I am a fairly skilled DIY’er (are those bad words here?) and everytime I have to do electrical work, I am bugged that I need at least two screwdrivers to deal with a receptacle, switch or breaker panel.
Case in point, Eaton-Cutler Hammer sub-panel. Need a blade for the neutral buss, need a #8 Robertson for the ground buss and when I get to the BR style breakers, well those need a #3 Robertson.
If there is a good reason for all the variety in screw shapes and sizes, I’d sure love to know.
Does this bug the pros out there?
Replies
Bug the pros?
Nope.
Been a licensed electrician for years. Part of learning any trade is learning what tools you need to do what. Same with electrical work. Most of the time I can stick the tools I'll need for a simple job in my back pocket and never need to go back for more. If trouble shooting or working a bigger job, just take the tool bag.
I'm also a carpenter. Been doing that much longer than electrical work. Same thing applies. The closer you get to being a pro, the more you are able to anticipate what you need to do anything, both in material and tools. (Not factoring in the "tool junkie" in most of us)
I have no problem anticipating what tools are required
Like you, I stick the tools in my toolbelt or pockets and away I go. Just sayin' that carrying three screwdrivers and swapping from Robertson to blade to Phillips is a waste of time. A time and motion study of electrical work would note this inefficiency right away.
Not disagreeing, just clarifiyng my perspective.
This is the work of the screwdriver manufacturers employment security program. They have made sure that nobody can get by with just one screwdriver. Of course, woodworking screwdrivers are different than electrical, which are different than automotive, and so on. Very clever of them! When they need a boost in sales, they release a new drive version.
screwdrivers
How about automobile manufactors, my Chevy truck has metric bolts next to standards side by side (I don't know if they still do that)
chevy bolts
thats because GM is going global, many autoparts are made offshore. Many GM models are the same in the US and Europe.
Opel is a subsidiary of GM and paid millions to the mothercompany to prevent the meltdown among others. Buick Regal is an exact copy of the Opel Insignia. GM should have developed smaller products a long time ago. Unfortunately they missed the boat already in the 60s. On the other side - they produced only what the public wanted.
Will be interesting to see what will happen when the price on the pump will hit 6 bucks/gal
different screwdrivers
yes, make that New and IMPROVED model , to be sure you get the point you got some lousy tools in your pouch.
I liked the light switches in Germany. No screws, the switch and the coverplate just click on the box
Words
As Dave put very well, the pro makes sure to have the necessary tools, and know what those tools are. When I do anything other than my current proffession, I am a DIYer. Lots of people have the appitude and desire to perform the work of many trades well.
"a fairly skilled DIY'er (are those bad words here?) " I think that most of the more knowledgeable folks on this forum fall into the the "fairly skilled DIY" category in all aspects except those which they ply as a trade.
There are hacks that get paid to do certain jobs and many make a living at it. Does that make them "professionals"? Not in my world. I would rather follow up "a fairly skilled DIY'er" than a hack any day.
I hear ya; and in the past I've thought about posting the same rant.
I've settled on Robertson/Sq Rec. drivers (#1 and #2), and I don't understand why anyone would rather use a Phillips let alone a Slot driver. It frustrates me how some manufacturers try to make a screw head that accepts all types of drivers, but doesn't do any one of them well.
What I'd like to see is receptacles that are back-wire with square-drive screws, and with a plastic shield over the screw heads with a hole for the square-drive bit. The shield would pop up to let you side-wire, and there'd be a slot in the screw as well for old-school sparkies.
bugged that I need at least two ....
that kinda stuff bugs me two..
how come there are different size wires, you'd think they could all be the same size. i need to have a wire strippers that can strip a hole bunch of different sizes, why not just one wire size ??
<G>
Now, if you were a REAL man you'd use your teeth.