No matter how well installed your electrical system is, things will in time go wrong. Receptacles wear out (you would, too, if people were always plugging cords into you), wiring becomes damaged or insulation frayed by an overload situation or just old age, switches fail to work. Other problems crop up that have little to do with the health of the system itself. Lamp cords need replacement, overloads cause blown fuses, and doorbells become corroded by exposure to the elements.
Most home handymen take pride in their prowess when working with wood. Wire is quite a different matter. The mystique of electricity frightens off many otherwise perfectly competent craftsperson. Yet a healthy respect, rather than fear, is the attitude with which professional and amateur alike should approach electrical projects.
True, there are some people who probably shouldn’t attempt any electrical work. If you are confounded by the fine tuner on your TV or recoil in petrified terror at the prospect of replacing a blown-out light bulb, it would obviously be a mistake (perhaps a fatal one) to attempt the wiring of an addition to your house. But few home handymen feel such qualms. It is more often a matter of venturing into an unknown area.
The handyman who wants to do some simple electrical work probably already has most of the basic tools. A screwdriver, common pliers, and a penknife are all that you need for many operations. As you get into bigger and more complex jobs, however, you will have to add to your tool collection. Some items are essential, some are optional but helpful.
For anything beyond adding an outlet or repairing a lamp or appliance, you should increase your toolbox contents with the following, as needed.
1. A 16-ounce claw hammer is handy for driving staples, nailing outlet boxes in place, fastening hangers, and many other purposes.
2. A regular screwdriver is fine for occasional work, but a special electrician’s screwdriver is better for extensive projects. This tool has a long, slender blade with the tip the same diameter as the shank. The blade fits snugly into the screwheads of most electrical connections, and the shape makes it easy to work with in deep-set and difficult spots. It should have an insulated handle.
3. A wire stripper simplifies stripping insulation off the end of wire. A jackknife can accomplish the same thing, but the stripper has settings for each wire size so that it cuts the insulation without danger of damaging the wire. It is also much quicker.
4. A 6-foot folding rule is the best device for measuring wire runs, wall openings for boxes, and the like.
5. Small-nosed pliers (sometimes called needle-nose pliers) have narrow, tapered jaws to make it easy to bend wire into loops around terminals and to reach into such tight quarters as switch and outlet boxes. The better ones have insulated handles to help protect against shock.
6. Lineman’s pliers are heavy-duty pliers used for firmly gripping cable, connectors, and the like. They also have side jaws that are used for cutting wire.
7. There are several varieties of multipurpose electrician’s pliers. All have as their purpose the combining of as many operations as possible into one tool. The tool usually operates as a pliers, stripper, crimper, and cutter. It may also do other jobs, depending on the model.
8. If you already have electricity at the work site, an electric drill makes the job go faster and easier. It’s not much good, though, until service is installed. In that case, a brace and bit must be used for boring holes for wires. In either case, a 5/8th-inch drill bit is the most useful, although you may have occasion for using other sizes. Extension bits are particularly useful for drilling in old work.
9. A keyhole saw is the preferred tool for cutting out box locations in paneling and gypsum wallboard, and for any type of sawing in tight spots.
10. A wood chisel is useful for cutting notches in wall studs, lath, and other building materials.
11. A hacksaw is used for cutting the sheathing of armored cable and, where necessary, metal lath
12. Metal snips (preferably “aviation” type) can be used instead of a hacksaw for cutting the sheathing on lighter gauges of armored cable. You can develop a “feel” for cutting the metal without cutting into the wire inside.
13. Some splices and connections require soldering; this is especially so in appliance repairs. A soldering gun or iron is required. For most applications, a soldering gun is more useful than an iron. Rosin-core wire-type solder is usually used, along with a nonacid rosin flux.
14. Plastic electrician’s tape is used to insulate soldered joints and splices. Fish tape is a necessity for working in construction where existing wire must be pulled through walls and ceilings, and for conduit work.
15. A conduit bender or “hickey” is the best tool for bending conduit around corners and obstructions.
One of the most useful tools for electrical work is a simple, inexpensive device with a name that describes it perfectly: tester.
This tool has many applications, but basically it does one thing – it establishes whether current is flowing between two points.. And it performs that function with complete safety for the user, an important consideration. It is also quick and easy to use and to interpret: when the light glows, current is passing through.
For example, if you are changing a light fixture that is controlled by a three-way switch and are not sure whether the current is on or off, put the tester between the two wires of the fixture and see if it glows. If an outlet doesn’t seem to be working, place one prong of the tester into each slot; if it glows, your problem is elsewhere. Or if there is trouble somewhere in a circuit and you don’t know what it is, check it out from end to end with the tester until you locate the faulty switch or outlet. For the money, you can’t find a better buy.
