Newbie!!

[theflash]

I have just been accepted as an apprentice with a company and I'm chuffed to bits!! They have given me the following list of hand tools that I will need. (I will be doing New Build sitework).

Cable Knife
Claw Hammer
Double Tool Pouch
Hacksaw (Junior)
Mains Socket Tester
Mini Spirit Level
Pliers 180mm
Screwdriver Posidrive 75, 80 and 100
Screwdriver Slot 75, 100, 150 and 200
Side Cutters 160mm (Snips)
Tape Measure 5m
Thread tap (M3.5) ?
BT Insertion Tool ?
Tool Box
Just a couple of things I'd like to ask.

1) What are the things marked with a ?

2) My Company will supply all the above for £95. Does this sound acceptable?

3) I'm thinking of getting the kit but buying my own Knipex snips and Combination pliers and a Hultafors claw hammer. What do people think of these items? I want to buy the best kit I can as I hope, eventually, my kit will make me a good living. I would really appreciate any comments/feedback/suggestions and would like to say a big thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read this.

I can't wait to get started.....

 

[applemac]

Mark your name on every tool and never let anyone use them!

 

[SJD]

Thread tap (M3.5) ?
BT Insertion Tool ?

The thread tap is for re-threading the holes in metal mounting boxes (which use 3.5mm screws), mine has a big plastic handle making it easy to use.

The BT tool is for fitting telephone & similar cables into the IDC connectors, note the cheap plastic tools don’t last too long.

 

[flyingsausage]

Take the tools offered for £95 as it will start you off for what you need,you will be end up buting a different tool every week for months till you get yourself kitted out.

One important thing is to splash out on a decent metal box or lockable tool bag and a padlock as all sites have a thief these days that lift anything not screwed down.

You have to work out for yourself which tools to spend decent money on and which ones you can just buy cheap stuff for.

 

[flyingsausage]

Get a decent pair of pliers,hacksaw,tape measure,and drivers and a decent small magnetic level.

 

[trev]

Best of luck to you Flash, you're at the bottom of a learning curve which at times will be very steep but if you stick at it and work hard you should be able to carve out a good career for yourself. Don't be scared to ask questions, the only stupid one is the one you're scared to ask, put your phone away while working. Whoever it is can wait, there's little more irritating than an apprentice who is more concerned with myface/skysports/his girlfriend/twitter etc when he's supposed to be working. Develop a thick skin as quickly as possible, the mick taking on site can get vicious and as the new boy you're going to be on the receiving end. Don't worry though, none of it is usually meant with any malice and you'll learn when to answer back and when to take it.
The most important advice though is, try your best to enjoy yourself.
Oh and buy the toolkit your employer is offering.

 

[MarkieSparkie]

Hi, welcome to the forum.

 

[Richard Burns]

Welcome to the forum, and good luck with the apprenticeship, stick with it and learn lots, hope it goes well.

Those are the items SJD told you about.
Buy a good pair of snips, but it is much easier at the start to get the company tool kit and then replace with quality things you use often.
if you never use the cable knife for instance then you do not need to buy one, this will give you time to find out which tools you need to be good and long lasting.

Onward and upward.
:43:

 

[theflash]

Thank you all so much for your help and advice. I think I will just buy the company tool kit and upgrade as and when necessary. I'm an 'older apprentice', (nearly 40), so the site banter wont worry me in the slightest and the only thing I'll be using my phone for is to take the odd picture/video of the work I'll be doing and to let the missus know when to get the dinner on!!

I really can't wait to get started as I feel I am extremely fortunate to have been given this opportunity. It's gonna be hard work but I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks again and I'll let you know how I'm getting on.

 

[theflash]

Also just another quick query. When they say mains tester I assume they mean one of those screwdriver looking things. Would I be better off getting a non contact tester as people seem to really hate these screwdriver type ones.

 

[Dez]

They shouldn't "mean one of those screwdriver looking things" unless they want to kill you. Your voltage indicator should meet GS38 (google it)

 

[Richard Burns]

A mains socket tester would likely be a tester you plug into sockets that tells you if it is wired correctly.

they may mean a connector to connect an MFT to the socket but unlikely.

A voltage tester on the other hand should be a contact 2 probe tester (in accordance with GS38) and definitely not a screwdriver.l

 

[theflash]

They shouldn't "mean one of those screwdriver looking things" unless they want to kill you. Your voltage indicator should meet GS38 (google it)

i just rechecked my list and it's a mains SOCKET tester. I googled it and as I now know it's the tester that plugs into the socket with the different LEDs.

I'm glad to see their not trying to kill me before I even start!!

EDIT: If these things are so dangerous, which even as a layman I can see they probably are, why are they allowed to be sold and even described as 'mains testers'? Surely they are a H&S nightmare?

 

[stranded]

*gasp* If you get a neon screwdriver, put it in the bin , absolute death trap. Also, you should never just rely even on one of those "non contact voltage testers" , an approved voltage tester is always the best, but thats another story, and im sure the company will either provide one and/or tell you more about them, safe isolation etc. Furthermore though, all the best and good luck. Im awating a confirmation and a company still as an apprentice so im sure you're happy as larry you got in.
Good luck!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

dont skimp on snips....
get a good pair...after all, its an extention of your hand....
the punchdown tool is a `krone` tool....for your cat 5s....
decent drivers....all live line stuff n all.....no B&Q crap either....go for Bahco, CK, wera, etc...cost more but worth it...
get yourself a multimeter...and learn how to use it.....and if not sure when attempting to measure amps with it then ask first......get it wrong and you could blow it up....
dont get a £5.99 multimeter either.....waste of time....go for an industrial one....i use an iso-tech industrial model IDM101...( i also have an iso-tech model IDM63...its the pocket version of the 101)....good gear.....
that will start to teach you about ohms, continuity and volts....
you will need a decent hammer....and a bolster.....as you will be sinking boxes...lol

 

[theflash]

Thanks again lads for all your help. It's proving invaluable and I haven't even picked up a driver yet!!

Please keep the advice coming as it will ALL be taken on board and gratefully accepted.

It really does feel like a big family on this forum and I feel glad to be accepted into it.