Gadgets are innovative, time-saving products that fall outside the basic categories of tools electricians use. I am not being disrespectful calling these clever items “gadgets.” That said, the items featured here are...
A rotary hammer is one of the most powerful electric hand tools and is many electrician’s tool of choice for making holes in concrete blocks and brick. Rotary hammers help them install anchors for conduit clips, junction...
The impact of brushless DC motors for battery-powered hand tools is often compared to the lithium-ion battery revolution. Together, these two technologies have changed cordless tools used by electricians and those in other...
Electricians mainly use reciprocating saws, band saws and circular saws with metal cutting blades. Cutting accessories play a critical role in saw efficiency (see sidebar). For years, hand power saws were corded. Battery...
Remotely monitoring or controlling tools isn’t new, but with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies and special apps, they have become easier to implement. Tool manufacturers are finding more ways to use them to make their products...
Demolition hammers are one power tool category that hasn’t been taken over by lithium-ion batteries. Even though cordless demo hammers are available, electricians still depend on corded models to do difficult, repetitive...
At the 2018 NECA Convention and Trade Show in Philadelphia, 22 exhibitors won Showstopper Awards. Sponsored by ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, Showstoppers are the longest-running such competition in the industry. The NECA...
Today, it’s common for products—from kitchen appliances to office chairs—to be promoted as “ergonomically designed” or “ergonomically friendly.” Such designs also are attributed to many of the tools electricians use. However...
Storing supplies and tools on job sites has always been a challenge. Large, portable storage boxes and cabinets are one solution, as are lockable portable cabinets and sturdy boxes. However, these are not a practical solution...
For years, electricians carried a basic flashlight. While most people in the trade still use them, flashlights are nothing like they were even two years ago. First, the latest flashlights use LEDs. Many other compact...
Most tradespeople love gadgets. This is a report about interesting tools and devices not necessarily categorized for electrical work, but which electricians may find useful. Dictionaries define a gadget as a small...
A hammer drill may be sufficient for drilling small-diameter holes in soft masonry, some metals and other materials too hard for conventional drills, but when tackling harder materials, such as concrete or cement blocks and...
Electrical work can't be done without the right tools. As basic tools have been improved over the years and new specialized tools are developed, the list of tool choices for electricians becomes even longer. Even so, there's...
