Electricians

8

86bluecobra

Advanced Member
Dec 20, 2004
4,265
12
69
B.C. Canada
#1
Any Electricians in here? I'm just starting my apprenticeship and I need to know what Tools I should buy. My company provides me with a good multi meter so I have that covered. Basically I want to know what kinda tool pouch\kit you use. I have been told Klien is very good. Here is a couple links to a few of there kits:

http://www.kleintools.com/ In the search type in 80118
80028
80141

What do you guys recommend? Is there a kit from SnapOn, Proto, etc, etc?
 

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#2
lol that funny because im starting my apprenticeship monday! my tool list consisted of an 18v cordless drill (which i already had) a set of klein side cutters, wire strippers and crimpers, a set of 440 channel locks, a good set of screwdrivers, some dikes (also prefered to be klein), a hammer, hacksaw, and a few other little things i might have left out, but those are the big-uns. a good friend of mine, who's a 2nd year helped me do all my shopping at sears, and to be honest, the only things you need to buy klein are the cutting/crimping tools, everything else can be whatever.
 
#3
Goto home depo and get somthing small for your side.. somthing to Hold a screw driver, razor knife, utility knife (to stripe wire with out scaring the copper) hammer.. get a 10 in 1 screw driver... it will help you!.. i dont recommend getting an 18v.. you will have to carry that everyday... i bought a 9v and its still Strong, Small and light!.. the only thing would need an 18v for is straping out side service cable and odds are you wont do that for another year or so.. since you new i would get a Hot cheacker too.. blicks and sounds off is somthing your about to touch is live.. measureing tape (fat max 25') lines men, <-(Kline)-> Side Cutters.. if you Get luck at home depo or lowes they have a Box set of lines men, side cutters and wire strippers at a disount box set price.. Buy a plug tester too, with a GFI test on it.. Just has a Botton on it to Test the GFi Plug.. ill make more of a list later, im running late for work now...
 
#4
Looks like you guys got it covered pretty well before I could chime in. I've been in the trade for about 6 years on and off through school and full time since graduation. Klein is easily to say the best set of tools out there for the electrical so you arent throwin your money out when ya buy a set. A little beep tester is nice to have don't let it get wet or sweat on it they don't care for alot of moisture and start working inaccurately and the plug tester with the gfci button is great to have also saves alot of time and hassel. You might wanna invest in a good set of nut drivers along with some allen wrenches and allen sockets they will be used often later down the line when you start doing panel box work. Carry a variety of screw drivers I most commonly use myself is a pretty hefty straight slot of torqin down on some screws and its the next best thing to a crowbar :D and I carry a little trim driver for wallplates. A phillips head screw driver will be your best friend on ceiling fans thats all every screw is on those things pretty much. Most of your electricians like to use screw lock tipped screws for fastening usually a #10 and sometimes youll run across #12's so you may wanna grab a couple screwlock drivers. I usually fasten all my stuff with a #10 5/16 hex head screw 1 inch to inch and a half screws the heads dont strip as easy and you can take them out at an angle a little easier than you can with a screw lock. You'll need a couple pairs of channel locks mostly used for crimping the plastic locks on romex connectors. Last but not least invest in a good class A 6 foot fiberglass ladder(usually the orange colored ones) to help keep ya from gettin zapped when working on hot ceiling objects like fans and flourescent lights. Just a little trick for ya to know if you're gonna leave your pvc glue outside in the back of the truck being weathered store it with the lid facing down. It keeps moisture from seeping into the container and turning your glue into gel basically. I forgot to mention an 18v drill with a Sawzall you'll never use it enough. Smaller drills are nice for finishing homes doing receptacles and switches but you really need the larger stuff for drilling holes and doing anything with masonry. But that list should get ya along for a while. Good luck with your apprenticeship and be careful.
 
#6
I graduated from out IBEW apprenticeship back in 2000.

Klein is pretty good stuff. The only stuff that I have that isn't Klein are my Channel Locks. Around here an apprentice's tool list is pretty much like this:

1 pair side cutters
2 pairs of channel locks (1 420 and 1 430)
various straight and phillips screwdrivers
1 pair needle nose pliers
1 pair wire strippers
1 6' folding rule (everyone has tape measures)
pocket knife
pencil

Other stuff that you will make your job easier you are welcome to provide to a point, above is just the required stuff. Most guys have a set of spintites, allen wrenches, crimpers etc. Stuff like battery drills, sawzalls and the rest are provided by the contractor. No way in hell I am taking my personal power tools on a construction site to get beat up.

Good luck with the apprenticeship. I am pretty lucky in that most people go to work because the HAVE to, the truly do not enjoy their jobs. I lucked out and ended up in a trade that I really enjoy so going to work usually isn't something I dread. There are certain things I don't like but no matter what you do and how much you like it that will always be the case.

Is your apprenticeship union or non union? How long is it. Mine was a total of 5 years.
 
#7
90mustang_GT5.0 said:
Goto home depo and get somthing small for your side.. somthing to Hold a screw driver, razor knife, utility knife (to stripe wire with out scaring the copper) hammer.. get a 10 in 1 screw driver... it will help you!.. i dont recommend getting an 18v.. you will have to carry that everyday... i bought a 9v and its still Strong, Small and light!.. the only thing would need an 18v for is straping out side service cable and odds are you wont do that for another year or so.. since you new i would get a Hot cheacker too.. blicks and sounds off is somthing your about to touch is live.. measureing tape (fat max 25') lines men, <-(Kline)-> Side Cutters.. if you Get luck at home depo or lowes they have a Box set of lines men, side cutters and wire strippers at a disount box set price.. Buy a plug tester too, with a GFI test on it.. Just has a Botton on it to Test the GFi Plug.. ill make more of a list later, im running late for work now...
Click to expand...

i have makita's lithium-ion 18v drill and impact combo and even though the drill is plenty light, the impact is almost 3lbs lighter then any other 18v. when i was doing canopies i literally had that thing hangin off of me from 8am to around 5pm lol. it honestly wasn't that bad.
 
#8
RYC CUKR said:
I graduated from out IBEW apprenticeship back in 2000.

Klein is pretty good stuff. The only stuff that I have that isn't Klein are my Channel Locks. Around here an apprentice's tool list is pretty much like this:

1 pair side cutters
2 pairs of channel locks (1 420 and 1 430)
various straight and phillips screwdrivers
1 pair needle nose pliers
1 pair wire strippers
1 6' folding rule (everyone has tape measures)
pocket knife
pencil

Other stuff that you will make your job easier you are welcome to provide to a point, above is just the required stuff. Most guys have a set of spintites, allen wrenches, crimpers etc. Stuff like battery drills, sawzalls and the rest are provided by the contractor. No way in hell I am taking my personal power tools on a construction site to get beat up.

Good luck with the apprenticeship. I am pretty lucky in that most people go to work because the HAVE to, the truly do not enjoy their jobs. I lucked out and ended up in a trade that I really enjoy so going to work usually isn't something I dread. There are certain things I don't like but no matter what you do and how much you like it that will always be the case.

Is your apprenticeship union or non union? How long is it. Mine was a total of 5 years.
Click to expand...



lol i know it isn't directed towards me, but im starting monday non-union, which i dont really like, in fact i was kind of forced into it, but im going over the our union hall today to put in an application.
 
#10
Are you union?

All you really need is basic hand tools: screwdrivers, cutters, channel locks, hack saw ect. The rest of the stuff your shop should provide. I used to be IBEW (international brotherhood of electrical workers) but I quit because I was always getting laid off. Work wasn't steady. I was in the telecom division.
 
#14
I just use sears craftsman screwdrivers but I bought them years ago and they had the lifetime warranty with it so when tips broke or handles came loose I just take them back and get replacements for free. I'm not sure if they have that available to all customers still. I've insulated some tools just using heatshrink like on my ratchet extension and some nut drivers which works just as well.
 
#15
I pretty much use all Klein screwdrivers. I believe that they are also lifetime guaranteed. I have never been that impressed with craftsman's quality in hand tools like sidecutters, diagonals and the like. Their screwdrivers are ok.

I wouldn't go out and invest in a set of insulated tools just yet. In fact alot of times the contractor's provide them if you are going to be doing a lot of hot work.

The company that I work for is pretty much an industrial contractor. For the past 8 years all that I have worked on is water plant and wastewater plant construction.

carbed87,

You gotta start where you can. Kinda get your foot in the door. The union is a pretty good gig. There are certain things and viewpoints that lots of the members hold that I don't agree with but overall it is a good thing. Before I started as an union apprentice and then journeyman I was decidedly anti union but after seeing the benefits that can be had I adjusted my thinking a little. The retirement and pension is pretty good. In our health insurance the contractor pays for the insurance so it doesn't really come out of your check per se and it covers you, your wife and kids at no extra charge. The benefits that I get and don't come out of my check are really nice.

Right now as a foreman I make $22.39/hr on my check but if you add in the benefits (insurance, pension, annuity, etc) it comes up to around $30/hr. Keeps me in go fast parts. :D
 
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