. Also I have a glass thermistor smd capacitor, contacts, and other component, which is covered with black resin. Thank your help with this I leave the image.
Dremel 300 Series

Como Funciona el Switch. Vivo en caracas Venezuela, y no consigo el respuesto original, por lo que estoy buscando la manera de susituirlo mediante una adaptación, pero para ello necesito, sabe como funciona. Su entrada son 110 Voltios, pero realice una medidas con el Multimetro y en dispositivo tipo mosfet Nro. Y723, tengo 12 voltios, pero el mismo esta dañado. Asi mismo tengo Un termistor de vidrio un condensador smd, los contactos, y otro componente, que esta cubierto con resina negra. Agradecer su ayuda con esto les dejo la imagen. Dremel 300 series

[DIY Dave]

Here's mine

[Bilby]

Hey, looks great, man! Did you ground the metal chassis as some of the comments suggested? How do you like it so far?

[DIY Dave]

I think I grounded the chassis (it's been a while since I made it). So far its worked great. The switch I used was a light up switch, but I dropped it and the light quit working.

[itsme.justin]

You could just use your dremel cutting tool to cut that nut off.....just saying. prooly easier and quicker

[oddmidge]

On small change, use a plastic project box. Incase you have wire issues, you don't want to shock yourself, it can be potentially fatal.

[van johnson112]

Either that or you should of used a 3 prong cord into the box to ground it. Just because the dremel is 2 prong doesn't mean you should use a 2 prong cord on the switch box. The dremel is 2 prong because it doesn't have any metal parts that could ever become live.

[chuckr44]

I've been shocked by 110vac plenty of times, and I'm just fine-ine-ine-ine. *smack*

[MikeLaraDesign]

i like the idea alot something i would do though is put a plug socket on th lead so tht you can use it for any device and use the switch box as a pass through and blug that into the wll via a lead that way you dont have to modify your tools or indeed use it with just the one tool.   sorry if this has been said already just to lazy to read all the comments lol

[Bilby]

Hi Mike,
   If you read the instructable you'll see that I suggest hacking up an extension cord so that you will have an outlet into which you can plug any electrical device. Of course, Some things don't like to be plugged into a hard switch, but so long as you don't exceed the capability of the materials used in current handling, you could plug anything into the box and it would work.

[kerowhack]

Nice idea, I'm sure this would come in quite handy. For safety's sake, though, I would encourage you to use a grounded cord with this, per your final thought, since with a metal switch and a metal enclosure, there is a high potential of shocking the crap out of yourself. I think the current rating of that FS might be a bit low for this application too, though it should be ok as long as you are careful what you plug into it. How is the life on the switch?

[strayturk]

I agree with the grounding, and maybe one step further would be to use a plastic plate on the top of the box. I wouldn't feel comfortable trusting the switch to isolate myself from a shock.

Or maybe I am too skittish.. I got shocked once while working on a tube amplifier, I still have my scar for that burn from 550 volts.. Oh well.

[Bilby]

The switch is working great so far, I don't have the specs on the switch any more but iirc it was rated for at least what the Dremel pulls- and being designed for a guitar stompbox, it's quite sturdy :) . I definitely agree on grounding- I think next time I might try a different (plastic) case, to avoid the grounding problem. My dremel doesn't have a ground prong anyhow, so other then the case there's not much to ground in this rig ;)

[skimmo]

how much are rotary tools im going to buy one whats a good price?

[petersen909]

I like the idea! For heavier duty tools you could use a relay to protect the switch from the higher amperage.

[PCfreak]

Harbor Freight has A Foot switch

[joezero]

I like this. These foot switches are very handy, I have made one like this and one from a sewing machine pedal. For the sewing machine pedal I just changed the plugs on the ends to the small large configuration(canadian/american standard). My Dremel lacks a ground. Eventually burnt out the dremel and attatched the flex shaft to the sewing machine motor. Less speed but more power.

[meritsetgo]

you mean this switch is compatible with my plug

[gemquest]

Great instructions! Thanks for sharing this. Did you ever give this a try with a sewing machine pedal? If so, I would like to know how it turned out. :)

[Bilby]

Thanks for the compliment! No, I've never even modified it, just used it like it's shown in the instructable. Since my Dremel has speed control I just adjust it as needed. Lately I've been more interested in foot-controlled devices... I think the next thing I may build is a foot actuator / controller for dance and live show lighting that works with DMX standards... but that's an entirely different topic ;) Cheers

[matbh]

good job... the ideia of foot switch can be used with any eletrical tool! like drill. its good to have hands free when ur working...

[WillTheRescue]

I did this today for my band. We wanted a way to turn our strobe-light on by a footswitch. I did some things different though. I used a switch that lights up when it's turned on, but wired it backwards so it would light up with it's off(so we could find it on the dark stage) and that's basically it.

[Bilby]

Cool! Let me know how well it survives. Well do I know, stage use is the toughest challenge any switchbox can face. If it can handle being thrown, dropped, kicked, jammed into corners, overdrawn, and stomped on... it'll survive me using it in my stocking feet ;)

[WillTheRescue]

We're most likely going to keep it under our synth/sample player's setup. It would have less of a chance of being kicked or anything under there. Otherwise; we move around a lot ;)

[WillTheRescue]

Well, we have to rebuild it. Today at practice we noticed when we shut it off; it would flash once every few minutes. At closer inspection, I noticed I cut the wrong wire >.>

[Bilby]

You cut the wrong wire?!? *explodes*

[WillTheRescue]

It just blinks once every once in awhile. Jack left it on all night(by accident) and the box didn't even get hot.

[Bilby]

Considering there isn't any circuitry to get hot, I would be VERY concerned if it changed temperature at all. Can you draw out how you did the circuit for the light? I might be unclear but i'm not sure what you did ;) I can draw you a schematic for an "inverted" lighted switch that's only illuminated when off, or a box with two pretty-bright lights that show you the on or off status on the switch...

[sdallesasse]

Very good job, but you should have a grounding conductor in the cord as well. If the feed side of the cord were to touch the box you could really get hurt. By having a cord with a ground does not always mean that you need to use a higher rated switch.

[Bilby]

True, and grounding would be a good thing for this. Where I am using this, there are no grounded outlets available, so I simply eschewed the extra cost and complexity and did without. When I said that you should use a higher rated switch with a grounded cord, i was talking about for devices that have a grounded plug themselves- many of which ( in the hobby / shop world ) draw more power then this switch is rated for. Thanks for the comment!

[Derin]

grounding is simple just punch a aliminum rod about 10" in the ground and voila

[Bilby]

Thanks for the suggestions ;) Of course all houses have grounded breaker or fuse boxes, and most water pipes are grounded as well. The problem I had (At the time i wrote this) was that none of the outlets were grounded- they didn't have the third prong on the outlet socket, nor were the electrical boxes grounded. The area of the building I was working with originally predated electricity and the electricity was wired in in the 1950s or 1960s, when grounded outlets weren't in common use.

[sdallesasse]

Don't forget, the system in the house had a grounding conductor. It is either the metal casing on the cable or the metal conduit that the wires run through. The outlet is bonded via the yoke (the metal part that holds the outlet in the box) when attached to the box.

[Derin]

update:you could then use "fake grounding" where any ground is tied to neutral
_{it is unsafe,but safer than no ground}

[sdallesasse]

"Fake grounding" is dangerous. Doing so allows 2 paths for a fault to return on. This can lead to someone being shocked when taking a bath or shower for instance. Not a good thing.

[Derin]

I know that it is dangerous,but it may be enough to trip the breaker or GFI.I never used it,and I recommend nobody does so.

[Derin]

however we need to use the rod because our pipes are plastic.If your sockets are not grounded you can rewire the plugs.

[Derin]

update:it seems not even the gas line is perfectly grounded(the darn gas company makes them plastic after the main valve)and the water pipes are painted cast iron and plastic after the block valve(apartment block)

[neoumlaut]

The "darn gas company" uses a plastic spacer specifically because otherwise an electrical fault in your house could kill one of their workers. Same thing with the water pipe usually.

[sdallesasse]

True, they don't want their employees to become a victim to someone's poor wiring.  The grounding is meant for the building and not the gas or water system overall.  It just needs to become a part of the whole grounding circuit within the building.  This is for the safety of the occupants and their property that require electricity.