All the Tools Apprentice Electricians ABSOLUTELY Need!

When it comes to tools, there are so many choices available!! Almost endless and the task of choosing what you should buy can be daunting! But, if you are starting out as an apprentice electrician, what tools should you have? In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin talks about what tools are a must have for apprentices.

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A good cordless drill is very important to have, as you will be constantly screwing something to a stud or drilling a hole (among a plethora of other items), and Milwaukee offers some of the best cordless tools around! If able, purchasing a combo set of drill/hammer drill & impact driver would be optimum as they both have their individual strong points. Cordless platforms come in a few different voltages (although 18v would be best to use in a field environment all day long, with the 12v being next best) to suit the use of the individual. A good selection of bits, tips, and drill bits are invaluable to using your drills!
A good tape measure is next on our list as you will be gathering measurements quite frequently! A 25’ wide bladed tape measure with a magnetic tip seems to be the most common for electricians. The wide blade stands out far without breaking and the magnetic tip allows you to stick the tip on something metallic to start your measurements with (in addition to being able to pick metal items up off the floor without having to reach down for them!!).
When it comes to pliers, there are many variants out there but here are a few that are necessary for you to have. A pair of wire strippers are necessary as that is what us electricians do most days; terminate wires. Try to get a good pair of ergonomic handles, ranging from 10-20 gauge (at least), and with the screw cutting option (trust me, you will thank me for that later!). Lineman type pliers allow us to cut, pull, twist, and bang on things so a definite must have. They are definitely going to be the largest pair of pliers in your tool pouch as that heft helps in cutting wire. Diagonal cutting pliers are a bit like lineman’s pliers, but have only the cutting edge only with no plier tip. Useful when cutting or prying metal. Needle nose (much like the name implies) are skinny snouted pliers that allow you to reach into a slim space to manipulate an object or loop a wire. One should consider a multi plier that combines several of the ones mentioned above into one tool, so you don’t have as many tools in your pouch at once!
A level is important so we can install things on the level (see what I did there?!). As us electricians are constantly working with something metallic, a small torpedo level with magnets is very helpful. An electrician’s level is handy as it has several bubbles on it to assist when bending conduit to get to an accurate degree of bend! Super handy!! A good selection of screwdrivers is a must also. A large and medium flat head and a Phillips are ones you should always keep on you. A multi screwdriver is handy to have as it allows you to have several different screwdriver tips in one package.
A tester is a tool that every electrician should own and know how to use! There are many different types available, so research should be done, as long as it is applicable to the type and voltage you are working with. As a note, since you will be testing to make sure voltage is OFF before putting your hands on it, make sure that you choose a meter from a reputable company and take care of it!! Keep it separate from the rest of your tools, keep the leads in good working order and make sure you have fresh batteries in it!
We hope this has been helpful in determining which tools you should have to start your electrical career. There are many different choices out there, but what you carry should be tailored to the individual electrician and the tasks that you are performing! Is there a topic that you want to see a video for? Leave a comment in the comment section below and let us know! Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly updating our content to help our followers along in their career!!