Over Workbench Extension Cord?

[Masheen365]

I just built a new workbench and after using it for about a week I’m realizing I need an overhead extension cord to make my life easier. What is everyone using for this kind of situation. I don’t really need a cord reel with 50-100’ of cord if I’m only using 10 feet or so. The shorter reels I have found are only 16ga which won’t meet my needs. I’m looking for ideas. My ceiling height is 11 ft. I will be using mostly woodworking tools in this area up to a 3-1/4 HP router but mostly orbital sander, jigsaw and palm router.

 

[infinkc]

I would just get a cord reel, even if you don’t need the extra length, it can come in handy if you do. I have a 25ft one, so they don’t have to be 50-100ft but yea hard to find. Thanks

Amazon.com

 

[tarmy]

This…

 

[mogandave]

Nice bench.

You can get SO wire in the gage you want and put drops where you want them. Make them low enough where you can reach them and put a female twist-lock on the end.

Put together a few cords in different lengths with male twist-locks and change them out as needed.

Your bench has wheels. It you're planning on using it in several locations put a drop over each one.

If you have an air compressor, you can put air-drops in the same way with hose and disconnects.

I like drops at my right-most end of a bench rather than the center.

 

[Cardboard Man]

I would just get a cord reel, even if you don’t need the extra length, it can come in handy if you do. I have a 25ft one, so they don’t have to be 50-100ft but yea hard to find. Thanks

Amazon.com

This is good advice. It's exactly what I use and I like being able to just reach up and pull down the cord when I need it. Mine is long enough that it will reach to all corners of my shop and also out the door. Very handy to use and puts itself away in seconds.

 

[Max]

I use a cord reel as well. One thing to be aware of is that many cord reels are only rated for 8, or 10, or 12A. So look carefully at which tools you plug into it. I burned up one reel before I realized that my planer pulled 15A.

 

[mogandave]

I use a cord reel as well. One thing to be aware of is that many cord reels are only rated for 8, or 10, or 12A. So look carefully at which tools you plug into it. I burned up one reel before I realized that my planer pulled 15A.

A lot of them are junk too.

 

[Max]

A lot of them are junk too.

Agreed. But if you pull 15A through a reel rated for 10A (which I did) you can hardly blame the reel when it fails….

 

[CraigStu]

You could also get a heavy duty extension cord. Plug it into the nearest outlet, run it up to the ceiling, across to your bench, and down. Put a piece of hose, fuel line, or similar sleeve where it makes the 90 deg turn to come down to your bench. The sleeve will act as a strain relief so the cord doesn't get damaged. The most recent cords I bought at Lowes had their amp capacity easily read on the packaging.

 

[CJDave]

A neighbor uses a cord reel from a old tank type vacuum cleaner. Maybe your local sweeper repair shop can help. CJDave.

 

[kbs2244]

does it have to be overhead?
a power strip along the front edge may be an easier solution

 

[Bruce 993 SEA]

If you get a cord reel, I would get one in 12 Gauge wire. I have them and they are handy.

There are cord grips for SO cord that is a strain relief...they are also referred to as finger traps.

 

[yeldogt]

I'm not sure what they are called .... I will call it a strain relief. At the woodworking school I go to occasionally they just have heavy cord hanging down from a typical looking box. The cord in using that strain relief at the box (looks like a string wrapping the cord)... the other end is just a typical looking extension cord. Some just hang down over the bench low enough for a sander or the like .... others higher up and swaged over with a spring ... so you can pull them down and plug in and they pop back higher. Keeps them out of the way and above head height

 

[gearhead1]

What is ‘SO‘ cord?

 

[BillK]

The building that my shop is in was an appliance repair shop before I bought it. He had at least 10 drops spread out throughout the unit. They were SO cable with a metal duplex box on the end. Strain reliefs on both ends too. I left a few of them. I will take a couple of pictures in the morning.

 

[BillK]

What is ‘SO‘ cord?

SO Cord | Allied Wire & Cable

Browse our selection of SO Cord at Allied Wire & Cable, crafted to meet the demands of any service cord project.

www.awcwire.com

 

[Kaizen]

I got two of these and mounted to the ceiling. while they don't lock as well as the better ones they work great. Heavy construction. Its nice having reels on the ceiling and out of the way.

Amazon.com

 

[Bucko]

I found that a peninsula rather than an island solves this problem. I put the tablesaw at the end and mount outlet boxes on the sides of the table. Makes running the central vac much easier and less restrictive then having to run it up to the attic and over.

 

[rharman]

I'd use a cord reel. One of the best things I've ever bought for my garage.

Or, you might look at the Rockler Ceiling Track System.

 

[mogandave]

Agreed. But if you pull 15A through a reel rated for 10A (which I did) you can hardly blame the reel when it fails….

It's been my experience that mechanical failure is more of an issue.

In any event, do they not generally some kind of breaker?

 

[Max]

It's been my experience that mechanical failure is more of an issue.

In any event, do they not generally some kind of breaker?

Most that I have seen, and all 3 of mine, do not have a breaker. The wires on the failed one were ok - what failed was the slip rings that carry current burned up.

 

[mogandave]

Most that I have seen, and all 3 of mine, do not have a breaker. The wires on the failed one were ok - what failed was the slip rings that carry current burned up.

Perhaps a new law or something, all the ones I looked at on Amazon had breakers except this one:



But I only looked at five or six. Looks like the price has certainly come down since I bought them.

 

[Sumboodie]

Perhaps a new law or something, all the ones I looked at on Amazon had breakers except this one:



But I only looked at five or six. Looks like the price has certainly come down since I bought them.

Those got spendy. I paid $4 each last spring for those. Bought 5 or 6 for my extension cords

 

[tyyost]

You can get SO wire in the gage you want and put drops where you want them. Make them low enough where you can reach them and put a female twist-lock on the end.

When I worked in a school, the labs all had overhead drops with SO cord (12ga) and went into a utility box at the ceiling with a strain relief. At the end we has these Hubbell boxes. They were awesome, as they were more versatile than a single plug, and easy to see.

 

[BillK]

This is what I have as I mentioned in my previous reply:

 

[Masheen365]

Thank you all for the replies! I'm going to do a deeper search into 12ga cord reels like Kaizen posted. I will try to remember to update here so future searchers might have something more to go on. I really like the hanging gang box like tyyost and BillK mentioned.

You could also get a heavy duty extension cord. Plug it into the nearest outlet, run it up to the ceiling, across to your bench, and down. Put a piece of hose, fuel line, or similar sleeve where it makes the 90 deg turn to come down to your bench. The sleeve will act as a strain relief so the cord doesn't get damaged.

I've thought about making to do this. I already have an outlet in the ceiling for my garage door opener, but I plan on adding another on the same circuit right above the bench.

does it have to be overhead?
a power strip along the front edge may be an easier solution

I'd really like it to be just for ease of use. A power strip would add a cord on the ground. I also like the idea of having my cords go up and not hang off the edge of the bench when I'm using the palm router, especially when making circles.

If you get a cord reel, I would get one in 12 Gauge wire. I have them and they are handy.

Absolutely! This is where I run into issues though. On one hand, I want something heavy duty that will last and safely support my higher draw tool (~15a). On the other hand, I'm cheap because I don't want to push my luck with the missus. I need to find where utility and frugality meet.

 

[niget2002]

On the other hand, I'm cheap because I don't want to push my luck with the missus. I need to find where utility and frugality meet.

When it comes to stuff like this... I find being cheap for the missus vs buying something that won't burn the house down to be a fairly easy decision.

Just ask her to skip her Starbuck's coffee a few days next week to help offset the difference in cost

 

[jonshonda]

Coxreels and Reelcraft both have cord reels w/ 12ga and roughly 35ft lengths.

 

[brothernov]

If it were me I'd place an electrical outlet at all four corners. Put the cord reel on the wall and pull it out to the bench to power the outlets when needed.

 

[GaryM909]

I have a couple I bought from Costco. I am not sure of the gauge but they have work flawlessly. I hung them about 4 feet behind the bench on the side I stand on.

 

[C lectric]

BillK photos show what are commonly called wire baskets in the trade. Also known as Kellems grips.

Generally available from electrical supply houses. Bought for a range of cable diameters. The ones he showed have the box fitting as part of the grip. I used to use a Tyrap at the end of the grip to be sure the drip gripped the cable.

 

[Jinks]

Never a fan of hanging power sources, reel or not. I built a mobile work table for my shop & to use in the drive when I didn't want saw dust & paint spray in the shop. I included a router mounted under the top. Wired the router to an outlet box on one leg & left a couple of outlets. The box ends in a pigtail with a three prong plug on it. On the end of the table I can hang a few tools & an extension cord. Where ever I set up to work it only takes a couple of seconds to run the cord to a wall outlet (I have plenty) & plug the pigtail into it. That gives me power for the router, & extra outlets for any power tool I'm using on top of the table. No reel to fuss with, & nothing to worry about hitting my head on.......

 

[C lectric]

They don't have to hang down far enough to be a head banger. Use a bungee cord to hold them up about 7 ft which most of us can reach to pull down and plug/unplug the tool. Even attach a string to hang a few inches below that if needed.
I don't like power cords all over the floor. Clearly not always avoidable as I have those too but just keep it to a dull roar.

For my stationery bench the outlet boxes are at the bench ends just below the top.

SO the 'S' refers to a heavy cable insulation jacket made of nitrile rubber that is quite abuse resistant rated at 600V.
The 'O' means the jacket is oil and solvent resistant.
Add 'W' and it is water resistant. SOW
And SOOW cable means the individual wire insulation is also oil and solvent resistant.


There is a much lighter cable called SJ which has a 300V rating. THe cable jacket is much thinner.


A few explanations.

SOOW Cable | Power & Portable Service Cord | Allied Wire & Cable

Find the best soow cord for your needs at Allied Wire & Cable, perfect for any service cord application.

www.awcwire.com

 

[cvairwerks]

To keep cables and cords safe in our hangars, they installed a swing arm to the main desk. It carries two, 20 circuits and 8 Cat5 data cables. That supplies power for 3-4 desktops and up to 6 laptops, plus a mainframe terminal and two time clock terminals. The plug box height is set to be just above the shelf on the bench.

 

[mogandave]

BillK photos show what are commonly called wire baskets in the trade. Also known as Kellems grips.

Generally available from electrical supply houses. Bought for a range of cable diameters. The ones he showed have the box fitting as part of the grip. I used to use a Tyrap at the end of the grip to be sure the drip gripped the cable.

They're not called Chinese finger-cuffs?

 

[mray312]

I did drop outlets with strain relief a few years back. Followed the install directions from Popular Woodworking's "Shop Tips". See post #25 in this thread... https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/power-outlet-in-ceiling.209069/#post-8480020

 

[larry4406]

I got two of these and mounted to the ceiling. while they don't lock as well as the better ones they work great. Heavy construction. Its nice having reels on the ceiling and out of the way.

Amazon.com

Interesting that is uses 12g wire yet is only rated 15A. Derated due to its 40' length?

 

[Kaizen]

Interesting that is uses 12g wire yet is only rated 15A. Derated due to its 40' length?

maybe or due to the tripple outlet. I've run my tablesaw which i believe has a 2hp motor and a dust collector without issue. I have mine on 20 amp circuits.

 

[mogandave]

Interesting that is uses 12g wire yet is only rated 15A. Derated due to its 40' length?

Or the slip-rings...

 

[senlow]

Or the slip-rings...

Yes, this is usually the weakest link.

Also, using 20 amp connectors restricts the quantity of potential customers.