improvised torch switch for pp256
Hey guys. A while back I picked up a 17-v air cooled torch from HF on clearance for $1.47. Sweet torch, very maneuverable. It has a gas valve on it but no switch. My foot pedal is on the fritz so I improvised a switch out of stuff around the shop and it's actually one project I feel good enough about to share with you guys. The switch itself came in some packaging for under car neon style lighting that I installed for a customer. the switch is a momentary on/off that is part of the packaging so you can see the neons light in the store before you buy. It is intended to be disposed of with the packaging. The housing for it is a bic pen. Just a plain jane cheap plastic pen. the wires are two strands of the wire that is in a cat 5 ethernet cable. It is solid wire. The female pin receptacles were a little more tricky. I found some that fit our machines in a connector for an old school ford heated oxygen sensor. A little solder, a bit of heat shrink and viola! I have tested the switch in 2t and 4t mode and it works like a charm. as you can see from the pics it is attached to the handle only so it can be rotated to any position that is comfortable for me. The wires add practically no weight and no rigidity to the torch cable, I cannot tell it is there. check out the pics... It probably wouldnt be ideal for someone who has been using the typical thumbswitch for 20 years, but I found that its really comfortable. when I was testing it I rotated the handle so it was positioned right under my middle finger and felt really natural. just about the same as using the index to operate the "thumbswitch". best of all, It was made with stuff I had on hand. swahili for FREE!!!!. let me know what you guys think. when I go back on monday I need to figure out a way to stabilize the female pin receptacles tha tplug into the machine. Sort of make a connector. Any ideas?
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