Electrician advice - power cord for table saw and vac

[mloamiller]

I have a portable table saw that I use with a small shop-vac for dust collection. Currently, I plug both the saw and the vac into the same extension cord and turn them both on/off individually. While cleaning the dust out from underneath the saw recently, I noticed that there is about a foot of power cord between the switch and the saw motor. It occured to me that if I was able to attach the power cord to the vac to that same cord on the saw, they would both be controlled by the same switch.

It would be simple to take about a foot and the female end from another power cord and splice it into the cord from the saw switch to the motor, giving me a place to plug in the vac. Since I'm already plugging them both into the same extension cord, it doesn't see that the combined load would be too much for the cord itself. However, I don't know if that would be too much load on the switch, or if that might damage the saw motor. Any electricians with some thoughts on this?

[Odiferous]

If you search around the woodworking sites, you'll find several different solutions for wiring in the dust collector.

I'm not an electrician, but I'd be careful running the current of the vac through the same switch without knowing what it's rated for. Plus, a pigtail hanging in the saw cabinet sounds like it could be troublesome.

I'd probably mount a two gang metal box under the table, and run the saw's main power cord through it. Wire in a standard outlet controlled by a toggle switch. Then the vac is on its own switch, but it's conveniently located near the saw switch.

[RPBrown]

Not an electrician but have some knowledge about it, both as an A/C guy and a woodworking hobbyist.
First, you would need to know the amp rating of both motors. Then the amp rating of the switch, then the cord and lastly, the breaker they are plugged into.
For instance, my table saw motor is rated at 12.2 amps. My vac/collection system motor is rated at 6.1 amps. The switch on my saw is rated at 15 amps so it would not be large enough to carry both. However, when we remodeled a few years ago, I had a dedicated 30 amp circuit with a switch and quad plug installed so I could use the dust collector with any of my saws, but especially the table saw since it is the largest motor. I also had a similar set up for my workbench for drill press, sander, and router.

[flechero]

First, you would need to know the amp rating of both motors.

True, and I think you want the start up load (which is higher) not just the working load...

[Odiferous]

Depending on the design of your saw's cabinet, it might be easier to replace the switch with one you know the specs on. Decent paddle switches can be surprisingly affordable: http://www.grizzly.com/products/Paddle- ... 230V/D4151