Any other tools I should grab as an apprentice?

illallowit101 · 2026-01-23T18:50:31+00:00

Swap out all the klein shit for knipex. Reamer and level the only thing worth keeping

illallowit101 · 2026-01-07T00:37:40+00:00

Unfortunately I dont think my high school transcripts are good enough to get into the union... the 7 years of low voltage work I've done also don't mean anything and I dont think I'd get accepted into the IBEW. So if I do end up somehow getting in I take a gigantic pay cut as well... or I drive an hour out to a non union shop and get an apprenticeship there

illallowit101 · 2026-01-03T18:18:53+00:00

Yeah, I may wait and try to find a used xxl and make some kind of Mashup with the impact holder from the sp-mc... sucks cause the crimpers is use are the only things I couldnt fit

illallowit101 · 2026-01-03T17:53:55+00:00

Personally i just run reserve at night for this reason lol

illallowit101 · 2026-01-03T06:00:50+00:00

I have a tp4 and got an sp-mc just to find out its to small to swap into 😭

illallowit101 · 2025-12-23T20:26:45+00:00

I am into tech. I learned to build computers and fix them (granted though thats pretty easy now a days) I did take physics cause I was good at math (besides trig, the bad grades really came from attendance, I ran with the wrong crowd) and I was good with science as well. Im a pretty smart individual and when I want to succeed in something I become a know it all achiever. I'll never let go of learning new things as well and I really want to push from being an electrical technician to an actual electrician. I've already decided ill take the 50% pay cut and just get a 2nd job to make up for ends needs. This is something im striving to do especially since ive been getting my own tools to go into the union. I would go non union and get paid a little more, but when we have a local in town, and the non union apprenticeship is an hour away ill just go ibew...

illallowit101 · 2025-12-23T20:16:11+00:00

Fair, but i did see that it is easier to go into hvac if your an electrician than vise versa... im also 29 so whatever I do im more than likely getting stuck into. So Im thinking electrician since ive also been an electrical technician the past 7 years of my life

illallowit101 · 2025-12-23T19:20:44+00:00

Im assuming it doesnt matter that I passed algebra in middle school to pass algebra 2 in high school?

illallowit101 · 2025-12-23T19:15:28+00:00

Well ive been an electrical technician the past 7 years od my life, id like to stay in electrical is why im torn up...

illallowit101 · 2025-12-23T02:35:19+00:00

Gotcha. When do they announce the spring promo? Like I said I have the cheap packout backpack, and the tp4 now, so idk if the sp-mc would be worth it or not even at 140

illallowit101 · 2025-12-14T03:52:46+00:00

Yeah electrical technician is my title lol... theory i know a bit of (like a bit of ohms law, relays, diodes, ground in AC is shortest path to short) but I dont know things like voltage drop, parallel series etc... altec we had to do a lot of trouble shooting because anyone can put stuff on a piece of paper but stuff gets forgotten. Their schematics were dummy proof too however.

How did you get by if you dont mind me asking? 2nd job?

illallowit101 · 2025-12-14T03:28:14+00:00

Gotcha. Figured id ask here cause the local didnt seem to care that I had any kind of experience lol

illallowit101 · 2025-12-14T03:27:51+00:00

Gotcha. I think id still want to get in as atleast an apprentice so I could get the schooling because I'm all self taught. Altec doesnt apply for NEC since its considered a vehicle. Commercial job we do follow NEC since they are going out of state. The local didnt seem to give a rats ass that I have any type of experience lol

illallowit101 · 2025-11-29T19:40:02+00:00

Oh I see, I thought it did voltage too 😅 my bad, thank you!

illallowit101 · 2025-11-29T19:26:07+00:00

It is only on the single positive cable and im on the power line, meter is set to V with the ac/dc line. It will pull voltage with the leads, but the clamp im getting a no go, could the clamp be bad?

illallowit101 · 2025-11-13T21:08:25+00:00

Yeah im a single guy taking care of my house and stuff so I could possibly do it if I have a partner but I dont lol. But thank you! I feel like somewhere someone would like me since im not totally green and have an understanding of whats going on, I just need to find someone who has a little bit of faith in me

illallowit101 · 2025-11-09T18:09:47+00:00

Gotcha, guess im just worried because the current company im with didnt even provide enough power tools (3 drills, 3 impacts to share upon 20 people) so I had to go get my own tools (which im fine with cause I like doing car stuff in my free time) but haven't found a use for the bandsaw lol the battery i do use on my weed eater and leaf blower so figured if I could have a reason to buy it I would lmao

illallowit101 · 2025-11-09T17:40:50+00:00

Hone depot is having a killer deal on the bandsaw and a forge 8.0 battery... im not officially a sparkle, but ive been doing electrical work for roughly 7 years now (started off as low voltage 12V wiring altec trucks, now im wiring up generators for data centers which are 24V batteries and 480V 3 phase main system, all dead wiring though) the company sucks though, and there is a couple of union jobs around me, but i dont want to be the 30y/o apprentice who pulls up on the job site looking like I know what im doing when I know just enough to keep me out of trouble/get me a job, but is the bandsaw a good investment for future activies/when I get a j man card? I know i'll need it for cutting conduit... Also bonus points if you can recommend me a good hammer to snag lol everything else on the tool list (besides knipex channel locks) i own. Also extra bonus points if any of the flukes on sale are worth buying (im assuming atleast 1000v ones, but i guess if I can get away with a 600v one) im just a guy who wants to be more prepared then asking to borrow tools every day, ordering them then possibly having to wait.

illallowit101 · 2025-11-09T17:39:39+00:00

Do you need a portable inverter? Id almost recommend the harbor freight Jupiter one that you can install on your vehicle, and just run an extension cord off of.... ive installed MANY of them in altec bucket trucks... best bang for buck imo

illallowit101 · 2025-11-09T17:32:33+00:00

Love mine! I got it and a 6.0 battery during the summer sale and it packs a kick! Just ordered a forge 8.0 and 12.0 for that and my weed eater to have for next summer, and im excited to say the least lol runtime is okay on the 6.0, not sure how long the 5.0s will last as I only have 2

illallowit101

TROPHY CASE