These were all the rage a few years ago when this one was shipped with my machine. Now they're not showing up as ubiquitously in searches.

I've used mine less than a hundred times, but it has started complaining that it's "already triggered" when a probe commences.

I've had it apart, and it's so simple it's too hard to understand, if you get what I mean. An aluminum base (anodized?) sitting on an insulator, with a brass plunger sitting on a steel spring resting in a hollow in the base.

It has to be a mere continuity switch (make or break), but it seems to be metal on metal at all points along the length of travel.

If I'm right, in normal working operation, it presents a dead short (0V) to the control board until tool contact breaks the connection and a high results.

I've seen criticisms of the design complaining that the anodized nature of the aluminum (esp. the colored versions) results in poor conductivity and recommendations for improving it involve scraping to bare metal and securing a copper wire.

I am curious if the design of the piece "relies" on the anodized nature of some pieces at some points to insulate, and if so, whether wear-and-tear will ultimately remove it.

Can anyone explain?

Thank you.
--
CNZ Cane
Incidentally those crash marks in the top may not have been my fault after all, if the design of the thing every so often permits contact to go undetected.