grampage Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 I wanted to know whats everyones favorite electrical tools. In my school there are all kinds of tools from different manufacturers that we use. So far my wish list is fluke for the mutimeter, klein for the nut drivers and lineman pliers, greenlee for strippers, knipex for pliers and irwin for diagonal cutters. I ve only been using these tools for 3 months now. Figured i would ask everyone whose been using their tools longer. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkyTim Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 I love the Milwaukee Band Saw, Irwin slip's, Fluke meters, Klein everything,,(ratchet screwdriver). And my Sears hammer. I use Rigid Gangboxes and Tripod's love em. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampage Posted December 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 I always wondered whats the benefit of using a gangbox? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 Fluke meters Wera screwdrivers I'd probably go with Klein or Milwaukee for nut drivers for the full length hollow shaft Knipex pliers, strippers, cutters, and linesmen(maybe NWS or Irwin NWS) Lindstrom for precision cutters Milwaukee for power tools BTW, the Fluke 117 is on sale for $135 on Amazon right now. I'd personally rather buy used Fluke for the money but if you want to buy new, you can't beat that price. It's cheaper than the 114 and only $5 more than the 110 Plus!!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 Can't really argue with BMack. Certainly solid picks. I don't know what your needs are, but if you need insulated tools, Facom has an extensive and good quality selection. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmcmillan Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 1 hour ago, jeffmcmillan said: I like those mixed with this style: The Irwin is good with super thin wires but it can struggle where the Knipex/Felo shines. For coax cable RG-6 I use a Knipex cable shear to score the insulation and the Irwin to strip, otherwise it has a lot of trouble. I don't do coax enough that I want a dedicated tool. I'd recommend the Irwin and a traditional style for someone starting, the Knipex/Felo style is more of an easy of use and nicer feel/lighter package. BTW, the Knipex is better than the Felo. The red portion is grippy rubber and it's super comfortable. Also the jaws strip and open to release the cut insulation, the Felo's jaws remain closed and sometimes the insulation sticks. The Irwin sometimes has the insulation stick also. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyB Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 I love my Kleins for electrical. And Fluke for my go to meters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 my favorite electrical tool is my cell phone, I use it every time an electrical issue arises I call my brother, he is the electrician....I'm no electrician nor try to be......ouch....son of a.... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 Klein CL800 002 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr IMG_0489 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampage Posted December 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 Has anyone tried those knipex strippers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmcmillan Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 6 hours ago, grampage said: Has anyone tried those knipex strippers? 10 hours ago, BMack37 said: I like those mixed with this style: The Irwin is good with super thin wires but it can struggle where the Knipex/Felo shines. For coax cable RG-6 I use a Knipex cable shear to score the insulation and the Irwin to strip, otherwise it has a lot of trouble. I don't do coax enough that I want a dedicated tool. I'd recommend the Irwin and a traditional style for someone starting, the Knipex/Felo style is more of an easy of use and nicer feel/lighter package. BTW, the Knipex is better than the Felo. The red portion is grippy rubber and it's super comfortable. Also the jaws strip and open to release the cut insulation, the Felo's jaws remain closed and sometimes the insulation sticks. The Irwin sometimes has the insulation stick also. I've used those and hate them compared to the Irwin style. The problem for me is the cutter is a set depth from the grabber so if it doesn't work you're stuck. The Irwin style adjust the two individually by pressure and the pressure is easily adjustable from almost nothing (works on 30AWG) to pretty high, and most importantly when it maxes out you can manually apply pressure to strip pretty much anything that fits in the jaws. That's particularly useful for teflon insulation or multiple wires. Not to mention you can much more easily get to the middle of a cable to strip a foot or so of sheathing. I've even used a ziptie on the handle to hold insulation open and tap into the middle of cables. That's all ignoring that I can get three Irwins for the price of a Knipex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaljunkie Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 Grew up using a Simpson meter and just got use to it. It's not digital, but it can handle phase to phase on with 480 volts and I've learned to trust it. Klein cable cutters and strippers always served me well also. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampage Posted December 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 Klein is coming out with strippers like the irwins but with the kleins you can adjust the amount of tension to strip smaller wires 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 I had a pair of the Irwins, but they were finnicky and I stopped using them and going straight for my standard Channellock strippers. The Irwins also wouldn't work on wire with any kind of moisture, dust, slime, sludge, oil or miscellaneous on them. Those are the times when you really want the tool to work the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted December 4, 2016 Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 I had a pair of the Irwins, but they were finnicky and I stopped using them and going straight for my standard Channellock strippers. The Irwins also wouldn't work on wire with any kind of moisture, dust, slime, sludge, oil or miscellaneous on them. Those are the times when you really want the tool to work the first time.Which irwins? The auto?Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted December 4, 2016 Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 5 hours ago, jeffmcmillan said: I've used those and hate them compared to the Irwin style. The problem for me is the cutter is a set depth from the grabber so if it doesn't work you're stuck. The Irwin style adjust the two individually by pressure and the pressure is easily adjustable from almost nothing (works on 30AWG) to pretty high, and most importantly when it maxes out you can manually apply pressure to strip pretty much anything that fits in the jaws. That's particularly useful for teflon insulation or multiple wires. Not to mention you can much more easily get to the middle of a cable to strip a foot or so of sheathing. I've even used a ziptie on the handle to hold insulation open and tap into the middle of cables. That's all ignoring that I can get three Irwins for the price of a Knipex. It's virtually the same thing with the Irwins; when it doesn't work, it doesn't work and the Knipex/Felo will work. If you have insulation that stretches the Irwin doesn't work because it only cuts a small part of the insulation. This is why i use the cable shears to pre-cut the RG-6 cable. The price is definitely a down side but between the two, you can easily strip all common wires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmcmillan Posted December 4, 2016 Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 19 minutes ago, BMack37 said: It's virtually the same thing with the Irwins; when it doesn't work, it doesn't work and the Knipex/Felo will work. If you have insulation that stretches the Irwin doesn't work because it only cuts a small part of the insulation. This is why i use the cable shears to pre-cut the RG-6 cable. The price is definitely a down side but between the two, you can easily strip all common wires. My point with the Irwin style was if they don't work you can manually press on the jaws a bit for certain wire. Maybe it's bad luck or couple bad pairs from knipex but they just don't work for me. Side by side the Irwins have stripped wires the Knipex wouldn't. It could also be good luck with the Irwin pairs because I've heard of some having the wrong tension and won't strip anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampage Posted December 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 Most of my classmates just go for the reagular klein and greenlee strippers mainly cause of the tension issue with the irwins. I def wanna try the klein version. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted December 4, 2016 Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 I've had the Irwins for a good 5-6 years. I've used the exclusively in residential settings on 10,12, and 14 gauge and have never really had an issue with them failing to strip a wire. The only problem I've ever ran into was having enough space to use them. They've either been slick as can be or totally useless. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicolasRamos Posted December 11, 2016 Report Share Posted December 11, 2016 My favorite is my Klein hammer Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted December 11, 2016 Report Share Posted December 11, 2016 Klein, Wiha, knipex mainly in my bag Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Argyropoulos Posted December 12, 2016 Report Share Posted December 12, 2016 Knipex for anything pliers or cutter related, Wiha for all the screwdrivers as well as a set of insulated nutdrivers. As I get older, my impact has become my go-to tool for any fastener driving so insert bits, holders, and nut-drivers are important to me as well. I've been very impressed with some Wera PH2 S.S. inserts I bought, but I also get a variety of stuff from local tool vendors. I am particularly fond of the Irwin 9-in-1 driver tool (2051100) that has the Robinson 1 and 2 sizes most used in devices here in the US. The exception to Knipex for cutting are my cutters/strippers, which I buy the US made stamped steel ones which are branded by almost all the big players (Ideal, Klein, Greenlee etc.). None of the gadget type cutters/strippers do as clean a job for the day to day stripping as those tools do, and they're relatively cheap. I keep two strippers in my bag - one for 18-8 AWG and a second for 12/2 and 10/2 Romex and 12 and 10 AWG. They are especially handy in older homes where that chunky-assed PVC Romex or cloth covered Romex was used. For test equipment, one option to look at is the AEMC store where they sell both new and refurbished test tools which they make themselves (unlike Klein, Milwaukee, Ideal, Greenlee etc) You can get some really decent test equipment for very affordable prices from time to time. Start out with a medium sized versatile clamp meter that can do TRMS AC readings and which fits in your tool bag or isn't a PITA to carry around, then work your way towards expanding the collection as you need better testers. Here's a good, not-too-expensive clamp that will do a lot of what you need in a meter and has way higher specs than a Fluke 323 starter toy:http://store.aemc.com/Clamp-on-Meter-Model-203_p_1152.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPSElias Posted December 12, 2016 Report Share Posted December 12, 2016 I bought a Klein "starter" kit from HD and I love all the tools in it except I like my Milwaukee strippers better.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted December 12, 2016 Report Share Posted December 12, 2016 15 hours ago, Peter Argyropoulos said: Knipex for anything pliers or cutter related, Wiha for all the screwdrivers as well as a set of insulated nutdrivers. As I get older, my impact has become my go-to tool for any fastener driving so insert bits, holders, and nut-drivers are important to me as well. I've been very impressed with some Wera PH2 S.S. inserts I bought, but I also get a variety of stuff from local tool vendors. I am particularly fond of the Irwin 9-in-1 driver tool (2051100) that has the Robinson 1 and 2 sizes most used in devices here in the US. The exception to Knipex for cutting are my cutters/strippers, which I buy the US made stamped steel ones which are branded by almost all the big players (Ideal, Klein, Greenlee etc.). None of the gadget type cutters/strippers do as clean a job for the day to day stripping as those tools do, and they're relatively cheap. I keep two strippers in my bag - one for 18-8 AWG and a second for 12/2 and 10/2 Romex and 12 and 10 AWG. They are especially handy in older homes where that chunky-assed PVC Romex or cloth covered Romex was used. For test equipment, one option to look at is the AEMC store where they sell both new and refurbished test tools which they make themselves (unlike Klein, Milwaukee, Ideal, Greenlee etc) You can get some really decent test equipment for very affordable prices from time to time. Start out with a medium sized versatile clamp meter that can do TRMS AC readings and which fits in your tool bag or isn't a PITA to carry around, then work your way towards expanding the collection as you need better testers. Here's a good, not-too-expensive clamp that will do a lot of what you need in a meter and has way higher specs than a Fluke 323 starter toy:http://store.aemc.com/Clamp-on-Meter-Model-203_p_1152.html If I was stripping the same size or few size wires every day, I'd agree with you about the wire strippers. If I'm using 16AWG, I will grab my Klein pliers to strip the wire instead of the automatic. I think it's more in what you're doing on which tool is the best for you. I use a bunch of different sizes and different coatings of wire so I tend to gravitate towards automatic strippers. If I was a professional electrician I would probably go with a regular stripper...but the electronics I do don't have standard sized wires/sheathing. I probably should have added that to my original post but your post sent me on a thought train. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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