It’s a fine Saturday morning, and you just finished your second cup of coffee. You have plans to play board games with the boys tonight, and you look forward to it. You head to the game room to clean and prepare for the night’s activities. The day has not even begun to progress, but you decide to get to work anyway. That is when you find out that the lights in the room are flickering.
Now that doesn’t sound too promising, you tell yourself. What’s more, is that your cousin Greg has borrowed your electrical tool kit. Now that is even more bad news. You rummage through your stuff and find all that remains are some screwdrivers and old hammers. Time to check out some new supplies and tools from Electrical Wholesalers, Inc. New England.
What You Will Need
Electricians and homeowners require dozens and dozens of electrical tools for various projects. Some of these items are indispensable. Others might not have the same case. Check some of them out below.
Lineman’s Pliers
Lineman’s pliers are on the top tier when it comes to electrical tasks. Electricians and home DIY individuals use them for almost everything. These pliers have a pair of flat noses. They are ideal for cutting wires without any hassle. What’s more, is that they also have cutting edges.
The edges are best for stripping wire jackets and wire cutting. To top it all off, these pliers are heavy and sturdy. That means you can use them as a makeshift hammer to bludgeon stubborn nails, plunge holes, drive staples, and so much more.
Wire Stripper
A wire stripper is your alternative when it comes to dealing with strips. You can still utilize lineman’s pliers to do the job. But they tend to nick into the wires. A wire stripper can handle the job way better.
A wire stripper has graded holes on its jaws. They function as a measure to guarantee that you match the wire you are stripping. This tool also can remove insulation without disturbing the conductor resting underneath.
Combination Screwdriver
This tool is as it sounds. It is a custom screwdriver that allows you to change the tip. There are tons of screwdrivers and tip types out there. So you do not have to worry about carrying all of them at once. Spare some time and take a combination screwdriver instead. This tool has more than ten tips that you can interchange depending on the job.
Hole Saw
A drywall saw can do a ton of things. But it is far from perfect. It cannot deal with specialized jobs. You can use a hole saw for that instead. A hole saw can work on lighting fixtures and recessed lighting. These tools can handle the job fast and securely.
Non-Contact Voltage Tester
It is a must to check if a circuit or line has the energy or not. It is not safe to work on lines without a prior test. That is when a non-contact voltage tester comes in handy. You still have the option to use a voltmeter. But it takes time to do so. You can use a non-contact voltage tester instead. It does the job way faster. This tool will warn you of any present voltage.
Protective eye gear
Do you ever see those commercials where the workers work on electronics and construction materials without protective eyewear? You should not be an example like them. It goes a long way to protect your eyes from any potential danger as you get to work. It will save your eyes from wall dust, debris, sparks, and other foreign objects. Damaged vision can rarely accomplish things well.
Side Cutters
Lineman’s pliers cannot do all of an electrician’s tasks. They sometimes fail to get into a tight spot. The best alternative for such a predicament would be side cutters. Side cutters specialize in cutting staples and wires in tight spaces. The only downside to side cutters is that you cannot have them as a hammer substitute.
Tape Measure
Who can forget their tape measure? You can utilize it for all kinds of measuring tasks, including setting the light height and so much more. You can also use one to mark out something for cutting later.
Torpedo Level
A torpedo level works to make sure your work area is plumb and aligned. It can fit nicely into your pouch or pocket as you work on things. Not only that, but it also has several functions outside electronics and building.
Allen Wrench
No, you do not use an Allen wrench to smack your friend who goes with the same name. You use it to tighten hex-hedge screws. You can locate these screws on most ceiling fans, light fixtures, wall mounts, and wooden appliances. There are two kinds of Allen wrench, and it is swell note to have them both in your kit.
Fish Tape
Fish tape works splendidly for wiring improvements. You can use it once you add or extend wire circuits. You might not use fish tape every now and then. But it still counts as a versatile tool that will come in handy sometime soon.
Tongue And Groove Pliers
Plumbing might be a ways off from electrical projects, but you still need to work on it. One good tool for plumbing issues is tongue and groove pliers. It also works well for other electrical matters. You can use it to remove knockouts from metal boxes and tighten cable clamps.
Utility Knife
Don’t forget your utility knife. You can use one of these to get rid of non-metallic cables. Another of its functions is to cut open cardboard boxes and cut measuring tape.
Get Ready To Work
Working on electrical issues means you need to have the appropriate gear and tools. You will also need to use your wits and skills. Things can go wrong fast once you miss out on one or two of these factors. But if things get too complicated or challenging, you might want to leave them to the professionals.
