Re: Your Favorite Install Tool?

[Jim Sutton <jimbo1@xxxxxxx>]

ooohhh a thread that calls out to my inner kit freak

in no particular order -

the Ghost Ladder - a folding 3 ft Grade 1A step ladder which is high
enough for 85% of the jobs yet folds up small enough to fit in any car
and can be carried into the house (because it fold's up so small)
without worrying about scratching up the walls.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_products_trade_shows/article/0,1797,HGTV_3780_2213006,00.html

Unfortunately it doesn't appear that it's being made any more.

for the taller jobs - a Little Giant or Jaws folding ladder.  (I found a
Chicom knockoff for 1/2 the price of a Little Giant)

Pants _ (wait a minute pants don't qualify as a tool I hear you say.)
Check out the work pants from Skillers
-http://www.skillers.com/cgi-bin/store/store.cgi?&shop=skillers&cart=31291437x20051&session=43617ad94e53782d&L=eng&P=5695-85
  designed by an electrician they have these nifty double pockets that
pull out so you've got two built in pouches for screws, contacts,
crimps, as wells as a side pocket that holds cable ties like a dream.
Best part is they have these two pockets on the knees that hold kneepads
so you can spend all day kneeling down putting in door contacts and
still be able to walk to the truck at quitting time.
http://www.skillers.com/cgi-bin/store/store.cgi?&shop=skillers&cart=62077003x20215&session=43617b814ef7384b&L=eng&P=9124

Up here in Canuckistan Mark's work Wearhouse make a cheaper knockoff
called the Ultimate Work Pant.   http://www.marks.com/ctwnew/mwwhweb.nsf



You have to wear safety boots for the commercial sites but Mrs Homemaker
wants you to take them off as soon as you walk in the house so you don't
scratch the hardwoods.  Save 1/2 hour a day by putting in boot Zippers
http://www.best-boots.com/danner_lace_in_boot_4444_prd1.htm

OR... buy pull on boots
http://www.blundstone.ca/products_csa5.html

Megapro Screwdriver- nice fat handle - lots of torque.
http://www.megaprotools.com/catalog.html

Maglite Mini  -(the 2 AA cell size) yes they're expensive but try
hitting a angry rotweiler in the head with your LED headlamp and you'll
see why I prefer machined aluminum.
add a couple of Nite-Ize accessories
LED upgrade-Batteries last for ever
http://www.niteize.com/productdetail.php?category_id=28&product_id=110
Headband -turns it into a handsfree light
http://www.niteize.com/productdetail.php?category_id=28&product_id=61
Fiber Inspection light- now you can see inside the wall
http://www.niteize.com/productdetail.php?category_id=28&product_id=68

Battery Tester- the best one I have ever found is the Intelligent
Battery Tester from ACT-Meters http://www.actmeters.com/actmeters.htm
We ened up buying one for every tech in the company (20+).  Amazing how
many bad batteries you find in systems with a falsing problem.

Continuity Testers - the Latch-Test from Test-Um
http://www.test-um.com/product_detail.asp?itemno=TG300
Indicates not only NO and NC circuits but can latch on either.
Invaluable when working alone.

Fiber Glass Fish tape
  http://www.thomasregister.com/olc/11710639/wirefish.htm
A metal fish tape is designed to pull wires in conduit.  A fiber tape
will spool out nice and straight and save all sorts of time if your
trying to fish in a wall or ceiling.

The links are here for illustration purposes only.  I don't work for any
of these companies or sell any of these products - I just LOVE them.
bdolph wrote:
> Let us know about your favorite installation tool ?
>
> Mine is the Robertson (square-drive) screwdriver?  Screws stay on with
> one hand at all angles and drive true and hard.
>
> BobbyD