Must-Haves In Your Electrical Tool Belt

As an electrician or contractor, one of your handiest pieces of equipment, while you’re on the job, is your electrical tool belt. But how do you know what to keep in your tool belt so you’re ready for anything in the moment? Here are a few must-haves that you should be keeping in your electrical tool belt for almost any electrical job.

The Best Tool Belts

First of all, it is important to have a tool belt that will meet your needs. Take some time to think about the different tasks that you complete while you’re doing electrical work. Do you need a tool belt with over-the-shoulder support so your back won’t get sore from the heavy equipment you’re carrying? Or do you need a slimmer, lighter tool belt that won’t get in the way when you’re crawling in tight spaces? How many compartments and pockets do you need to store all of your most important and useful tools? Do those compartments need to have elastic or covers to keep tools from falling out easily? Or do you want them to remain open for easy and quick access? Do you need a few large pouches for the extra-big tools you use for specific tasks? Do you like wearing your belt with pockets on the front or the back? After reflecting on these questions, you might find that your current tool belt just doesn’t cut it. In order to be more effective on the job, you need to make sure that you have a tool belt that can keep up with the demands of your work. If that requires switching to a new belt, it will be well worth it! You’ll see that your convenient tool belt will help you to perform tasks more quickly and precisely.

Tools

Now that you’ve obtained the appropriate type of tool belt for your needs, it is time to start loading it up with the necessary tools for your electrical work. Depending on what type of electrical work you do, you might have different tools that you regularly use. Make sure that you examine your toolbox and supplies to include only the most useful of tools in your tool belt. For example, many electricians’ tool bags include a claw hammer, wire strippers, diagonal wire cutters, a tape measure, leverage side cutters, voltage tester, razor knife, insulated screwdrivers, needle nose pliers, and more. You might also want to include tools such as a spanner, hacksaw, insulated pliers, a circuit finder, and other handy tools to help you to work more effectively on the job. A stubby screwdriver will come in handy, particularly in hard-to-reach spaces where you don’t have a lot of room to work with. Depending on your specific task, you might need different tools, so don’t hesitate to switch out your tools as you shift from task to task.

Supplies

In addition to the tools that you regularly keep in your tool belt, you’ll also likely have some supplies that you’ll switch in and out of your belt depending on the job that you’re working on. For example, you’ll often keep various sizes of electrical tape in your belt. You also might need a variety of cable ties and wire nuts to help you to finish off work with cables and wires. If you anticipate that you’ll be attaching wire nuts to cut wires, make sure to throw in your wire nut screwdriver bit, which will help you to easily screw on the nut with the help of a screwdriver. You also might want to keep a small container of extra screws in your belt, along with some putty to fill in unfinished holes that are created during your work. Supplies like these can help you to give your electrical work a professional and finished touch.

 As you’re loading up your toolbelt, remember this article to prioritize the essentials that you’re really going to need in your belt. Make sure that you don’t overload your belt with heavy equipment, as that might cause injury or inconvenience as you’re working. Instead, keep the essentials in your belt and switch out other tools that you specifically need for a task. It might take some time to figure out how you like your belt to be organized, but once all of your tools are settled in their particular spots, you’ll find that you’ve never worked faster or easier!

Does your tool belt need an update? Click here to find all of the electrical supplies that you could need at Electric Supply Co!