Getting a van!

[wewirepgh]

klien screwdrivers

klien screwdrivers

klien has big letters on there handles that dig into your and the metal that they use is weak buy Wera Kraftform Plus Series 300 you won't be sorry :smile:

 

[growler]

Since I have passed my journeymans test they say they will give me a van at work, so i was wondering what tools you think i will need. I have all the handtools, basic meter, and cordless tools. We mostly do service work and resi. So what tools do you think I will need?

As a service tech. I don't think it's that bad for an employee to have his own tools just as long as he is compenstated for the expense. Each guy is going to have certain tools that he prefers to work with. On a service call just himself and maybe a helper will be working with said tools. Many companies pay a commision on service work so the tech is almost self employed anyway.

But and this is a big but, on a new construcion job I don't see any way that each employee could keep up with all of their own power tools. That's why you set up a tool room or tool trailer and let the guys sign out tools as needed. For construction a guy should show with hand tools and that's it every employee doesn't need his own personal gang box.

Most machinist and mechanics have their own tools ( they are the only one's to use or even touch those tools ). They keep top quality tools, keep them in good shape and are there to make money.

 

[jrannis]

As a service tech. I don't think it's that bad for an employee to have his own tools just as long as he is compenstated for the expense. Each guy is going to have certain tools that he prefers to work with. On a service call just himself and maybe a helper will be working with said tools. Many companies pay a commision on service work so the tech is almost self employed anyway.

But and this is a big but, on a new construcion job I don't see any way that each employee could keep up with all of their own power tools. That's why you set up a tool room or tool trailer and let the guys sign out tools as needed. For construction a guy should show with hand tools and that's it every employee doesn't need his own personal gang box.

Most machinist and mechanics have their own tools ( they are the only one's to use or even touch those tools ). They keep top quality tools, keep them in good shape and are there to make money.

I kinda cringe when I hear electricians called "technicians". Sounds like they are refering someone barely trained and not a skilled craftsman.

 

[peter d]

I think geography plays into this as well. I can say with almost complete certainty that there are no contractors in New England that require anything more than basic hand tools. I say that because if a contractor were to come along with some of the tool lists posted in this thread, they would be laughed out of town, because you could then go down the street to work for the EC who provides everything but the basics.

To my knowledge the local IBEW's have a tool list that is basically only hand tools. The contractors are required to provide the rest.

 

[celtic]

To my knowledge the local IBEW's have a tool list that is basically only hand tools. The contractors are required to provide the rest.

Not every EC is a signatory IBEW contractor.

Comparing the two - signatory, tools supplied; non signatory, no tools supplied - is trying to compare apples and oranges.

 

[growler]

I kinda cringe when I hear electricians called "technicians". Sounds like they are refering someone barely trained and not a skilled craftsman.

In the construction industry electricians may be thought of as highy skilled craftsmen but to the average homeowner an electrician is a goon with a screw driver and side cutters.

A technician is the highy trained individual they are used to working with ( they just paid the guy that worked on their copier $125 an hour and he was a techincian and guess who repaired their computer). They are willing to pay more for an automotive techician than for a mechanic. When they see a service man with a crisp uniform, name tag and pocket protector they shell out for a service technician.

It's all semantics any way. Does anyone really believe that a sanitation engineer actually has a degree in garbage collecting?

For construction the word "electrician" works just fine but for service work "technician" seems to work better. As a matter of fact you can't beat the phrase, " Certified Service Technician" ( sounds like he might actually know what he's doing).

The average American is not impressed by the word electrician because the guys that wired their house were electricians and they couldn't even speak english and were living in the back of a van.

I personally think we should be referred to as "Wizards" because customers often wish us to perform magic.

 

[electricalperson]

The average American is not impressed by the word electrician because the guys that wired their house were electricians and they couldn't even speak english and were living in the back of a van.

were they actually licensed electricians or just help?

 

[jrannis]

In the construction industry electricians may be thought of as highy skilled craftsmen but to the average homeowner an electrician is a goon with a screw driver and side cutters.

A technician is the highy trained individual they are used to working with ( they just paid the guy that worked on their copier $125 an hour and he was a techincian and guess who repaired their computer). They are willing to pay more for an automotive techician than for a mechanic. When they see a service man with a crisp uniform, name tag and pocket protector they shell out for a service technician.

It's all semantics any way. Does anyone really believe that a sanitation engineer actually has a degree in garbage collecting?

For construction the word "electrician" works just fine but for service work "technician" seems to work better. As a matter of fact you can't beat the phrase, " Certified Service Technician" ( sounds like he might actually know what he's doing).

The average American is not impressed by the word electrician because the guys that wired their house were electricians and they couldn't even speak english and were living in the back of a van.

I personally think we should be referred to as "Wizards" because customers often wish us to perform magic.

What about "real electricians not just technicians"?

 

[Sparky555]

A quick search of "ibew electrician tools" brought up...

"Electricians generally furnish their own tools, including screwdrivers, pliers, knives, and hacksaws. Employers furnish heavier tools, such as pipe threaders, conduit benders and most test meters and power tools."

My cousin was an IBEW apprentice several years ago & I thought he said a hacksaw & tape measure were all he was required to have.

At the other extreme, I was at a party a few years ago & across the street is an old plumbers truck. The guys employer made him make payments on the truck & he got it when he left...payments & all with the company lettering on it.

 

[MA_Electrician1]

You shouldn't be paying for tools if its not your own company. They only thing i think you should supply is hand tools and a cordless drill.

 

[bwiring]

i agree with Dawgs.......there is no reason that you should have to buy anything but hand tools. Any contractor who makes you buy other tools is taking advantage of you. You have a license now, get a job with a good contractor.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Since I have passed my journeymans test they say they will give me a van at work, so i was wondering what tools you think i will need. I have all the handtools, basic meter, and cordless tools. We mostly do service work and resi. So what tools do you think I will need?

normally, your hand tools are what you furnish as a JW. the contractor
furnishes everything else. your employer buying the tools for you, and
deducting it off your gross is a common (and illegal) thing that is done.
you avoid having to pay taxes on the money, and the employer ends up
with a line 179 deduction for small tools, so they get a deduction either
way. large shops won't do it, but it's common in smaller shops.

deducting it off your net is legal, but not nearly as much fun. :smile:

now, this is a dumb question, but why would you want to do this?

you accept all the wear and tear and risk of loss.... and you don't
share in the profits any more than a paycheck, right?

most IBEW locals have a tool list.... that's a good place to start....
open shop or union shop, the tools are the same...

here's a couple photos.... it doesn't look like much, but there's meters,
meggers, laser rangefinder, digital 6" pocket torpedo level, a ton of
stuff packed in there.... the only thing that isn't a sparky thing was
the D/A sander in the second photo.... all the stuff in those two
photos is listed on a spreadsheet for insurance purposes, and the
replacement value is $7,325.

then theres the cable pulling stuff, wirefeed and plasma cutter,
all the battery tools, and hydraulic ko set, and porta power, and
and and and.... and on and on....

how much of this do you want to buy before you just say fooey
and pull your own license?

randy

 

[Buck Parrish]

Shower caps. Wear them on your shoes on carpet.

 

[quogueelectric]

I agree a lead man should have most of that, but beyond the basics the company should be supplying them.

I don't think office workers have to provide their own staplers and desks.

That is probably a 5000 dollar tool list it is bull dung that anyone not in thier own buisness should provide this much in tools.

 

[wireguru]

all the stuff in those two
photos is listed on a spreadsheet for insurance purposes, and the
replacement value is $7,325.

i bet the festool stuff is about half of that 7k :smile:

 

[Fulthrotl]

i bet the festool stuff is about half of that 7k :smile:

$1,836.... it just feels like half...

it's a funny thing... nothing gets said in industrial or commercial
situations, but in residential situations, when i roll in and go to work,
it's the housewives who remark about the setup.... i've had numerous
remarks asking where to get the stuff.... women want to buy it for
their husbands... it's happened often enough i keep a couple of festool
catalogs in the van.

i'll hand them a catalog and go to work, and after a little while, they'll
return the catalog, and ask why is it so much money?

i don't have a good answer for that, but once you've used the stuff,
well.... at this point, for me, life is too short for harbor freight, y'know?

randy

 

[rt66electric]

Back to ryans question, what tools to get?? When I was a greenhorn, If I ever had to borrow a certain type of hand tool, I would put I on my buy list. I also kept a $100 in my pocket and would play pawn shop. Every now and then somebody would be willing to "pawn" or sell decent tools ( big drills, K O's bandsaw etc) for half price or less. Buy as little as you can to get by with, but have bucks ready for the good deals. When I did go out on my own I didn't need to buy much. DENNIS