# Required Tools List - sound normal? IBEW apprentice



## Speedy Petey

BP_redbear said:


> Socket Set 3/8” drive – up to 1” socket
> Socket Set ¼” drive or Nutdriver set
> 66-110 Punch Down Tool (Blades furnished by employer)
> Combination Square
> Level – 12” (Unless they mean torpedo level. That should be on the list.)
> 150Amp Clamp Meter


These are the things I think are NOT required or appropriate for a beginner apprentice.

A combination square????? How OLD is this list??


----------



## BP_redbear

No idea how old... I just got it...

I am in my 4th week now.

I actually was asked by a JW to borrow my combo square to layout a pattern of KOs on a panel.

I had most everything on there anyway. Hope to get more opinions from others, too.


----------



## randomkiller

BP_redbear said:


> No idea how old... I just got it...
> 
> I am in my 4th week now.
> 
> I actually was asked by a JW to borrow my combo square to layout a pattern of KOs on a panel.
> 
> I had most everything on there anyway. Hope to get more opinions from others, too.


The thing that looked out of place to me was the punch down tool. I have always be provided with tools for specific tasks like that. Just like RJ45 crimpers and that type of thing. I think our tool list had said 12" for a torpedo, not sure if that was ever corrected, at the time I got one the only place that had 12" was Sears.


----------



## BP_redbear

I already had a 9" magnetic Starrett torpedo level and a Greenlee L77 mini magnetic level

And... I'm procrastinating on the 66-110 punch down tool...

Just don't think that the Telecom Tech is going to share his stool and let a apprentice --first year-- punch down any 110 blocks or RJ11/RJ45 wall jacks...

If I had not been an Industrial machine mechanic/technician and electrician for over a decade I would probably not have had half the tools on that list.

And considering that I was given the list *literally 3 DAYS* before I started my apprenticeship... it could be quite an expense for someone who may be new to our trade.

Some JWs tell me not to get the 66-110 tool...others say that the foreman is a stickler for making his guys have everything on 'THE LIST'...and he _specifically_ told me on Monday to make SURE I had a punch down tool, that I will be on Communications jobs for a while... ? ? ?

Then I'm back to .... is the tele tech REALLY going to trust a 'beginner' to do 'his job' ??


----------



## 480sparky

Silly me, but don't you think *WIRE STRIPPERS* should be on the list??????


----------



## nap

480sparky said:


> Silly me, but don't you think *WIRE STRIPPERS* should be on the list??????


 
hhmmm, me thinks they got all excited about the punchdown and left off the strippers.

Each local I have heard about has different requirements but that one is probably the largest apprentice list, and even surpasses most JW lists I have seen.



Tap Wrench – ¼”-not required in our apprentice tools but 6-32 through 1/4-20 on the JW list


Pliers – Channellocks- get 2 or even 3 pairs. Be careful of the size you buy.

Socket Set 3/8” drive – up to 1” socket- not in apprentice but up to 3/4 for JW

Metric Allen Wrenches up to ½” equivalent- no metrics in our list

Socket Set ¼” drive or Nutdriver set- nutdrivers

66-110 Punch Down Tool (Blades furnished by employer)-not even on the JW list. We do have a seperate classification for VDV.

Flashlight- love my 2 AA cell mini-mag converted to LED. A larger light is good as well


Combination Square- regardless what the other guys say, I use my combi square a lot


Voltage Tester – 600Volt tick tracer? absolutely, clipped on me at all times.


Allen Wrench set up to 3/8"

Level – 12”- 9" but find one with neodymium magnets.

Awl- or nothing

150Amp Clamp Meter- a meter of any sort was just added to out JW list a couple years ago. Up until then, a wiggy type tester was required.



Wire Crimp tool up to 10AWG - not on apprentice or JW. I have Kleins with the crimp though. Very handy.


----------



## Ecopat

I dont know about any of you guys, but apart from the obvious tools I also have a few tools that I find usefull when working.

Deburring tool for when the edges of a box are just that little bit too sharp, saved me a lot of cut wrists & forearms.

re-threading tool, basically it cleans the threads on conduit without the need for an actual tap 'n' die set. It looks a bit like a key & is only for internals.

Thor hammer, for when them jb's are a bit tight & need a bit of persuasion to sit nice & flush. You can whack it without damaging the box. I call it a percussion adjuster.

Auot-punch, for knockouts. For when you are in a tight spot & cannot get in with a hammer & driver, only really usefull for when running new wire into an existing box.

A pack of sticky notes, for when you have made an amendment to an existing install & you want to leave as much info as possible for the next guy. (pisses me off when I open a box & all the wires are the same damn colour/color, no sleeving or anything)

What do you guys use to your own spec if anything?


----------



## nap

> Auot-punch,


 
??????


----------



## Ecopat

nap said:


> ??????


Sorry I meant auto punch. :blink:


----------



## BP_redbear

Man, the stupid list is startin' to piss me off !

It says "keyhole saw handle" ... *HANDLE !!!*

Not jab saw, wallboard saw, or keyhole saw. I needed a wallboard saw one day, so I asked a Journeyman if we had blades for my keyhole saw handle, ya know, wood or wallboard-cutting... . He takes it, starts laughing at it, says he's looking for my kid's name on it. He parades it around to a contractor from a different trade, asks him if he has seen anything so ridiculuous, and "Where's the nearest dumpster?"

I said that the Tool List says 'keyhole saw handle', and that's what that is. He says No, the list doesn't say that. (I've got the copy of the list the hall gave me right in my tool bag, but I just let it go and let him have his fun at that point). 
So, I asked him if I could borrow his wallboard saw. He asked where mine was. ... You get the idea.


----------



## randomkiller

BP_redbear said:


> Man, the stupid list is startin' to piss me off !
> 
> It says "keyhole saw handle" ... *HANDLE !!!*
> 
> Not jab saw, wallboard saw, or keyhole saw. I needed a wallboard saw one day, so I asked a Journeyman if we had blades for my keyhole saw handle, ya know, wood or wallboard-cutting... . He takes it, starts laughing at it, says he's looking for my kid's name on it. He parades it around to a contractor from a different trade, asks him if he has seen anything so ridiculuous, and "Where's the nearest dumpster?"
> 
> I said that the Tool List says 'keyhole saw handle', and that's what that is. He says No, the list doesn't say that. (I've got the copy of the list the hall gave me right in my tool bag, but I just let it go and let him have his fun at that point).
> So, I asked him if I could borrow his wallboard saw. He asked where mine was. ... You get the idea.


 
Oh I remember that handle from my first list, I still have it in my bag, it's a Klein and has to weigh two pounds.


----------



## steve134

Ecopat said:


> Auto-punch, for knockouts. For when you are in a tight spot & cannot get in with a hammer & driver, only really usefull for when running new wire into an existing box.


where can i find this???


----------



## Ecopat

steve134 said:


> where can i find this???


Most hardware store over here sell them, I am sure this is the same in the states.

Eclipse do the best range imho, do a search for automatic centre punches. :thumbsup:


----------



## randomkiller

steve134 said:


> where can i find this???


 
Graingers, McMaster-Carr, Sears, Ace, any good tool supply.


----------



## Speedy Petey

randomkiller said:


> Oh I remember that handle from my first list, I still have it in my bag, it's a Klein and has to weigh two pounds.


Yup, me too. I use mine at home from time to time. NO WAY I'm carrying it around.


----------



## randomkiller

Speedy Petey said:


> Yup, me too. I use mine at home from time to time. NO WAY I'm carrying it around.


I have a real heavy duty short blade in it that is great for cutting into double layered sheetrock where you more strength than a regular sheetrock saw.


----------



## steve134

Ecopat said:


> Auot-punch, for knockouts. For when you are in a tight spot & cannot get in with a hammer & driver, only really usefull for when running new wire into an existing box.





Ecopat said:


> Most hardware store over here sell them, I am sure this is the same in the states.
> 
> Eclipse do the best range imho, do a search for automatic centre punches. :thumbsup:



i miss understood you.. i thought you meant knocking out knockouts in an existing box. such as a switch box/recpt. box when you need to fish something in. that's always a pain.


----------



## cdnelectrician

I was always suprised to see that wire strippers were not on the IBEW tool list for journeymen or apprentices, guess the list is still from the old days when they used their pliers!


----------



## MechanicalDVR

steve134 said:


> i miss understood you.. i thought you meant knocking out knockouts in an existing box. such as a switch box/recpt. box when you need to fish something in. that's always a pain.


That is what he meant.


----------



## steve134

MechanicalDVR said:


> That is what he meant.







so your telling me an auto center punch will do this?

sorry for the bad drawing.... in a rush to start the weekend


----------



## Ecopat

steve134 said:


> so your telling me an auto center punch will do this?
> 
> sorry for the bad drawing.... in a rush to start the weekend


Oh yes, it works a treat I find. Just set it to the hardest setting & BAM, 1 knockout knocked out.


----------

