For technicians starting out in commercial systems integration, having access to the right hand tools is essential. Pliers, wire strippers, screwdrivers, and crimpers provide a foundation for good work, with more specialized tools added as job responsibilities grow.
While many of today’s hand tools look much like earlier versions, improvements in design and manufacturing have made tools more versatile, easier to use, and more durable.
Here’s what to consider when building a tool bag for systems integration work.
What to Look for in Everyday Tools
The tools technicians use every day need to hold up to repeated use, fit the task, and be comfortable to handle. Look at these four factors when evaluating options.
1. Performance and Durability
More and more is demanded from technicians on the jobsite. To keep up, more is required from their tools, too, in terms of performance and durability. When users enter the field, they need tools that make their work easier and safer.
More durable tools allow users to stay on the job instead of having to stop work to track down a replacement for a damaged or broken tool.
2. Manufacturing
Integrators might not think of manufacturing as the first thing to consider when determining what products to go with, but outdated manufacturing practices lead to subpar product performance and deliver inconsistent user experiences from tool to tool.
It’s important to purchase products made using modern manufacturing techniques to ensure they’re made with the highest level of quality and consistency.
3. Cost
Poorly manufactured tools are often cheaper, but they wear out quickly and will often have to be replaced over and over, forcing users to spend more in the long run than what quality tools would have cost upfront.
Investing in high-quality hand tools sets a new technician up for success, but they do come with a higher initial cost. In order to protect your investment, it’s important to look for manufacturers that back their hand tools with a lifetime guarantee.
4. Safety
Technicians may work in potentially hazardous environments, making the need for safe tools an absolute must. Ergonomic designs help prevent injury from repetitive actions over time.
Choosing ergonomic tools means they’re designed to comfortably grasp while in a neutral position and while applying force. Features like comfortable handles and padded grips help lessen muscle strain and improve control, while an additional slot or curve to fit users’ hands and fingers can improve overall grip.
Cable pathways and equipment locations can require technicians to work with their hands overhead and in tight spaces. Small lightweight tools increase control and maneuverability while reducing user fatigue.
Building a Core Toolkit
Selecting the right tool for each task affects work quality and efficiency. New technicians should work with you to identify the basic tools they need for the systems they’ll be installing and servicing, but most technicians will need the same set of basic tools.
Pliers
Pliers are a staple. These are used to cut, grip, hold, or bend small wires, hardware, metal, and more. There are different types of pliers, from lineman’s to diagonal to long-nose, all serving different purposes.
- Lineman’s pliers are versatile and can be used for gripping, cutting, twisting, pulling, and crimping. For tasks that call for heavier-duty cutting and gripping, their added surface area and weight at the front combine with a long handle to provide leverage for easy cuts through wire and cable.
- Diagonal-cutting pliers have an inward angle that allows for material cuts to be flush with the surface. With precision and efficiency, they are used to cut wires and cables and can also be used to grab staples or nails.
- Long-nose pliers, or needle-nose pliers, are used for detailed work. Featuring long tapered jaws, they give greater precision to grip where regular pliers can’t reach, while serrations on the jaws increase the surface area for maximum grip.
Many installation tasks require pliers, so investing in a brand focused on quality and durability is essential. For example, Milwaukee Tool’s newest cutting pliers offer the easiest cuts, long-lasting teeth and cut edge, and the smoothest open and close.
Screwdrivers
Technicians need several screwdrivers to work with various types of fasteners and applications. An optimal screwdriver set can make their job easier from the start.
Many users get frustrated by tips that fit poorly into screws, slip, or wear during use, but Milwaukee Tool’s newest screwdrivers are custom machined and engineered with precision-fit tips to offer the best fit and reduce stripping during demanding fastening applications. The tips are laser-etched to deliver maximum grip on hardware, giving users added confidence while fastening. Made with high-strength, boron-infused steel for increased hardness, the screwdrivers are built to withstand the demands of the jobsite and provide long tool life.
Multifunctional Tools
Multifunctional wire and cable tools can help technicians work more efficiently. Users are looking for tools that allow them to be more efficient and complete multiple tasks without needing to swap for different hand tools. Multifunctional tools, like combination pliers and multi-purpose wire strippers, allow users to do more with less.
For example, Milwaukee’s 6-in-1 and 7-in-1 Combination Pliers provide maximum versatility and feature core installation tools. Each features a wire cutter, wire stripper, loop maker, reamer, bolt cutter, and pliers, allowing a technician to replace several tools on their toolbelt. The 7-in-1 features an added crimper and high-leverage handles for easier cuts. Technicians should select tools suited to the cable types, wire gauges, and connectors they work with rather than assume a multifunctional tool replaces every specialized stripping or termination tool.
Beyond the Basic Tool Bag
Basic hand tools will get new technicians started on the job, but there are other tools to consider investing in that can be essential to their work.
Bending and Pulling
Pulling cable is a common part of systems integration work. Depending on the project scope, some technicians may also be responsible for bending conduit. When considering conduit benders, technicians should make sure they feature high-contrast markings for the best visibility to allow for easy and accurate bends. During cable pulling, fish tapes are commonly used. For example, Milwaukee Tool’s 100’ Polyester Fish Tapes deliver the easiest fishing with a triple strand design that won’t kink and has the push strength for challenging runs.
Power Tools
Once stocked up on hand tools, basic power tools can be added to tool bags. Major advancements in power tools, such as battery-powered technology, have helped bring efficiency to the job. The first power tools that should be added to the lineup are a cordless drill and driver set. When investing in battery-powered tools, it’s important to consider which platform to invest in and the number of solutions available on the same battery.
Choosing the Right Tools Starts with Understanding the Work
Creating good hand tools starts with tool manufacturers spending time with users to learn about their challenges and needs.
Once user needs are understood, state-of-the-art manufacturing technology can produce innovative, high-performing solutions.
Having access to the right tools is an important step in becoming a successful technician. Investing in top-performing, trade-focused, hand tool solutions will give users the increased productivity and performance needed to set them up for productive, safe work.
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