i just have the basic tools on my belt, what about you? i have seen guys with a 30lb tool belts. needed tools: muli-purpose screw driver/ lineman's pliers/stripers/ knife/phase tape/ volt-tester/ what else guys? if you over load the tool belt, tools will fall all over the place, not to mention the weight of the belt. what do you have on your tool belt?

Same here MJ. I just carry the screwdrivers I use the most, ditto pliers, cutters, strippers, and so on.

If I'm working near my toolbox I'll just pick up and put down other tools as I need them, or if I have to climb a ladder or otherwise work out of reach of the box, I'll just add the tools I need for that portion of the job.

mj & paul - Is this what your tool bags normally look like? http://www.diamondbackusa.com/electool.htm



[This message has been edited by caselec (edited 11-30-2002).]

caselex, i try to "slim-line" by tool belt,using multipurpose tools. you can tell how long a person as been an electrician by the number of tool on his belt." old vets carry few tools"

I carry my pouch over my shoulder and lay it down next to my work. Mostly end up working with a pair of linesman and a 6-way screw driver, like to keep it light, always did.

mj - I know what your after I was just being sarcastic here with the extreme opposite. I carry quite a few tools in my tool bags but try and remove what I don't think I'll need for the day in the morning. When I'm in the field I usually spend the entire day doing one type of work such as rough-in, trim-out, bending pipe, etc. so I have an idea of what tools I'll need. For service work I often don't even wear my tool bags and will just put a combination screw driver, stripers, wiggy and a few wire nuts in my pockets.

Curt

I was one of those that wore a 20 lb toolbelt, complete with: wire-strippers, NM-strippers, volt-probe, needle-nose, torpedo level, linesmans, dikes, crimpers, taps, three flat-head screwdrivers, two phillips (#1 & #2), 1/4" & 5/16" nut drivers, wirenut-wrench, two shorty screwdrivers, three colors of tape, knife, channel-locks, 16 oz hammer, tape measurer, and 14.4V drill/driver.

Having the last three on the left and the rest in a tool-pouch on the right balances things pretty well, but suspenders are a must when carrying this much.

Lat year I herniated a disc catching a slipping ladder. My chiropractor says no more tool-belts...

So...

I still wear a carpenter's belt for rough-ins, with simply tape measurer, hammer, knife, one flat screwdiver, strippers and dikes, with lots of staples and wirenuts in the pockets.

The only time I wear the other belt (with most of the not-needed-now tools left on the tailgate) is on ladders, or where leaving them somewhere would be inconvenient.

I hate walking back to the truck...

Side note:

Being only about 140 lbs, I've had to wear my belt once while trenching with a 30" ditch witch. It was one of the older ones that used the "see-saw" method of steering, and I wasn't heavy enough to counter balance the front end without my toolbelt on!





[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 11-30-2002).]

I also believe in carrying tools that perform more than one function in my tool belt, such as Klein 10-in-1. But, I don't leave the house without my Leatherman Super Tool. It has saved me many trips to the van.

One time I was in a crawl space and used it to saw a furring strip out of my way. I've also used the saw on it for PVC upto 1" in a pinch and use it all of the time to cut drywall. (I don't cut alot of drywall)

These are only the uses for the saw. Don't even get me started on the other functions.

When I had my own business, new hires were issued a small Leatherman tool, a non-contact voltage sensor and a Sharpie. They were required to have them on them at all times.

On the one year anniversary of thier hiring, they recieved an engraved super tool. Even the secretary got one! (She loved it)

Most employees laughed at the idea of the Leatherman tools but after having them and using them for a while they said they even carried it at all times when they weren't working.

Do any of you guys use these or simular tools?

(PS: I am not being compensated in any way by the Leatherman company.)

I wear a Klein Powerline belt with linemans(with crimp die), 10-in-1, angle head dikes, can wrench, knife, roll of Super 33+ and torpedo level on one side and the 3 pocket bag on the left with crimps&caps, Tek screws and fittings. I also have a 25' magnetic ended tape measure on the belt. When I'm working off of a lift I have a milk crate or two with hooks bolted on one side that I hang on the railing to keep tools and materials in. It beats bending over to get stuff out of a bucket and allows me to go without the toolbelt.

The usual contents of mine:

Klein 10-in-1 screwdriver
Lineman's pliers
Voltage detector pen (Fluke)
3 light outlet/GFCI tester
Strippers
Roto-Split BX stripper
Mini-Mag flashlight
Pouch w/handful of wirenuts, redheads, AC/NM connectors, staples.
Black and White tape.
Utility knife.

If doing a rough-in, I add a medium framing hammer.

As far as a Leatherman type tool goes, one is generally on my belt or in my jacket pocket pretty much all the time, on the job or not. Handy little gadget, that has saved the day more times than I can count.




[This message has been edited by NJwirenut (edited 11-30-2002).]

I've got the Crecent Brand "Toolzall" which is a version of the Leatherman but with the added function of wire strippers for #10 to #22 AWG. Being a Christmas gift from Joe M., and a very expensive one at that, I only use it in emergencies.

But, it is on my side this very moment, right by my Minimag light.

Yup,

Forgot about the minimag. I carry one all of the time too.

What good is an electrician that can't make light where ever he goes?!

By the way, one thing that I carry that I found useful, and so did some others on my crew, is a plastic small parts container. (About $3.00 at the big blue store.)

The one I use is about 5" X 8" with a clear plastic hinged lid and divided compartments.

I added a 1/4" eye bolt through fender washers and a swivel dog hook so that I could hang it from my belt or from a ladder, etc.

I keep it filled with ground screws, wire nuts, redeyes, plastic anchors, #10 X 1" combo head screws, tek screws and some MC straps. Everything neatly seperated in it's own compartment.

I work out of it and fill it as needed. Sure beats digging through a pocket or box, etc. and you don't have to think about gathering the little stuff when your working or when you go on a service call because it's always with you.


[This message has been edited by master66 (edited 11-30-2002).]

When I was working, I used the exact same Klein Powerlite series belt that Fred mentioned. I loved it!

The comment I got the most was "Hey, are you framing a house with that belt?!"

I kept it as light as possible, keeping these tools in it:

Ideal Reflex strippers
Linesmans
Utility knife
3 screwdrivers
Tape measure
Hammer (if roughing)
Needlenose
Mini-Maglite
Volt-pen
Sharpie
Tape


All the other junk lived in the tool box.

I've never used a Leatherman. Maybe time to start?

Sometimes people around me comment on how often I use my Leatherman and how handy it must be.

I always joke that I have wired entire buildings using only my Leatherman. Boring holes through concrete slows me down a bit but hey, it can't do everything well.

We always called our Leatherman our "MacGyver Tool".

Yup, Leatherman even goes to church with me on sundays.

Ahh the good ol days of construction when I could get by with just a few tools in a belt supported pouch!

As a maintenance electrician, you never know what your next call will be. You have to be prepared with a much larger arsenol of tools.

I have one of the Ideal brand leather tool bags, the big square jobs with the dividers, hooks, snaps, etc. I throw the strap over my shoulder. It weighs over 20 pounds! I'll list as many of the tools in it as I can remember.

Fluke multimeter
Wiggy
15 personal lockout padlocks (full sized)
2 gangable lockout clips
T-stripper
T&B crimper
Klein linemans plier (high V coated)
6" X 1/4" straight blade screwdriver (coated)
6" X 3/16" straight blade screwdriver(coated)
6" phillips (coated)
6" holding type screwdriver
10" Mongo straight blade screwdriver (coated)
8" miniture straight blade screwdriver
7/16" Klein nutdriver
combination 7/16"-1/2" box end wrench
Needlenose plier
diagonal cutter
torpedo level
25' tape measure
430 channelocks
retractable razor knife
Klein lineman's knife
small SAE allen cluster
small metric allen cluster
large SAE allen cluster
small torx cluster
a couple alligator clip jumpers
one set of alligator clip leads for the fluke
1 roll 33+ plastic tape
1 roll white plastic tape
scratchawl
8" adjustable wrench (klein High V coated)
handfull of various wirenuts and crimps
half dozen Tye-raps
a 2 "D" cell flashlight

I also have a leatherman, a mini-mag, and a motorola radio on my belt. I carry a pen, mechanical pencil, a pocket voltage tester, a note pad, and a sharpie felt tip marker in my shirt pockets.

Hmmm I must be forgetting something LOL




[This message has been edited by Matt M (edited 12-01-2002).]

may-be i need to add just a few more items to my belt, 10 lbs max....

This is what i carry, Keep the big box on the truck for backup.

I like my big cordoda belt balanced out on each side, tools pertinent to wiring method/rough/finish...

Someone here gave me the good advice (thanks) to try suspenders, which helps me go the distance in a workday

I forgot to mention my light. It's a Stylus by Streamlight. If you haven't got one it's probably because you haven't seen one yet. It is the size of an ink pen, is LED, takes (2) AAAA batteries and lasts for ever. The LED is supposed to be good for 100,000 hours and the light is visible for 1/4 mile. Mine has the cobalt LED but other colors are available. For attic/crawl work I have a Headlight by Streamlight that has one Krypton lamp or you can push a button and use one or three of the LED lamps. It takes 3 AAA batteries and lasts a long time and always shines where you're looking.

Fred,

Where can you buy those lights?

And, do they have a web site?

After trying Hundreds of different Tool holding and carrying methods, my current setups are:

<OL TYPE=A>

[*]Three separate Tool Belts - ranging from small and simple to multiple pouches,


[*]Three separate Klein Tool Bags - from small to large,


[*]Four separate Tool Boxes - from Power Tools to Comm / Data Tools,


[*]Two Test Tools Boxes.
</OL>

Still on the quest for better and "Modular" stuff.

Hope to find the "Holy Grail" for Tools / Testers someday!
Should I try a Paganistic approach and sacrifice Wirenuts to the Switchgear Gods???


Scott s.e.t.

master66, My first one came from the Snap-On tool guy. My electrical supply house started carrying them a year later. Someone told me they had a website. Try searching Streamlight on Google. I have also heard of a site called flashlights.com that has them.

Fred/'66—

I wondered when LED-flashlight questions would surface at E-C.net.

Some sources are www.brightguy.com { www.brightguy.com/streamlight-stylus.html } www1.ecxmall.com/stores/texastacticalsupply/Catalog.bok and www.glow-bug.com

For the truly crazed, there is www.candlepowerforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi and www.ledmuseum.org { ledmuseum.home.att.net/ledleft.htm }

NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR UNEXPLAINED LARGE CREDIT CARD STATEMENTS related to these links.




[This message has been edited by Bjarney (edited 12-02-2002).]

Gotta agree with Matt M, as a maintenance electrician the belt gets heavy. I use a cordura Klein pouch that weighs around 12 lbs. Also carry the same stuff in shirt pocket, unless leaning over the paint tank, then everything even the Copenhagen can comes out of the pockets. Mangers don't like things going thruogh the pumps. And Trainwire the wife says NO Leatherman at church!

I also work maintenance and must carry a small arsenal. I do it mainly to reduce downtime or to keep from climbing stairs 100 times a day.

Matt M. I've got one of them bright little flashlights that eats "AA" batteries and use my hollowed out "d" cell flashlight for terminals, lugs, and wireties. I don't know the name of the light but it's very handy and bright.

my pouch:

Square D wiggy
Fluke 87
clamp amp
410 Channel locks
3M crimpers
6" cabinet flatblade
6" AB terminal strip flatblade
6" phillips
Ideal strippers 10-22
needle nose
2 safety locks
roll of 33
assortment of jumpers and wireclips

I had seen an Electrician one time get into the pouch so much, that he even had a complete set of metal cutting drill bits, 1/4", 1/8" etc. Plus the pouch was over filled. This guy was good and he was very quick. I know when I had started in the field in 72, the main thing was speed.(non- union) shop. The faster you worked, the happier the boss was. Then as you put a few years in you realize that speed is not everything, but it's how the job looks, neatness to code, etc.
I still prefer the hack saw over the roto split. Maybe I'm old fashioned, and still like the Hacksaw.

Can't go past the old toolbelt,eh?,
I like to have my tools with me and available
at all times on a job.
On my belt, I carry:
Linemans Pliers (Klein)
Sidecutters(Klein)
Long-nosed Pliers(Klein)
Terminal screwdriver (Wiha 1000V Ins)
Various other Insulated Screwdrivers(6)
No.2 Square Drive screwdriver(a necessity over here)
Fluke T5-1000 Tester and Holster
Type N Duspol Tester(worn around neck)

I like to carry my #2 klein flat tip, phillips, klein needle nose with #12 strip hole and a pocket knife in my pocket. it really depends on whats going on that day. running conduit, pulling wire, digging a trench I really dont like tool pouches. mainly because I have a cheap belt thats a hand-me-down from a guy who was 100 pounds heavier than me. but it works when i need it to. I have a klein 10 pocket pouch. and a canvas fitting/screw/wirenut bag on the other side.
gotta have my Marlboro's handy too.
*hack* * ehem* *

What is a toolbelt?

Linemans:
back left pocket

strippers:
front left pocket (hanging by the handle)

one phillips head, one flathead, one speedy:
back right pocket

volt pin: usually in my hand because i'm paranoid

this is the set up for working a residential finish anyhow...

oh and my 4 footer holding my drill - one big flathead which acts as the hanger for my apron (wirenuts, crimp sleeves, 8-32s, etc)


[This message has been edited by Happi_Man (edited 12-13-2002).]

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

Ideal square leather tote:
Crimper / Stripper / screw cutter Burndy HYTool
stripper or romex stripper not in belt
insulated, holding screwdrivers:
3mm x 5in, 4mm x 5in & 5mm x 6in
#1 x 5in & #2 x 7in Phillips
Screwdriver and conduit reamer Klein 85188
Screwdriver 1/8 x 2 craftsman 41421H
Screwdriver 3/16 x 2 Wiremold Plugmold
Screwdriver 1/4 x 4 & wirenut wrench Ideal 30-331
insulated Screwdriver #1 Phillips & 3/16 x 4-1/2 GB SCE-260
insulated Phillips starter / magnet Stanley
Neon tester
Outlet / GFI tester GB GFI-501
DVM w/non-contact thermo Craftsman 81079
Test lead set for above:
standard probes
alligator
mini-hook
banana / prick
thermocouple
triangular file
wood screw starter hole Irwin 900
cheap ballpoint pen
Mechanical carpenter's pencil & spare lead
10" magnetic level
crimper, Ideal crimpmaster with following dies:
RJ-45 Ideal 30-559
Coax Ideal 30-582
RJ-11 Ideal 30-556
Slip-joint pliers 10" Proto 280
cable cutting pliers 9-1/2" Klein 63-050
10" end adjustable wrench (Klein?
taped handle)
Fuse puller Holub 64
power screwdriver Black & Decker VP750
For above:
Magnetic bit holder, shroud
2 PH1, 2 PH2, Robertson, Straight #5, #5-6, #6-8, #8 & #10-12 bits
spare battery
Scissors, telecom Fiskars 9485
Tape, yel, grn, blu, red

Bits and dies in small tackle boxlette
Test leads in roll pack

Apprentice required tool belt contents:

Hammer
tape measure
linesman plier
needle nose pliers
side cutters
loppers
phillips screwdrivers
straight blade screwdrivers
utility knife
pencil
allen wrenches(both standard and metric)
Lunch money
multimeter
4' Ladder
Full Dewalt corless combo kit
Code book on cd rom(with puter)
Strippers(preferably blondes)
center punch
drill set
tin snips
channel locks
adjustable wrench
radio

That should cover the right side.

Dnk.......

I feel like Batman with my toolbelt/arsonal.
Hammer
Philips
Straight
Chissel
Side-cutters
Knife
Sheetrock Saw
strippers
Tester
Tape
two most commonly needed nut spinners
pocket of 6-32's
pocket of 8-32's
pocket of staples
pocket of common size wire-nuts
pocket of odd wire-nuts
pocket of ground screws/crimps
pocket of sheet-rock screws
pocket of sheet-metal screws

Though I very much envy an old coworker that said and lived by:"If it can't be done with sidecutters and screwdriver, it can't be done." That's all he carried.