Best Tools For a Startup Electrician

[JAWS]

The electrician I use has a tool bag full of Knipex and Wiha tools and the odd C.K, he swears by these brands.

 

[Squid]

Also learn to look after your tools as they will look after you.

Some of the tools I use today I have since I was an apprentice back it the 80's lol

 

[telectrix]

What you need above everything else is a really good radio. Something that can drown out the joiners choice of Radio 2.

and the apprentice's ghastly radio 1 drivel "music".

 

[telectrix]

radio 1 used to be a good music station. first broadcast september 1967 after that clown wilson had forced caroline off the air. first track was "Flowers in the Rain". The Move.

 

[littlespark]

Radio 1 was good 80's and 90's.... I cant listen to it anymore.
I'm left with the local commercial station. Radio Boredom... I mean Borders. Got DAB in the van, but its hit and miss depending what road i'm on.

I remember having an old radio the size of my toolbox. Would run on 230v and 110v. Soldered a couple of wires to the battery terminals and could run it off my drill battery too.

 

[AJshep]

My personal preference is knipex. I'm happy to pay for qualify and i agree with most of the posts here, both Whia and Wera are great, I favour both these brands over CK.
CK stuff IMO is overpriced it's not the quality of knipex but the price is on par. The only reason I end up CK stuff in my toolbox is because it's generally what the wholesalers stock.

 

[elsparko]

i get by with mostly just snips and a small flathead screwdriver, ive clipped whole houses using the back of my snips, if i need a chisel i just find a flathead that has been relegated

when buying drills pay attention to their torque, the b&q ---- is cheap because youre just aswell doing it by hand

basics i would say are
snips
pliers
long nose pliers
screwdrivers
hacksaw junior and senior
woodsaw
padsaw, both types
tape measure
pencils/marker pens
set square
string and chain to make a "mouse"
adjustable spanners
ratchet set
voltage/continuity tester
a small hammer
a big hammer
a note pad

and of course a toolbox or bag to put these in, should manage to get all this including a drill for around £500

decent drill, screwfix have a deal on the brushless dewalt for 150

 

[telectrix]

my basic toolkit:

for drivers..wiha interchangeables and bahco (irazola) fixed blade
sidecutters..NWS
cordless AEG drill and impact driver
SDS... hitachi 24V and Makita 110V
megger 1553

 

[Toneyz]

Everyones talking about CK branded stuff. I didn't know Calvin Klein made tool bags?

Only need a spare pair when things go ---- up.

 

[telectrix]

or a wet fart.