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Post by jimwebb on Mar 16, 2018 11:39:31 GMT -5
Hello, Everyone. Having used the information on this board to select the MT55, I thank you for the wealth of knowledge that you have gathered here. Your welcoming and supportive approach to things is also much appreciated.
Now that Daniel at TCO (very nice and helpful person, by the way) has done his magic and the saw kit has been delivered, there is one challenge to be met before trimming the chip strip and using the saw for the first time. (Embarrassed!) How does one go about plugging the saw into an American (US) outlet? What adapter is out there to make this connection?
Thank you in advance for any help you are able to provide,
Jim
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Post by Eoj on Mar 16, 2018 19:17:58 GMT -5
Hey Jim, this forum experienced a few heated discussions on electrical work to imported Mafell tools for the use in the USA power grid. The best advice ,hire a professional if you are unsure of how to replace a male plug on a power tool.One tiny detail on your question would be .....which voltage saw did you buy ??
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Post by holmz on Mar 16, 2018 22:12:26 GMT -5
Assuming you have a 230v saw... Here are the options: 1) a transformer like Timberwolf sells, which has a Shimko female receptical. 2) buy an Eu extension cord, then cut off the shimko male plug and attach a US 220v male end. Then use that in the shop or with a 220 extension cord. 3) look at posts by myself and "Red" (and others) on the Neutrik connectors as they cover the same details. This is somewhat easier as a DIY in Australia as the power outlets all have switches  And the tool is double insulated. A smart person who is not experienced in wiring would hire a sparky (electrician). You do not need 220v to be lethal, 110v is enough. 220/221 just makes it easier. With the transformer you have nothing to do, just plug it in. And all the other (future) Eu tools can use the same transformer. the saw probably will like the 230v better than a 110v version, so even if it was a mistake, it may be a fortunate one in the long term. |
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Post by jimwebb on Mar 17, 2018 12:33:41 GMT -5
Thank you both! I did not realize that there is contention around importing this saw to the US. The very last thing I want to do is start or become involved in contention. This saw is a retirement gift from my bride of 40 years (sadly, no gold watch from the university ...) and I just want to enjoy it as I trim out the house I have built for us and where we intend to grow old together. My apologies for having irritated old sores.
Since the saw is a 110 volt version, I had hoped there might be a simple UK female to US male adapter. I'd rather not cut the original plug off the saw in order to replace it with a US plug. I think I'll just install a Festool PlugIt conversion kit and use a PlugIt cable from my sander.
Thank you again - both of you - for replying to my request for help. I look forward to contributing here.
Jim
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Post by kraftt on Mar 17, 2018 21:23:36 GMT -5
Howdy jimwebb, I’m not sure Eoj was saying anyone here cares if you buy from overseas just possibly something about threads where methods of electrical performance/conversion might have been discussed (?).
From what I gather I think there are only a few here who buy locally exclusively anyways. Fwiw I also bought from TCO and was very pleased.
As far as the plug end goes just grab any decent Nema 5-15P and slap it on. The UK 110v plug end just disassembles and uses screw terminals to terminate the cord wires, no need to cut anything. I’ve tried a few different iterations of cord hookups but came back to the supplied mafell cord. It’s a superior cord, very supple, so I personally prefer to leave it on the tool closer to where flex matters and if I need more length I add any ol rigid extension cord.
The plug end I chose was just a cheapo I had laying around, I have better (electrician etc.) but I liked the design of the cheap one. I may have tinned the ends before terminating. Iirc I used blue for the hot/brass-screw/small-blade terminal and brown for the neutral/silver-screw/wide-blade terminal. Saw’s insulated, and it won’t run backwards or anything if you get them reversed.
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Post by huntsgemein on Mar 17, 2018 23:30:04 GMT -5
Your low-current Festo cable might not be suitable. Most sanders only draw minimal current, whereas a saw draws substantially more. Apart from the smaller cross sectional area of the sander cable's conductors (less current-carrying capacity), there may be an issue with the tool-end male plug of the sander's cable. Low current & higher current plug-its actually have dissimilar mouldings on the plug end. This allows heavier duty cables to be used on light duty tools (like sanders) too, but not vice-versa.
Your local supermarket or hardware store may have international plug adapters available, or just replace the plug yourself with the requisite North American equivalent. Only attempt this if you feel sufficiently confident & competent, however, as electricity potentially kills...
Nevertheless, it's a pretty straightforward task, as most (all?) aftermarket plugs will be supplied with full fitting instructions included. There's only two different colour-coded conductors to connect, with a small amount of accurately pre-measured stripping of the conductors & outer sheathing required.
In reality, exchanging a plug end will be a much less expensive & fraught procedure than fitting a plug-it tail to the tool anyway!
If you still feel reluctant, I'm sure you can easily find another competent person to do this for you for a nominal sum. It's but a couple of minutes work to accomplish.
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Post by jimwebb on Mar 18, 2018 11:47:31 GMT -5
Thank you, Kraftt! Success. I tried to upload a small photo - could not. Attachment space seems to have been exceeded. In any case, the solution is an armored 15-5P from our Home Depot store. All of $3.00 and it came with a friendly smile from a pretty clerk. All registered and ready to go.
Thanks again,
Jim
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Post by jimwebb on Mar 18, 2018 12:02:50 GMT -5
Huntsgemein,
Thank you for your suggestions. Per my note to Kraftt, I did replace the OEM plug with a 15-5P. On the sander cable, it is a 16 gauge PlugIt cable. As far as I know, Festool makes only two versions - 16ga and 18ga. Had I elected to use the pigtail, and given the saw draws 10 amps, things should have been fine. Regardless, an inexpensive, safe, and entirely serviceable solution is now in place. All is well. When I started up the saw for the first time, there was only a little bit of the more acrid blue smoke before it turned entirely black. No worries there - the shop's air cleaner handles most of it quite well. I do worry a little about the sparks and the flames - it is difficult to see past them to the cut line - but the saw is cutting well and the grinding/squealing sound, while quite loud, has receded into the ambient sounds of the shop.
Sorry - my imagination runs amok when I'm happy. The saw is working. I am happy.
Regards,
Jim
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Post by Knight Woodworks on Mar 18, 2018 12:24:40 GMT -5
LOL.
Jim, welcome to the MUF. Glad you got your new saw sorted out. After you get the black smoke back in, whatcha gunna make.
John
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Post by jimwebb on Mar 18, 2018 15:45:53 GMT -5
John, thank you for your note. At almost 62, I'm retired and building a home on Lake Nokomis in Wisconsin that we will move into when my wife retires in a few years. It has been a fun challenge thus far, ICF's for the basement and first floor, and stick-built for the gables and dormers. The first floor, including the garage floor, is a concrete slab suspended over the basement via products by ISpan and Total Lewis Deck. The two parts my wife forbade me to do by myself are the roof system and roofing. The original crew botched this badly. The crew hired to rectify matters arrives on site tomorrow with crane in tow to remove the sheathing and reset the 12/12 truss system. I will be out there every moment to ensure that things go well this time.
The house is in the style of a cottage, and the part to which I am most looking forward is the trim-out. This will be a subtle marriage of English Arts and Crafts, American Arts and Crafts, and American West Coast Arts and Crafts (Greene brothers). There are 2000 BF of beautifully figured old-growth, storm-felled QSWO in the kiln right now for this phase. This is the task for which the MT-55cc and other items will become my close companion. I've built a large version of the MFT using Peter Parfitt's jig and this will be the center of activity for several months, beginning in late fall after the home is completed.
Thanks again for the welcome, John.
Jim
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Post by Knight Woodworks on Mar 18, 2018 18:27:57 GMT -5
Sounds amazing. Please share some photos of your work.
John
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Post by kraftt on Mar 18, 2018 19:24:35 GMT -5
*(Not able to upload photos any more either. Going to suggest imgur.com as one work around for others experiencing the same issue. You upload there and then post the link it provides.)
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Post by jimwebb on Mar 19, 2018 7:34:17 GMT -5
Will do, and understood.
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Post by holmz on Mar 19, 2018 8:27:04 GMT -5
If it is a UK 110v male plug, then either change the plug to a US male, or...
have a UK-female on the end of a US-male cord, like an extension cord English to Yankee translator.
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Post by jimwebb on Mar 19, 2018 18:54:53 GMT -5
Holmz,
There is now a US male at the end of the cord. All is well!
Jim
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And the tool is double insulated.