Another wall switch cover

[Pop]

Thought about this one while I was finishing the knife switch. It was called a Gamewell Box years ago. most are no longer functional if you find one. They were used as Fire Pull boxes, Police call boxes, Telephone junction boxes and once the technology for all three was more technical and advanced were abandoned in place because removal was cost prohibitive. Anyway... this one is a Fire Pull Box. Made from 1/8" and 1/4" BB as well as a few solid woods for the detail pieces and hinges.


Designed in Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and MS Publisher. I'm told I have to paint it red now to complete it the right way.


Dry stack after cutting main pieces to make sure they fit.

All glued up with a few details added after design. So I'll have to add them to the plans. The keys are not functional but I had given it a thought.

Small door drops down for access to the push button. This is a push on/off - turn for bright and dim switch.

The larger door opens so the knob can be turned to brighten or dim the lights and also access the mounting screws.

This shows the actual thickness (1-1/2") and placement of the stickers. Although if it's painted red, I'll make decals in stead of using the stickers.

 

[Endless Pursuit]

Cool!

I want to put 1 or 2 in the house but my bride says no.

Thinking about an appropriate one for my shop.

 

[SubGuy]

I want to make an "Easy" button for my shop that queues a hardy 5 second laugh.... Sorry, I have been waiting for an opportunity to find an appropriate thread to use it in.

 

[Charles Lent]

I'm impressed. That looks great, and it would make a great gift for a future fireman's bedroom. I don't think many wives will approve of them being installed anywhere else in the house though.

Just one suggestion -

It would be a good idea (and I think it's a code requirement) to put a 26 - 30 ga piece of sheet metal (duct pipe metal) on the back of this flammable wooden switch plate. The metal only needs to cover the open area of the electrical box and it can be tacked to the back of your switch plate with just a few brads to keep it in place. It wouldn't be good to have your flammable wooden fire pull box as the source point of a house fire. This sheet metal should contain any sparks within the electrical switch box and isolate the wood from it.

Charley

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Pretty cool Mike. :eusa_danc You must be a very patient man.

 

[NOTW]

Another awesome light switch cover, I wonder if I had this one or the knife switch one if i could get my daughter to turn off lights in the house....

 

[Pop Golden]

When I was in the Charlotte Fire Department we had taken most of them down and there was a pile of them in the basement of station 1. Quite a few firemen got them as souvenirs. The real ones were cast iron. The key was for the arriving engine to reset the box (called ringing it out). 1st. one I've ever seen made of wood. Very good detail great job.

Pop :thumbs_up

 

[Pop]

Charley... I was wondering about what OSHA, NEC and UL would say about these if they started being made and used other then just my house. I had considered using aluminum duct tape on the back of the main base as a deterrent and was also going to look up some sort of 'fire retardant' treatment too.

 

[Charles Lent]

The properly made and commercially available wooden switch plates just have what I described - a rectangular piece of galvanized metal 26-30 gauge (stove pipe metal) brad nailed to the back of the switch plate so it covers the box opening when the switch plate is mounted. I would look it up in the code book, but my #2 son has our code book and it's 12 miles away from me. Code or not, I have not allowed my wife to put a wooden switch or outlet cover in my house that doesn't have the metal backer. She came home with one from a craft fair one time that did not have the backer and I made one for it before putting it up. I'm a bit sensitive about fire safety because I was once a fire marshal and fire investigator. I was also a licensed electrician.

Lowes sells flat pieces of ducting sheet metal 24 X 36" in size in the HVAC pipe section. With a piece that size you could make a lot of switch plate backers http://www.lowes.com/pd_50186-85334-GVL0108_0__?productId=3234805&Ntt= , but if you know an HVAC contractor you should be able to get some of his scrap large enough to make these for free. I think the metal duct tape is too thin to be an effective fire stop.

Charley

 

[Pop]

I know it's been a while but I've distracted from playing in the wood shop to actually doing some useful stuff... LOL had to do some more cabinet work for the shore place so we can open up this weekend. In regard to the metal plate ideas, I actually bought a couple of the metal switch covers and added them to the back of the plates. I needed to make another 1/8" spacer because of them moving the cover away from the wall 1/8" more.


By-the-way... keep your eyes open for Scrollsaw Woodworking and Crafts - Gizmo and Gadgets issue. Looks like it may have the plans for the Frankenswitch I did earlier.