Apprentice path · Stage 2: Tools, meters and materials · Lesson 5

The hand tools you are expected to own

Six tools cover most of what an apprentice is handed on day one, and each one has a job it does better than anything else in the pouch.

Why this matters on the job

Turning up without your own tools marks you before you have done anything. Turning up with the wrong ones, or with the cheap version of the one tool that matters, marks you the first time you need it.

How to think about it

  1. Lineman's pliers: grip, twist and cut.
  2. Diagonal cutters: cut wire cleanly.
  3. Wire strippers: match the marked size to the conductor you are stripping.
  4. Screwdrivers and nut drivers: use the tip that actually fits the fastener.
  5. Tape measure and torpedo level: measure the layout, check the alignment.
  6. Tongue-and-groove pliers: adjust the jaws to fit the work.

Worked through

Wire strippers are the one people get wrong. The tool has sizes marked on it, and you put the conductor in the hole marked for that size. Using a hole that is too big leaves insulation behind; too small and you nick the copper. A nicked conductor is a weak spot you have built in on purpose and then covered up.

Check yourself: Your strippers have red and yellow handles. Does that mean they are insulated for working on live conductors?

Answer: No. Coloured or cushioned handles are comfort grips. They are not an insulation rating.

Insulated tools are rated and marked as such. A comfortable handle is not a rating, and nothing about the colour tells you what the tool will withstand.

Watch out for: Before you spend money, confirm the required tool list with your employer -- kits vary by company and by the work. And inspect tools before every use: a cracked handle or a loose jaw is a tool that is going to let go at the wrong moment.
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Written from the owner's poster for this lesson. Nothing added beyond what the poster states.

Written for Texas apprentices as free study material. The Texas apprentice licence is an application, not an exam (Occupations Code 1305.161), and nothing here counts as apprenticeship hours or continuing-education credit. VoltMark is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NFPA, PSI, TDLR, or any state or local licensing authority. Always follow your employer's safety programme and your supervising electrician.