Toolkit

[Zeespark]

Hia all,

I have been around just not as much as normal.

A quick question, having had very little luck online, would anybody know what sort of took kit might be needed if I was going back to work as a mate or improver at all? obviously VDE hand tools are a given, would anything more specialist been needed in anyones opinion?

Many Thanks

Andy Guinness

 

[Blue Duck]

My work is pretty random so what I carry depends in the job, still Ive got a hernia of a  tool bag!

I keep meaning to get a smaller one!!!

Basic stuff...

Wera kraftform drivers, 2 large vde drivers, combination pliers, side cutters, strippers, ratchet crimpers, thread enlarger thingys(3.5/4.0), torches, grandads bradawl, hex keys, floor layers Stanley knife, Electricians knife, blunt 1/2" chisel (great for prying things and making holes), volt sticks, neon driver, Fluke t1000 and boxes of assorted machine screws & connectors.

There's probably loads more but it's too early and I can't remember what else is in there. :coffee

There is another tools bag which has the job specific stuff like hammers hacksaws, jab saws, hammers, chisels, conduit tools, pyro tools, torque drivers, hole cutters, files etc etc etc but NFW is that leaving the van.

Don't forget the IMPACT DRIVER!!!

Really it depends what you are working on, I'm mostly maintenance but if you were first fixing new builds all you need would be side cutters, Stanley knife and a hammer no point dragging all that other stuff about!

 

[kerching]

Almost all of my standard tools are VDE, pliers ,snips ,socket sets ,spanners knives, torque-wrenches ,hacksaws, screwdrivers, box spanners....but a lot f the work I do needs them.

if younare going as a labourer or improver then you should not need VDE as you should "not be working on or near energised equipment".

having said that....'never say never'

in the good old War Mongering, country invading, oil stealing US of A they have an 'official,Union list of tools' and I believe you can only have/use what is on the list.

i would avoid any 'complete kits' as there is usually a load of stuff you don't need

remember...the bigger the toolbag then the more you will put in it  

 

[andy_spark]

It's just as well to buy VDE as you have them if needed, if not there's nothing lost.

Get yourself a decent toolbox about 12" high that you can stand on (saves needing a step ladder most of the time if you are 6'1"), it is also invaluable for sitting on at lunch/break/tea time. You can use it as a saw bench, work bench for drilling etc. It also doubles as a handy bin when you can't get the carpet dirty. After 12 months you will have a layer of potentially useful junk in the bottom, which you will not clear out on the basis it may be needed one day and adds about 5kg to the weight!

I find a pair of water pump pliers useful, can also be VDE if required. A best old screwdriver or one of those strikethrough ones with a metal end cap, for chiselling and for trying to remove the knockouts from metal CUs.

Other than that as above.

 

[New Venture!]

If you are doing occupied rewires (something I hate but need to pay the bills) then for me a multicutter is invaluable. It makes lifting floorboards much easier, leaves a really neat cut and can cut to within a few millimetres from skirting etc. An SDS with a good range of bits is also handy and a decent vaccum cleaner keeps customers very happy. However this stuff might be provided for you depending on what you are doing and who you work for. 

After that, as the guys have said above, but throw in some safety kit such as a decent face mask and overalls for when you're in a loft full of insulation! 

 

[kerching]

Having been stuck in a traffic jam for hours I have come up with this

driver set.......Wiha

twatting driver

estwing electricians claw hammer

smaller cross pain hammer

bolster

lump hammer

long bar

scutch

plasterboard saw

tape measure

12" level

stanley knife

large and junior hacksaw

4.5 3.5mm drivers for everyday use. Along with Pz 2 Ph2...... Use the Wiha driver set for "best"

pliers, snips, bent nose pliers

ratchet crimper

1/4" Bahco socket set

cone cutters ( Aldi.....seriously!)

cordless Impact drill

cordless drill

bit of coathanger

scouse door key

adjustable spanner....BAHCO WIDE JAW

WATER PUMP PLIERS

speed square or equivalent

gloves 

mask......GOOD ONE not one made of thick bog paper

disposable coveralls.......£1 ish at CPC a local shop

head torch

safery specs.....mine were free from 3M :innocent

knee pads

M 3.5/4 rethreader

usual,drill bits, magnetic driver bit extension

ball of string/line

flooring chisel

dewalt wrecking/demolition chisel

small rooting bag of odds and sods , screws,connectors, bits of 2" brown and blue sleeve, bits of 4" earth sleeve

some form of tester for voltage.....T 150, T 100 anything along those lines

if you need to borrow a tool more than twice then you need to buy one

every couple of weeks clean bag out and put the stuff you have not used in another bag...shoulders and back will thank you later

buy other stuff as demanded by the job at the time

i,will,give it more thought in the next traffic jam

Didn't add power tools as these are usually provided

 

[Blue Duck]

I forgot the spanners and this I got for my birthday

 

[Sidewinder]

Mind, I would say that for anyone employed the employer has a statute law duty to provide any and all PPE required at no cost to the employee.

To the letter of the law, this includes uniform type workwear.

The final bit, is that they also have a statute law duty to launder the workwear, PPE etc too!

Yeah like that happens everywhere...

If you are doing the new breed of metal boards, I would say hole punches too.

They can be bought cheaply enough these days.

 

[kerching]

@Sidewinder

if if doing domestic then as side says...hole punches

32 and 40 would be handy for the new breed of metal boards

can anyone recommend a decent cheapish hydraulic hole punch set?

 

[Sidewinder]

TBH Kerch, I use mechanical Q-Max, and they are well fine, been using them for many years now, carry 20, 22.5, 25, 25.4, 32.5, & 40mm dia.

I also have 9 & 15 way D type, and a few odd others.

Just paid the following for new punches for @Jono Pashley, ex-vat:

20  £6.16

25  £6.67

32.5  £8.47

40  £12.49

TBH @ these prices, if you were buying every couple of years it would not be so bad?

They are easy to use, whilst mechanical, with a long hex key they are easy to use.

 

[kerching]

I have 20,25,32,38,50 and a square one about 60x60

i use the smaller sizes with the impact driver and the larger with a 1/2" impact wrench that I use on Unistrut ( and wheel nuts )

just thought a hydraulic punch punch would be handy...but they are a bit bulky

 

[Andy™]

you can also get bearings that makes turning the bolt easier

and my q-max's are hydraulic too. well, the bolts are covered in oil anyway

 

[kerching]

I have the bearings on some of them....as you say it really makes a difference

for the ones that I don't have bearings for I use a few washers and plenty of grease in between them