Foot Pedal special?

[MaakerBreaker]

Hi everyone, I just got a Delta scroll saw that is NOT variable speed. I want to get a foot pedal for it and I have two questions:
1. Do I need to get a pedal from Delta, or are they sold as general item for tools?
and
2. Can I get a pedal that will act as a dimmer switch and make it variable?

Thanks for your help!

PS I had no idea how hard it is stay on a line. If I had to scroll saw for a drunk driving test, I'd be in jail.
Jolie

[Jim McDonald]

Don't know where you are, but Harbor Freight sells two foot switches--click on, click off and "deadman" style.

You will find fans of both styles here, but I prefer the deadman simply since I just have to lift my foot to make the saw stop. Otherwise, you have to remember to click it again to make it stop.

To the second point, only saws that are set up to handle a variable (dimmer) style foot switch will work. This is part of the design of the integrated saw/switch combo. If you were to find a "dimmer" type switch, it would damage your saw by running it in an under-voltage condition.

As for the lines, keep practicing and pretty soon you won't be worrying about those lights behind you.

[NC Scroller]

I am not an electrical motor expert but I believe that variable speed switches contain a pot in them that control the voltage going to the motor which regulates the speed. Since your motor is designed to run at a set voltage you will in fact burn out your motor by reducing the voltage. Now it might not happen immediately but it will happen.

[Northerner]

Harbor Freight does have a variable speed switch but its for a router.
a scroll saw might work but it might damage the motor? you will need
to ask around or do some research on the motor specs to see if it will
work or not? and its also not a foot switch. do some searching, you
might find a rheostat type pedal?

Router Speed Control

[Frenchy2]

If the motor on your saw has brushes then it is a universal motor (meaning it can be run on either AC or DC). The speed of universal motors can be contolled by varying the input voltage (unlike AC-only motors). So the "router speed contoller" could be used; whether its advisable to do so is a different issue.