Running electric to tools in the middle of the shop

[Michael Zerance]

I'm setting up a new shop. I have to run dust collection pipe, electric, and air to two different groups of tools in the middle of the shop. In my old shop I had secured the duct and conduit to a 2x2 aluminum post that was attached to the floor and ceiling. I also had one area where I used unistrut in the same manner. Both options were kind of flimsy. I was considering making a couple hollow wood posts so that I could run the wire down the inside of the post and secure the duct to the side. However, my supply of time and money is running low and now I'm just looking for the best, cheapest, fastest option. I'm considering simply attaching the duct at the ceiling and floor and securing the conduit to the duct. I doubt it would be any more flimsy than the aluminum post or unistrut I've used in the past. Thoughts? Any other suggestions?

[Ron Selzer]

I'm setting up a new shop. I have to run dust collection pipe, electric, and air to two different groups of tools in the middle of the shop. In my old shop I had secured the duct and conduit to a 2x2 aluminum post that was attached to the floor and ceiling. I also had one area where I used unistrut in the same manner. Both options were kind of flimsy. I was considering making a couple hollow wood posts so that I could run the wire down the inside of the post and secure the duct to the side. However, my supply of time and money is running low and now I'm just looking for the best, cheapest, fastest option. I'm considering simply attaching the duct at the ceiling and floor and securing the conduit to the duct. I doubt it would be any more flimsy than the aluminum post or unistrut I've used in the past. Thoughts? Any other suggestions?

Electric receptacles in the ceiling and drop cords down as long as somewhat inaccessible, support cords, if out where there will get held on to, caught, etc.
Duct work 45 degree angle down with straight piece of pipe to approx. 5' above floor, flex duct the rest of the way.
This is assuming one person shop used for hobby not a production shop.

IF A PRODUCTION SHOP then you need posts properly secured, wired etc. Never will there be time to do it right later.

Ron

[Jim Becker]

My "posts" are 10' 2z3s nicely painted and secured to both the framework up top and the floor with brackets and tapcons. Can't get much less expensive than that. Electrical comes down from above in PVC conduit on those posts and the duct work is also connected to them.

[roger wiegand]

My post is a piece of left over 6 x 6 screwed to a joist in top and secured with a bit of angle iron at the bottom. It's rigid, and provides support for the ductwork and for the electrical conduit. I thought that anything smaller wouldn't really give me adequate support for the 4x4 electrical boxes that are mounted on it. It's got 4 120V outlets, two 240 V outlets, one three phase outlet, switch for the RPC, switch for the dust collector, and a compressed air outlet, as well as a 5" DC pipe that wye's off to serve a couple different machines with blast gates. It really wound't fit on anything smaller! All my electrical drops are surface mounted in conduit below the ceiling level.

[Jim Becker]

Roger, the 2x3s I mentioned are rock solid, simply because they are securely fastened to both the floor and the structure up top. But "left over" anything is a good deal, even if it's strong enough to build a bridge.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have an outlet in the ceiling every 4' down the middle of my 25x32 shop and every 4' on all 4 walls. I bought some 15' 12-gauge IIRC extension cords and use them in two spots in the ceiling where they make sense. One is held via restraints screwed through the drywall into bottom cord(sp?) of the rafters. The other is supported on restraints screwed to the reinforcement for the DC metal pipe.

[roger wiegand]

Roger, the 2x3s I mentioned are rock solid, simply because they are securely fastened to both the floor and the structure up top. But "left over" anything is a good deal, even if it's strong enough to build a bridge.

I didn't mean to suggest that I needed the physical strength of a 6x6 to hold up a few boxes! Just that it's now festooned with so many outlets, conduits and pipes that finding a surface to run something on and get screws into is getting hard.

[Jim Becker]

That makes sense, Roger. Here's how it worked out for me. Both photos prior to DC drops to the posts.

At the slider position with both the 240v 30a for the machine and a 120v 20a for utility



At the jointer/thicknesser, bandsaw and drill press location:

[Carl Beckett]

I anchored the outlets on the ceiling and hung cords and strain relief mesh hooked into the ceiling next to it.

At work they did a nice job mounting unistrut framing from the ceiling which allowed a cross member to mount boxes to. This allowed outlets mounted above the machines without the need for a floor to ceiling post.

[Tom Bender]

A box made with 1/2" ply about 7 x 7 would let you cut boxes into the 4 sides and drop Romex inside it from the ceiling. Cut windows as needed so you can secure the Romex per code. Otherwise I think you need conduit below the ceiling.