atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Favorite Tools?

What school? That's a pretty small community, but I really don't know much about it.

My Makita impact driver has been through hell and back.

One of the best fish rod sets I've ever used is by a company Labor Saving Devices. They are not hollow rods so they usually will not snap and splinter...saving a trip to the ER.

Frontier School of the Bible... I was hoping she'd go to Nebraska Western or Chadron State - my grandfather graduated from CSC and taught at both, my dad went to both and two of my siblings went to WNCC. Heck, I'm wearing a Cougars shirt today!

Hope she enjoys it, lot of things to see around there and here, will probably be quite a change for her.

Sounds like your grandfather was quite a man, he sure made the rounds in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming. Norwesca Methodist Church Camp south of Chadron was largely lost in the fire last year, they've been working hard to get things back in shape.

Fluke Can Wrench (aka "216" by the LEC technicians). So handy for opening NIDs and entrance protectors (such as when there is no NI/demarc).

Thanks for getting us back on track. Yes the can wrench with the tool for "accessing" the key'd fasteners is very handy.

Something I've used for many years (from back in my cable splicing days) is a utility knife with the small hooked blade (not the big carpet hook). It is all I use for stripping cable other than the pull string.

The only time I bring in my larger tools is on a new job with lots of drilling and wiring. Basically if it doesn't fit in my tool pouch it stays in the truck until needed. I've seen people practically empty their trucks for small jobs.

Indeed; she's one of the PA natives... only ever visited that part of the country. We moved to the east coast in '87.


Thank you - he was indeed. I attribute most of my scientific/technical curiosity to him and miss him a lot. I had no idea about Norwesca - I'll have to check it out next time I'm back in the area. I have fond memories of that place...


I keep meaning to pick one of these up. Some of my guys have them but my toolbelt had three loops on one side so I stuck three nut drivers in there - 1/4", 3/8" and 7/16"...

I need to take pics of my setup, got a new tool bag over the weekend. I carry about 25 lbs of tools, mostly Klein stuff.
Still using the TS30 I won at the Vegas meet a few years ago, love that thing. For toners I use Progressive and Aines. I still have the original tone probe but lost my first toner.
I picked up an Ideal VDV multimedia tester last year and I love it. It does basic wiremap for voice and data and will also test coax.

Klein 11 in 1, Yankee drill (yes, I still have all the bits), a good pair of Klein side cutters, a pair of yellow handled needle nose with a cutter about a 1/4" from the tip, a TS-22 Butt set (I still have my old WE rotary dial blue set) a Dracon punch with inter-changeable blades, a flexible yellow fish tape (non metallic), a set of Greenlee rods, A Fluke VOM (get the best you can afford) and I still have and carry a full set of screwdrivers, (straight, phillips, stubby, long shank), a Klein Lineman's plier (makes a really good hammer),an insulated adjustable sliding jaw wrench (know by all as a Cresent Wrench) and a good pump plier (known as Channellocks).

I had used the yellow toner and probe for years but I got a fluke set, recently, and I love them. When you short the leads, the toner changes tones so you know you have the correct pair.

Finally, I know these aren't "hand tools" but a good line test set is really a life saver. I have a Sidekick, a Triplet Model 5 and a Dynatel 965.

Rcaman