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#213407 04/24/14 05:46 PM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,273
T
Tesla Offline OP
Member
I'm getting weak in the knees and need to entirely back away from feeder pulls and grunt work.

I've only worked the alarm/data-com side of the street from time to time. I never had to tool up when I did.

So, I just don't have any data-com tools to speak of.

[exceptions for LSD wire pulling suite, signal toners,...]

I'd like anyone's list of basics (hand tools) that are worthy, brand names in particular.

anyone









Tesla
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
How involved do you want to get?

I'd start off visiting the BICSI website and ordering their book. Then I'd arrange a week off to go to their first-level course. (Some places offer the course over two weekends).

If nothing else, the course will give you a real good idea of what you need, at which stage of the career.

I'd keep the Coax and Data tools in separate kits- I've never had to use both at the same time.

Ideal (sold on this site) sells a nice set of Coax tools, with a mechanics' bag of parts. It's a pretty good set-up. For Coax all you need is a stripper and a compression tool. Forget about the crimp connectors - they're obsolete. A can wrench is nice to have.

For data, tools are kind of brand-specific. They give strippers away as swag. Just add a punch-down tool with both #66 and #110 blades.

Progressive / Tempo have a great toner set (which you probably already have) and awesome buttsets. Don't want to buy a buttset right away? Get a cheap telephone and rig one up.

Fiber is another dedicated tool pouch, and I'm not really qualified to advise you there.

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 38
Likes: 1
G
Member
So, you have the toner...does your wire-pulling suite include fish-stix?

Punch-down tool...Fluke (formerly Harris, Dracon) D814 is still the standard, I suppose, with both 66 and 110 blades. In my home kit I have one from Ideal that has a spudger and hook that fold out of the handle.

For the times where you might need to crimp connectors onto phone or LAN cables, I have a crimper from Paladin, along with an old Paladin snap-n-seal tool for F compression connectors.

My butt-set is an old beat-up TS-21. You should have a good data-safe butt-set, but I haven't shopped for one in awhile.

There's a start...

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 38
Likes: 1
G
Member
Renosteinke gave you a better start than I did...he types faster than I do... smile

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 32
G
Member
If you are going to crunch on the RJ plugs, don't cheap out on that tool.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 827
Likes: 1
J
Member
Maybe checking out Ron Kipper Datacomm on YouTube will give you some ideas. I was a lucky winner on his meter give away and he often gives away returned test equipment. Tons of good videos on there!
Joe


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