Tricks to make yourself last in the trade

[letgomywago]

Everyone has their tricks to last and not break down to fast. And everyone as seen the outcome of the fast and hard living. What's you're favorite tricks.
Mine are.

I eat curry and Mediterranean food as often as possible idk if it'll make a difference but if so cool

I wear carpenter pants when I can to avoid a tool belt which I only use when roping after pulling homeruns and not when making up vs at every chance throwing on the bags

I use a whirlydoodle offset screw driver when I'm doing a lot of straight blade stuff.

There's tons of other things to do and ways to work.

 

[hbiss]

Hire a helper.

-Hal

 

[letgomywago]

Hire a helper.

-Hal

That's like saying how to drive more efficiently and someone says to get more gas

 

[__dan]

That's like saying how to drive more efficiently and someone says to get more gas

Right.

Most guys would just knock off the competition.

And they do it naturally without out thinking about it. The guy who do it effortlessly and accidentally without effort or thought are the most dangerous. No one trains the competition and have not been doing so since at least the 1990's, hence all the old guys working whether they want to or not. Covid helped there to, the one's still kicking.

Wear sweat wicking clothing. 7 oz Tecesafe is excellent. Hard to find even if you know what you're looking for. Wear all sweat wicking layers, nothing with a cotton content (with exceptions), the Carhartt B01 pants, canvas duck coats and bibs..

Give up coffee, all highly processed food (nicotine alcohol), eat from the Vitamix machine. The cigarette smokers are done at 45 and I see them going down the hard way, very unfortunately.

Wear good PPE and have keep use only the best tools.

Those three. No one does them which is why I still have work. No competition for what I do, they get themselves knocked off with no effort on my part.

If you want perpetual employment, vote for ZIRP MMT (Warren Mosler) 0% interest rates. Otherwise no matter what you do the crooks will get it all.

 

[petersonra]

Take care of yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Family time is important.

Vacations, holidays, and weekends are important.

Find things to do off hours that have nothing to do with your job. Take up bowling, or hiking, or knitting.

 

[ptonsparky]

Hire good office help & keep them, or send it out to someone, unless you want to be a bookkeeper. If so, why are you an electrician?

 

[Besoeker3]

Wear good PPE and have keep use only the best tools.

If you want perpetual employment, vote for ZIRP MMT (Warren Mosler) 0% interest rates. Otherwise no matter what you do the crooks will get it all.

Yes, I agree with the PPE kit. In fact it was mandatory for industrial premises.
What/Who is ZIPP?

And for recreation? Get a dog

 

[infinity]

I wear carpenter pants when I can to avoid a tool belt which I only use when roping after pulling homeruns and not when making up vs at every chance throwing on the bags

I agree, skip the tool belt if at all possible. I wore one for 25 years and it did start to affect my lower back. I switched to an apron and have used one ever since.

Buy tools that will save wear and tear on your body. I remember old timers who carried only a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. Leave that old school mentality in the trash bin.

Don't install/remove screws, bolts, anchors, etc. by hand, use an impact gun.

Throw away your hacksaw and use a roto-split for cable and a port-a-band for cutting strut and conduit. For large conduit use a pipe vise not a ladder.

Use wire strippers not your linesman's pliers to strip small conductors.

Summing it all up in one sentence, "always use the proper tool for the job".

 

[ptonsparky]

Sometimes the proper tool is someone else.

 

[petersonra]

Get suspenders for your tool belt.

Padded Tool Belt Suspenders

Amazing deals on this Padded Tool Belt Suspenders at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Limit tools you cart around all the time on your person.

If you have to carry tools around that won't fit in your tool belt with suspenders, throw away your tool box and get a back pack or something with wheels if that can work for you.

 

[mayanees]

Stay physically fit with exercise and some form of cardio.

 

[rc/retired]

Become an inspector.

Ron

 

[garbo]

Everyone has their tricks to last and not break down to fast. And everyone as seen the outcome of the fast and hard living. What's you're favorite tricks.
Mine are.

I eat curry and Mediterranean food as often as possible idk if it'll make a difference but if so cool

I wear carpenter pants when I can to avoid a tool belt which I only use when roping after pulling homeruns and not when making up vs at every chance throwing on the bags

I use a whirlydoodle offset screw driver when I'm doing a lot of straight blade stuff.

There's tons of other things to do and ways to work.

My smart chief electrician dad told me while I was starting out to get very good at troubleshooting. Told me almost anyone can run conduit & install light fixtures. Paid off as I got older. Most times I was the sparky they called to troubleshoot drives, controls & production equipment. Also got a lot of overtime just troubleshooting. One year I had the most overtime of the 800 people in our plant. Was the first sparky in our electric shop to install drawers & 1900 box with 75' cord & a receptacle on work cart. Could store fuses, megger, more tools etc in drawers. Had knee pads, 2" thick mat to knee on and two milk crates that I would sit on. Yep as we get older we work smarter. We had a young sparky who the production foreman called the 20 minute man. Never carried a Voltron tester so he would have to go back to the shop to get it.

 

[kwired]

I agree, skip the tool belt if at all possible. I wore one for 25 years and it did start to affect my lower back. I switched to an apron and have used one ever since.

Buy tools that will save wear and tear on your body. I remember old timers who carried only a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. Leave that old school mentality in the trash bin.

Don't install/remove screws, bolts, anchors, etc. by hand, use an impact gun.

Throw away your hacksaw and use a roto-split for cable and a port-a-band for cutting strut and conduit. For large conduit use a pipe vise not a ladder.

Use wire strippers not your linesman's pliers to strip small conductors.

Summing it all up in one sentence, "always use the proper tool for the job".

If you must use the tool belt, take out the tools you not expecting to need for upcoming tasks. Seen many fairly new guys with a loaded tool belt yet there was a lot of stuff in there that is seldom used enough to justify carrying it around all the time.

 

[kec]

Work only for General contractors who pay their Subs.

 

[garbo]

Was an overweight ( ya fat boy ) maintenance electrician at large companies for 50 enjoyable years. My chief electrician father gave me great advice. Told me to get good no really really good at troubleshooting and keep up with the NEC. Got interested with VFD'S and learned to troubleshoot, install & replace them. Could usually troubleshoot any equipment company had. Did a lot of repairing injection molding machines at a nearby shop. A!ways used knee pads and had several pieces of 2" thick rubber mats to knee on. Would have worked even past 70 if my knees held out. Enjoy going on two vacations and a few 4 day ent ended vacations every year and spending time with the grandkids. Now know every playground & dollar store within 5 miles of our house. Would recommend for every one not to smoke, don't using drugs and only a couple of drinks a week. I gave up drinking when my children were born due to both of my brothers being alcoholics. Drank enough when young especially while working as a field Wireman in Viet Nam. Miss them 15 & 20¢ cold beer. One more thing please invest into a 401 or some other pension plan. I would change my contribution every week ( increase it ) that I worked overtime &/or a extra day. Now between Social Security, two small pensions & nice big 401K taking home more money then when I was working. Plan for the future!

 

[Besoeker3]

Stay physically fit with exercise and some form of cardio.

Yesterday I my physical from my doctor. Not too bad for 77 years. Walking with the dog probably helps...............

 

[mtnelect]

I agree, skip the tool belt if at all possible. I wore one for 25 years and it did start to affect my lower back. I switched to an apron and have used one ever since.

Buy tools that will save wear and tear on your body. I remember old timers who carried only a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. Leave that old school mentality in the trash bin.

Don't install/remove screws, bolts, anchors, etc. by hand, use an impact gun.

Throw away your hacksaw and use a roto-split for cable and a port-a-band for cutting strut and conduit. For large conduit use a pipe vise not a ladder.

Use wire strippers not your linesman's pliers to strip small conductors.

Summing it all up in one sentence, "always use the proper tool for the job".

Wearing a tool belt will guarantee back trouble for life.

 

[letgomywago]

Wearing a tool belt will guarantee back trouble for life.

That's why I use a hard plastic tote when I can

 

[roger]

The title might should have been "Endure in the Trade" instead of "Last"