who owns the tools you use

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The reason for the IBEW tool list is that, on large jobs guys leave their tools in the gang box overnight and on weekends.
Sometimes, either the gang boxes get broken into or completely stolen. Its required that the contractor replace any tools that were stolen from a secure storage. Usually only the tools that were on the tool list are bought as replacements. The arrangement saves lots of misunderstandings.
Any time or labor saving tool or device is provided and replaced by the contractor and maintained by the electricians
 
my company said my meter is a waste of money. same with my megger. same with any tool i have. cordless dremel for removing red paint from steel beams? WASTE OF MONEY! anyone wonder why i want to leave?
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Your boss is a hack, hopefully you can get on with a company that appreciates your education, training and professionalism.
 
My first task at a new job was to order my tools. I think it was about $1600 worth. Mostly handtools. I was responsible for them when I left. They sent my DVM out for testing annually along with my other PPE. They gave us uniforms, and boots. Pretty nice set up. I guess I got spoiled. when I left that company to go to a new one I called in the shop asking about a lock out set. I was questioned like I was trying to steel something. I had to supply everything when I was at that company. Power and larger tools they supplied. For what it was worth I just brought my own junk in. I only stayed there for about 1.5 years.

Now I just show up with no hand tools just a warm body to companies :) much easier this way.

I guess it comes down to how bad someone needs work done and how bad you want to work when it comes to who supplies the tools.
 
Foreman: "Who are you?"
Joe : "The new guy. Joe."
Foreman: "Where are your tools?"
Joe: "My partner has 'em."
Foreman: "Who is your partner?"
Joe: "You didn't give me one yet."
:grin:
 
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
Foreman: "Who are you?"
Joe : "The new guy. Joe."
Foreman: "Where are your tools?"
Joe: "My partner has 'em."
Foreman: "Who is your partner?"
Joe: "You didn't give me one yet."
:grin:
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were is my tool buddie
 
Lemme see if I can remember...

Me: All basic hand tools, testing equipment (meter, plug tester), bags, and sawzall, drill etc. Basically the stuff I used everyday.

Them: Hole Hawg, KO set, portabands, benders, meggars and telecom test equip.
 
When I started out in the trade a Brace and Bit was on the tool list. Also a Yankee screwdriver.

I worked for many companies ans saw these items on their tool lists well into the late 80's and erly 90's.
 
76nemo said:
Same here, I work for myself, when I get called for a service and don't have the right tool, running to the supply house doesn't cut it.
On the other hand, no one, I mean no one borrows my tools. I hate saying no, but it is how it is. No hard feelings:cool:
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Same here. I work for myself and all my tools are mine. I love these tools. They help me to keep eating every day and living indoors.I don't lend them out just like I don't lend my wife out. I worked on a big commercial project a while back and was surprised by how many of the "electricians" didn't even own a 1/2 in. conduit bender, much less power drills, sawzalls, etc.Every once in a while some one complains about how much I charge and when I tell them it takes thousands of dollars worth of tools to do what I do I think it helps them to understand. More so than explaining my education,experience,etc.:)
 
Over the years of my working for other EC's, I managed to collect (or, shall I say, get to buy forcibly) a great arsenal of tools. Drills, ladders, KO sets, meters, locator, telcom butt set, toner, IR thermometer, etc. etc. I did, however, take my own high-$ tools to the job sites back then, but only when I was to use them, and they went home with me at the end of the day. I did this for my own convenience and not to put money in the boss's pockets.

If I was asked by the boss to bring a tool, I would simply ask, "Do you want me to send you a bill for the rental, or do you simply want to add it to my paycheck?" Made my point crystal clear.

When I ended up hanging out my own shingle, I was already far better equipped (both in quantity and quality) than most of the large outfits in town.
 
We supplied the battery drills until we noticed that we were replacing about 2 a month from theft and misuse. So we ended that
 
I dont mean to change the topic but the supply house that I frequent sells "Metabo" hammerdrills. They are a bit more expensive than alot of the ones at Big Orange. Has anyone used one of these tools? and what do you think of them? I would imagine that they are good only for the fact that they are not made in China. I beileve Metabo's are made in Germany. That is probably a sign of a good tool. any opinions. I am in the market for a heavy hammer drill and any help would be great.
 
Marc you are the undisputed king of Google. Thanks for the info, my friend had purchased a Bosh hammer drill for HD and it burned out after a couple of months, these look like the real deal.
 
tonyou812 said:
... my friend had purchased a Bosh hammer drill for HD and it burned out after a couple of months, these look like the real deal.
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Bosch is a fine name. What I'd rather think is that he bought the wrong drill for the duty he was putting it to. These things have a max diameter that they're designed for. I know for a fact that many hammer drills have been burned up by using them to drill diameters they were never intended to. The pistol grip hammer drills, for instance, normally only have a 3/8" max. The one's that look like a "real" hammer drill, but come with a cheap price, normally have a 7/8" max. You really got to look at that closely and think about what you're going to be drilling. I buy one that will do up to a 2" regular twist masonry bit, and up to a 6" thinwall core bit. Pretty hard to burn one of them up.
 
tonyou812 said:
I dont mean to change the topic but the supply house that I frequent sells "Metabo" hammerdrills. They are a bit more expensive than alot of the ones at Big Orange. Has anyone used one of these tools? and what do you think of them? I would imagine that they are good only for the fact that they are not made in China. I beileve Metabo's are made in Germany. That is probably a sign of a good tool. any opinions. I am in the market for a heavy hammer drill and any help would be great.
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I've only used two Metabo tools (corded hammer drill, angle grinder) and that was in the early 90's so things may have changed some since then. But my experience was that the tool was no better than the B&D Industrial (now called DeWalt) or the Milwaukee tools we otherwise used BUT! man oh man were their part prices high and worse yet, were very hard to get.
 
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I'm a pawn shop junkie, but particular about what I buy at a pawn shop. I found a Metabo hammer drill in a pawn shop for $125. I think it is the biggest one Metabo makes. A friend, who is in the concrete business, said it is probably a $700-$800 hammer drill. It is a very good drill, very good quality.
I also have a couple of Bosch hammer drills. Very good also. Just don't let some gorilla looking guy get hold of 'em.
 
tonyou812 said:
Marc you are the undisputed king of Google. Thanks for the info, my friend had purchased a Bosh hammer drill for HD and it burned out after a couple of months, these look like the real deal.
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Friend of mine pulled out his brand new BOSH hammer drill. I thought it was really nice worked very well. I plugged it into my 1800 watt inverter... nothing, not a peep. Plugged it into the building power, worked fine.

I dont think that BOSH product is the right brand for me knowing it will not work on an inverter.
 
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