Do you unplug/De-energize your power tools?

[Stytooner]

I turn everything off at night or when away. Sometimes during bad storms too.
I say everything. That is the case in my old shop. Always turn off the main breaker.
New shop, I turn off two breakers. These are my two main equipment breakers. This gets most of the power tools turned off. Still have live lighting and receptacles powered, but hand tools are mostly unplugged. Both compressors powered down at night for obvious reasons.

[Cochese]

Extension cords. Don't really have an option.

[Stytooner]

2. One could turn off the breaker, but a breaker is not designed to be used as a switch, and using them as a switch can cause them to fail prematurely. In addition, there is always the risk of turning off something unintentionally, like the refrigerator.

I have had to replace the breaker once in 12 years using it this way. 100 amp square D. I have told myself if I have to do it again, I'll install an inline disconnect as well.

The cost of the breaker was a small price to pay for peace of mind.

[atgcpaul]

It just wouldn't be practical for me to unplug my big stationary equipment like TS, BS, DC, or MS (convenient how these have meaningful abbreviations--and why is the word abbreviation so long, anyway...) every time I closed up the shop. Nearly every handheld power tool or mobile tool (planer, sander) are unplugged unless I'm just going into the house momentarily. Lightning strike or surge would suck, though.

I don't run any equipment in the shop if I have visitors like my kids or wife. Partly because I don't want them getting curious at this age and doing the "Me, too" thing.

My older daughter once turned on my TS while I was standing right next to her. I have gotten into the habit of lowering the blade and nothing happened, but from my reaction and the sound of it, if she comes into the shop and sees the little green button, she says, "I'm not going to push that."

Writing it out here, though, it does seem ridiculous to rely on just that statement that it will never happen again. And I do have another daughter who is even more willful than her sister--Lord help me--that I probably should look for a more practical solution.

I think in an episode of New Yankee Workshop, Norm installed a locking kill switch for a garage shop. Anyone have info on that and how difficult it is to install? My garage is run off a subpanel. However, some of the circuits--like shop lights and motion lights--shouldn't be shut off.

[Bill in Buena Park]

I voted "always without fail", but want to clarify that it depends (which was not an option). Certain tools I keep on a circuit of my subpanel, so I leave those plugged in, but shut off the subpanel when I leave the shop. Other tools where that get plugged into a circuit shared with, say, the door opener and the freezer, always get unplugged.

[tfischer]

My miter saw and drill press are pretty much always powered up (except when I'm changing speeds on the DP). Everything else gets unplugged, or at least that's my intent.

[thiggy]

The response to this question surprises me. I realize this is a small sample, but would not have suspected that more disconnect than those who do not. I never unplug stationary tools. (I do turn the breaker off to my air compressor so it does not come on in the middle of the night.) My wife never comes down into the basement due to mobility problems, and there are never any small children around - youngest grandchild is over 20 yrs.

[LCHIEN]

The response to this question surprises me. I realize this is a small sample, but would not have suspected that more disconnect than those who do not. I never unplug stationary tools. (I do turn the breaker off to my air compressor so it does not come on in the middle of the night.) My wife never comes down into the basement due to mobility problems, and there are never any small children around - youngest grandchild is over 20 yrs.

there could be great grandkids in your future...

[woodturner]

The response to this question surprises me. I realize this is a small sample, but would not have suspected that more disconnect than those who do not.

It's probably a different in perception of risk, and experience and knowledge about the true level of risk. Just like some ride motorcycles without helmets, some don't unplug. Many of the "unpluggers" in the thread have related personal experience with fires and other dangers that prompted them to start unplugging.

I was at a woodturning club meeting a while back, and a friend was demoing. He was working too far off the tool rest (in my opinion). I begged him to adjust the tool rest, but he insisted it was fine. Next I was taking him to the hospital. For him, the risk was not real until the injury happened, for me it was an improbable but possible result.

Some people are more risk averse and conscious of the dangers and unplug, others are more comfortable with risk or less aware of the dangers and don't unplug. It seems to be an issue of comfort level and awareness.

[capncarl]

Sounds like a quote that I think came from this site, I modified it a bit.

Unplugging power tools is an evolutionary filter.

Those that unplug and survive will improve the human race.

Those that don't will loose all of their tools to fire and will be get disgusted and quit the woodworking hobby and will also improve the human race.

Its not always fair but the law of probability will work out in the end.

capncarl