Locking electrical cords together

If you’ve ever had a power-tool cord part company with an extension cord, you can appreciate the need to secure them to one another in some fashion. One way is to tie them together in a knot. But that creates an ungainly bundle of cords that inevitably will snag on the first obstacle it encounters.

A simple solution to this problem is to lock the two cords together with a piece of nonstranded electrical wire. As shown in the drawing, the wire wraps around one cord at the base of the socket, then around the other cord and back. A piece of wire about 20 in. long, either 12 ga. or 14 ga., works well. When not in use, leave the wire wrapped around one of the cords for the next time you need it.

S.J. Chant, Wyalusing, PA