Useful tools

[Dave Appleby]

Bit of a fun one.

What non standard tools do you have that you find invaluable?

For me a 1.5" paintbrush is my go to for mucky old sockets etc...

Also, not sure if it's allowed. Got one of the below after a customer showed me one
Bloody fantastic. Especially for oven element changes.

NEBO NE6737 Big Larry 2 Powerful Flashlight, Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MS1MJ1J/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_A99ZHZYPZBF1E1FRHFKF

 

[Lister1987]

Offset needle nose (can't remember Thier actual name - Stork nose?) Handy for reaching in and down conduit for when cables foul on the coupler/bush

 

[rapparee]

Offset needle nose (can't remember Thier actual name - Stork nose?) Handy for reaching in and down conduit for when cables foul on the coupler/bush

Snipe nose pliers

 

[pirate]

Fibreglass rods, the type used for making Roman Blinds and lots of other uses. I don't mean Super-Rods, these are similar but come in various lengths, and I use 5m ones. No joints, ideal for pulling cables over joists in attics etc. They have no fittings, just use tape. No problem if you lose or break one as they cost very little. You need to pick them up from the supplier as they are tricky to post! Mine come coiled, and you need to re-coil them and tape together when finished, for easy storage. A 5m length of 4mm dia costs about a tenner.

 

[Dustydazzler]

A big bent flat head screwdriver for mashing the plaster behind coving / skirtings so you can push a cable behind without damaging the finished face

 

[Mikegh]

Fibreglass rods, the type used for making Roman Blinds and lots of other uses. I don't mean Super-Rods, these are similar but come in various lengths, and I use 5m ones. No joints, ideal for pulling cables over joists in attics etc. They have no fittings, just use tape. No problem if you lose or break one as they cost very little. You need to pick them up from the supplier as they are tricky to post! Mine come coiled, and you need to re-coil them and tape together when finished, for easy storage. A 5m length of 4mm dia costs about a tenner.

Ya ? must look into this

I was going to post pvc trunking lid the 16*16 type mostly

Use it for a lot of random cable fishing tasks

 

[littlespark]

A big bent flat head screwdriver for mashing the plaster behind coving / skirtings so you can push a cable behind without damaging the finished face

I need one of these!

I said a while ago I was going to core a hole through a tiled wall… which is now done… but I need to get the cable up into ceiling space hopefully without damaging the tiles.
There’s 3 rows of 100mm deep tiles above the rather neat hole… plaster is old, dry and about an inch thick.
Thinking I can dig up through the plaster without popping the tiles??

For info, I drilled through the tiles following a circle, then multi tool with abrasive curved blade to nibble out between the drilled holes.

Had to core a 100mm hole through 800mm of old rubble wall

 

[alexanderzingman]

May i know the accurate name of this tool .. i don't know about this.

 

[freddo]

I use a No-dog conduit level a lot when bending steel conduit, saves so much time when making sets etc.

 

[casperLennon]

How does this no dog level work?

 

[SparkySy]

Yes do tell how does it work, I have not come across them!

 

[freddo]

It's simply a level that clamps to the end of a bit of conduit during bending sets. Make first bend, attach level (with bubble level!) to conduit before removing it from bender, twist conduit 180 degrees to do the other bend until bubble is level, then make second bend. The level guarantees the second bend (and third and fourth bends in a bubble set) will be exactly inline with the first. This will work even if the conduit bender is not on level ground. No more messing about looking down the conduit to line things up. I use it extensively during conduit bending work, and wouldn't want to be without it. Had to buy it from USA.

 

[timhoward]

There’s a similar purpose gadget called inclinometer, for about £15 on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RISEPRO-Protractor-Inclinometer-Backlight-Batteries/dp/B0719JCKTK/ref=asc_df_B0719JCKTK/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310864933873&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5100716343246688612&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006973&hvtargid=pla-350300868465&psc=1

 

[telectrix]

this tool would haved saved me from a load of scrapped tube back in the 70's. I could never form a saddle or set that wasn't pi$$ed. eventuallyused a pencil line to determine the position in the bender.

 

[Mikegh]

this tool would haved saved me from a load of scrapped tube back in the 70's. I could never form a saddle or set that wasn't pi$$ed. eventuallyused a pencil line to determine the position in the bender.

I taught myself to do conduit jumps after failing a practical on on it

Wasn't that hard and came in handy on installations

 

[freddo]

Also during recent conduit works I finally realised the best thing to mark conduit bends with is a dry wipe pen, when you are done a just rub the mark with your hand. It has taken me 18 years to work that out! Before I used to use a pen or pencil and remove the marks with acetone!

 

[loz2754]

Also during recent conduit works I finally realised the best thing to mark conduit bends with is a dry wipe pen, when you are done a just rub the mark with your hand. It has taken me 18 years to work that out! Before I used to use a pen or pencil and remove the marks with acetone!

Great tip

 

[DPG]

Great tip

Felt tip!

 

[nicebutdim]

Pencils are handy, too

Except for having insufficient characters.

 

[telectrix]

Pencils are handy, too

Except for having insufficient characters.

A PROPELLING PENCIL HAS MORE CHARACTERS.

 

[Timbo]

Can we have a character reference?