Hand Tools

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jhrper

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Hello all,
I am an electrical construction and maintenance student and am trying to get into the trade and I would like to thank you all for this forum and site. As a student this site has been invaluable. I wanted to ask you all for some advice on tools: what basic hand tools do you all recommend for an apprentice's tool belt and what brand is your favorite? Thanks.
 
jhrper said:
what basic hand tools do you all recommend for an apprentice's tool belt and what brand is your favorite?
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Welcome to the forum Jhrper, nice to meet you! Call me old fashioned - but I carry mostly Klein hand tools. Such as my Lineman's, Dikes, & Needle-nose pliers. Did you know that the Klein plier handles are color coded? Dark blue being made of the hardest metal, then light blue, red, and yellow being the softest? I always buy the dark blue, except that for some reason, the needle-nose only come in yellow. (Oh yeah, i also have orange Lineman's for High Voltage)

All my screwdrivers and nut drivers are Klein too. But my "Chanel Locks" are made by Chanel Lock (go figure)

Like most guys, I wore a leather tool belt. But I switched to the padded nylon tool belt and I LOVE it.
 
Welcome to the forum
I don't recommend the belt & pouch.
Klein tools, Klein canvas bag to carry your tools.
But I personnaly wear a nail apron to carry screws, wirenuts etc,
And, in my pockets I always carry Sidecutters, Ideal Wire stripper, & 3 screw drivers( trim, regular & phillips)
Don't get into the lazy macho habit of striping insulation with your side cutters, use a stripper. WHoops thats another thread.
I don't need 15 lbs of tools around my waist that I may not even use today.


Grasshopper,
When you can grab the wirenut from my hand, it will be time for your journeymans exam.
 
Tools

Tools

Welcome jhrper,

Klein tools are the way to go. It has always been worth the money spent!

As for the tool belt... ...I have one but it is heavy. If you are required to wear one as a student, get a pouch for the opposite side to balance out all the weight! Otherwise, I prefer bibbed over-alls. You dont wear out so many blue jeans, and they have all the pockets that you can put tools in.

Good luck in the trade!

Matt
 
Welcome to the forum....

I agree in that I also use Klien tools....I used to wear the pouch all day for my first couple of years....used to be a joke around here back in the 80's...you can always tell a rookie because he has every tool under the sun in his/her pouch and only end up using 3-4 of them a day.

When I am roughing in I only have my Linemans, Strippers and (2) screw drivers on a mini pouch made of leather also from Klien.

I was also one of the old school guys....strip my wire and NM jackets with my Linemans...until I got a Klien stripper with the built in NM stripper....now I would not be without it....makes it SOOOO easy and a neat job.

But starting out is where you should spend the money to get what you will need if you can afford it.....

1.) Nice Sidecutters - Klien again is my choice
2.) Nice Wire Strippers- One that does NM jackets and strips wire is NICE
3.) Screw Drivers- Small and Large head - Again Klien is my choice
4.) Additional Set of Screw Drivers - Smaller Trim Style.
5.) A nice set of channel locks- Never know when you need the grip..:)
6.) Wiggy Screwdriver- CAN'T live without mine...( bend shank design )
7.) Get you a nice Volt Meter....
8.) Personally...A nice complete Klien nutdriver set is great..I use mine..lol
9.) Oh...I also suggest a non-contact voltage tester...better safe than sorry...
10.) A good quality hammer....

also as someone else said...I also wear a nail apron with assortment of screws and so on...I have two actually..one for trim outs with 8/32's and 6/32's and so on...nuts and bolts...and I keep one for rough in's with staples, a few nail plates if needed and wire nuts....you get the picture...

AS for full tool belts- I was a leather guy for 15 years and then got one of those full wrap around tool belts with the back support made of that heavy nylon....made also by Klien...well I am never going back to the old leather " Stretch Marks" style toolbelt....love my Klien Full Belt...thehe..when I wear it...

Nice to wear it on a service all...you look important..thehehehe and they know why the bill is so high...to pay for those tools you are wearing..:)
 
Thanks for the advice. I figured that Klein would be the tool of choice. They seem to make a better product than the other guys. A little pricey but you do seem to get what you pay for and cheap tools will work you to death. I didn't know they were color coded I'll have to keep that in mind. Thanks for your help
 
yep...pay more now they will last twice as long because they are quality tools...pay cheap now...and you will need to replacement sooner....and once you break in a good set of tools......who wants to replace them....:)
 
difinitely pay for klein up front!
I usually do maintenance type stuff, and need a large variety of tools.
Maguire Nicholas makes a nice bag that i like.

It is chocked full of klein tools. I do prefer channel lock brand channel locks.
Ideal reflex are my prefered strippers.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum!!
 
Minuteman said:
Welcome to the forum Jhrper, nice to meet you! Call me old fashioned - but I carry mostly Klein hand tools. Such as my Lineman's, Dikes, & Needle-nose pliers. Did you know that the Klein plier handles are color coded? Dark blue being made of the hardest metal, then light blue, red, and yellow being the softest? I always buy the dark blue, except that for some reason, the needle-nose only come in yellow. (Oh yeah, i also have orange Lineman's for High Voltage)
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Curious as to where you got this info?
 
[Klien hand tools...]

[Carhartt clothes...]

[Redwing boots..]

[Fibre-Metal brain bucket]..(hard hat for the noobs :D )

[Craftsman wrenches and rachets

[Ideal testers]...but I just bought a [Greenlee tester] that seems ok

Whatever you get...you MUST have:
- tools that will last - good tools cost more, but last longer so they are actually cheaper
- clothes that will last - sure Levi's and a t-shirt work, but Carhartt will last longer (cheaper again).
- For cold weather, NOTHING beats Carhartt (just my totally unbiased opinion)
- Footwear - possibly the most important item...if your feet hurt, you're done. I have 4 pairs of boots...in various heights and insulation....and don't cheap out on the socks :)
- Depending on the job, one may be provided for you...or may not even be required. My job/s require/d a hard hat. I opted (at my own expense) to buy hats that are comfortable and that I liked AND was not "the bear minimum required".
- Craftsman wrenches and rachets have a lifetime warranty ~ need I say more? (ok, the screwdrives are uncomfortable to use all day long)

Yes, it's a small fortune...but you don't need everything at once.
 
That was a good tip on hardness of tools, soft tools made to cut copper, can be picked up on a job, by someone looking to cut steel wire, say good buy to cutter.

The tools for the job have changed, now they have new ones, designed to prevent, the pain, and numbness many of us suffer.
 
What ever you do what ever tools you buy LOCK them up. My tools were stolen out of my Van a month ago. They got everything but a screwdriver and a pair of Klien strippers. My insurance was quick to write me a check but what a time I had replacing it all. Spending spree was fun but wish I hadden't had to do it. I too use klien hand tools and the nylon pouch with a padded belt, unlike some others I can not operate well without my tools easy at hand. I don't load my pouch down with every tool. I carry my bucket pouch in to the job and depending on the task at hand load and unload my waist pouch with what I need. on the right- tools, on the left- three large pouches with wire nuts, staples, gromets. I have a cell phone holster and a hammer holster, those to tools are only there when I need them. If i need to get in a tight place i can grab the tools I need and drop the belt.

I have a side question. Is it just me or can others tell when they pick up a tool and put it in their hand that it is not theirs even if it is the identical tool as your co-worker.
 
Minuteman said:
Did you know that the Klein plier handles are color coded? Dark blue being made of the hardest metal, then light blue, red, and yellow being the softest? I always buy the dark blue, except that for some reason, the needle-nose only come in yellow. (Oh yeah, i also have orange Lineman's for High Voltage)
Click to expand...

It isn't that simple. The linesmans with the heavy duty cutting edge are the 2000 series, most of which seem to be listed as "Royal Blue" in the Klein catalog. Light red means they have heavy duty handles, the metal parts are the same. Dark blue are mostly the regular ones. Yellow is the regular grade linesman with the crimper. The regular dikes are red, with the heavy duty cutting ones being royal blue. Like the side cutters, the heavy duty ones are 2000 series. The long nose are pretty much all yellow, but they don't make a heavy duty cutting long nose.
 
As everyone else said and ...

Code book, Ugly's book, DeWalt 4 piece , Ideal benders , Greenlee Uni bits 1/2-1" , Greenlee knock out set , klein reaming tool, band saw , torpedo lvl ( can't think of the name but the one with killer magnets and costs like 30 bucks) , Klein stubby screw drivers and hold-it screwdriver ( don't use'em much but when needed ... ) Lenox hole saw kit, construction type radio :) , Bosch drill bits , Ideal fish tape, Husky drill holster for your tool belt (I love these when running conduit) Knaack gang box :)

I could spend your money all night long :p
 
For years I had nothing but Klein tools. Recently(the last 8-9 months) I have been won over to Ideal's line of tools with the exception of their angle head dikes. I still prefer Klein's model of angle head dikes. As far as "channel lock type" pliers, I discovered the Knipex brand last winter. I have a set of 6" that are thin jawed just for locknut torquing! Pushbutton release for changing size with one hand is another handy feature. Cost is about the same as Klein and the warranty is as good or better, depending on where you buy them.
 
infinity said:
Curious as to where you got this info?
Click to expand...

Upon occasion, a tool either is kidnapped from my tool belt, or, commits suicide and jumps out of the bag and into a deep hiding spot, FORCING me to replace it.

On one such occasion, I bought a red handled pair of dikes(since they were cheeper). As memory serves, we did a lot of demo work shortly after buying the red dikes. Cutting old MC and nails and the like. Those dikes began to get awfully dull. So I took them back to the supply house for a warranty.

"Sorry", the counter guy said, "You abused these, the Klein red handle pliers are not hardened like the blue." And he schooled me right then and there all about them Klein tools!

So Trevor, that's my source. However, I spent about 30 minutes on the Klein site tonight, trying to confirm everything, but for some reason their site is s-u-p-e-r s-l-o-w.
 
Hate to admit it but my tools now are a pencil and a notepad. I used to carry tools and do work but those days are far and few between for me. I really enjoyed the work end because it was when I relaxed.

What tools I do have are Klien also. Except for Channel Lock pliers. As far as wrenches, allen wrenches and sockets I have been using the Husky brand from Home Depot and they seem fine.

Good luck !!
 
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