What Tools should I Get For Starting An apprenticeship

[Liam-1]

i am starting an apprenticeship in january but wont be going to college till september but i would like to have a rough guide on what tools to get any input would be great thanks !

 

[fuzzy]

good tape and level, notepad to start with

 

[fuzzy]

dont scrimp, get good ones and mark them up

 

[SimonJohns]

Rothenburger superfire 2
Grips
Adjustable spanners


Bss and pts are doing a very good deal ATM for most of this

Superfire 2, burn mat, bag, gas, grips £70+vat. That's cheap btw. And good quality

 

[Resolute]

Rothenburger superfire 2
Grips
Adjustable spanners


Bss and pts are doing a very good deal ATM for most of this

Superfire 2, burn mat, bag, gas, grips £70+vat. That's cheap btw. And good quality

Thats a brilliant deal!

 

[dontknowitall]

Mug, teaspoon, spare kettle element ...

These will earn you brownie points.

If you were to ask me, I'd advise you not to buy too much. Tools depreciate very quickly (financially) and if things don't work out or if you can't find a job then you won't have wasted large amounts of money. It is not very difficult to spend £500 on only a few items.

You can't go wrong with Bahco spanners (they're expensive though!)
Pump pliers don't have to be Knipex but if you can afford them, lucky you! To start with you might prefer the price of Rothenbergers.
A set of screwdrivers won't be expensive and will be useful.
Pipe cutters (15mm and 22mm) to start. Wheel cutters are better than the fiddling G clamp shaped affairs.

If you can work for a week and borrow tools, make a note at the end of each day of what you use. Then go shopping on the Saturday and buy those tools if you think you'll use them again soon.

This way, you'll not spend needless pounds on tools you hardly ever use.

 

[tamz]

What age are you?

If you are a young lad and depending on how many plumbers other work at the place, just get some basics. A hammer, a couple of decent screwdrivers, 15 and 22mm pipe slices, a tape, a junior hacksaw a set of 9" footprints and a pair of pump pliars and a couple of adjustables. Put a mark on everything as someone will nick them. Don't bother with a gas torch for now. Most places will give you one if they are half decent.
If there are a few other guys there they will probably pass you some other tools and you can build up the rest to suit the work you are doing

 

[tamz]

Pump pliers don't have to be Knipex but if you can afford them, lucky you! To start with you might prefer the price of Rothenbergers.

Lidl sell half decent pump pliers for about £4. Good enough to learn with.

Good advice dkia :wink:

 

[gasmanrob]

find a good bootfair and keep your eyes WIDE open the ammount of people that retire and sell everything in site is un real!! if you find any speak to who ever is selling it as im sure they may do you a deal if they knew the tools would be staying in the trade. i have picked up some real gems for next to nothing that way and ten years on there are still a few i use top of my head a hilti te 26 110v for £60!! that thing just runs and runs!

If you did buy a blow lamp get your self a sheet of plasterboard some fittings,clips and pipe then practice practice practice! try to keep the board clean from grubby hands and burn marks learn your different fixings and fittings and you'll also see what tools you use and need to do the basics.

well done on landing an apprenticeship they are few and far between, welcome to the industry its an ever changing world.
but most importantly remember there is no point teaching someone who knows everything or cant listen to simple instructions! best of luck for the future pal

 

[SafeGasInstall]

i am just to add get your self a comfy safety boots will be lots of running about

 

[AWheating]

i would avoid a power torch and get a smaller simple blow torch to start/practice with. Its alot easier to learn with a small flame, and you wont get a beating for burning the customers wallpaper.

i use this torch even for 28mm, its got a great small flame
DIY / Professional Range | GoSystem

as for other tools,

hammer
tape measure
set of decent screwdrivers
pencil
tool bag/box
grips
adjustable spanner
wood chisel
file
15 and 22mm pipeslice
2ft sprit level
pliers
junior hacksaw

 

[WHPES]

A couple of pairs of good, comfortable work pants with kneepads.

U need more than 1 adjustable spanner - get a decent quality set (you don't need to buy Snap-on,- Draper and Stanley are decent enough, but avoid the market stall Chinese rubbish)

Cromwell Tools (on the net) is a good place to buy decent stuff at a fair price from. Their Kennedy branded stuff is good for the money

 

[stevetheplumber]

What age are you?

If you are a young lad and depending on how many plumbers other work at the place, just get some basics. A hammer, a couple of decent screwdrivers, 15 and 22mm pipe slices, a tape, a junior hacksaw a set of 9" footprints and a pair of pump pliars and a couple of adjustables. Put a mark on everything as someone will nick them. Don't bother with a gas torch for now. Most places will give you one if they are half decent.
If there are a few other guys there they will probably pass you some other tools and you can build up the rest to suit the work you are doing

i think its only me and you still use foot prints here i dont know how anyone manages without 9 AND 7 inch FP' especially the smalller ones if your on domestic work pump pliers under a sink unit are a nightmare

 

[Gray0689]

And me use them all the time don't even own any pump pliers

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i use pump pilers and sometimes find them ***bersome are footprints really that good? maybe i should get some

 

[Gray0689]

I would not be without mine Steve

 

[PlumbBobBob]

cheers i will look into getting some and report back actually on thinking about it i have an irwin wrench which are much like footprints you can use them with one hand. will have to look them out.

 

[dontknowitall]

And towels to wipe up spillages/drips, etc ... as well as your mucky footprints.

 

[kay-jay]

op will probably require skyhooks and a long stand at some point!

 

[Phil]

I would not be without mine Steve

I would, I've lost my Footprints. :nonod:

 

[kay-jay]

+1 for footprints! use mine loads, can get the genuine ones on flea bay pretty cheap direct

 

[kay-jay]

+1 for footies, i use mine loads! can get em cheap on flea bay direct from footprint

 

[Liam-1]

thanks, i am working on a building site with 10 other plumbers and they have already bought me a open tote tool bag nd i have bought a level and 15mm,22mm,28mm pipe slice also hack saw pencils nd scewdrivers and footprints wich i find great ! the work only have 4 blow torches and have to be shared about normaly there is one on each site.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

if they're buying you stuff i think you have landed on your feet there mate. good luck i hope your apprenticeship progresses well

 

[mitchellplumber]

Do not be fooled into asking for a long stand or a sky hook! lol, You get the just, i'm no telling you anymore though! You can figure them out yourself! ;0)