Posts in category: tools

M

y first week as an electrician went–in many ways–the way I expected. I expected that I didn’t know anything other than how to use tools. It went differently in other ways, mainly the fact that I quickly picked up on the work I was expected to do and was even able to work on my own at the end of the week. The biggest question mark heading into Day One was which tools I would need and which tools I would not need. My first day I used three tools – a torpedo level, a measuring tape, and a conduit pipe reamer – and a Sharpie marker. As the week progressed, I added more and more to the tools I was using all the time. It still didn’t match the enormous amount of tools I took with me on the first day. I brought those home with me until I need them.

After the first day I was able to get over some of my newbie jitters and get a rhythm going. What follows is what became my basic tool set at the end of the first week as an electrical helper. My next posts will be about the actual work that I did during the first week.

These lineman pliers are used for just about everything: prying off tabs from metal boxes, hammering, and of course cutting.

This 10 pocket tool pouch holds everything I need at the moment.

The Klein 11-in-1 screwdriver/nut driver is just what it says it is, eleven tools in one.

* Integrated screwdriver and nut driver shaft holds 8 popular tips and converts to 3 nut driver sizes

* Includes industrial strength heat treated bits: 3/8-inch, 5/16-inch and 1/4-inch nut drivers, #1 and #2 Phillips, 1/4-inch and 3/16-inch slotted, T10 and T15 TORX®, and #1 and #2 square recess

Channel locks are used for tightening down couplings and connectors.

I used the Klein demolition screwdriver to pry off some random drywall.

The tool I used most of the first two days is the conduit reaming tool. When a piece of conduit is cut, there are ragged edges left over. The reamer gets inserted into the end of the conduit. By twisting the reamer back and forth, the rough edge is smoothed out allowing for a better fit with couplings and box connectors.

Torpedo level with four magnets for sticking to conduit:

The nuts used on most things last week were 1/4″-20 hex nuts. The 7/16″ nut driver works with this size nut. I had to buy one after work one night after realizing that I would need it for what I was going to be doing the next day: turning and tightening a lot of 1/4″-20 hex nuts. The other electricians call this tool a “brown dot” because of the color of the circle at the end of the tool.

The 3/8″ nut driver is used for tightening down pretty much everything else. The other electricians call this tool a “blue dot” because of the color of the circle at the end of the tool.

I used this folding razor blade knife for cutting the tops off boxes and the tape off of bundles of conduit.

A magnetic tipped measuring tape is another tool that I used the most during the first few days.

And lastly, a Shapie for marking where cuts will go on conduit and rods.

Next week I will begin pulling wire. For that job I will need to add more tools. When that happens, I will update my bag and this post.

I

’m watching YouTube videos on how to bend electrical metallic conduit (EMT) in various ways such as the “saddle bend” and the “box offset bend“. I am also learning how wire is pulled through that conduit. I am amazed at how many videos there are on the subjects.

I’m watching these videos because I know that this is what I am going to be doing for the foreseeable future. I am coming into this trade just about as green as a person can be even though I am older and have been working since I was 12 years old. So I am nervous about how I will perform.

From there I moved on to videos on how to use some the tools I had to buy but had never used in the past. I am mechanically inclined and have used most hand tools and power tools out there. But I have never had an occasion to use something called an armored cable cutter, also known as a roto-zip MC stripper.

You use this tool to trim the aluminum from metal-clad (MC) electrical wire.

 

Soon I will add a post about all the tools I needed to purchase.