When a tool quits working for no good reason the first thing I look at is the on/off switch. Often it can be remediated by blowing out the switch with high pressure air. I recently had a switch go bad on my Rigid oscillating belt sander and I couldn't get it going by messing with the switch, so I tried to order a replacement. No luck. It was listed as not available, "obsolete". I thought that's baloney, so I looked for switches for other similar equipment and found a similar-looking switch for a Ryobi sander. Seven dollars and change, delivered in 2 days. I put it in today, and it works perfectly. I had to file the connecting flange for the black wire so it would snap on, but that was easy. I had considered buying a new machine, but that's $300. So that's the lesson: Always look at the switch first.
It's usually the switch
- Thread starter Persimmon ridge designs
- Start date
Did you only look at the Rigid site for parts? Don't they allow their parts manufacturers to produce aftermarket nonOEM parts after so many years anymore? I believe they used to.
The rigid site is where I learned the part was obsolete. There was a connection to other suppliers but I didn't follow it. Something about they would check to see if it was compatible. I'm happy with the Ryobi switch I found and it works perfectly.
