Poll: Quick Workshop Survey - Plug or Unplug

[rcarmac]

Just curious, do you keep your shop bench tools plugged in all the time or unplugged.

It would be a lot easier to keep everything plugged in, but for the life of me I cant seem to get comfortable with it. I always have to unplug everything.
I guess I am worried about fires and damage by lighten. I don't go in my shop every day, so that might be another factor.

What's your thoughts? Click the Poll up top.

 

[Gofor]

I unplug mine. More to keep little hands from inadvertantly starting the machine than for any other reason. Not much of a danger for me now, but got into that habit when I my garage was my shop.

 

[Hmerkle]

I polled plugged in, but I belive it is better to unplug, especially if other people will EVER be in the space...
I don't unplug, but should, my excuse is that it takes time to plug back in, when I need to use the tool...
Cool part of it all is over the past three years, many of my "new" tools have no cord, so no dilemma!

 

[Henry W]

Plugged in, but my shop is a separate space, with a locked door. Other users not in there.

 

[LeftyTom]

All my power tools are unplugged, including table saw, bandsaw, dust collector.

 

[ScottM]

Most of my regular use tools are plugged in (saws, drill press, stationary sanders, lathe, planer, dust collection, vacuum, etc). My shop is in a separate dedicated building. I do unplug heating tools such as heat gun, shrink wrap sealer, and hot glue gun.

 

[marinosr]

I'll be moving soon into a shop that's 1/2 of a 2 car garage, and with young kids around, so the first thing I'm going to do is put a service disconnect with a lock for all the receptacles in the garage.

 

[Hmerkle]

I'll be moving soon into a shop that's 1/2 of a 2 car garage, and with young kids around, so the first thing I'm going to do is put a service disconnect with a lock for all the receptacles in the garage.

Richard - that is a REALLY good idea!

 

[golfdad]

Mine stay plugged in except battery chargers

 

[JohnW]

I keep every stationary tool plugged in 99% of the time. My shop is a separate space and I do have a power disconnect in the shop which is locked out if we have company with kids. All my outlets have dust covers and each prong socket has an internal cover to help keep dust out. (Sorta like each prong has a doggie door) The dust covers make unplugging everything a bit of a pain, but I like the idea of keeping dust out of the outlets. Years ago, when I had a garage shop accessible to other people, every tool was unplugged until I needed to use it.

 

[Graywolf]

I guess I'm about half and half, but I marked plugged in. I know I should unplug most days, but I'm little lazy sometimes.

 

[Skymaster]

plugged in except compressors

 

[bowman]

My shop is a separate locked building also, and like others, stationary tools except for table saw stay plugged in. Hand-held power tools are unplugged 95% of the time...

 

[Raymond]

Unplugged except for the vacuum - it stays plugged in because I also use it for cleaning the cars' interiors.

 

[JimD]

My table saw, RAS, CMS, drill press, router table, planner and other tools are plugged in virtually all the time. My shop is a separate garage and I am the only one living in my house. I see nearly no reason to unplug/replug. The table saw, RAS, and CMS as well as the track saw and primary sander, stay plugged into a power strip on the shop vac so they turn the vac on. I could unplug one plug and turn them off but why? I guess lightening could "get them" but it is not at all likely to happen.

When my grand kids visit the shop garage stays locked up. It's far too dusty for their mom to let them go in.

 

[nn4jw]

Some are plugged in, some are not. If the power tools are in the middle of the floor they are typically not plugged in unless I'm using them so I don't trip over power cords. Tools along the walls are usually plugged in.

No kids, rarely any visitors out there so no problems. Grandkids only visit a couple of times a year since they are in Atlanta and as a rule there's no reason for them to go out to the shop.

 

[LocoWoodWork]

Plugged. Separate shop. No others have access.

 

[Flute Maker]

95 % unplugged ...I do have a shop vac and a air compressor and for the most part they stay plugged in..I was raised in the country and lightning was bad about running in on stuff.Then when I moved to a house in the country (after I had lived in town for a while) I moved into an older country home and lightning ran in on an answering machine....literally scorched the carpet. (I wouldnt have believed it if I hadnt seen it)...So sometimes it is hard to leave stuff plugged in!.....Wish it wasn't!

 

[badger fan]

I unplug because my father had a fire some time ago in his shop with an over heat situation. So I am using the once of prevention method.

 

[drw]

Plugged.