Shortening power cords

[Robert Chapman]

In a recent post somebody mentioned that he shortened the power cords on hand held corded power tools so he wouldn't have to coil the cords around the tools. I took his advice and does it ever clean up the shelves where I store my corded equipment. I cut the cords about 6 inches from the tool and added good quality male plugs on three routers,a biscuit joiner and a circular saw. I kept two of the longer cords and added female ends. I keep these two extentions plugged in and coiled near my work bench. Sure seems neater and lower maintenance.

[Jeff Bartley]

This post reminded me of a couple carpenters I worked with a number of years ago: one cut all his cords to about 6" and always used an extension cord, the other always made his cords extra long so he didn't have to use an extension cord!

[Phil Thien]

My DeWalt DW618 has a detachable cord. I would be willing to pay an extra $12.84 per tool if they would just make all tools with detachable cords such that they could all use the same cord.

But I'm too much of a chicken to cut my cords.

[johnny means]

Many of my tools end up with 6 inch cords through attrition:D

[Dennis Puskar]

I have to agree with you.

[Kent A Bathurst]

In a recent post somebody mentioned that he shortened the power cords on hand held corded power tools so he wouldn't have to coil the cords around the tools. I took his advice and does it ever clean up the shelves where I store my corded equipment. I cut the cords about 6 inches from the tool and added good quality male plugs on three routers,a biscuit joiner and a circular saw. I kept two of the longer cords and added female ends. I keep these two extentions plugged in and coiled near my work bench. Sure seems neater and lower maintenance.

C'est Moi - welcome to the dark side.

C'mon, Phil - take the one you use the least and jump into the lake....water's fine.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

So, related to the other thread about the 'plastic thing' at the end of the cord - which I never recalled, until I remembered that my ROS has one... any worries about lopping that off in lieu of a shorter cord? or could that plastic thing be added to your 'universal extension cord' and not aadversely effect other tools?

[Robert Chapman]

You could put the plastic thing on the short end of your cord or on the long end used as an extension. I left my plastic things off and nothing bad has happened to me yet. Inside my plastic things was a white plastic strip that looks like one of those Breathrite things you put on your nose.
Wait....maybe I'm not breathing quite as easily as before.

[John Coloccia]

I seem to recall a time when it was pretty normal for tools to come with really short cords, no? You're right, though. It seems like everything is 10' long these days. That's great for shop use, but stinks for on-site use.

[James Taglienti]

Bosch is especially liberal with their cords. I have to almost entirely mummify my palm router before i put it away :)

[Kent A Bathurst]

Bosch is especially liberal with their cords. I have to almost entirely mummify my palm router before i put it away :)


Yeah - I got really annoyed at doing that - especially with the routers going in their drawer - taking them out got to be like untangling fishing line - got ticked off one day, turned around and grabbed the dykes almost without thinking. WHACK.

[Kent A Bathurst]

You could put the plastic thing on the short end of your cord or on the long end used as an extension. I left my plastic things off and nothing bad has happened to me yet. Inside my plastic things was a white plastic strip that looks like one of those Breathrite things you put on your nose.
Wait....maybe I'm not breathing quite as easily as before.

Those are anti-theft tags for the retail stores. Collect 'em all, put them all on one of the cut-off tails, toss the tail in the box with the other random electrical junk.

[Cary Falk]

Portable tool cords could be shorter. Machinery cords should be a lot longer.

[Neil Brooks]

Portable tool cords could be shorter. Machinery cords should be a lot longer.

In a perfect world, a swap would work, here ;)

[Chen-Tin Tsai]

Personally, I wish the manufacturers would just make a male plug recessed into the body of the tool, so that a regular extension cord could just plug in. That way, replacement cords are readily available in every length, and the tools themselves would be "cordless".

[Ryan Hellmer]

I actually like my Rigid sander with a 16' cord the best. It comes with a velcro cord wrap already installed so it's pretty convenient. For my other stuff I've bought some of those orange cord cuffs at the BORG. I agree that DeWalt is onto something (some milwaukee's have them too) but I hate extension cords so what's a guy to do.

Ryan

[Andrew Joiner]

I'm lazy and I like to work fast. Coiling is a waste of time to me and a short cord catches on the bench edge.

I leave my 6 most used corded tools plugged in all the time. Most have 8' cords. I simply kick the cords under the bench into an open 3'' high toe space. The shelves above the toe space have a 1'' high lip on them to prevent the tool being pulled on the floor. If several tools are active on a job I don't kick the cords under and the lip keeps the tools from getting pulled on the floor.

This storage has saved many tools from being cracked. Ever snag your foot on the cord and pull a tool off the bench top? I'm in the habit of tucking the tools under the bench on the lipped shelf and they don't ever get pulled off the bench top.

[Ben Davis]

My DeWalt DW618 has a detachable cord. I would be willing to pay an extra $12.84 per tool if they would just make all tools with detachable cords such that they could all use the same cord.

But I'm too much of a chicken to cut my cords.

I think most of the Festool line has detachable cords as well.

[Jerome Hanby]

Yeah - I got really annoyed at doing that - especially with the routers going in their drawer - taking them out got to be like untangling fishing line - got ticked off one day, turned around and grabbed the dykes almost without thinking. WHACK.

I did that once and they beat the crap out of me.

[Jon McElwain]

If you are really brave, you can open up the tool, remove the chord from the electrical connections, cut the chord to the desired length, and reattach the OEM chord and male plug. This way you do not have to go out and spent $$$ for a replacement male plug.

BTW, I cut all my skill saw chords short. Sparks a little when I do it, but I have not failed to cut one yet!:eek:;)

[David Larsen]

I have seen the Festool and Milwaukee twist lock type detachable cords.

I have only seen being able to purchase replacement cords. I don't think a person would want to constantly take the cord off the tool.

Maybe something for the tool manufacturers to consider is making all tools with a twist lock type detachable cord and then include the 6 or 8 foot cord with the tool purchased and then sell a 6 inch version for those that may want to change out their cords to that option. (I haven't seen any on the market, so excuse me if some already offer this) If not, maybe I should have put a patent on the idea. :D

p.s. The idea of cutting the cord off the tool has the same effect on me as how some people react when fingernails scratch a chalkboard! LOL

[Jerome Hanby]

If you are really brave, you can open up the tool, remove the chord from the electrical connections, cut the chord to the desired length, and reattach the OEM chord and male plug. This way you do not have to go out and spent $$$ for a replacement male plug.

I was thinking of doing most of that, except I'd label and store the original power cord. That way I could put it back to factory if I ever needed the normal length or wanted to sell. Plus I could put the twist lock style plug and us it with a matching extension cord.

[Chris Fournier]

I don't like bobbed cords at all as it puts the two plugs right at the tool where I am, gets hung up on the edges of work etc. I prefer tools with long cords: Bosch, Fein are a couple mfgrs who are generous in this regard. To keep cords neat I shove them into light 2 1/2" diam tubing - tidy but it does take a few extra moments. This is no big deal for me because I can move faster than I can think so cord logistics gives my brain a chance to catch up and realise what I mess I jsut made of some task.

[Bob Riefer]

I keep my commonly used shop power tools (as opposed to construction power tools that I take out of the shop frequently) on open shelves where I can just bunch the cord and toss the whole thing into place. No winding of cords, no cases to deal with. Coupled with a retractable extension cord on the ceiling, power strip on the front of my work space, and outlets every few feet around the shop, it works for me.

[Joshua Culp]

The first power tool I ever used was my Dad's Rockwell Delta variable speed hand drill from the late 60's to early 70's I'm guessing. He gave it to me and I still use it. It has about a 6 inch cord, and I love it. The only drawback is that it's too short to tape the chuck key to. Ideally, a hand drill cord would be just long enough to tape the key to and reach the chuck. But these days most/all chucks are keyless anyhow.

There is something to be said for the gentleman a few posts up who pointed out that the short cord keeps the end of the extension cord right where it can snag on the edge of the workpiece - more of a problem with a circular saw or router that travels along, and less of a problem with a drill that doesn't move down the workpiece.

[George Neill]

In a recent post somebody mentioned that he shortened the power cords on hand held corded power tools so he wouldn't have to coil the cords around the tools.

I posted about this recently. You can read my take on power cords here (http://pegsandtails.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/going-cordless/).

[David Prince]

Would there be any warranty issues if a person cuts off the cords?

[Mike Schuch]

The tool manufactures have done very extensive research on this subject and have concluded that 6 foot cords are the perfect length. They are long enough to be a nuisance to store but short enough to be useless without an extension cord.

I have never had a cord fail at the plug in end, they always fail where the cord enters the tool. Since I seldom buy new I almost seem to seek out quality tools with messed up cords as it is a great excuse to replace the cord with a usable length cord cut from an extension cord. I have 3 Porter Cable/ Rockwell 505 half sheet sanders (Didn't pay more than $25 for any of them). All of them wear a 14 foot harbor freight extension cord. One of my drills has a 14 foot cord and my the porter cable circular saw my father gave me has a whopping 25 foot cord that an old friend put on it when he borrowed it from my dad and sawed the cord. My worm drive skill saw I unfortunately bought new and it wears the factory cord which is rather aggravating.

My newer tools with original cords are pretty much always get used with an extension cord in the classic half knot configuration to keep them from separating. I like the twist lock plug with a twist lock extension cord idea but the twist lock plugs are much more bulky than regular plugs.

I do really like the twist lock plugs on my Milwaukee sawzall and drill.

[Richard Dooling]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but since the discussion is about power cords . . .

I have to replace a plug on an angle grinder because some lunk head ground through the cord:o.

Is it correct that the black wire is always the hot wire and that it connects to the narrower pin? This would leave the neutral wire to be connected to the larger/wider pin.

Thanks

[Matt Meiser]

Many of my tools end up with 6 inch cords through attrition:D

Sounds like the extension cord I use with my hedge trimmer. I've started just taking the proper tools out to put the connector back on every time I use the thing. Last year I had to buy a new 100' cord because it would reach the end of my 66' house any more :eek:


Those are anti-theft tags for the retail stores. Collect 'em all, put them all on one of the cut-off tails, toss the tail in the box with the other random electrical junk.

Or put them ALL on your best extension cord so no one will steal it. :D

[Greg R Bradley]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but since the discussion is about power cords . . .

I have to replace a plug on an angle grinder because some lunk head ground through the cord:o.

Is it correct that the black wire is always the hot wire and that it connects to the narrower pin? This would leave the neutral wire to be connected to the larger/wider pin.

Thanks

That is correct. In the US 120v White is always neutral and is the larger pin. That is the silver screw if you are buying replacement plugs to put on your cord. Black is always hot and is the smaller pin. The screw color is brass if you are wiring up a plug.

If you ever use a tester on all the outlets in your house you will likely find that the "electrician" didn't know how to do it correctly as some outlets will be wired wrong.