According to Mike Marlow :

"Tim Shoppa" wrote in message
ups.com...


Don't forget voltage drop etc too as a reason to keep cords only as
long as necessary.


Though there are no absolutes in the world, voltage drop is really not an
issue when talking about power cords as described by the OP. You've got to
get out to some distance before voltage drop is an issue and for the average
tool cord, it's just not going to be a factor. Having said that...

That depends on the tool, of course. There was a mention of a
table saw being wheeled outdoors somewhere back in the thread (though I
think from some other than the OP), and some of those can be a
significant current draw. Most things which can be a serious draw in my
shop tend to be rather stationary (lathes, mills, etc). But if he is
using a serious sized welder on wheels, the current draw may call for
significantly larger wire.

From my own point of view, stationary tools want a cord just the
right length to reach neatly to the wall outlet or the permanent wiring
box. This might mean that it drops to the floor, runs flat, and then up
to the outlet, or that it goes to a strain relief on the ceiling, across
the ceiling, and down the wall to the outlet.

Portable tools may want a longer cord -- especially if the
weight of the cord and a plug in line can make manipulating the tool
more difficult. Such things as die grinders, Dremel tools (Foredom will
have a flex shaft, so that does not apply), soldering irons and similar.
For fine circuit work, it is nice to have the soldering iron's cord
supported by a pivoted overarm.

However -- tools likely to cut their own cord are better with a
short cord -- short enough so that the connector will be unable to get
into the path of the blade. And for those, a twist lock (as suggested
elsewhere by several) with a *good* strain relief for the cord are
probably the best choice.

As someone else mentioned -- what will you do with the ground
wire on double-insulated hand tools?

Something light enough to normally live in one place (say a
bench drill press), but to be possible to move at need, might want a
short cord with twist lock, joined to a longer cord to actually reach
the wall outlet. That way, when you move it for a special job, you
leave the existing power cord to the wall behind, and simply plug it
into one of the prepared extension cords.

If you go with the twist-lock -- make at least one short one
with the twist-lock male, and a standard duplex quad outlet box on the
other end for newly-acquired tools which have not yet been modified, or
for ones which have been borrowed or rented, and for which the actual
owner would not appreciate getting it back with a twist-lock connector. :-)

Anyway -- next hamfest, I'll be looking out for more good
twist-lock connectors. I'm slowly converting certain things to
twist-lock, including the floor-standing drill press, which is now
powered from a box screwed to the ceiling, with the other end plugged
into a normal duplex on the wall for the moment.

Enjoy,
DoN.
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