Best Tools For a Startup Electrician

[JAWS]

The electrician I use has a tool bag full of Knipex and Wiha tools and the odd C.K, he swears by these brands.

 

[Squid]

Also learn to look after your tools as they will look after you.

Some of the tools I use today I have since I was an apprentice back it the 80's lol

 

[telectrix]

What you need above everything else is a really good radio. Something that can drown out the joiners choice of Radio 2.

and the apprentice's ghastly radio 1 drivel "music".

 

[telectrix]

radio 1 used to be a good music station. first broadcast september 1967 after that clown wilson had forced caroline off the air. first track was "Flowers in the Rain". The Move.

 

[littlespark]

Radio 1 was good 80's and 90's.... I cant listen to it anymore.
I'm left with the local commercial station. Radio Boredom... I mean Borders. Got DAB in the van, but its hit and miss depending what road i'm on.

I remember having an old radio the size of my toolbox. Would run on 230v and 110v. Soldered a couple of wires to the battery terminals and could run it off my drill battery too.

 

[AJshep]

My personal preference is knipex. I'm happy to pay for qualify and i agree with most of the posts here, both Whia and Wera are great, I favour both these brands over CK.
CK stuff IMO is overpriced it's not the quality of knipex but the price is on par. The only reason I end up CK stuff in my toolbox is because it's generally what the wholesalers stock.

 

[elsparko]

i get by with mostly just snips and a small flathead screwdriver, ive clipped whole houses using the back of my snips, if i need a chisel i just find a flathead that has been relegated

when buying drills pay attention to their torque, the b&q ---- is cheap because youre just aswell doing it by hand

basics i would say are
snips
pliers
long nose pliers
screwdrivers
hacksaw junior and senior
woodsaw
padsaw, both types
tape measure
pencils/marker pens
set square
string and chain to make a "mouse"
adjustable spanners
ratchet set
voltage/continuity tester
a small hammer
a big hammer
a note pad

and of course a toolbox or bag to put these in, should manage to get all this including a drill for around £500

decent drill, screwfix have a deal on the brushless dewalt for 150

 

[telectrix]

my basic toolkit:

for drivers..wiha interchangeables and bahco (irazola) fixed blade
sidecutters..NWS
cordless AEG drill and impact driver
SDS... hitachi 24V and Makita 110V
megger 1553

 

[Toneyz]

Everyones talking about CK branded stuff. I didn't know Calvin Klein made tool bags?

Only need a spare pair when things go ---- up.

 

[telectrix]

or a wet fart.

 

[MFS Electrical]

Have you guys got any experience on Wiha? They seem to be a go to on tools?

Personally I don’t like wiha they don’t really last very long much nicer set of Wera Kraftforms will do the trick

 

[Pete999]

CK Stubbies wahey, no you aint having Mine what I won so there

 

[loplug]

i use the irozola screwdrivers bought the set added a pz3 a big slotted and the flat crossy type ones (modulo) or whatever you call them and knipex snips have done for years now. and have a draper torque for dBs

 

[loplug]

i use the irozola screwdrivers bought the set added a pz3 a big slotted and the flat crossy type ones (modulo) or whatever you call them and knipex snips have done for years now. and have a draper torque for dBs

 

[Toneyz]

CK Stubbies wahey, no you aint having Mine what I won so there

You'll have to give it to me so you don't get told off by Mrs Pete999 as she won't believe you won it.

 

[Pete999]

You'll have to give it to me so you don't get told off by Mrs Pete999 as she won't believe you won it.[/QUOTE
To late for begging letters Ant, she has already seen Claire's email tough titty Mate.

 

[Toneyz]

Wasn't begging just thought I'd take it off your hands to save you the bo***ing.

 

[rapparee]

CK Stubbies wahey, no you aint having Mine what I won so there

They're handy enough aren't they

I won the set off the other forum the girls also threw in a pouch to store them in. If I lost them, I would replace them. I actually went and bought the CK heavy duty ratchet cable cutter as a kind of thank you / payback to CK.

 

[rapparee]

I have a few sets of wiha screwdrivers, the 4mm flat are practically disposable to me TBH. I end up giving them away to operators.

I have knipex side cutters and pliers, I particularly like their snipe nose pliers with the cable stripping holes.

About half a dozen sets of knipex cobra/alligator gland pliers.

I have the original Allen brand of hex keys metric and imperial, wera brand torx keys.

Würth Spanners.

Klauke Crimps.

Portasol Soldering iron.

Fluke 1653b, 179,373, 376, 277, 787b, 368 and 115.

Holesaws are mostly American Morse

Vise brand vice grips. (Different sizes.)

Unbranded hacksaw and hammer.

Britool and Bacho socket sets

I have a Sealey toolbox and chest

When it comes to power tools I am a firm believer in Hitachi.

That's all that I can think off without walking into the office to look around.


Edit. This has jogged my memory, I lent my torx keys to the tool makers a fortnight ago and still haven't got them back.

 

[GBDamo]

If not already mentioned/apart from the obvious;-

A cone/step drill

A 3.5mm and 4mm tap driver.

Good quality electrical scissors come in very useful.

Step up.

Long nosed pliers.