Mike Dembroge wrote:
What is the best way to make an electrical connection froma ceiling
mounted
outlet to machinery that is located in the center of a shop? I have
a large
planer that is going into the center of my shop and need to run power
to it
from above. There is a metal beam 11 feet from the floor in the area
and
I've attached a piece of unistrut to this beam to extend over the planer.

I'm thinking of a whip and a "chinese finger" or some such, but I'm
not sure
what they're officially called. I've googled and looked at the grainger
catalog, but haven't found what I'm looking for yet.

Go to your handy dandy electrical wholesaler.

You want to get a fitting with a loop that fits into the Unistrut.

This is the point that will support the weight of the hanging cable.

Next you want a Kellums type cable grip that will grab the cable and
hook into the Unistrut fitting, leaving about a 2 ft pigtail where you
will attach a plug that will plug into the ceiling receptacle.

Doubt you will find any of this at Grainger or McMaster-Carr.

They are strictly an industrial electrical distributor items.

Lew