Alternatives to Craftsman Automatic Power Switch?

[Mike Priest]

Hello All,
I am building a miter saw stand that will have a shopvac in the cabinet base. I decided I wanted the vac to come on automatically when I start the saw so I purchased the Craftsman switch (PN 24031). But I would rather have a switch that was more like a typical surge suppressor, with a cord. The Craftsman one will require a surge suppressor mounted in the cabinet that it can plug into, but that seems like an irritation waiting to happen. It seems like it will probably vibrate out of the socket on me.

Anyone have any better alternatives

[Steve Clardy]

Not sure about other alternatives.
I have that same switch, hooked up to my Fein mini vac and festool sander. Works ok, just means another connection.
Fein does make two other vacs, turbo II and turbo III, with a built in switch. Festool vacs also have a built it switch.

[Jamie Buxton]

I can't tell from the catalog description, but I'm guessing this thing has prongs on the back to plug into an outlet. If so, open the case, cut off the prongs, solder on a new power cord as long as you like, make a new hole in the case for the power card, and bolt it back together.

[Bart Leetch]

Hello All,
I am building a miter saw stand that will have a shopvac in the cabinet base. I decided I wanted the vac to come on automatically when I start the saw so I purchased the Craftsman switch (PN 24031). But I would rather have a switch that was more like a typical surge suppressor, with a cord. The Craftsman one will require a surge suppressor mounted in the cabinet that it can plug into, but that seems like an irritation waiting to happen. It seems like it will probably vibrate out of the socket on me.

Anyone have any better alternatives

Why???? The switch you have works just fine. Do you have all the rest of your tools on surge suppressors?

[Mike Priest]

Thats a good idea, I never considered just adding the cord to the Craftsman model.

Bart, I dont want to add surge supresser functionality, just a cord directly from the outlet that I can plug into the wall. I have had lots of trouble with things that hang directly from an outlet on prongs (they fall out of the wall at the worst times).

As it is I think I will just screw the Craftsman to a power strip that I already have. It will be ugly, but its hidden inside the cabinet anyway.

[Jay Knoll]

Mike

I've had one of these things hanging on a wall outlet for 3 years now, inserting and removing lots of different cords, never had the thing fall out of the wall

Jay

[Dave Brandt]

I build the same or similar cabinet and IF I were doing it again, I'd forget the vaccum. It's a joke if you hook it up to the dust port of the saw. And I don't believe those mini-vacs move enough air to use one of those huge dust hoods. Just my $.02.

[Russ Massery]

Same here. Routers, sander, lights, etc.................no problems.

[Matt Meiser]

I'd have to agree with Dave on using a shop vac for getting dust off the miter saw. I think you'd probably be really disappointed unless your miter saw has much better dust collection than my Porter Cable. I have a hood with a 6" line to it behind mine, and still get some debris that isn't caught.

[Mike Priest]

Thats good info guys. I was kinda counting on the shop vac for DC. I dont have a DC system for the garage yet, but I am starting to get complaints from the management (LOML) about the huge amount of dust I am creating. Its bad enough that she left the van on in the rain the other day to get it cleaned off :)

This is my first project, and I wanted it to look as professional as possible. I have learned a lot about what not to do at this point. Its a bit discouraging to find that others have made the exact same cabinet and not been satisfied with the results. At least I havn't purchased the vac yet.

Here is a shot of the power setup30857

[Don Bergren]

Mike,

I have to agree with what's been said about poor dust collection from a miter saw using a Shop Vac. I've found it fruitless to try for the most part. But there is one exception that I've found, and that is the Dewalt 10" miter saw. That particular saw is setup for dust collection right at the blade, and with my Shop Vac I get 99.8% of what comes out of it.

[Pete Harbin]

I just plug mine right into the extension cord I use, usually to run a sander or the bandsaw, and it works just fine.

Pete