Tool allowances

[binky]

Do you guys get/pay a tool allowance to apprentices/staff. And if so, what does it cover???

 

[Evans Electric]

I've never heard of anyone getting tool allowances in this trade, unless things have changed. As far as I know you buy your own tools as an employee other than consumables, ( drill bits-hacksaw blades etc)

 

[steptoe]

I've never heard of anyone getting tool allowances in this trade, unless things have changed. As far as I know you buy your own tools as an employee other than consumables, ( drill bits-hacksaw blades etc)

Im not even sure if many firms still allow you to buy stuff on their account and take a little off you each week.

that was how my apprenticeship went, buy the tools on firms acc, (after ringing the office for permission) and so much was deducted from your wages each week,

made good sense, boss claimed the VAT back or whatever, and I didnt pay tax on the deduction. everyones a winner.

 

[danny7299]

When I was employed we got given consumables . Drill bits , hack saw blades , etc but we had to buy are own gear ... But we where alowed to have the scrap copper to help out

 

[oldtimespark]

There used to be Tax allowance for hand tool read this link

 

[revjames]

When I did my apprenticeship at the aluminium smelter I was given a comprehensive tool kit. 4 years later when I finished trainig but there was sadly no full time job, they let me keep the tools. A few years later I worked for the local DNO and was given a full set of tools. When they privatised they gave everyone the tools but said replacements would only be given for worn out/ broken items. Some years later I ended up back at the smelter and they gave me a full tool kit. When it closed last year they said "keep the tools" so I have over the years been given 3 full tool kits!

 

[binky]

I've never heard of anyone getting tool allowances in this trade, unless things have changed. As far as I know you buy your own tools as an employee other than consumables, ( drill bits-hacksaw blades etc)

That's interesting, it's the consumables I'm getting a bit hacked off with. My apprentice usually uses my gear, but has a bad habit of using the nice sharp stuff I try to keep for when only a sharp drill will do, or the multi purpose drills that are good for plastics and metal for general drilling holes in bricks, for which I have sets of cheaper masonary bits. His own tool kit mostly consists of hand-me-downs, and I have bought him a few new things like a combi-drill. In short I was wondering if I was being a bit tight or generous in my approach ?:| ? :| ?:|

 

[binky]

Im not even sure if many firms still allow you to buy stuff on their account and take a little off you each week.that was how my apprenticeship went, buy the tools on firms acc, (after ringing the office for permission) and so much was deducted from your wages each week,

made good sense, boss claimed the VAT back or whatever, and I didnt pay tax on the deduction. everyones a winner.

I remeber those days too

As an apprentice I was supplied with a basic set of small tools and this was paid back through the wages. Consumables and big stuff like drills were supplied from stores, or belonged to the department/borrowed fro other departments. We were expected to maintain our own tool kit and replace whatever got lost or broken.

 

[Apache]

If they are employed by you then consumables (bits, blades) should be replaced at your expense. Should be built in to your costs of a job IMO.

I know my job is very different, but have an agreement with my boss that anything I provide for work if it gets broken or worn out gets replaced at the practices expense. So if I leave I am no worse, but no better off. I thought that seemed damn fair.

 

[sellers]

Only consumables.

Untill 1 summer when I was a 3rd year apprentice with a freshly qualified spark. We worked out socks off one several jobs over 3 months. Proper A team style. The boss rang up and said as reward we can go spend 150quid each in the wholesalers. Sweet.

 

[binky]

Sounds like I need to push the apprentice a bit harder into buying more of his own gear, and using what he's got more often

 

[steptoe]

That's interesting, it's the consumables I'm getting a bit hacked off with. My apprentice usually uses my gear, but has a bad habit of using the nice sharp stuff I try to keep for when only a sharp drill will do, or the multi purpose drills that are good for plastics and metal for general drilling holes in bricks, for which I have sets of cheaper masonary bits. His own tool kit mostly consists of hand-me-downs, and I have bought him a few new things like a combi-drill. In short I was wondering if I was being a bit tight or generous in my approach ?:| ? :| ?:|

generous I would say.

a lot may depend on just how well he is paid tho.

might be an idea to suggest to him the (I'll buy this for you but I want a fiver/tenner[?] out of your wages every week for the next 2months) on acc method.

as for the drill bits etc,

could you not issue him with a set of cheapish bits, (ie, 5.5 masonary, 6mm HSS etc,) then get him to learn which bit is for what material, we have a guy at work just seems to use any bit for anything too, spade bits are his fav for drilling absolutely everything from plastic to thermalite, hes also demon for using a wood chisel for brick cos it was sharper than the cold chisel I had loaned him earlier.!!!!! WAS , exactly.!

 

[Adrian]

a few years ago I asked the tax office about tax relief on tools and they told me that I could get

 

[septiclecky]

That's interesting, it's the consumables I'm getting a bit hacked off with. My apprentice usually uses my gear, but has a bad habit of using the nice sharp stuff I try to keep for when only a sharp drill will do, or the multi purpose drills that are good for plastics and metal for general drilling holes in bricks, for which I have sets of cheaper masonary bits. His own tool kit mostly consists of hand-me-downs, and I have bought him a few new things like a combi-drill. In short I was wondering if I was being a bit tight or generous in my approach ?:| ? :| ?:|

Don't you own a grinder to resharpen the drill bits or is that another thing that has been forgotten? :innocent

 

[Evans Electric]

If they are employed by you then consumables (bits, blades) should be replaced at your expense. Should be built in to your costs of a job IMO.I know my job is very different, but have an agreement with my boss that anything I provide for work if it gets broken or worn out gets replaced at the practices expense. So if I leave I am no worse, but no better off. I thought that seemed damn fair.

Patch, are you employed by the practice or self employed . Do you get paid for how many Boy Scouts you remove from horses hooves per week. ?

 

[Apache]

Patch, are you employed by the practice or self employed . Do you get paid for how many Boy Scouts you remove from horses hooves per week. ?

I am an employee. 85% of the tools and equipment I use is the practices but I have some things I bought.

The most common one being my waterproofs and wellies, when they war out the practice buys me a new pair.

 

[binky]

generous I would say.a lot may depend on just how well he is paid tho.

might be an idea to suggest to him the (I'll buy this for you but I want a fiver/tenner[?] out of your wages every week for the next 2months) on acc method.

as for the drill bits etc,

could you not issue him with a set of cheapish bits, (ie, 5.5 masonary, 6mm HSS etc,) then get him to learn which bit is for what material,

As far as the drill goes he has made a contribution from his wages, though I also added some money and bought Li-Ion, and he does know the difference in drill bits, but the nice blue Bosch multibits work better than the Erbaur masonary bits, so he tends to use the Bosch. It's annoying, but not the end of the world.

 

[binky]

Don't you own a grinder to resharpen the drill bits or is that another thing that has been forgotten? :innocent

No, life's too short, and I've never found re-sharpened drills much good, though I do occcassionally re-dress the ends of Auger bits cos I hate buying a new bit every time I hit a nail

 

[KWCFC]

Im an apprentice and I got a toolbox at the company I work for when I joined.

Though the tools in it are terrible so I've gone and bought my own. They're handy to have as spares though.