Great on the update. Kudos to your daughter, you must be proud of her !
Looking for tool recommendations for.... daughter starting electrical apprenticeship!!
- Thread starter Chukster
- Start date
Jim greengo
Well-known member
Back when I taught plumbing I only wanted to do 1st year.
When the school asked me why I'd tell em this: once the little pricks hit 2nd year,they know it all already!
Ya can't teach em anything! Hahaha
rancherbill
Well-known member
Santa probably wants the North Pole re-wired.She even asked for a Klein conduit reamer for Xmas, which Santa dropped in her stocking.
joe_pinehill1
Well-known member
help her open a charge account, credit line at the local lumber yard, plumbing supply and electrical supply.
joe_pinehill1
Well-known member
they also want to bring them in at the bottom pay scale.
Bottom pay scale is about 1/2 scale these days. Usually, this is already about 2/3 non union electrician pay…
Unless an apprentice is changing careers from something that they are already established in… or they live in the south… they are being started out making more money than a usual young person job.
Why… she is in an apprenticeship. The contractors she works for buy every bit of material that she uses. They buy the ladders she will stand on and the cordless drill she uses. Everything that she needs to supply will fit in a small hand box or a bag.
Why does an electrician need lumber? Why does an apprentice electrician need plumbing supplies.
She is being trained to be an inside wireman, not some jack of all trades master of none. She will be able to work on billion dollar jobs when she is done… making more money than a lot of people who went to college.
On the rare occasions she will ever get to go to a supply house… the contractor she works for pays for everything… unless she finds some hand tools that she wants to buy herself… but the reality is that they will send a truck driver to the supply house, not her.
joe_pinehill1
Well-known member
I've always found its good to build relations and credit with local supply stores. You never know what you will need for a job or home, and getting a contractor discount is nice, but totally agree she should not be buying material as an apprentice. Its always nice to establish credit early in life. My accounts give 10% off the retail, if I have a big job, like on the two houses my wife and I built, we negotiated bigger discounts for the packages.
Once she learns the trade, she may want to help friends with work, and having credit at a supplier helps.
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The operating engineers will operate the track hoes on pretty much every job.
School is one work day every two weeks for five years.
housewolf
Well-known member
OP, congrats and best of luck to your daughter. I’ve never worked in a union but have worked former union guys on my crew and around other union trades most of my career. My brother is a union plumber. I’m neither for them or against them. I will say in general; they are better trained and work more effectively than their merit shop counterparts. I would be very happy for my daughter.
I’m a (retired) plumber and with a few exceptions we’re as loyal to Rigid as electricians are to Klein. I‘m pretty sure you’d be right more than wrong sticking with Klein.
Most likely the rule will be used in training. I would still prefer one when laying out overhead pipe on the floor. If you know how to use one, it’s much easier than with a tape. Tape only has numbers on one side, rule has them on both sides running in opposite directions. Even if you never used it again, I think learning to layout with a rule instead of a tape would help one wrap their head around laying out OH pipe on the floor.
foolishpride
Well-known member
The Lufkin 066F was always the standard around here for many years.
The Lufkin 066F was the industry standard around these parts years ago.
Yeah… this is right. I was wrong. The main thing is that the ruler is inside measuring.
four.cycle
Well-known member
I have not really been following this thread, BUT:
if I was looking for a "tool kit" for somebody who was just starting out, I'd take a look at this 48-piece US made set for $30 bucks
if I was looking for a "tool kit" for somebody who was just starting out, I'd take a look at this 48-piece US made set for $30 bucks
Ricky Joe
Well-known member
You live fairly close to me. I am in Roanoke, Virginia. Make a trip up and I will give her all the tools on her list in major top quality brand name tools. Free. Glad to help a youngster starting out.
ArcReactorKC
Well-known member
That would be an odd choice considering the career path. The biggest use in that kit would be the hacksaw of course, closely followed by the screwdrivers and hex keys. Sockets aren't used all that often in the industry still. Nut drivers are king of the hex fastener for most electricians, I usually kept a 3/8 set in the truck but they didn't come out but maybe once a week.
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ for somebody in the electric industry, yes it would. for anybody else, it might be a winner.
Yep Klein stuff is good. I wonder if they sell an electrician's apprentice package with everyone in it? Might save some $$$$.
Apprentice electricians need power tools? If so, probably 12-volt stuff would be OK -- Milwaukee, Makita, or DeWalt would all be fine. Around here 95% of all trades use DeWalt or Milwaukee. When I was in California helping my mom with her new house, I noticed the electricians all use Makita.
Just a basic set of regular drill, impact, multi-tool and maybe a small circular saw. A jobsite radio might be cool too, in case she's got a lot of boring repetitive work to do like cutting out/installing outlets in new construction or something.
What about tool storage? Probably a tool backpack would work at this point until she finishes the apprenticeship and needs more things. And also a nice tool belt is a must.
Congrats on your daughter BTW. She isn't settling on being a cashier for $12/hr like a lot of young people. She's smart with a great head on her shoulders. Great parenting!
Apprentice electricians need power tools? If so, probably 12-volt stuff would be OK -- Milwaukee, Makita, or DeWalt would all be fine. Around here 95% of all trades use DeWalt or Milwaukee. When I was in California helping my mom with her new house, I noticed the electricians all use Makita.
Just a basic set of regular drill, impact, multi-tool and maybe a small circular saw. A jobsite radio might be cool too, in case she's got a lot of boring repetitive work to do like cutting out/installing outlets in new construction or something.
What about tool storage? Probably a tool backpack would work at this point until she finishes the apprenticeship and needs more things. And also a nice tool belt is a must.
Congrats on your daughter BTW. She isn't settling on being a cashier for $12/hr like a lot of young people. She's smart with a great head on her shoulders. Great parenting!
I'm gonna guess each training program has their own specific list of recommended tools for each level. Tho, perhaps local suppliers could work up packages.
And she's already discovered that there is NO perfect tool tote;
Your needs change with each job site.Ricky Joe, appreciate the offer, but she's well set for a good while. Find a local apprentice and offer to them!!
redwrench60
Well-known member
This is a hell of a generous offer!!
Electrician apprentices do not need power tools.
Union electricians do not need power tools.
Everything not on the tool list is supplied by the contractor.
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ArcReactorKC
Well-known member
I haven't been an electrician since 2012'ish realistically. However I still used my hacksaw, and pushed everybody on my jobs to use a hacksaw for EMT that was 3/4" or smaller, but back then everybody was still using a sawzall and very few of us had portabands. Even then, I still use my hacksaw for such things. Just last week when my son and I were getting the pieces for our new Festivus pole I used my hacksaw to cut the 10ft 1" EMT down so it fit in the truck bed. I venture to say that a seasoned electrician can cut through smaller conduit with a hacksaw than most people could put a battery in their bandsaw and then cut the pipe. Both starting with the blade on the pipe I'm sure the bandsaw is faster, but I often would have my hacksaw hanging off my belt since it's a light tool I used non-stop. Hanging a cordless saw would be weight prohibitive I think. I'm sure theres guys out there doing it though.
Thinking about this from my perspective is interesting, I am a power tool, automate and electrify everything kind of guy, but I still push hacksaws.
Now you are wasting time if you are messing around with a hacksaw and there are enough in the gang box for everyone to have a portaband.
It is not even unlikely that a foreman will go out of his way to bring you a portaband if he sees you using a hacksaw.
It is all about efficiency now.
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Meursault74
Well-known member
I made a Festivus pole recently as well. In the true spirit, I bought nothing for it. I had a steel pole that used to hold the antenna for our no longer used over the air TV and scrap wood. Cut the pole with my angle grinder. Mine is a bit rusty and had some paint splatter. I placed it out front on our lawn. It was in stark contrast to all the colorful typical holiday fare my neighbors had on their lawns. One of my neighbors had never heard of the "Festivus for the rest of us". She laughed when I explained.
Did you have yours inside the house or out?
ArcReactorKC
Well-known member
Ours was just a 6ft stick of 1" EMT, in a compression connector threaded to a floor flange and two 24" 2x4's. It was inside.
I grew up in a "Christmas" house, but am young enough my mother had Seinfeld on the TV a ton when I was young and impressionable. I always thought Festivus sounded way better than stressful Christmas. So as an adult with a family we celebrate Festivus. We aren't puritans though, there are Festivus presents and the airing of grievances is more like a roast of the other family members. My son is not at all a fan of the "Festivus feats of strength challenge". I suppose as he has yet to pin me, Festivus continues!
Meursault74
Well-known member
Around here, there're airing of grievances nearly every day all year. The feats of strength are usually tied to strength of will though. Only difference with the time in late December is now I'll put out a pole. I'll also reply happy Festivus when people wish me a happy holiday.
A 4 1/4 Milwaukee trim square is the perfect tool for cutting cable tray. It is much better than a 7” square.
A small magnetic bowl is perfect for any disassembly/assembly, so you don’t lose any hardware.
A 1 1/2” sanding drum is the perfect tool to run 1/2” nuts whilst putting up trapeze for pipe or cable tray. Your fingers will thank you.
It is best to have one’s own file (with an handle), even if it is not on the tool list.
If one’s cellphone is not brand new, it is good to have a charger that clicks onto whatever brand of cordless batteries your contractor uses. Maybe even spray paint it a personal color and put your name all over it.
A light pair of scissors (ex… Olfa) is nice to have to keep labels pretty.
A cheap “rig bag” is good to have for in your lift to make you more efficient. Never set a tool anywhere outside of your rig… ever… ever ever…
A small magnetic bowl is perfect for any disassembly/assembly, so you don’t lose any hardware.
A 1 1/2” sanding drum is the perfect tool to run 1/2” nuts whilst putting up trapeze for pipe or cable tray. Your fingers will thank you.
It is best to have one’s own file (with an handle), even if it is not on the tool list.
If one’s cellphone is not brand new, it is good to have a charger that clicks onto whatever brand of cordless batteries your contractor uses. Maybe even spray paint it a personal color and put your name all over it.
A light pair of scissors (ex… Olfa) is nice to have to keep labels pretty.
A cheap “rig bag” is good to have for in your lift to make you more efficient. Never set a tool anywhere outside of your rig… ever… ever ever…
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Instead of a pipe reamer screwdriver combination… get the reamer that attaches to a square shanked beater (your big screwdriver) with set screws.
When your beater has lived out it’s useful life… buy a new beater (remember the square shank!), loosen the set screws, move the reamer to the new beater, and throw the old beater away…
It is one less very heavy tool to carry.
You absolutely have to have a beater size screwdriver for our work… so it is pointless to have the reamer screwdriver combination.
You want the one on the top of my picture… not the one on the bottom…
When your beater has lived out it’s useful life… buy a new beater (remember the square shank!), loosen the set screws, move the reamer to the new beater, and throw the old beater away…
It is one less very heavy tool to carry.
You absolutely have to have a beater size screwdriver for our work… so it is pointless to have the reamer screwdriver combination.
You want the one on the top of my picture… not the one on the bottom…
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Always have a small notepad on you… always… people remember when you take a measurement for a bend, proceed to forget said measurement… and have to go remeasure…
There is always something to write down.
Any will do… Rite in the Rain are best.
There is always something to write down.
Any will do… Rite in the Rain are best.
Any #2 Phillips is probably fine… I prefer the normal Klein.
Slotted screwdrivers are more important… European slotted screwdrivers are not sized correctly for electrical fittings. Klein screwdrivers are best.
These 3 exact screwdrivers will be used most days… and a termination screwdriver.
Slotted screwdrivers are more important… European slotted screwdrivers are not sized correctly for electrical fittings. Klein screwdrivers are best.
These 3 exact screwdrivers will be used most days… and a termination screwdriver.
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rancherbill
Well-known member
On the rare occasions she is not doing a company job, most employers let their staff make CASH purchases on the company account. There is no universe where an apprentice should be giving terms to side jobs. If, in rare circumstances, she needs credit she should be using her own credit card. If it's your credit you are careful granting it and collecting.
rancherbill
Well-known member
What is that contraption on the screwdriver? I have never seen one before.
ArcReactorKC
Well-known member
That is a conduit reamer.
I wouldn't let anyone use a portaband until they demonstrated they could cut square using a hacksaw, and I'd expect a union foreman to do the same to any apprentice under them. IBEW programs do a pretty good job of teaching people who do the job right, at least from what I've seen. Doing it fast comes from knowing how to do it right.
Jim greengo
Well-known member
1 day she may want to start doing side jobs,always a good thing to have access to supplies.
sparkness
Well-known member
I did not see a DMM on the list, that is now a basic tool you need , and for electrical work I recommend a meter with high quality probes
to handle the voltages you will be working with. I prefer lower priced meters and quality probes as many meters, cheap and expensive are very accurate in their ranges. The high voltage rating and internal protection should be considered for electrical work. We all love the top brands, it took me many years before I broke down and treated myself to one. My probes usually cost more than my meter!
to handle the voltages you will be working with. I prefer lower priced meters and quality probes as many meters, cheap and expensive are very accurate in their ranges. The high voltage rating and internal protection should be considered for electrical work. We all love the top brands, it took me many years before I broke down and treated myself to one. My probes usually cost more than my meter!