Keith Nuttle wrote in
news
My table saw requires 20 amps to start the saw with a 1hp motor.
There is a short cord on the motor that plugs into the switch at the
front of the table. Over the period 40 years the cord from the switch
to the wall became damaged, and I had to replace it. I struggled to
find the right cord. I finally use a 14 gauge cord.

Why because every cord I could find was 14 gauge, and when I went to
Menards, Lowes and a couple of other places where there were saws on
display with 1 hp motors, they all had 14 gauge wire into the motor.
usually just a couple of feet long.

We have all been giving advice that focused on the wire gauge and
circuit. I don't believe the question was ever asked as to the size
of the motor, and the start mechanism, ie capacitor start etc.

Both would have bearing in the size of the cord required.

There's a bit of fuzzy understanding in these statements.
The gauge of wire required is a function of both the current
drawn (i.e. horsepower of the motor) and the length of the
wire. 4 feet of 14 gauge to a 1hp motor is fine, 40 feet of
14 gauge is not.

In this case the OP wants to run a 20A circuit of some
considerable length (we don't know how far, but breaker
panel to basement is likely to be on the order of 40 or
more feet). A 20A circuit of that length needs 12 gauge,
regardless of what's on the end of it.

Knowing the motor specs, it is possible that the saw is blowing the
circuit not because the circuit is inadequate because there is some
internal short in the system.

From the OP's comments, the saw runs OK on lighter cuts,
it just trips with the 6/4 lumber. That says there is
no short or other problem in the circuit, it simply needs
more current for the thicker wood.

John