Customer Reviews and Photos for:
12-Gauge Retractable Extension Cord Reel
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Average Rating:
4.2
(64 customer reviews)
$98.99
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1) Submitted by
Brian, from Las Vegas, NV
on 1/29/2012
Customer Rating: 
I have wanted a high quality, heavy duty real for years. This one is excellent. I am one of those guys that push it and think that everything will be fine. Thank goodness I have had no trouble thus far. I decided that I should stop chancing things and get the rite tool for the job. I am very happy with this real. It is a bit of insurance for me and well worth it. I do not mind spending money on quality things that I will have the rest of my life.
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2) Submitted by
Woodwitch, from Coconut Creek, FL
on 9/10/2011
Customer Rating:
You can buy less expensive extension cord reels but you can't buy one of any better quality than Rockler's. The cheaper versions have thinner 14 gauge wires instead of Rockler's heavier duty 12 gauge! the cheaper ones also have a poorly made internal mechanism that fails almost immediately so the cord won't retract. The cheaper ones must also be permanently mounted whereas Rockler's can be either mounted permanently or hung from hooks so it can be moved around you shop if necessary. I've had my Rockler reel for about a year and have used it almost every day. It hasn't failed me yet and it has handled every load I've put on it. Its superior quality makes it well worth the price tag. I've recommended it to numerous friends and will continue to do so. You won't go wrong with this purchase.
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3) Submitted by
John Lasser, from Jacksonville, AL
on 8/31/2011
Customer Rating:
Installed mine a year ago. Should have had one years ago. Three plug outlet allows me to power my band saw, it's light and the dust collector at the same time, in different places in my shop.
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4) Submitted by
Mike H., from Hampton Roads, VA
on 2/5/2011
Customer Rating:
Good Price. Works great and easy to mount. Well made.
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5) Submitted by
Ralph H., from Plymouth, WI
on 12/23/2010
Customer Rating:
Great price. Works great and I like the three way outlet. The heavy 12 gauge wire was the only extension cord I would have purchased for my shop.
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6) Submitted by
Frederick Mihalow, from Schnecksville, PA
on 11/2/2009
Customer Rating:
This is an excellent, heavy duty electrical appliance. I have it mounted next to my work table in the center of my basement; it will provide for all the needs of any power tools that I use on upcoming projects.
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7) Submitted by
David T., from Cypress, CA
on 6/18/2009
Customer Rating:
I've had mine for a few years now, and I use it constantly every day. I finally had to do a little P.M. on it last week; just a bit of grease and check that the screws are tight. Since my workbench is away from the walls of my shop, this baby is a godsend! I seldom use extension cords anymore, and this is much safer, since the cord comes from overhead and won't present a tripping hazard.
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8) Submitted by
Emory Gilbert, from Columbus, GEORGIA
on 6/5/2009
Customer Rating:
The absolutely best buy on a 12 gauge cable reel that I could find. Exactly what I needed while doing stained glass projects and woodworking. I used to have cords spread everywhere. Now, only one. Thanks for great products.
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9) Submitted by
Dustin, from Lino Lakes, MN
on 1/29/2009
Customer Rating:
Put two in my garage/shop and wouldn't dream of going back to plain old extension cords. The 12 gauge wire allows them to power amp-hungry tools, yet the cord stays remarkably flexible...even when it's 22 degrees in my garage. I'm not sure I'd change anything if I could...
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10) Submitted by
SeaWolf's Home Workshop Blog, from Jacksonville , FL
on 12/3/2008
Customer Rating:
I added one of these at the opening of my shop to provide power to my tool while working in the driveway. It's a real pleasure not to have coils of stored extension chords falling off the shelf or tripping over the excess. So far the reel has worked great.
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11) Submitted by
Tom, from Oak Forest, IL
on 5/5/2010
Customer Rating:
I have it installed on a wall stud in my garage. I use it to power my table saw, router, sander. etc. The 3 outlets on the plug make it convenient to have several tools plugged in at the same time.
The unit itself is substantial, however the mounting hardware does seem slightly undersized considering the unit's weight and stress it under goes when pulling the cord out. The cord does not always retract without coaxing. It seems the less cord you pull out say <10ft, the higher the chances are you may have 'help' it back into the reel housing (not really a big deal). I would recommend this product to others.
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12) Submitted by
Kelsey, from Auberry, CA
on 11/18/2012
Customer Rating: 
I have been using this unit for about 6 months. My two complaints are : 1. My main complaint is that the return spring is too weak and I haven't found any way to adjust it, I have to fiddle with it to get it to retract. 2. For my purposes I wish the length of the cord was a bit longer 50' instead of 35' but I knew this going in. All in all this is a nice product but a bit limited. The sales price is the upper limit of what I would pay. I would recommend to a friend but with reservations.
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13) Submitted by
William Walter, from Des Moines, IA
on 5/9/2011
Customer Rating: 
I agree, the retraction system could use some work. Maybe needs to be a little beefier. Other than that, it is a good product and worth the investment.
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14) Submitted by
Ross A Dickson, from Glendale, AZ
on 11/28/2008
Customer Rating:
No more tangled cords no more stepping on cords and crushing the end. My reel is in the middle of the shop and reaches everywhere with room to spare. I should have gotten this a long time ago.
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15) Submitted by
Jerry
on 11/29/2008
Customer Rating:
Very handy. The recoil spring could be a bit tighter, but works ok. Sometimes I have to coax the cord back in.
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16) Submitted by
Tom Bussey, from Nashua, IA
on 11/27/2008
Customer Rating:
I just bought my second one. I can roll stuff out into the middle of the shop and draw off 2 different circuits at the same time. Well worth the money.
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17) Submitted by
Dick Farino, from Bullhead City, AZ
on 11/25/2008
Customer Rating:
Just bought my third one. I already have 2 installed in my woodshop. Sure makes life better not tripping over cords. One thing really important is with #12 wire there is no strain on anything I run. This third one is going to be installed in an outside covered shop area behind my woodshop.
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18) Submitted by
Louis Krzepina, from North Royalton, OH
on 11/23/2008
Customer Rating:
This cord reel works great in my shop. It was very easy to install. I hung the reel on the ceiling above my layout table. Unlike most cord/hose reels I have purchased,the manufacturer used the correct amount of cord for the size of the reel, enabling the cord to rewind with no difficulty. I highly recommend this product.
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19) Submitted by
Kenneth Erlenbusch, from Pierre, SD
on 11/17/2008
Customer Rating:
I hung the reel from my garage ceiling approximately in the center. I now have electricity throughout my entire shop thanks to this reel. The reel is heavy duty and completely winds the entire cord the first time, every time.
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20) Submitted by
J P, from Atlanta, GA
on 11/16/2008
Customer Rating:
I bought this reel to replace another shoddy one. These cord reels definitely hold up to frequent use. I wish I'd bought these before I wasted money on lower quality ones! My only complaint is that I can't get them in black. I mean, why blue out of all colors?
Editor's note: Blue is distinctive to the Rockler brand.
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21) Submitted by
Joe Angalet, from Simpsonville, SC
on 9/3/2008
Customer Rating:
Excellent product! I installed mine on the ceiling and in the center of my workshop. I can access any tool in the shop. With #12AWG wiring (20 Amps) and 30ft length, this is a necessity for any shop or garage!
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22) Submitted by
John Benoit, from Abbeville, LA
on 8/22/2008
Customer Rating:
I don't have to drag out my coiled extension chords, and no longer have tangled lines on the floor trying to trip me. Should've bought this long ago!
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23) Submitted by
P. Lindstrom, from Indianapolis, IN
on 8/9/2008
Customer Rating:
I hung mine on the side of the rear wall making it easy to reach any point in my garage. Works very well, wish I had bought it sooner
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24) Submitted by
Chris Ewing, from Stuart, FL
on 7/23/2008
Customer Rating:
This is one of those "Gotta Have" kind of things in the workshop.
30', 12/3 and 15 amp covers my shop and this will handle anything I put on it!
No more hand wrapping up cords @ the end of the day.
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25) Submitted by
Paul C, from Granbury, TX
on 7/14/2008
Customer Rating:
I hung this reel from the ceiling in my shop and after several weeks of use am very pleased with the quality and operation. I originally ordered a 40' reel from a competitor & returned it because it would not retract completely (Gr####). The Rockler reel has a steel housing, the retracting mechanism is strong and the cord firmly withdraws completely into the housing with no issues. I am very pleased with the device, now I wish I could find a reel of the same quality & price point for my 1/4" poly air hose!
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26) Submitted by
Randy Harman, from Elk Grove, CA
on 7/13/2008
Customer Rating:
I have mine mounted to the rafter in my shop (garage) and plugged into a dedicated 20 amp plug. I run any of my power tools with it and have had NO problems. It is very heavy duty and I normally have a contractor's table saw (1 1/2 hp) plus a dust collector (1 hp) running from it at the same time.
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27) Submitted by
David W
on 7/11/2008
Customer Rating:
Installed easily. Works pretty well; doesn't seem to retract as smoothly as another retractable cord wheel that I have.
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28) Submitted by
Joe R, from Mill Valley, CA
on 7/2/2008
Customer Rating:
I mounted this cable reel on the ceiling of my workshop. It's out of the way, yet very handy when I need power (no more fumbling with extension cords). The mechanism works fine, retracting the heavy-duty, 30 foot cord. I had it for over a month, and I'm very happy with it...and I like the "Rockler blue" finish. Oh, that's a power indicator/outlet that I attached to it.
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29) Submitted by
LN, from Manassas, VA
on 6/30/2008
Customer Rating:
Came quickly. I have only had this cable reel for a week but it works perfectly. Heavy duty and holds on to the cord. I have had others that have failed so it is nice to have this high quality item.
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30) Submitted by
Eric Kauffman, from Marietta, GA
on 6/26/2008
Customer Rating:
This is a beefy device. The wire is heavily insulated, the case is metal and the ratcheting mechanism makes a solid "clack-clack-clack" as you pull the cord out. Retraction is strong and the wire doesn't get hung up on the way back.
I am currently using this mounted on the ceiling of my garage on the side where I use my power tools. Most recently, it's been powering my 7A tile cutter.
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31) Submitted by
Mitch Pinion, from Elgin, OK
on 5/26/2009
Customer Rating:
Mounted overhead in my garage and works as intended. Recoil spring could be stronger but manages to rewind the entire cord. Worth the money.
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32) Submitted by
Rani Kokatnur, from Lompoc, CA
on 6/5/2008
Customer Rating:
Very well made, heavy duty and well designed. Cord holds in position when extended; retracts easily and smoothly when done.
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33) Submitted by
Jim, from Chantilly, VA
on 5/9/2011
Customer Rating:
I love them. I put my money where my mouth is and have two in the workshop and one in the garage. The 12 gauge wire allows me to run any piece of equipment I own off of one of these including radial arm saw, Shopsmith, thickness planer, etc one at a time per reel for the larger pieces of equipment.
I have one problem: the plug sockets in all three are so tight it is all I can do to fully seat a plug into the tri-plug end. Sometimes it takes two men and a boy to remove a plug that was fully inserted. I intend to unplug one and see if I can loosen the sockets with a screwdriver sized prybar and push the copper sides out just a smidge.
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34) Submitted by
Dick Walsh, from Chester, VA
on 7/26/2008
Customer Rating:
Mounted on a wall, the reel eliminates extension cords. It swivels, though with some difficulty, to rest almost flat against the wall when not in use.
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35) Submitted by
David Fortin, from West Hartford, CT
on 5/19/2008
Customer Rating:
I can't add much more. It's hanging in the middle of the workshop and reaches every spot but is out of the way when not needed. No more extension cords on the floor. It's 12-gauge and performs. Mine came without the mounting bracket, but a phone call to Rockler and the bracket was there two days later.
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36) Submitted by
Gary R, from Anacortes, WA
on 7/15/2008
Customer Rating:
The reel arrived on time. I used larger mounting screws than those provided as the unit is heavy and pulling the cord out adds stress. The cantilever wall mount provides a nice swivel function. I was pleased to see that the short (36") connecting cord was also 12 gauge - unlike other reels. The reel action is positive and reliable. The cord is substantial, the receptical receives plugs easily but holds them firmly. Safety labels caution the user to extend the cord fully before using. This could be inconvienient. In short: I like the product and recommend it.
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37) Submitted by
Ken Erlenbusch, from Pierre, SD
on 5/19/2008
Customer Rating:
I truly like the 12-guage electric cable reel.
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38) Submitted by
Dave Mintz, from Studio City, CA
on 4/2/2008
Customer Rating:
Item works as promised--fit and finish were great and it was easy to install. A nice long 12 gauge cord out of the way until you need it!
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39) Submitted by
J, from Atlanta, GA
on 6/22/2009
Customer Rating:
No problems with functionality at all. This is a solid reel but my only complaint is that it's blue. I mean, it would be worse if they only came in flourescent orange or something but a few color choices would be better. I have to paint all of mine black before I install them.
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40) Submitted by
Dan, from Albany, NY
on 12/14/2011
Customer Rating:
This product is a disappointment. Yes, a power cord reel is a very useful thing, but in my opinion, it should actually retract itself when you give it a little yank and let go, like my compressed air reel does. This one does not... when you release the ratchet, the feeble spring doesn't have the strength to retract the cord on its own.. I mean, like, not at all! The cord is still a convenience, but having to push the cord back into the unit is an annoyance. I'm keeping it because it's useful enough, but I'd call it just barely worth the money at the sale price.
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41) Submitted by
Ted A. Martin, from Lafayette, LA
on 3/22/2008
Customer Rating:
Love it, works great! I have it mounted in the center of my shop so I'm able to reach every inch of work space without having to roll out my old extension cords.
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42) Submitted by
Clyde Ross, from Morganton, NC
on 12/27/2007
Customer Rating:
Looks good. Received as a gift from my wishlist. Case seemed to be warped. For that reason and the price, I'm not pleased with it.
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43) Submitted by
Chris S., from Ghent, NY
on 12/15/2007
Customer Rating:
Works the way it's supposed to. Anything that does what it's advertised to do gets high marks. And, it's 12 gauge.
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44) Submitted by
Paul Schaeffer, from Seymour, IN
on 12/5/2007
Customer Rating:
Great product. I just purchased my second one.
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45) Submitted by
M Foran, from Great Falls , MT
on 2/1/2010
Customer Rating:
I purchased this item a a year ago and have always had a problem getting it to roll back in all the way. It stops with about 6ft still still out. It's not easy to get it shoved all the way in.
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46) Submitted by
Eric, from Bucktown, PA
on 11/10/2007
Customer Rating:
Not cheap, but the 12 gauge wire makes all the difference! Best in [home center] is 14 gauge in a plastic case. This one is better.
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47) Submitted by
Don, from Canton, ME
on 7/1/2007
Customer Rating:
This one really works and it is 12awg which both together are hard to find. It is pricey, but you get what you pay for.
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48) Submitted by
Ernie, from Elkhart, IL
on 3/12/2007
I purchased this reel for my woodshop. After looking forever for one that was 12 gauge through and through...I came across this one. It is very well built...metal housing, and retraction seems to be very good. I would recommend this one over the 40' reel that Northern Tool offers any day. Theirs is plastic, and the cord is too long to retract properly. Kudos to Rockler!
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49) Submitted by
George Gawlik, from Van Nuys, CA
on 5/30/2010
Customer Rating:
The cord is barely retractable. You have to help it back practically every inch of the way. There appears to be no way to increase the retracting spring pressure. The "feed cord" is so short as to make it impossible to mount it anywhere unless very close to an electrical outlet.
I bought two of them; one for me one for my son-in-law and both have the same problem.
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50) Submitted by
Mark, from Anaheim Hills, CA
on 1/30/2007
I purchased this item for my garage. Got weary of always yanking out extension cords and then coiling them for storage after a chore. What a great feature of just reeling-in your extension cord!
After my first purchase...prompty went out and bought another for work!
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51) Submitted by
Chris Campbell, from Helendale, CA
on 11/27/2007
Customer Rating:
Ditto others. NOT your [home center] garbage! Made for everyday shop use.
Buy it.
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52) Submitted by
Charlie Turner, from Vinton, VA
on 12/22/2007
Customer Rating:
I like the heavy 12 gauge cord and metal case. It doesn't retract as well as I expected, but will go in with a little work. Plug in are very tight and hold cords in well.
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53) Submitted by
Jerry K, from Chandler, AZ
on 8/22/2008
Customer Rating:
Sturdy Steel.
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54) Submitted by
Scott, from Minneapolis, MN
on 12/24/2010
Customer Rating:
The spring could be tighter for retracting. Otherwise, it works pretty well.
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55) Submitted by
Tim Leingang, from Mandan, ND
on 2/22/2009
Customer Rating:
Great product. I purchased one of these about a year ago. Has not got a whole lot of use because about the only thing that gets pluged in all the time in is my DeWalt table saw and a Jet jointer once in a while. My reel is attached to the ceiling in the center of my shop. I have purchased many products from Rocklers over the years and have never received a bad product, however this product did not stand up as good as I thought. The reel quit reeling in and now I have an expensive 30' extension cord. I have read all 39 reviews on this product and for the most part they are all good so I must have received a lemmon. Still a great product I think it just needs a stronger return spring.
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56) Submitted by
Ron Johansson, from Stillwater, MN
on 1/17/2011
Customer Rating:
I bought this heavy duty retractable extension cord to go over my workbench. It is hard to find 12 AWG cords. I really liked the strong spring retraction and the adjustable stop on the cord. However, when using the three receptacle end, it was so hard to insert plugs, I hated changing tools. After not very long, I cut off the end and replaced it with a metal electrical box and two good quality duplex receptacles. I then had 4 outlets that were easy to use and I was happy for about 2 years. Then the unit failed. I took it apart and found that the rotary sliding contacts inside had gone bad, heated and melted the plastic in the contact area inside - there was no way to repair it. This is supposed to be a 20 amp cord - I don't think I ever used a tool that drew more than 5 amps. I went back to Rockler to try to get parts - none available. I now have a fixed four outlet box hanging over my workbench with a $90 blue 12 AWG extension cord leading to it.... Nice try, but poor quality inside.
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57) Submitted by
Bernie C., from Beavercreek, OH
on 1/2/2011
Customer Rating:
I had to return my unit before ever using it. The sheet metal screw used to fasten the mounting bracket to the blue case was stripped when the unit arrived. As this was the main support for the unit, I didn't want to risk having it fall on someone's head or onto my work area. I was really disappointed
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58) Submitted by
MK, from Chapel Hill, NC
on 6/17/2011
Customer Rating:
Description did not provide length of cord from socket to unit e.g., how close you need to be to the recepticle. Nor did the photo I saw indicate mounting bracket.
You have four, maybe six, feet between the power source receptacle and the mounting spot. Not enough to mount on a ceiling unless you have a power source up there or an extension. It does come with a mounting bracket and pin that slips through the reel holder. This does not permit the reel to rotate around the mounting bracket. It won't "spin" at the bracket. It will move slightly back and forth. I would have liked each of these features and wish the description had been more complete.
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59) Submitted by
Chas B, from Gainesville, FL
on 7/26/2011
Customer Rating: 
I put one of these in our wood shop 2 weeks ago. The construction and cord are good quality but the reel mechanism does not want to set/hold at any given length. My wife has given up on it and I struggle way too long getting the cord to set at all let alone the length I want I'm determined to find some trick to get it to set... maybe a clamp will do. Once set it holds well and is easily released to feed smoothly back into the reel all the way. Honestly though, I spend less time uncoiling/coiling a loose cord and putting it away than struggling with this reel.
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60) Submitted by
Steven D Mumford, from Tie Siding, WY
on 7/12/2011
Customer Rating:
Works good. Smooth
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61) Submitted by
Derek, from Fairfax, VA
on 11/30/2011
Customer Rating:
The cord itself is heavy duty and a good value on sale but I'm not too happy with the mounting bracket. First there were no instructions, at all, in the box or online. I can't believe that a heavy item that is intended to be mounted overhead and pulled on doesn't list how to do it safely ie screw it into a stud with long screws. The included screws were crap. They stripped out before I got them halfway into a pine 2x4 using a 12v impact driver. Also the design of the mounting bracket is pretty bad. You can't adjust it for anything except mounting overhead because you can't rotate the blue canister relative to the black bracket. So when I mounted mine under the end of my workbench the cord drags on the cutout and is harder to get in/out. With a few minor alterations this would be a very good product.
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62) Submitted by
Chan. W., from S. Wales, NY
on 4/30/2008
Customer Rating:
Works fine out of the box. However, first impression, quality seems just ok. Cord and receptacle are good quality, but the case has a flimsy feeling, and the cord-ratchet sounds like it might give out after a year or two. Not as solid mechanically as others I've used. The mounting hardware isn't as heavy-duty as I would expect, considering the weight of the reel, and the pulling-on that it will be subject to.
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63) Submitted by
Steven Harris, from Narberth, PA
on 12/6/2011
Customer Rating:
It worked well for a while then then when I was cutting 2" of hard maple my saw-stop died. Blinking both lights and then no lights at all. I emailed saw-stop and believed something wrong with their switch because my band saw was still working from the same outlet. Turns out the band saw was plugged directly into the outlet while the table saw was plugged in using this extension cord. The table saw worked fine once I plug it in directly and sure enough there was no current coming out of the extension cord. I believe internal works melted. Please note the circuit bleaker did not trip and the extension cord is rated for 20 amps.
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64) Submitted by
Dale M Crawford, from Orange Park, FL
on 9/26/2012
Customer Rating:
I have one of these cord reels and two other cord reels that I bought for half the price of this reel. The retraction mechanism in the cheaper reels failed very quickly but the 3 plug cords work fine. The retraction mechanism on my Rockler reel still works fine, but 1 of the 3 plugs doesn't work at all, and another works only sporadically, and often arcs. Now if I could get the cords from the cheaper reels put into the more sturdy Rockler reel, that would be a first class product.
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