# Leftover contractor provided consumables...



## MacroManage (Apr 29, 2010)

Some things are expected to be given back, like holesaws and unibits that short term workers had.

If you were with the contractor for a long run of good work, it's pretty normal to just keep them.

As for what you said about having so many of each items, I've never seen that. Usually when someone asks for something like rotosplit or sawzall blades the foreman will order a pack or two and give the guy one and then offer the other guys one if they need it, then throw the pack in the gangbox for the future.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

They'll be calling you a thief shortly. :laughing:


I would have kept the stuff.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

MacroManage said:


> As for what you said about having so many of each items, I've never seen that.


Just dumb stuff. Probably a pint jar of various tek tips, dozens of caulk-in anchor drivers, couple dozen hacksaw blades, probably three each of the main sizes of hole saws, etc. Nothing especially expensive. Nobody really doles out a unibit without getting the dull one back from you first. I was mainly wondering if there's been any guys get any guff for bringing that sort of stuff along on the next job.


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## MacroManage (Apr 29, 2010)

MDShunk said:


> Just dumb stuff. Probably a pint jar of various tek tips, dozens of caulk-in anchor drivers, couple dozen hacksaw blades, probably three each of the main sizes of hole saws, etc. Nothing especially expensive. Nobody really doles out a unibit without getting the dull one back from you first. I was mainly wondering if there's been any guys get any guff for bringing that sort of stuff along on the next job.


I think you just worked for good contractors. I've never really seen an EC who gave out holesaws, usually you have to share them until you become a shop guy.

As for taking them to the next job, I've always done it. I've never had a problem or knew of a problem with doing it.

I'm weird in a way. I would never purchase a $60 unibit to bring on a union job. But when given one by the contractor and allowed to keep it after layoff, I have no problem taking that with me and using on the next job. 

What are tek tips?


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## rlc3854 (Dec 30, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> Just dumb stuff. Probably a pint jar of various tek tips, dozens of caulk-in anchor drivers, couple dozen hacksaw blades, probably three each of the main sizes of hole saws, etc. Nothing especially expensive. Nobody really doles out a unibit without getting the dull one back from you first. *I was mainly wondering if there's been any guys get any guff for bringing that sort of stuff along on the next job.*





Interesting I have had a general foreman make the statement after being asked for a consumable "who did you work for last, you didn't bring anything with you".


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## MacroManage (Apr 29, 2010)

rlc3854 said:


> [/COLOR][/U][/I][/B]
> 
> 
> Interesting I have had a general foreman make the statement after being asked for a consumable "who did you work for last, you didn't bring anything with you".


Yeah, I had something similar happen when I didn't bring a hard hat with me many years ago. He asked me the same thing, why I didn't bring one with me. I told him that it had another company name on it, he said I still should have brought it and then tried to give me a used hard hat. There's no way that I'm wearing some other guy's sweat bucket on my head so I refused. He didn't like me for the first week but I grew on him :thumbsup:


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

MDShunk said:


> I was in Local #143 for 5 years, from 1998 onward. This question just came to my mind today, and it was never something I bumped up against as a problem. How's this handled in your area?....
> 
> Often, contractor provided items like hacksaw blades, hole saws, utility knife blades, tek tips, etc were given out in sufficient quantity to the member so that he didn't have to ask for them again. Very often, I'd end up with "extras" of these items, and they'd just get carted along with me to the next job (not necessarily for the same contractor).
> 
> What was I really supposed to do with these items? Return them to the contractor at the end of the job? Take them home, and start over "fresh" on the next job? Take them with me and use them on the next job, as I had done? I swear, at the end of a 5 year period, I ended up with enough surplus consumables to last me for a few years.



Seriously??

You keep'em. Use them on the next job, through an extra in your tool box give one to an apprentice, whatever. I've been given drill bits, paddle bits, hole saws, hollow wall set tools, led anchor set tools, hack saw blades, roto split blades, etc,etc.....

I've never seen anyone give a guy a hard time for having an assortment of bits and the like as long as they didn't buy them himself.

In all honesty the only consumable that I've seen contractors be a little stubborn with were uni-bits and at $50 a pop I can't really blame them.

Although I have been given half inch uni bits in the past.


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## MacroManage (Apr 29, 2010)

slickvic277 said:


> Although I have been given half inch uni bits in the past.


Yeah, they went down in price. But the 1 3/8" ones are still $60.


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

MacroManage said:


> Yeah, they went down in price. But the 1 3/8" ones are still $60.



Good one's anyway.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

I eventually consume the consumables on one job or another.


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

I keep all the consumables given to me, till 

A) I wear it out

B) Till contractor asks for it back.

C)If a bonehead snivels at me for dragging consumables from a previous job, tell him to get a grip. More contractors would cough up more tooling, if they knew they would stay at the job, rather than some tool that becomes a home only item. Hate working for a contractor that won't get tools to do the job!Working at stone age electric is always an ugly experience....


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

MDShunk said:


> What was I really supposed to do with these items? Return them to the contractor at the end of the job?


You must of been the GF on that job.

I typically pickup those tools from ACME, same time I buy all the other fastners to startup the job.

IDK. You see, I keep all that stuff in a lockable file cabinet, and only open it when no one else is around.

When I do dole out a hole-shooter or unibit, I give the speech about how proper use of drill speed will stretch the cutting tool ten times further.

Apprentices who have nothing and show promise get a fat uni, a skinny uni, a couple 1/4" drillbits, a couple 1/8" drillbits, a half-inch hole shooter, a 3/4 hole-saw, a couple p2r tips and holders, a couple 5/16 hwh drivers, couple #2 square drives, and a #10 drill-tap. You wouldn't believe how much more production I get. But nothing even remotely close to what you got MD!


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

About uni-bits...

I know all crap is made in China now, so that makes Harborfreight okay to use?

Do their unibits last longer than a day? Does their greenlee tap drill rip-off actually last? That junk is cheep, my bud has a harborfreight wirefeed welder, used it alot in the last couple years, and has had no problems thus far.


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

Contractor provided? I'm obliged to use it, long as it is safe.


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

miller_elex said:


> About uni-bits...
> 
> I know all crap is made in China now, so that makes Harborfreight okay to use?
> 
> Do their unibits last longer than a day? Does their greenlee tap drill rip-off actually last? That junk is cheep, my bud has a harborfreight wirefeed welder, used it alot in the last couple years, and has had no problems thus far.



I don't know about bits and such, but I've used a hammer drill from HarborFreight and outside of being XXXXXX Heavy it worked o.k..


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## Stan B. (Jul 25, 2008)

miller_elex said:


> About uni-bits...
> 
> I know all crap is made in China now, so that makes Harborfreight okay to use?
> 
> Do their unibits last longer than a day? Does their greenlee tap drill rip-off actually last? That junk is cheep, my bud has a harborfreight wirefeed welder, used it alot in the last couple years, and has had no problems thus far.


?? The Irwins and Greenlees in the big box stores were made in the US last time I bought them.


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

miller_elex said:


> About uni-bits...
> 
> I know all crap is made in China now, so that makes Harborfreight okay to use?
> 
> Do their unibits last longer than a day? Does their greenlee tap drill rip-off actually last? That junk is cheep, my bud has a harborfreight wirefeed welder, used it alot in the last couple years, and has had no problems thus far.



Knockoff drill-taps are ok. They've lasted me a while. As long as you treat them with respect they'll last longer than you think, and at $12 vs $30 they're a steal of a buy. I also have the Greenlee's. They're better but not for the money.

HarborFreight unibits are crap. You'll be lucky if they last you a day cutting anything thicker than 1/16''. Don't waste your money, buy the real thing.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

I have had this go one of two ways. When I first started out I tried to give some things back to the foremen when I was leaving a job and heading to another. The guy looked at me like I had two heads and said what am I supposed to do with that stuff? I had that type reaction more than once and was even told not to make waves. 
I worked for one contractor that had asked me not to leave any powertools
on a site I was driving to in my own car daily. When the job was coming to an end he asked me to bring the porta band to the shop when I came in at the end of the week. When I handed him the saw I told him I had a drill and sawzall outside in the car, I was told to just hang on to the items. 
Since then whatever I am given I hold on to like my own until I'm asked for it.


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## crazymurph (Aug 19, 2009)

I always keep the consumables that a contractor doles out. They become part of my tool bag and are used on the next job or the next contractor. What pisses me off are the guys who do not know how to properly use a hole saw or a unibit. These idiots turn them at high speed and turn the metal blue, or they bust through with the pilot and break the teeth of the hole saw or break the pilot bit. I have seen an order of hacksaw blades, hole saws and bits come onto a job, and then disappear. Some guys abuse the system, and they wonder why the contractor gets angry.


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## Stan B. (Jul 25, 2008)

crazymurph said:


> I always keep the consumables that a contractor doles out. They become part of my tool bag and are used on the next job or the next contractor. What pisses me off are the guys who do not know how to properly use a hole saw or a unibit. These idiots turn them at high speed and turn the metal blue, or they bust through with the pilot and break the teeth of the hole saw or break the pilot bit. I have seen an order of hacksaw blades, hole saws and bits come onto a job, and then disappear. Some guys abuse the system, and they wonder why the contractor gets angry.


I've noticed that most electricians refuse to use cutting oil except when threading rigid conduit. Quality cutting tools will last for ages if they are not overheated.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Most large shops really do not want the junk back from your job. Im sure you have an allowance for tools and consumables when you estimate a job. 
Your PM should get your excess materials returned for credit, sold as surplus or scrap. 
Nothing is worse than getting a truck load of junk/ dirty laundry someone over ordered back from a job and having to handle it several times, warehouse it and then eventually throw it out.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

I agree with Jannis to some degree. I worked for a pretty big EC for a few years and he had a big shop filled with crap. There was the normal standard stock but there was also a ton of crap.....I think once ever few months we would have a "shop" day and some of us would clean it all up. Basically moving shi t from one side to another...I went back there a few weeks ago to rent a man lift from him and he still had some of the same crap laying around. Broken tools, light fixtures from 20 years ago, 8000 FP breakers.. you name it he probably had one of it..


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## Electric Al (Mar 13, 2010)

I think we all did that at some time or other, keep stuff we may need some day! Remember Ma and Pa Kettle!! (GONNA FIX THAT SOME DAY, MA).

When I sold my shop, it was full of Junk, It all went for scrap. But I'm sorry I did'nt take pictures of some of the old stuff first. I had old light fixtures taken out of schools, that took 300 watt mogul base lamps, Old obsolete Dominion Disconnect switches etc.etc.etc. Great Old Stuff. but totally useless. Some items I'm really sorry for scrapping were panel meters, about 30 of them. They came out of an old power plant that I had to dismantle. I asked around if museums were interested, No Replys, so after they sat around for about 15 years, they went for scrap with the rest of the Junk.


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

Electric Al said:


> I think we all did that at some time or other, keep stuff we may need some day! Remember Ma and Pa Kettle!! (GONNA FIX THAT SOME DAY, MA).
> 
> When I sold my shop, it was full of Junk, It all went for scrap. But I'm sorry I did'nt take pictures of some of the old stuff first. I had old light fixtures taken out of schools, that took 300 watt mogul base lamps, Old obsolete Dominion Disconnect switches etc.etc.etc. Great Old Stuff. but totally useless. Some items I'm really sorry for scrapping were panel meters, about 30 of them. They came out of an old power plant that I had to dismantle. I asked around if museums were interested, No Replys, so after they sat around for about 15 years, they went for scrap with the rest of the Junk.



That reminds me, I use to save a bunch of old stuff. One of the coolest things I had was a 2 phase 5 wire pushmatic panel complete with breakers and all. I had a bunch of other old stuff and I threw it all away when I moved because I didn't feel like bringing it with me. Now I wish I still had it and regret tossing it.


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## JohnR (Apr 12, 2010)

I have seen some foreman when a new employee shows up, and has a lot of tools just accept that they are the guys tools. 
Sometimes a FM will get a bug like the worker stole all those tools/parts from the previous contractor so you're gonna steal from me too. 

I have never seen a company say just keep powertools but if they did, I wouldn't act like they are only mine, they are to still be used as company tools till you leave that contractor and he doesn't want them back. 

Then it is your discretion whether to use them for the next contractor IMO. 

Actually my last co. would not allow company tools or material in personal vehicles.

Edit: I did have a guy I was sub-contracted to tell me that he thought we would all steal his tools so at the end of the job, so I asked him that as he was expecting them all to be missing and the job was bid for 2-3 sets of tools could I have the 1/4 inch bender.:yes: To my surprise he said sure. Gave me the 3/4- 11/4 benders and a 1/4 x200' snake as well :thumbsup:


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## PhatElvis (Jan 23, 2009)

Getting consumables back? You have got to be kiddng... I am lucky if I get my drills, band-saws, sawsalls and knockout sets back. 

I swear to god the next jackass working for me that pops off that it's no big deal because I had tools figured into the job, will get a pink slip.


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