Had the same problem with one of my Shop Fox remotes. Changed batteries
and the one wouldn't work again. Just used the other remote until one day i
remembered it had a on/off switch on the side. The switch was off. Did you
check to make sure you didn't accidently push the very small on/off switch
on the side of the remote to off? --dave


"David" wrote in message
...
First thing that goes wrong: The battery dies in one of the Shop Fox DC
controller remotes. I take out the battery and check it on a battery
tester. Can't get the needle to move off zero, but how can that be? The
remote just worked a couple of times today, but not consistently. Open up
a new package of 9V's and check it to be sure the battery tester is
ok--it's fine. So I walk back to the shop to install the new battery in
the remote when...damn!...I touched the battery to the connector w/
reverse polarity for a split second. Then I snap the battery into the
connector, expecting it to work. Wrong! The indicator LED lights up
dimly with no buttons pressed; not a good sign. My worst fears are
confirmed when I press "on". Dead as a doornail. Wonderful. Out of
warranty. Go on line to find the Shop Fox phone number. give up; call
the store and get the 1-800 from them. Call Shop Fox; "no, we don't
repair the remotes".

Now I know this is going to cost me more time and more money to correct.
Because I've had a couple of bad Shop Fox remotes already, I figure why
give them more of my money; I'll get an X-10 unit.

I call Radio Crap at the nearby mall; the kid on the phone with the worst
job at the mall (other than wearing a funky costume and jumping on lemons
all day) says he doesn't know if they have what I'm asking for. So I drive
to another RC a bit further away. The kid there offers to help me find
what I'm looking for and proceeds to give one tidbit of good information
on the remotely controlled outlets, and then follows it with obviously
erroneous info (I'm reading the package while he's blabbing to me). We
decide I'm right; well actually, the package info is king, and it seems as
if a key chain remote and an outlet will give me a remotely controlled
outlet. Pay the guy; drive home, head back into the shop, read the
directions and WHAM! Screwed again! In order to use the remote, you have
to press a button for 3 seconds to get it to register with the Controller?
or Big Thingy That Looks Expensive in the instructions (they went all out
to put a picture of the Big Thingy That Looks Expensive right on the
instruction sheet where I'd learn all about item number THREE that I
didn't buy). Mutter a few choice words, put the outlet and remote back in
their respective blister packs and call the store. The kid makes 2 abject
apologies and offers to refund my money when I "bring it all back". He
doesn't understand I already KNEW I could "get my money back when I bring
the 2 parts that won't work without the Big Thingy That Looks Expensive".


I almost head back to RC with the 2 parts that won't work without the Big
Thingy That Looks Expensive, until I imagine how much worse the traffic is
gonna be in late afternoon. Another sigh, and I decide to return the 2
parts that won't work without the Big Thingy That Looks Expensive,
tomorrow.

Back out to the shop to mill some walnut. I keep getting 1/4 wide marks
on the wood as it exits the DeWALT planer. Shut it off, grab a
flashlight, crank the handle 7,680 turns to raise the head far enough to
look at the rollers and blades. don't see anything out of the ordinary.
Grab another piece of wood and feed it in, noting exactly where on the 13"
wide table it's going so I can figure out where the marks are coming from
exactly. (That took about 4,000 turns in the opposite direction to get
the head positioned to plane the test board.) Now I can see how far from
one end, the marks are. Another 4,000 turns to raise the head back up for
another look-see. STILL don't see any marks on the rollers or anything
out of position. the blades look pristine. This is the sort of problem
that should be easily solved with a flashlight and a close inspection, yet
I don't see ANYTHING out of the ordinary. I'll post a picture in a bit...

Now that I've eaten supper, I'm afraid to go back out in the shop, because
sure as hell, this stuff happens in threes. Either some equipment will
break down, or it perform poorly, forcing me to regroup and abandon the
project I started this morning.

[Whining off]

Dave