At several different points and with several different crews I have done wire fishing/pulling work. I've never been in charge and other than the basics (some guys don't even bring a drill or jab knife) I have rarely supplied much of the tools.
The last guy that I have done side work for that had a full kit has now retired. If I do any others it's up to me to be prepared with all the tools and supplies. My background is in IT and so while i'm not typically going to be doing any actual electrical work, I plan to make a kit that i can subtract most of the VDV tools and go to a family or friend's house if they need a new outlet wired.
I have the basics
(pretty much one of everything on this page & this page)
about 100' of Klein flex glow rods and about 60' of low flex orange rods
some (not the full kit but most of the basics like hook & eye ends) 'tackle' for the rods.
100' steel fish tape
long augur bits of all sizes
spade bits
step drills
typical bi metal (Lenox kit) hole saws
'wet noodle' magnet wire puller kit. I don't have the fancy roller magnapull.
nifty wire twister drill bit (new toy not tested it thoroughly yet)
for cutting outlets, i have 1 & 2 gang Q-bit oscillator blades that work pretty well, as well as a few different templates with levels and such. generally we buy mud plates, boxes, switch plates, etc per job. I carry a jab knife and of course a regular set of bits but most of the time the Q bits get it done.
I keep a 3 light outlet tester with my regular IT tools just in case.
toner, breaker finder, test pencil in my Veto with my electrical hand tools.
87V if needed in a separate bag with a multi driver, flashlight, and stripper.
I bring the rotary hammer (18v with dust collector) although typically we are working in offices with drywall and drop ceilings, but it has come in handy times people were sure we wouldn't need it.
Planned purchases
the 18" glow rods are really handy size to have so i'm going to get 1 set at least.
I need a new leader for the fish tape
short/ship augur bits. I have a greenlee extension for long flex bits, but i like to stick a ship augur on the end of it for holes bigger than 1/2"
more sizes of carbide hole cutters and knock outs
need a shop vac to bring. I don't usually pull string through conduit, we're not often that lucky so it will be primarily for cleanup.
my day to day bag with most of the hand tools I use for general IT work are in my Veto LT
my electrical hand tools and some test equipment are in Veto Tech XL
most of the small accessories for fishing/pulling/cutting outlets/'anything else that will fit' in Veto Tech Pac. Fish tape sits in the flap meant for AC gage set so that's nice.
Glow rods live in the Klein bag made for that purpose. I wish it had bigger/better pockets for accessories.
bigger/bulky stuff goes in Dewalt Tough system boxes. Right now small one for augur bits and big one for rotary hammer and associated kit.
I won't mess with 220 or 3 phase. I don't carry a clamp meter. If watts or amps are ever in question, we sell surge protectors and battery backups and a kill-a-watt consumer unit to anyone who cares that much. Most of the time I can bench test and sell the appropriate size battery backup unit to the client where that applies.
Main questions:
what else am i missing?
I need a set of walkies. Considering the Cobra ACXT345. Want advice. The weather radio feature is nice but not a deal breaker if a better set doesn't have it. What i'm used to are 20 year old motorolas with nicad batteries. I don't really need miles, but i do need to count on it working through walls any room in any residential or commercial building with enough quality to effectively communicate.
edit: now looking at these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019RIP24E/?tag=atomicindus08-20 ACXT1035R
photos of how you store your fishing tools and especially small accessories to go with them, if you are willing.
long post, lots of words, thanks for any help
The last guy that I have done side work for that had a full kit has now retired. If I do any others it's up to me to be prepared with all the tools and supplies. My background is in IT and so while i'm not typically going to be doing any actual electrical work, I plan to make a kit that i can subtract most of the VDV tools and go to a family or friend's house if they need a new outlet wired.
I have the basics
(pretty much one of everything on this page & this page)
about 100' of Klein flex glow rods and about 60' of low flex orange rods
some (not the full kit but most of the basics like hook & eye ends) 'tackle' for the rods.
100' steel fish tape
long augur bits of all sizes
spade bits
step drills
typical bi metal (Lenox kit) hole saws
'wet noodle' magnet wire puller kit. I don't have the fancy roller magnapull.
nifty wire twister drill bit (new toy not tested it thoroughly yet)
for cutting outlets, i have 1 & 2 gang Q-bit oscillator blades that work pretty well, as well as a few different templates with levels and such. generally we buy mud plates, boxes, switch plates, etc per job. I carry a jab knife and of course a regular set of bits but most of the time the Q bits get it done.
I keep a 3 light outlet tester with my regular IT tools just in case.
toner, breaker finder, test pencil in my Veto with my electrical hand tools.
87V if needed in a separate bag with a multi driver, flashlight, and stripper.
I bring the rotary hammer (18v with dust collector) although typically we are working in offices with drywall and drop ceilings, but it has come in handy times people were sure we wouldn't need it.
Planned purchases
the 18" glow rods are really handy size to have so i'm going to get 1 set at least.
I need a new leader for the fish tape
short/ship augur bits. I have a greenlee extension for long flex bits, but i like to stick a ship augur on the end of it for holes bigger than 1/2"
more sizes of carbide hole cutters and knock outs
need a shop vac to bring. I don't usually pull string through conduit, we're not often that lucky so it will be primarily for cleanup.
my day to day bag with most of the hand tools I use for general IT work are in my Veto LT
my electrical hand tools and some test equipment are in Veto Tech XL
most of the small accessories for fishing/pulling/cutting outlets/'anything else that will fit' in Veto Tech Pac. Fish tape sits in the flap meant for AC gage set so that's nice.
Glow rods live in the Klein bag made for that purpose. I wish it had bigger/better pockets for accessories.
bigger/bulky stuff goes in Dewalt Tough system boxes. Right now small one for augur bits and big one for rotary hammer and associated kit.
I won't mess with 220 or 3 phase. I don't carry a clamp meter. If watts or amps are ever in question, we sell surge protectors and battery backups and a kill-a-watt consumer unit to anyone who cares that much. Most of the time I can bench test and sell the appropriate size battery backup unit to the client where that applies.
Main questions:
what else am i missing?
I need a set of walkies. Considering the Cobra ACXT345. Want advice. The weather radio feature is nice but not a deal breaker if a better set doesn't have it. What i'm used to are 20 year old motorolas with nicad batteries. I don't really need miles, but i do need to count on it working through walls any room in any residential or commercial building with enough quality to effectively communicate.
edit: now looking at these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019RIP24E/?tag=atomicindus08-20 ACXT1035R
photos of how you store your fishing tools and especially small accessories to go with them, if you are willing.
long post, lots of words, thanks for any help
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