# Control panel building tool list?



## Du4Spark (Mar 20, 2017)

Recently got hired on at a company that builds control systems for agriculture. At first i am building control panels and systems (will be registered as a 309A apprentice at this company as well) and then eventually transitioning into systems design as i have a college electrical technician diploma. Pretty excited to say the least.

So my question is, what tools should i have for this position? i have a set i used for school but i am unsure if i have everything i need. Boss man said a basic electrical set up but thats kind of vague, any help would be appreciated.

if anyone could name off a tool list for me you'd be the man!


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## FF301 (Jan 12, 2014)

Basic hand tools
Drill bit set 
Taps with appropriate drill bits
Sta-kon crimpers for insulated and un insulated 
Ratchet set
Torque wrench
Allen wrenches ( metric and sae )
Tie wrap tool
Cordless tools
Meter


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## FF301 (Jan 12, 2014)

Before this gets too involved, what do they provide ??


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome aboard! Hope you don't go overboard on the tools you provide, you aren't a partner in the company. I take it this is a non union position.


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## Patriot1776 (May 20, 2016)

I've worked in several different control panel shops, and every one of them had different tool requirements. If I were in your shoes I would be very proactive and call the boss and ask if they have a list they expect you to have on your first day. If not, then go in with what you have and bring a notepad and pen and take a list of the tools that you need to grab from home or wherever. Most employers won't expect you to have absolutely everything you may need the very first day. 

That being said, the list FF301 provided is a good start. I would clarify the cordless tools though and say just a power screwdriver is good enough. The company should provide 18v tools, torque wrench, drills and taps, and any specialty tools. A small hand file set will come in handy for taking the sharp edges off of DIN rail, but that probably won't be needed the first day.

Best of luck on the new job!


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

FF301 said:


> Basic hand tools
> Drill bit set
> Taps with appropriate drill bits
> Sta-kon crimpers for insulated and un insulated
> ...


Why should an employee provide expendable items?

Cordless tools also wear out and should be company provided.

Nothing like exploiting your workers!


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Get a set of wera or wiha tweakers. Klein or free supply house handout tweakers suck to use all day to do terminal blocks.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

In a production shop... the employer should provide EVERYTHING... beyond personal protective equipment... as in a cushion for your tush.

One can only guess as to what you have to sit on.

Don't buy nothing until compelled to do so.


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

Auto strippers of some kind. Don't cheap out on them. Also a true posidriv screwdriver. Good control screwdrivers, don't cheap out on those either.

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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> Get a set of wera or wiha tweakers. Klein or free supply house handout tweakers suck to use all day to do terminal blocks.


Have you tried the full size handle Klein driver? It's a pleasure to use.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

telsa said:


> In a production shop... the employer should provide EVERYTHING... beyond personal protective equipment... as in a cushion for your tush.
> 
> One can only guess as to what you have to sit on.
> 
> Don't buy nothing until compelled to do so.


Exactly my feelings on this.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

telsa said:


> One can only guess as to what you have to sit on.
> Don't buy nothing until compelled to do so.


Or kneel on. 
Exactly. Either find out on your own what you actually need or ask them.
I would think for control panel building there would a very small tool requirement, if any requirement at all.



MechanicalDVR said:


> Have you tried the full size handle Klein driver? It's a pleasure to use.


No, but I like the way it looks. We always paid more attention to the driver tips and rarely cared to much about grip. But I can see a definite advantage with a rubber full size grip.
I would not want to come behind you with some of the long slender terminal block drivers after you torqued the thing down. :thumbsup:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Have you tried the full size handle Klein driver? It's a pleasure to use.


Garbage compared to a laser tip. There's a reason all the good terminal block makers rebrand the wera stuff.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

John Valdes said:


> No, but I like the way it looks. We always paid more attention to the driver tips and rarely cared to much about grip. But I can see a definite advantage with a rubber full size grip.
> I would not want to come behind you with some of the long slender terminal block drivers after you torqued the thing down. :thumbsup:


It's a great little driver, so much better than the pencil design types. 

You just have to make sure it's handle down when pocketing if you pocket carry instead pouch.

I'm respectful of torque when dealing with terminal blocks, DIN relays and that type thing.


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## HKK (Dec 5, 2013)

Jlarson said:


> Garbage compared to a laser tip. There's a reason all the good terminal block makers rebrand the wera stuff.




Never tried Wera, but this full size handle driver is so much better than those tiny drivers. The tiny ones cam out so easily and don't provide enough torque. 


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

MechanicalDVR said:


> It's a great little driver, so much better than the pencil design types.
> 
> You just have to make sure it's handle down when pocketing if you pocket carry instead pouch.
> 
> I'm respectful of torque when dealing with terminal blocks, DIN relays and that type thing.


I'd have to try one but it seems like it would be gangly in control situations. It looks like you'd have to have a regular screwdriver oriented grip which seems like it would be cumbersome to turn while you are holding a wire in place from another angle. I feel like a thin handle with a rotating cap that lets you point at the termination while twisting with your fingers is a better way to go.

Have you actually used this on a bunch of terminations like this?









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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

Another important tool I am very happy to have today is cutters with precision blades. I'm using a Knipex electrician tool. Trimming millimeters off a 16 stranded conductor would be stupidly annoying with regular cutters.

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## HKK (Dec 5, 2013)

Flyingsod said:


> I'd have to try one but it seems like it would be gangly in control situations. It looks like you'd have to have a regular screwdriver oriented grip which seems like it would be cumbersome to turn while you are holding a wire in place from another angle. I feel like a thin handle with a rotating cap that lets you point at the termination while twisting with your fingers is a better way to go.
> 
> Have you actually used this on a bunch of terminations like this?
> 
> ...




Yes I have and the larger handle is quite comfortable, but it may be because I'm accustomed to holding all my drivers like this. (With the butt end of the driver in my palm and all five fingers pointed toward the tip.) The Klein are somewhat clumsy compared to the ergonomic drivers out there. Wera Kraftform, Felo, And the like. 


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Kleins spin cap terminating screwdrivers are great as far as I'm concerned.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

HKK said:


> Never tried Wera, but this full size handle driver is so much better than those tiny drivers. The tiny ones cam out so easily and don't provide enough torque.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Most of the wera flats have a mid sized handle. I keep a set of little guys too though with the caps for little pc terminal blocks.


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## dmxtothemax (Jun 15, 2010)

FF301 said:


> Basic hand tools
> Drill bit set
> Taps with appropriate drill bits
> Sta-kon crimpers for insulated and un insulated
> ...


I am not so sure that this many tools should be required,
i would envivage many of these lools would or should be provided by the employer !

He said "BASIC"
basic = cutters ,pliers,screw drivers, meter.
thats basic stuff

as time goes on,
you build them up

:thumbsup:


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## Patriot1776 (May 20, 2016)

This is the mac daddy of terminal block screwdrivers in my opinion.


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Having run 3 panel shops in my career arc, I can tell you that what I expected my employees to have were the basic hand tools that one would have on a tool belt, essentially whatever you would *not *want to share with another worker. 
Screwdrivers, small to large, straight blase and phillips,
Wire cutters, strippers, crimpers (for control wire terminals)
Wrenches up to maybe 1", small (1/4" drive) socket set
Tape measures, t-square
Lineman's piers, *****, side cutters, 
One-hand cable shears, 
Tin snips, notching tool
Ball-peen hammer, center punch, automatic center punch, 
Stuff like that.


The rest of the stuff that a panel shop needs to have on hand is stuff that is not used frequently, so it is shop equipment and shared by everyone. Same for things that wear out, for example the drills, bits etc., I would never expect my panel builders to provide their own drills and bits, because the cost of replacing them as they wear out building my panels is my cost of doing business, not the worker's. The same for any shop power or cordless tools and any blades/bits that go with them. Control wire terminal crimpers would be you as per above, but not compression lug crimpers, because they are often specifically associated with a brand of crimp lug that you have no control over, so that's a shop tool. A shop should have a good large (48") square for panel and door layout, but since it's unlikely that two people would need it at the exact same time, that would be a shop tool, as well as a good hydraulic C-Punch. Any tool pertaining to specialized material should be shop provided as well.

If you are going to be expected to go out to do field work, then your own set of portable power tools is something I would have bought for you, but that's something that is often negotiable. I had a lot of stuff stolen from my field guys, I think partly because it wasn't theirs so they didn't worry as much as they would if it were. So now if I were doing it again, I might go the other way.


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## LuckyLuke (Jun 1, 2015)

Du4Spark said:


> Recently got hired on at a company that builds control systems for agriculture. At first i am building control panels and systems (will be registered as a 309A apprentice at this company as well) and then eventually transitioning into systems design as i have a college electrical technician diploma. Pretty excited to say the least.
> 
> So my question is, what tools should i have for this position? i have a set i used for school but i am unsure if i have everything i need. Boss man said a basic electrical set up but thats kind of vague, any help would be appreciated.
> 
> if anyone could name off a tool list for me you'd be the man!


We build many control cabinets and my guys are only expected to have their basic hand tools as they would have for any kind of work. Everything else is supplied by me as it should.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

LuckyLuke said:


> We build many control cabinets and my guys are only expected to have their basic hand tools as they would have for any kind of work. *Everything else is supplied by me as it should.*


Yup, like all real companies do or should be doing.

The guys that think they should supply everything themselves is beyond belief to me.


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## The_Modifier (Oct 24, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Why should an employee provide expendable items?
> 
> Cordless tools also wear out and should be company provided.
> 
> Nothing like exploiting your workers!


Even as a non onion shop, we provide the expendables. :thumbsup:

We even let them have "breaks"


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

The_Modifier said:


> Even as a non onion shop, we provide the expendables. :thumbsup:


I'm glad to hear it, I just think that's a professional way to operate.:thumbsup:



The_Modifier said:


> We even let them have "breaks"


Well I'll be damned, imagine that! Mighty nice of you!:jester:


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

HKK said:


> Never tried Wera, but this full size handle driver is so much better than those tiny drivers. The tiny ones cam out so easily and don't provide enough torque.


IMO the tip and straight shaft are the most important. Din size terminal blocks can be easily damaged with a ****ty driver tip.
The rubber, hand friendly grip is just a bonus.
Lots of guys used Excel drivers. Electronic guys. I was not one of them, but have used them before. The tip is strong and made exactly for this type work. 



Flyingsod said:


> Another important tool I am very happy to have today is cutters with precision blades. I'm using a Knipex electrician tool. Trimming millimeters off a 16 stranded conductor would be stupidly annoying with regular cutters.


Does anyone expect millimeter stripping? Asking. I used a standard yellow and red handle Ideal strippers for this work.
I also do not like the all in one strippers that strip and remove the sheath in one motion. To bulky.
The only place I found this type to be advantageous was in the motor shop when stripping motor lead out wire. 
That stuff can be very hard to strip.



Patriot1776 said:


> This is the mac daddy of terminal block screwdrivers in my opinion.


Whoa! I had no idea ABB made tools except the stuff salesmen give away.
Where can you buy that or do they come from ABB sales people or distributors?



MechanicalDVR said:


> Yup, like all real companies do or should be doing.
> The guys that think they should supply everything themselves is beyond belief to me.


Whats up with the small writing MechD. I'm struggling to see your text.



The_Modifier said:


> Even as a non onion shop, we provide the expendables. :thumbsup:
> We even let them have "breaks"


I love onions. I could not work there. :laughing:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I was on a job in Germany many moons ago and keep in touch with a couple of the guys from there. A while back I got a package in the mail from one of the guys, he sent me Sandvik terminal screwdrivers from Sweden. 

Been in my controls bag ever since and I love them.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

I'm still curious about the ABB driver pictured? Sales give away or actual tool sold.


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## ppsh (Jan 2, 2014)

John Valdes said:


> I'm still curious about the ABB driver pictured? Sales give away or actual tool sold.


http://www.cesco.com/b2c/product/ABB-030411423-Entrelec-Screwdriver/111483

The motor/drive supply houses usually have them.


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

I have a Weidmüller (Wiha) terminal driver that I love.









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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

The_Modifier said:


> Even as a non onion shop, we provide the expendables. :thumbsup:
> 
> We even let them have "breaks"


You need to stop, you will give us all a good reputation.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Switched said:


> You need to stop, you will give us all a good reputation.


No way your brethren that are the opposite type far outweigh the good guys.

You know the shops that want the guys to supply their own powertools, ladders, and scaffolding even.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

I've never worked as a bench tech... but my ol' buddy spent his entire career as a bench tech.

The employer ALWAYS supplied 100% of his tools. 

In a factory setting... I can't understand why the troops are expected to supply anything beyond vanity tools.

Indeed, if I were an employer at this time, I'd want my troops torquing every dang DIN mounted connection in sight... to spec.

A Panel Shop is selling perfection... IMHO.


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## Patriot1776 (May 20, 2016)

My ABB screwdriver was bought from PLATT Electric supply, I believe they are actually made by Entrelec.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

ABB terminal screwdriver $23.65 










https://www.platt.com/platt-electric-supply/Screwdrivers-Terminal-Screwdrivers/ABB-Entrelec/XUS002710/product.aspx?zpid=606375


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Same screwdriver is $6.89 at this place:

66 available now

http://www.alliedelec.com/abb-030411423/70246308/


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## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

telsa said:


> A Panel Shop is selling perfection... IMHO.


Huh. The last control panel I connected had a drawing error that was followed in the wiring and a separate wiring error. I wish you were right.

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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Forge Boyz said:


> Huh. The last control panel I connected had a drawing error that was followed in the wiring and a separate wiring error. I wish you were right.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


Blame the designer not the shop as a whole.


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## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Blame the designer not the shop as a whole.


That's the funny part. When I called them to confirm the changes I needed o make, the guy I talked to said one of their mechanical guys drew it up. "I'll have to give him crap about it" was his next comment.

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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Forge Boyz said:


> That's the funny part. When I called them to confirm the changes I needed o make, the guy I talked to said one of their mechanical guys drew it up. "I'll have to give him crap about it" was his next comment.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


Humans make mistakes and all we can do as consumers of their products is to work around the problems.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Forge Boyz said:


> Huh. The last control panel I connected had a drawing error that was followed in the wiring and a separate wiring error. I wish you were right.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk





MechanicalDVR said:


> Blame the designer not the shop as a whole.





MechanicalDVR said:


> Humans make mistakes and all we can do as consumers of their products is to work around the problems.


I always bench tested every panel I ever built and was on site for the start up.
Mistakes happen, but can be mitigated with a quality control plan.
Test the damn thing before you send it out!


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

John Valdes said:


> I always bench tested every panel I ever built and was on site for the start up.
> Mistakes happen, but can be mitigated with a quality control plan.
> Test the damn thing before you send it out!


Never built more than a small panel myself so testing was pretty easy but I have always tested any panel I was installing prior to any type of start up.


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

John Valdes said:


> I always bench tested every panel I ever built and was on site for the start up.
> Mistakes happen, but can be mitigated with a quality control plan.
> Test the damn thing before you send it out!


Aside from quality control and customer relations there's simple workmans pride. I test everything I do when no-one is around if at all possible. It feels awful when something you just finished doesn't work. I try not to share that.

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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Flyingsod said:


> Aside from quality control and customer relations there's simple workmans pride. *I test everything I do when no-one is around if at all possible.* It feels awful when something you just finished doesn't work. I try not to share that.
> 
> Sent from my C6725 using Tapatalk


I have always done that, I think that's a part of doing the best job you can! :thumbsup:


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## ralpha494 (Oct 29, 2008)

I had a drafter's T-Square that worked great for perpendicular lines for lay-out on the back panels. I suppose a drywaller's square cut down to two feet would work well too.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

ralpha494 said:


> I had a drafter's T-Square that worked great for perpendicular lines for lay-out on the back panels. I suppose a drywaller's square cut down to two feet would work well too.


I have a T-square that I think is actually for sewing that is a real handy size for layout like that.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Flyingsod said:


> Aside from quality control and customer relations there's simple workmans pride. I test everything I do when no-one is around if at all possible. It feels awful when something you just finished doesn't work. I try not to share that.


I never was in a position to actually test anything alone. Guess I could have done it during lunch or something?
Since the panels were built in the shop, there were always people around.

Now start up was wide open with many people including supervisors, engineering and sometime upper management.
As we all know nothing starts exactly perfectly and there are always bugs to work out.
If anyone said anything, I would ask them if they wanted to take over for me.
They usually shut up.
But knowing the logic and panel wiring was good, working out bugs was much easier.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

John Valdes said:


> I never was in a position to actually test anything alone. Guess I could have done it during lunch or something?
> Since the panels were built in the shop, there were always people around.
> 
> Now start up was wide open with many people including supervisors, engineering and sometime upper management.
> ...


:thumbsup: Gotta love human nature!


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## Lone Crapshooter (Nov 8, 2008)

If you are going to work with SIS wire you will need a Ideal Strip Master. A Strip Master is about the about the only stripper that I have found that does a good job on SIS.


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