ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area too many tools on an electricians belt ?

some days, my most useful tool is a hammer!

Hey guys, how common is the use of the Robertson square-drive screw-driver, in the US?,it was invented in Canada, was'nt it?.
Everyone uses them over here in NZ, so to remove any of these screws, you have to have the driver.

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 12-14-2002).]

Trumpy,

Some of the panel manufacturers are using combo robertson/slot head screws now for bus terminals. All device mounting (strap) screws are combo slot/phillips (and mostly poor quality).

So which island are you on? DW and I spent 10 days on the South Island in February. It was all beautiful; my favorite area was the Otago penninsula. The fijordlands a close second. Nice people, too. I did take some shots of the receptacle outlets (interesting, every one is switched at the outlet), and the funky mini-circuit breaker panels in the motel rooms we were in.

Cliff

Amp-man,
I come from Ashburton, which is around about the middle of the South Island, but nearer the East coast.
The switches on the sockets you saw, are required by law and the RCD/GFCI sockets in the motels(bathroom?), are also required, as this is a Damp area.

I traded my belt in for one of these bad boys:



www.utilikilts.com

[This message has been edited by Ryan_J (edited 05-24-2005).]

Whenever I help my dad, or work on personal items around the home, I wear a carpenters' belt. Not meant for electricians, but suits me for my age, leather and light weight. In it I have my wire cutters, linemans' pliers, needlenoses, wirestrippers, 4-in-1 screwdriver, electrical tape, volt probe, a "Cable Clamp" (one of those plastic clamps they sell everuwhere now, just comes in handy), and a pair of Klien Electrical Shears (for cutting tape.) If I need to carry something else, like, I don't know, a friendly hammer or mallet, it goes through a belt hoop. Need an extension cord, carry it on the shoulder.
Ian

Who needs a tool belt? It's the job of the apprentess to carry things :-)

When I get a new apprentice the first thing I do is make him (her, especially her) take most of the crap out of their belt and put it in their tool box. I'm 50 and my hips and low back are shot from wearing too much, too long. It's not worth it.

Whenever I help my dad, or work on personal items around the home, I wear a carpenters' belt. Not meant for electricians, but suits me for my age, leather and light weight. In it I have my wire cutters, linemans' pliers, needlenoses, wirestrippers, 4-in-1 screwdriver, electrical tape, volt probe, a "Cable Clamp" (one of those plastic clamps they sell everuwhere now, just comes in handy), and a pair of Klien Electrical Shears (for cutting tape.) If I need to carry something else, like, I don't know, a friendly hammer or mallet, it goes through a belt hoop. Need an extension cord, carry it on the shoulder.
Ian

tool belt:
Screwdriver Klein 10 in 1
Screwdriver 3/16 x 6 with wirenut wrench
Screwdriver 3/8 x 6 square shank
Lineman's pliers Klein D213-9NETP
Needlenose pliers Klein D203-8N
Diagonal cutter pliers Klein 220-7
Pump Pliers Klein D502-10
stripper / crimper GB GS-70
or
stripper romex Klein 1412
punch/driftpin Bluepoint S-905
Cable [sheath] ripper Miller
Neon tester
25' tape
electrician's knife Klien 1550-2 W
Hammer, 16-oz carpenter's w/fibreglass handle Stanley 52-416