the electrician of yester-year
- Thread starter -marty
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mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
Re: the electrician of yester-year
I sort of collect old electrical books as I come across one. There has been instruction in the past to wire the recepacle, then pull the wires back out of the box, so that little extra is left in the box. Mystery solved.
I sort of collect old electrical books as I come across one. There has been instruction in the past to wire the recepacle, then pull the wires back out of the box, so that little extra is left in the box. Mystery solved.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Re: the electrician of yester-year
I cringe at the thought of using a brace and bit for boring holes for rough-in. Imagine doing a modern house without power tools! It's no wonder that the holes were barely large enough for the cables.
I cringe at the thought of using a brace and bit for boring holes for rough-in. Imagine doing a modern house without power tools! It's no wonder that the holes were barely large enough for the cables.
charlie tuna
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: the electrician of yester-year
guess many of you guys ever used a "star bit"?
guess many of you guys ever used a "star bit"?
LawnGuyLandSparky
Senior Member
Re: the electrician of yester-year
Or had to drill & tap all of your devices boxes so you could screw the device into it!
Or had to drill & tap all of your devices boxes so you could screw the device into it!
bdarnell
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis, IN
- Occupation
- Retired Engineer
Re: the electrician of yester-year
Hey, I still have my brace and bit. I keep it with my solder pot, indenter tool, and hickey.
Re: the electrician of yester-year
This story sort of goes along with the side job debate going. About 25 years ago a dentist asked me to change the color of his receptacles in his kitchen. Wow, what an easy way to make some extra bucks on a Saturday. I gave him a price. Right on! How easy could this be. Just screw out the old plugs, throw em out and put in the new. I thought side jobs aren't all that bad.
Man, did I get reamed. Once you screwed out the receptacle it didn't move or it came out about 1/4". It seemed like I was there for hours. Up to that point I had only worked new construction. Live and learn.
This story sort of goes along with the side job debate going. About 25 years ago a dentist asked me to change the color of his receptacles in his kitchen. Wow, what an easy way to make some extra bucks on a Saturday. I gave him a price. Right on! How easy could this be. Just screw out the old plugs, throw em out and put in the new. I thought side jobs aren't all that bad.
Man, did I get reamed. Once you screwed out the receptacle it didn't move or it came out about 1/4". It seemed like I was there for hours. Up to that point I had only worked new construction. Live and learn.
Re: the electrician of yester-year
mdshunk - I figured that was the way they were install, so then recepts were installed at rough-in.
genset - that's exactly the job I did only it was for an old friend of the family and it was t&m. On most of the kitchen circuits I put the faceless gfi next to the loadcenter. I wired the entire garage in less time than it took to change out gfi's in kitchen and baths.
mdshunk - I figured that was the way they were install, so then recepts were installed at rough-in.
genset - that's exactly the job I did only it was for an old friend of the family and it was t&m. On most of the kitchen circuits I put the faceless gfi next to the loadcenter. I wired the entire garage in less time than it took to change out gfi's in kitchen and baths.
Re: the electrician of yester-year
I started in the trade in 1994. I still have and occasionally use my brace and bit, star drills, and hicky. I will admit to being unfamiliar with an indenter tool.
As I have told many an apprentice, "Sometimes the old fashioned way is still the best way."
I started in the trade in 1994. I still have and occasionally use my brace and bit, star drills, and hicky. I will admit to being unfamiliar with an indenter tool.
As I have told many an apprentice, "Sometimes the old fashioned way is still the best way."
LawnGuyLandSparky
Senior Member
Re: the electrician of yester-year
Speaking of cordless...
I still have the Makita's, 7.2, 9.6 and an odd-L shaped 12v battery style cordless drill drivers from 12+ years ago (my own personal) which is for my own personal use.
The 12v battery is no longer available, for the 12v drill, (which also accepts the 9.6v battery) and the 7.2 and 9.6 batteries are giving up the ghost. I'm thinking it's time for a whole new cordless package deal.
What's the skinny of Milwakee cordless? DeWalt? Porter Cable? Hilti? The goal is battery compatibility between as many tools as possible. I was impressed with the Hilti cordless 1/2" hammerdrill, during a tunnel job it lasted longer than I did.
Speaking of cordless...
I still have the Makita's, 7.2, 9.6 and an odd-L shaped 12v battery style cordless drill drivers from 12+ years ago (my own personal) which is for my own personal use.
The 12v battery is no longer available, for the 12v drill, (which also accepts the 9.6v battery) and the 7.2 and 9.6 batteries are giving up the ghost. I'm thinking it's time for a whole new cordless package deal.
What's the skinny of Milwakee cordless? DeWalt? Porter Cable? Hilti? The goal is battery compatibility between as many tools as possible. I was impressed with the Hilti cordless 1/2" hammerdrill, during a tunnel job it lasted longer than I did.
pierre
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
Re: the electrician of yester-year
When I got into the trade, there were no battery operated tools, and most power tools were metallic - heavy...no electronic breaks on any of the tools either, skill saws just kept spinning when you put them down.
The Union would not even allow us to use the Jersy screwdriver as it was too fast.... picture that.
I remember the first time I used a sawzall, it was very cool.
When I got into the trade, there were no battery operated tools, and most power tools were metallic - heavy...no electronic breaks on any of the tools either, skill saws just kept spinning when you put them down.
The Union would not even allow us to use the Jersy screwdriver as it was too fast.... picture that.
I remember the first time I used a sawzall, it was very cool.
electricmanscott
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, MA
Re: the electrician of yester-year
God help your apprentice.
Re: the electrician of yester-year
They used those indenters in a lot of homes in some areas here. Seems like the ones you want to take apart hold the best while the others fall apart.
They would pull the wires tight with pipe in some old homes. The best is when they had the Desbar switches. You could have 6 switches with some 3 ways in a 2 gang. Then they would pull the wires tight to make it fit.
Seems like they noched the studs alot around here in the old places. Or they would run the pipes between the layers of floor under the finished wood floor.
The best is when they ran all the homeruns in EMT under the cement.
Tom
Tom
They used those indenters in a lot of homes in some areas here. Seems like the ones you want to take apart hold the best while the others fall apart.
They would pull the wires tight with pipe in some old homes. The best is when they had the Desbar switches. You could have 6 switches with some 3 ways in a 2 gang. Then they would pull the wires tight to make it fit.
Seems like they noched the studs alot around here in the old places. Or they would run the pipes between the layers of floor under the finished wood floor.
The best is when they ran all the homeruns in EMT under the cement.
Tom
Tom
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