Most used day to day tools

[Livenoise]

Hello everyone, I am just about to start a Technical Management course at uni this october, and have been sent through my "required tools" list.

 

So basically I was just wondering what were people's Top 5 most used day-to-day tools. If people could put down tool type and brand and why they use it so much (if not blindingly obvious).

 

Also, what are people's favourite tools? It may not be used very often, but if it does a damn good job when it does- time to give it credit! Again make and reason if possible.

 

Cheers!

[Maddison]

YOu might find this thread useful...

 

It might be worth specifying whether you want to know what SMs/TMs/PMs use, or the technicians that use Blue Room in general use. If you want to know the latter, I suspect you will get rather a wide (though probably interesting) tool set.

[Livenoise]

Thankyou Maddison :D

I am mostly interested in TMs and PMs (but SMs can tell me too if they're feeling left out).

But anyone is welcome to post, just put you're job title in there too!

[peternewman]

Also see the Tools FAQ.

[rudigure]

I think most people will agree that the core essentials are a good quality multi tool and a torch.

[d_korman]

As a Sx/Lx person, in order of frequency of use:

 

1) LED Maglite

2) Stanley knife

3) SX Cable Tester

4) AJ

5) Voltage/continuity tested

 

I have a multitool but it does not get nearly as much use as the above.

[Glyn Edwards]

Tea Spoon!

[SoLiEn]

Leatherman WAVE - simply couldnt do without it

Petzl Head torch

Sharpie

Quad spanner/ Podg

[ChrisD]

Leatherman/Gerber

Mobile Phone

Sharpie (& LX Tape)

Podger/Quad/AJ

Gel Swatchbook

 

Oh, and don't forget a pen & paper.

[Ynot]

Oh dear.

Another 'fave rave' topic.

 

Sorry chaps, but surely the best set of tools for 'the job' is simply the RIGHT tools for the job in hand, and THAT can change daily.....!

 

I see this being yet another teen-fest of kit comparison that's maybe more suited to a my-face board than here.....

/grumpy old git

[Bryson]

Well if you're after TM and PM stuff: (I'm a Technical Director....it's a fancy name for Technical Manager really...)

 

Moleskine Notebook

Microsoft Excel

Coffee Cup (Insulated)

Papermate Mechanical Pencil

Autocad

Nortel Phone

 

 

Oh, not those type of tools? It rather depends on which job you're doing, no?

 

 

Actually, I'm genuinely amazed that number 1 on most lists wasn't a Bahco AJ. (Or C-wrench, as they love to call them over here). Bahco rule...but they also get stolen a lot. Don't make the mistake of buying a great big one as you'll overtighten everything and people will have to beat you. A 6" will be fine.*

 

So, for general stage use (Ynot's grumpy old git thing aside ) I have:

 

6" Bahco AJ

Gerber Deisel Multitool (by heck, they're cheap in the States!)

Fluke 73 Multimeter

LED Maglite (Although those Surefire ones are better...they're not cheap...)

I always liked Stanley Magnum screwdrivers, not too expensive, not too crappy.

And a 17/19 Podger - the nice Japanese ones that Flints sell.

Mechanix Gloves

And my number one favorite: Telex PH-88 Headset.

 

But to be honest, my first list is what I actually use...

 

 

Oh, and if any deviant on here suggests a wingnut spanner, then make sure you realise that if you ever do up something with one of those, the crew chief is allowed to shoot you dead. It's the law or something. Or at least it should be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*=Oooh. Vicar!

[lightsource]

Oh dear.

Another 'fave rave' topic.

 

Sorry chaps, but surely the best set of tools for 'the job' is simply the RIGHT tools for the job in hand, and THAT can change daily.....!

 

I see this being yet another teen-fest of kit comparison that's maybe more suited to a my-face board than here.....

/grumpy old git

 

Tony, you're NOT a grumpy old git, you have a sense or reality!

 

If yo really want to know my tool kit then......

 

DeWalt 1000w drill

DeWalt 650w SDS drill

DeWalt 1250w Circ Saw (190mm)

DeWalt Pendulum Jigsaw

B&D Scroller Jigsaw

B&D Drill Driver

B&D Planer

B&D Circ Saw

B&D Router

B&D Power drill

B&D mini tool

B&D 1/3 sheet sander

B&D Delta sander

B&D Multi-Sander

Rapid Electrinics multimeter

Hot glue Gun

Angle grinder

Drill Bench press (Big and nasty)

Antex Soldering Iron (25w)

Various other soldering irons

 

Now wait for it........

 

26337 accessories, from 0.5mm drill bits, to PZ3 screwdriver bits, and everything in between. We can fabricate most things, but the only thing we don't do is welding.....Although I do have a friend who does!

 

The point is you need the right tool for the job.

 

And that's what Ynot said!

 

In this industry, you can't really generalize on tools, as said, the right tool for the job. I hate multi tools, and would rather have a specific tool for a specific job.

 

Just a personal oppinion tough

[Livenoise]

I see this being yet another teen-fest of kit comparison that's maybe more suited to a my-face board than here.....

/grumpy old git

I was not trying to induce a "teen-fest of kit comparision" but rather trying to get some decent list of tools that people out there in the industry are actually using on a day to day basis and rely on to always perform. I have to start my tool kit somewhere, and reading what other people use means I can see what is worth spending money on for sure, and what is worth trying out/borrowing someone else's first to see if it would be useful for me.

 

 

 

Well if you're after TM and PM stuff: (I'm a Technical Director....it's a fancy name for Technical Manager really...)<snip>

I am interested in any tools that people use from day to day regularly with their job, so I find your list quite informative! I do not want to restrict this thread to "must be hand tool/power tools/conventional tools of any sorts". If you use things like Excel and a note book most days, its a good reminder to me to keep stock of the unconventional tools too!

[lightsource]

I think you may be missing the point slightly..

 

I don't disagree with what you've said, but, any tool you can think of, I may have a use for. So where do you draw the line?

 

It's more a question of what do you need to do your job, as opposed to what I need to to do mine.

 

Do you have a use for an angle grinder. I do, you may not. That's the difference. There's no standard tool kit, we just all have what we need for the job.

 

Experience will teach you what you need, and remember.

[Ynot]

I see this being yet another teen-fest of kit comparison that's maybe more suited to a my-face board than here.....

/grumpy old git

I was not trying to induce a "teen-fest of kit comparision" but rather trying to get some decent list of tools that people out there in the industry are actually using on a day to day basis and rely on to always perform. I have to start my tool kit somewhere, and reading what other people use means I can see what is worth spending money on for sure, and what is worth trying out/borrowing someone else's first to see if it would be useful for me.

Well, unfortunately that's precisely what this sort of topic looks like, and one of the reasons that 'outsiders' tend to get a warped view of what the BR is really about.

As I've said, (and others) which tool depends on which job for which department you're doing.

I often take a boot-full of my own tools to the theatre but don't use any of them. Other times I'll offload the whole kit and kaboodle...

 

Sorry if you feel hard-done-to but the query just isn't valid as no-one will be in YOUR position - only YOU know what you need on a regular basis.