BAZZA. Well that set memory's moving. I was an apprentice plumber 1949 to 1954 We worked Saturday mornings then Saturday morning it was my duty to clean the tools. And chop some firewood for my "Master" lol, If he got his hands dirty on a Monday there would be hell to play. Or you maybe nailed down to the nearest wood floor. By your overalls I add. Tool bag in those days was always an Ex Army back pack. Happy days lol Johnny M
@JOMEL lol. I had a rucksack in the early days, but with the thieving little toerags around today I prefer something I can lock with the hope it will deter them. The sparky that taught me had a ball pein hammer that was so well polished you could almost shave in it. When you work with people like that it definitely rubs off.
I try were possible to keep tools for 'clean' work apart from 'dirty' work. This sometimes means you have two of the same tool but that works out a lot cheaper than having to clean finger marks of someone's newly painted mansion. I have spent a lot of life in jobs carrying gear around I recommend that you use rucksack if carrying for any distance, your back will thank you for it in later life. I have just invested in one of these CK Magma Technicians Rucksack Plus 20Ltr | Tool Bags | Screwfix.com Mind you it was cheaper at another supplier.
You can always tell if a tradesman has been trained to respect tools and their own and others workspace.
Bang on mate. For a paying customer, I think it also speaks volumes for how conscientious you are as a person. It also says a lot about your attention to detail, your professionalism and work ethic. I'll just leave these pictures here ......
My former sidekick was very finicky & always went the extra yard on a job, his van was a disgrace, everything was in buckets, footwell was full of old drink cans & wrappers
Woodbutcher, Wow I thoght I was tidy You would definitely get a Certificate of Merit from me. Recently I put an extra shelf up in my garage, All the electric tools are on that now all marked. Out of the outside workshop where I had to move some think to see if what I wanted was under something else. Well we do collect tools dont we, I still have my Dads claw hammer which came from his Dad, CONGRATULATIONS Johnny M
I can’t believe with all the helpful suggestions of what tools this young lad is gonna need to start of his
DaveMitch What about lowering his debt if he keeps them in GREAT condition, My RAF days we had a weekly kit inspection. Maybe a 3 monthly one. Some incentive then. Best of luck to him Johnny M
Happys list earlier was good!, Wiha screwdrivers are the best available IMHO, B&Q have good deals on them, make sure you go for the set with Pozi, not Philips. I use CK for most other tools, long nose pliers, side cutters, both insulated, pump pliers and wire strippers, all indispensible. A two pole tester is another key bit of kit, Fluke are the best IMHO, but i use a Drummond MTL20 which is very clear, and can be had cheaply on ebay (as they are issued to DNO employees, who promptly sell them!!) A good hammer, Estwing are probably the best A cordless drill / driver is handy, I only ever buy the best deal in DeWalt or Makita (c£80), get 3 or 4 years out of each one. A spirit level, Milwaukee do one 100mm long, ideal for levelling faceplates. Luggage is important too, CK Magma is good, rucksack or toolcase are good ideas. That should get him well started, he can add bits as he goes, I'm still adding 20 years in, just purchased a set of triangle and tri wing screwdrivers for getting into appliances and a cordless Fein multi tool.
An electrician I work with on occasion is more likely to use a shovel to get under floorboards rather than a multi tool - he has got one but that's more likely to be used as a hammer.
I have a VonHaus tool case kids bought it for me, god knows why, as I have loads of tools, but it does mean in the main one unit has all the tools I need, but how far does one go, this also gives a range of hand tools, £90 v £20. When I was workshop based I had a tool box on wheels, when I worked going up/down scaffold it was a tool bag with shoulder strap, OK I also had a larger tool store, and would select what I carried, needed to be so nothing could fall out and as light as possible. I have tried using a tool belt, but really they are for showing off with rather than useful, handy when working off ladders, but should not work off ladders to start with. But still say an apprentice should not need to provide any tools, he is an apprentice how would he know what he needs? OK maybe that £20 tool kit, but an office worker does not even supply his own pen. Maybe a pocket protector that is about the limit, so why should even a fully qualified tradesman buy his own tools. OK when on bonus I got battery hand tools to earn more bonus, faster than using extension leads, but if the employer want you to work faster by using better tools and earn him more money, he should buy them.
I’m actually thinking of the tool bag that comes out of the van on every job. As well as the main bag there’s a second bag in the van for less commonly used tools, but things migrate from that bag into the main bag and its handles end up tied together with a piece of wire to keep it shut until I end up putting stuff back into the second bag. In the main bag I have a Wera security bit set in a roll with a handle, I also have a security bit set similar to this, which is around £16. Make sure there’s holes in the ends of the blades to fit the security screws, to go with it I have an insulated hex bit screwdriver handle, I don’t need them every day so they could live in the second bag, but stay in the main bag. HEX SHANK MIXED SECURITY BIT SET 33 PIECES (2840V)
@MGW I presume you were industrial rather than construction, in the construction trades there isn’t a trade that traditionally bought and owned all their own hand tools, it’s the same in the motor and other trades. In the past I have had self employed carpenters ask to borrow a drill bit to drill a hole in a piece of wood, I don’t mind helping out someone who obviously has a reasonable set of tools, but I’m not going to lend tools to someone who has just turned up without the tools to do the job. A set of spade bits is a handy item for any carpenter or electrician to keep handy that does not cost a fortune, but the employer should be supplying power tools along with the blades and bits required for them. In reality neither an electrician or a carpenter is going to have a hand brace and augers in their tool bag anymore. I can’t find the carpenters tool list at the moment, however here’s the working rule from the Federation of Master Builders website: Working Rule 18 - Tool Allowance The Tool Allowance is consolidated within the basic wage rates. Storage of Tools The employer shall provide storage where reasonably practicable and in such cases shall accept liability in the case of theft or fire for the replacement of tools up to a maximum of £650.00, subject to the operative using such storage. https://www.fmb.org.uk/static/9e62a...tion-and-working-rule-agreement-2020-2021.pdf
I don’t know about old drink cans and wrappers being acceptable, but back in the 80’s I was sat eating lunch on a building site with guys from different trades and we were discussing vans, comment was passed the best tradesmen who turned out the best work at a good pace usually had the untidiest vans with everything including their tools in empty paint buckets and the like. Surprising as it may seem there was a general agreement that this was actually true.
An employee cannot claim tax relief on the purchase of their tools, but they do get a tax allowance for maintenance and repair of their hand tools. https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-tool-allowances
If you work for a local council as an electrician you should get £7.74 per week tool money: 4. TOOL ALLOWANCES 4.1 Engineers & electricians Agreement has been reached for increases in Tool Allowances. The new allowances, to operate from the pay week including 1 April 2020 are as follows: £7.74. Plus £0.52 per week for being able to test: 5. OTHER PAYMENTS 5.1 Electricians In addition to the rates set out in Paragraph 2 the plus rates shown below will be payable hourly with effect from the pay week including 1 April 2020 are as follows: and are to be taken into account for all purposes. They shall be paid to electricians who are required to perform exacting diagnostic work over a wide range of modern electronic and control equipment, in addition to more usual maintenance or new work. This payment when made to an electrician shall absorb any existing payment to him related to the exercise of higher skills. It will be for the authority to determine, after consultation, which electricians, if any, shall receive the plus rate. In the event of disagreement the signatories to this agreement will be available for advice. Which doesn’t compare very well with the plumbers £10.80 per week for being gas competent. https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Craft Pay Award 2020-21.pdf
If you are installing a lot of accessories then in addition to the cutters already suggested (CK cutters 31773) you should get one of these. 3.5mm Threading Tool - Search Results | Screwfix.com
Hi, I might be getting old now, but I find this an essential 'tool', the one I use was a far cheaper version of this: Luceco Rechargeable LED Head Torch Green 150lm | Head Torches | Screwfix.com
I recently got a Facom backpack. It’s designed to take a laptop / iPad as well as the tools. You can just fit a 12v vac in as well as a drill and hand tools. It’s really comfortable to wear and it’s easy to carry 20kg+. I would happily take it into London by train/tube and walking a mile at each end. (Alternatively you can take the tools out and carry 11 bottles of wine.)