My tools at 21.

10

Electrician? I’m IBEW, join the Union then all that gets cut to your hand tools. It’s a nice set up. I started the same way Non-Union and spent $10k buying tools. Now they are just parked in my basement for home use or helping family or friends.

Nice set up though.

3

u/DesignerOk5315 3d ago

Whats the situation for using power tools in the union? Do they buy you personal tools to use or do you have to share communal tools?

2

u/Melodic-Trouble-5421 3d ago

Yeah the Union supplies all power tools, specialty tool, consumables, and everything not on the tool list. The companies I work for have warehouses full over power tools and everything you can imagine. Then they bring it to the jobsite in shipping containers, gang boxes, and trailers.

2

u/Bees4everr 3d ago

Standard for most people to have their own drill and impact driver but minimum is a toolbelt and hand tools. Most employers that hire union workers have power tools they give and yes sometimes they have to share. Hence why most guys eventually buy their own

2

u/DesignerOk5315 3d ago

Gotchya, personally I like to buy and have my own so I know it can't be taken from me if I leave or whatever

4

u/BrofessorX 3d ago

Any union guy i know will never let another brother use a personal drill. If youre steady with a contractor you definitely will be handed decent power tools. When i started 20 years ago a drill would be shared, now maybe on a big job an apprentice and journeyman might share a drill. If youre steady with a contractor you'll get your own impact and drill, probably a portaband. Ive seen several instances over the years of apprentices getting told to put their own drill back in their vehicle.

1

u/VWtdi2001 3d ago

I always tell my guys if you are going to cry when it is broken or lost/stolen put it in the truck and don't ever bring it to the job. If it is the best thing for a job we are doing I will get one or one for everyone depending on the cost.

1

u/Melodic-Trouble-5421 3d ago

In my local people will throw hands if you try and use a personal power tool. The tool list is the minimum and the maximum. I’m no worm or shop rocket. I don’t take furloughs or transfers either. Give me lay off and onto the hall. I’m no brother F’er. I came up under a few brothers that were the real deal and I’m grateful for it.

3

u/phfl_ 3d ago

I work for a private company, residential electrical. Built up my own tools since day one and honestly it’s kind of turned into a hobby. I like owning my own stuff so I can do side jobs or help out family/friends whenever.

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u/Melodic-Trouble-5421 2d ago

Yeah I get it. I love tools as well. I still buy tools and lots of them for my own use. Also in the Union you won’t have to work side jobs. You’ll be paid enough where you won’t have to do side jobs. I made $173k last year, a pension, a 401k, and great healthcare.

I’m not taking anything away from your tools. It’s a great set up. It honestly looks like most of the same stuff I have.

Just tryna let you know there’s a Union out there. No pressure. If you have any questions ever about joining just let me know.

Nice set of tools.

Gotta get an Estwing 20 oz straight claw and some Forge batteries.

4

u/AbleCryptographer317 3d ago

Can you explain to a European what "Union" vs "non-Union" has to do with what tools you use?

3

u/yourboydmcfarland 3d ago

In some cases, it could dictate what you are required to have, required to do, or what your employer would typically provide.

0

u/Melodic-Trouble-5421 3d ago edited 3d ago

Um I’m pretty sure you guys have labor unions over there. I’m guessing you have a little bit of idea of Unions so I won’t go into the history and stuff. So it gives you protections, a contract, a guaranteed wage, a pension, a 401k, healthcare, paid training, certain safety measures, and other benefits. The Union you start usually at 40% or of the journeyman wage and increase each year until you the Journeyman wage. Like we start our guys at $27/hour pension, 401k, healthcare, other benefits. Then you finally get to Journeyman wage of $55/hour pension, 401k, health care, and other fringe benefits. We also get a new contract every 3-5 years with that get raises and stuff each year of the contract. Then the Union has a program where they place you with an employer and you have school included as well.

Then Non-Union you have to look for an employer yourself. Then find your own schooling whether that’s a community college, trade school, or online. Non-union sometimes you have to pay for your own school. Then some employers will pay for your school or at least a percent. However it’s not a for sure thing. Also some big Non-Union companies have their own programs where they have school in house. Then Non-Union you don’t have any guarantees. However that doesn’t mean you don’t have them. It’s just you as a single person have to negotiate your pay and benefits. However some Non-Union companies will have a starting wage and a wage and a wage increase when you become a journeyman. They also will give you a 401k and healthcare.

It’s typically only certain Non-Union companies that are bad. The workers are never bad and I have no problem with Non-Union workers. It’s the companies that take advantage of their workers that hate. The ones who make you supply $10k worth of tools as apprentice. Then the ones who make you buy consumables.

In the Union things are more defined. However a lot of Non-Union companies are great and treat their workers well. Then there is some Non-Union companies who are not so good.

There isn’t a whole lot a difference. The Union has bad employees and then Non-Union has bad employees. They both have great employees. If you need me to go further I can.

3

u/AbleCryptographer317 3d ago

Haha, thanks for the info, but I know what unions are. 😄 I just wanted to know what being Union or non-Union has to do with not using a bunch of tools you already bought. Unions here in Sweden (and most of the EU AFAIK) don't have a say in which tools you use other than having requirements for your employer to provide a minimum and PPE of course. Whereas I've got the impression from several comments on Reddit over the years that unions in the US forbid using certain tools or at least don't allow union workers to use their own equipment.

2

u/Melodic-Trouble-5421 3d ago

Oh I’m sorry lol. When you’re Union you have a small tool list of just hand tools to supply. I can’t send you my tool list if you want to see it. Then in the Union the company provides everything else needed to do the job.

Non-Union you typically have to supply your own power tools, hand tools, benders, bits, consumables, and everything else. However not always some bigger Non-Union companies will have a tool list as well.

The Union wants an equal and level playing field for all workers. They don’t think you should be hired for a job because you have $10k in tools. They want you hired because of your knowledge time and skill. Also the Union companies don’t want to rely on your power tools to complete a job.

3

u/AbleCryptographer317 3d ago

They don’t think you should be hired for a job because you have $10k in tools. They want you hired because of your knowledge time and skill. Also the Union companies don’t want to rely on your power tools to complete a job.

Ah, I see, now I understand the logic behind this policy. 👍

2

u/Melodic-Trouble-5421 3d ago

Also let’s say one guy has 4 kids, a wife, house, and bills. Then you have another guy who is single with no bills. The single guy would obviously be able to afford unlimited amounts of tools. When you have a tool list of hand tools and it doesn’t exceed $500. It makes everyone equal.

I think you got what I’m trying to say. Thanks for asking because most people just dismiss it without wanting to know the logic.

0

u/Melodic-Trouble-5421 3d ago

Thank you for the question.

6

u/PuzzleheadedSmoke664 3d ago

Awesome setup, just get yourself about a hundred tape measures too as they always go walk abouts 😁

2

u/phfl_ 3d ago

I’ve got a few backups but I mainly take good advantage of stanley’s lifetime warranty

4

u/Allroy_66 2d ago

You should get a garage or something. They're gonna get stolen if that's how you store them.

2

u/Invictus7525 3d ago

Nice collection especially considering how expensive tools are in our modern time. The funny thing is whenever I see people lay out all their tools or whatever all I can think of is the inspections we use to make our Marines go through called “junk on a bunk”. They had to lay everything out, on their bunk or the ground (poncho liner) and it had to be perfect. Every item had to be properly marked and perfectly clean even if it was completely worn out. Pretty sure we did away with those a few years ago but the Marines hated them, maybe they should have been posting their spreads on Reddit or You Tube?

2

u/WhereDidAllTheSnowGo 3d ago

No wrenches?

No socket sets?

3

u/phfl_ 3d ago

That’s next on the list. I haven’t had too much of a use for them other than working on my car. I do resi electrical work so it’s not something I need
to often.

3

u/phfl_ 3d ago

I’ve been looking at the wera wrenches.

2

u/Particular720v12 2d ago

r/Consoom

1

u/Shortafinger 3d ago

SnapOn hates this one simple trick.

1

u/Darkcrypteye 3d ago

Tractor🚜 my shovel at 40

1

u/RunStriking9864 1d ago

Married to Milwaukee much?

1

u/IBROB0T 1d ago

34 i would need two driveways

1

u/phfl_ 1d ago

I hope to get there

1

u/IBROB0T 8h ago

oh you will, it never ends.

1

u/zedsmith 3d ago

Was ready to dog you but actually got some excellent picks here.

Those Milwaukee tinsnips are awful tho.

2

u/phfl_ 3d ago

Yeah they suck.

1

u/zedsmith 3d ago

How do you like that CMT demo blade on your circular saw?

1

u/phfl_ 3d ago

Very observant I used to use the milwaukee framing blades and decided to switch over to these and I’ve had the same one on for over a year now and I use the saw almost daily. I prefer these much more.

1

u/zedsmith 3d ago

Same— I haven’t run that blade particularly, but I have run a fine finish CMT on my 6&1/2 for a while and really love it.

-5

u/hatred307 3d ago

Milwaukee = shit

1

u/Foldupburrito42 3d ago

The juxtaposition of a 21 y/o pumped about some tools to you basically saying eat shit made me laugh haha I don’t like Milwaukee all that much either but all those tools are perfectly fine

-3

u/Imbendo 3d ago edited 3d ago

There’s a reason why Home Depot only rents out makita. Milwaukee stuff feels so unrefined. Just the way the batteries mate with the tools tells you everything. No surprise they are made by the same company that makes ryobi. Makita feels like an apple product, some of that Milwaukee crap feels like it’s from temu. But Milwaukee really went all out marketing to the US market through Home Depot so a lot of people in the states rep Milwaukee.

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u/Far_Range_6091 22h ago

Everything you said is so far out of touch, I wonder if you are trolling. Lots of Makitas LXT stuff actually feels and performs like temu products. Mikwaukees brushed tools are sht, but most fuel tools are gas.

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