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multimeter - with temp probe
gages
torchset
valve wrench
reg. wrench
6-way screwdriver
cordless drill + nut drivers + unibit
tube cutter
pvc cutter
trane charging chart
and possibly some open end wrenches
measuring tape
tin snips
channellock
and of course lineman pliers

Nevada has the answer two left hands.

I just read where you can turn off the beeping sound on the new model.

Originally posted by outside rep
hey where do you get on of those snazy tools I want on just for the heck of it

Any Fluke distributor should be able to order one for you.

Fluke has two different models, one for 20-90 volts and one for 90-1000 volts.

I just looked at the Fluke site and their models now beep. I prefer the older models (AC1 & AC2) they don't beep, but just glow. The new ones beep & glow.
(glad I have a new "older version" back-up for when the current one fails)

Originally posted by senior tech
I would consider this a decent starter list, I have many, many tools and equipment that I use that are not on this list, as you mature in the field you'll learn more of what you need (Or may not need, but just gotta have!)

Snips- Lefts, right, straights
Scribe
Rule
hand seamers, flue crimpers
Nut Drivers Long handle magnetic 1/4, 5/16, 3/8
regular screwdrivers
phillips screwdrivers
pliers, needlenose and regular
wire strippers and crimpers
channel locks
combo wrenchs (most common 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16)
adjustable wrenchs (commonly known as crescent wrench)
Torpedo level
Multi-meter
Manometer
Refrigerant scale
Refrigeration guages (R-22 and R-410a)
Cordless drill (Maquita angle drill a must for me)
1/4 and 5/16 bits and 6" extension for drill
multi-bit

In addition to this

Tubing cutter(s) (Rigid)
Hacksaw (Lennox)
Flashlight (Get a good one)
Mulit-tool (Gerber, leatherman)
Multi-meter (fluke 16 or 32 see Grainger for an HVAC kit)
ball peen hammer (estwing see Grainger)
Razor knife
Inspection mirror
Digital thermometers (at least two)
linesman’s pliers (klien ,bahco)
hex wrenches
refrigeration wrench
offset boxed end wrenches 3/8” X 7/16 and ½” X 9/16”
Valve core removal tool (ball valve style)
Flaring kit (imperial)
3/8” ratchet kit ( snap-on[expensive but the best] husky/craftsman/SK-good choices)
Chisel set
Diagonal cutters
Safety glasses
Mechanics gloves
Drop light

Don’t skimp on quality. A few tools of excellent quality is better than a wheelbarrow full of junk.
Snap-on, Bahco, Knipex and Pro-to are expensive but excellent professional quality tools.
Husky, Craftsman, Stanley, Vaco and SK are more reasonably priced and good choices for the beginner.
A list of other good brands is eastwing (hammers) Malco (sheet metal tools) Lennox (cutting tools) CLC (tool bags and pouches) REFCO (heavy duty refrigeration tools)
Do not buy tools of lesser quality than these, and never go to harbor freight.

Originally posted by Steve Wiggins


#1 most important tool to own, cost $20 - Voltstick for high voltage

I found this live wire hanging in a closet and never would have attempted to check it with a regular meter.

Were your panythose bunching up that day, Steve????

Originally posted by greenhornet
1. The trade school I go to gives you a list of the tools you need, a map of an A/C supply house that has 6 locations around town, and if you buy your tools from them they give you a 20% discount.
2. The trade school I go to offers a 3 month prep course just for preparing for the HVAC exam, and they cover ALL the licensing laws & rules.
3. People skills, I think spending 4 1/2 hours 3X a week at school with a wide variety of different type of people is a GREAT way to develop people skills. Where do you develop your people skills? At the local watering hole?
All you guys that want to rip on trade schools, where did you learn all your skills? Did you just wake up one morning and it had all come to you overnight in a dream? The trade school here is turning out techs that go on to open their own HVAC businesses, and do very well for themselves. Maybe thats why you feel the need to put down trade schools beacuse you know they are turning out guys that are going to go into business for them selves and give you more competition or maybe you dont like trade schools because the students who went are better techs than you.

[Edited by greenhornet on 08-24-2005 at 08:18 PM]

Wow I don’t even know where to start you seem to have all your ducks in a row for someone who only got into this earlier this year
http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?threadid=68994


To you I would say you are one of the reasons there is a problem in this field

Do you plan to be self employed by time you finish school??

And coming out of school and being a better tech than these guys here that have done this their whole lives, man you are in for a rude awakening


Maybe the school you go to is the exception to the rule but I believe that more realistically you are delusional
The school will give you a good start but it is just that a start
This trade is not an easy one if you do things right, and to run a successful business is even harder
I know the book you have tells you how to fix everything and you know about all there is to know which is great but if you really want to see how smart you are post what you think you know and let some of the smartest guys in the world (in this field) teach you how much you really don’t know

As far as people skills, simply being around people does not teach you what you need to know for the most part, although you will pick it up if you are smart but some people never do


Well I could go on about this forever but I won’t just want to say I think you took Steves post entirely out of context and proved yourself to be pretty bad off
If for no other reason than you don’t know enough to know, that you don’t know enough

The most important tool I believe is your BRAIN!
After that Steve's and senior tech's lists are a good start. Although that list changes with where you live. (Example: a manometer here in the hot desert is not a tool you NEED to start out with).
General hand tools and some of the basic advance tools are what I think are a good start.
But as you grow in this trade you will need at least one of every tool you can find for construction and electrical work. (Including: Cement, framing, drywall, and most electrical tools).
Also as you add the tools then you are on your way to self employment.
Always look at what the next guy uses and see if it will help you. If you think it will get one and use it.


Yuma,

Not only should you have most or more of the tools mentioned above, but talk to them about what they expect you to provide. They might just be asking what tools you have so they'll have an idea of what they'll need to invest in you if they hire you.

While I'd LOVE to own every tool I'd ever need, there's no way I can afford that (yet anyway, I'm slowly trying though lol). I'd expect them to buy the larger ticket items like vac pump, reclaimer, hole hog, more of the specialty items. If they want to provide you with a tool bag full of screwdrivers and all that other little stuff great.. but don't count on that one.

I also believe having a good base of tools does make you more valuable to a compy. When I started my new job, 1st day on the job I asked what all I should bring with. They kinda grinned and said what do you have. They shut me up at around 5 minutes and told me to just bring some certain things. Once I got my own van and filled it up they were impressed with all the crap, er I mean tools I had.

My most important tool when I first went on my own was, by far,my cell phone.

I would consider this a decent starter list, I have many, many tools and equipment that I use that are not on this list, as you mature in the field you'll learn more of what you need (Or may not need, but just gotta have!)

Snips- Lefts, right, straights
Scribe
Rule
hand seamers, flue crimpers
Nut Drivers Long handle magnetic 1/4, 5/16, 3/8
regular screwdrivers
phillips screwdrivers
pliers, needlenose and regular
wire strippers and crimpers
channel locks
combo wrenchs (most common 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16)
adjustable wrenchs (commonly known as crescent wrench)
Torpedo level
Multi-meter
Manometer
Refrigerant scale
Refrigeration guages (R-22 and R-410a)
Cordless drill (Maquita angle drill a must for me)
1/4 and 5/16 bits and 6" extension for drill
multi-bit

Pretty much what you will need is Basic hand tools,Multimeter(fluke or Fieldpiece)Manifold guage. And get the best quality hand tools like Craftsman or Klein.

1. The trade school I go to gives you a list of the tools you need, a map of an A/C supply house that has 6 locations around town, and if you buy your tools from them they give you a 20% discount.
2. The trade school I go to offers a 3 month prep course just for preparing for the HVAC exam, and they cover ALL the licensing laws & rules.
3. People skills, I think spending 4 1/2 hours 3X a week at school with a wide variety of different type of people is a GREAT way to develop people skills. Where do you develop your people skills? At the local watering hole?
All you guys that want to rip on trade schools, where did you learn all your skills? Did you just wake up one morning and it had all come to you overnight in a dream? The trade school here is turning out techs that go on to open their own HVAC businesses, and do very well for themselves. Maybe thats why you feel the need to put down trade schools beacuse you know they are turning out guys that are going to go into business for them selves and give you more competition or maybe you dont like trade schools because the students who went are better techs than you.

[Edited by greenhornet on 08-24-2005 at 08:18 PM]

#1 most important tool to own, cost $20 - Voltstick for high voltage

I found this live wire hanging in a closet and never would have attempted to check it with a regular meter.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Steve Wiggins
[B]Trade schools DON'T teach what is needed most and that is:

1. Tools needed, where to buy, and what to carry them in
2. Licensing laws & rules
3. People skills


#3 Most important/neglected teachable skill

Trade schools DON'T teach what is needed most and that is:

1. Tools needed, where to buy, and what to carry them in
2. Licensing laws & rules
3. People skills

Instead they are worried about teaching a new student how to work on a chiller or other highly skilled engineering type topic.

[Edited by Steve Wiggins on 08-24-2005 at 06:36 PM]

*Basic handtools (wrenches, screwdrivers, nutdrivers, etc.)
*Electrical meter - should have an amp clamp, ability to check temperature a plus, as well as capacity
*Refrigerant gauges
*Manometer - digital or u-tube depending on who you ask
*Torch and a few sizes of tips, unless you use oxy-acet.
A lot of companies provide scales and vac pumps. There's a lot of specialized tools out there but that should get you going, happy job hunting.

I guess my question would be if your an entry level tech and went to trade school...... dont they kinda teach what you would need for tools starting out? Now if your starting out without being in school ,I can understand the question. If trade schools are not teaching that ...I think they better start.

Wow...we seem to hear this a lot...hey Boss, or lusker, can someone design a list and put it in a permanent place, it's a very good question for the new people to ask but it doe's seen to be a re-ocurring one. I'll e-mail ya one and maybe some other guys will also...choose the most well rounded and run with it.

I wanted to know what tools do most companies want entry level techs to have, i have had three interviews here in las vegas and asked, "what tools do you own?" I don't know what they expect you to already have just starting out that has been one weak points because I don't own too many. Please help I have been here two weeks and i'm trying to find entry level work thanks