Time saving tools

[electricalperson]

This thing actually works! I use it all the time for bending up to 3/4 PVC without a bender.

http://www.thepipeviper.com/index.html

how do you remove it out of the pipe? personally i wouldnt bend pvc without a heat box or blanket

those tight bends might be a little tough to pull around too

 

[K8MHZ]

Alright, I have a little $ that I would like to invest in some tool(s). I would like some recommendations on some of the most time saving tools you own or use.

I do mostly resi, and some light commercial.

I looked at one of these, but really don't see much time savings since I can drill up to 9' ceilings with just the drill.

I've also thought about stilts, things like that. Anyway, that's the type of stuff I was thinking of. Any and most ideas will be considered.

They work *great*. We call ours 'MOAD', for 'Mother Of All Drills', 'Big Moe' for short. Used with a self starting auger bit and a drill stop they are amazingly fast.

 

[K8MHZ]

This thing actually works! I use it all the time for bending up to 3/4 PVC without a bender.

http://www.thepipeviper.com/index.html

Over a hundred bucks to replace a propane torch and a can of 'Zinc-it'?

(The 'Zinc-it' is perfect for hiding those nasty scorch marks)

 

[Rawls007]

how do you remove it out of the pipe? personally i wouldnt bend pvc without a heat box or blanket

those tight bends might be a little tough to pull around too

I've got a piece of romex looped thru the end to pull it out. The bends are a little tight but still manageable as long as the runs aren't too complicated.

 

[hey_poolboy]

I can't bring myself to get the viper. As long as the weather is halfway warm I just bend PVC with my regular bender. You can't get 90's, but offsets and such are fine. You just have to overbend and hold it for a few seconds.

 

[220/221]

I RARELY have to pull out the torch anymore for PVC. I just use 90's and cut them down if I need 45's or whatever.

 

[bigred]

Check out these drill extensions, they are great! www.priceand rutzebeck.com

 

[e57]

How about a trencher? I feel a ton of money is wasted having electricians hand dig trenches. Anyone figured out how long it took to make back their money on a trencher?

Due to the shear economics of scale in my area - no electrician would be caught dead digging a trench - or for that matter many other tasks no one would pay ME to do. Much cheaper to hire laborers to do that - or offer the cost savings to the customer by keeping NIC.

As for tools - the first post had it.... The extendo-drill has my bet in 3rd, behind a carbid hole cutter set for KO's, and the winner being a decent line level to blase out layout time. David White will reduce the expense of Hilti without a compromise in quality of the line...

I think in forth place would be a good TDR unit or tracer - only in this placement due to cost and daily use...

 

[emahler]

I RARELY have to pull out the torch anymore for PVC. I just use 90's and cut them down if I need 45's or whatever.

why not just buy 45's?