Jobsite Timewarp !

[Styerman]

Been working on the Video and card access systems in a new Catholic school . Jobsite hasa plethora of trades opperating in a confined space . Aside from my partner and I , I've seen only one plier based multi ( a low end Gerber-suspension FWIW ) , all the flashlights I have seen so far are Incan Mini Mags . These observations have been made over the course of about a month .

The one thing I have seen lots of , are pocket clipped OHO replacable blade utility knives . No SAK sightings whatsoever .

Most other large sites I have seen have had a fair representation of Leatherman tools .

The site hasn't been handed over to the board yet , so this abscence is not due to board "no weapons " policies .

As far as power tools go , De Walt and Millwaukee are running neck an neck , Millwaukee dominating among the plumbers and Electricians . There a few Hilti's for the big stuff , with everything else running a distant third .

My Partner and I are both rocking Vics. , he is sporting a Swisstool RS , and I'm going with my faithfull Spirit ( backed up by an OH Soldier and Electrician Plus ) .

Almost makes you think that plierbased tools are losing popularity .

Other tools that have become much more popular , are cordless Recip. saws , cordless SDS hammer drills ( mostly Hilti and DeWalt) , cordless angle grinders . Li. batteries have made these tools worthwhile , ditto cordless saws . SDS electropneumatic hammers have become very popular , as a result of higher operator comfort , more efficient drilling , and lower noise levels . Li. powered Impact tools arte everywhere , Milwaukee seems to be the prefered brand among the mechanical trades .

Chris

[Viper]

Wow, that is weird... They must just not be popular in that one area. Usually you see quite a few at jobsites like that...

[Gareth]

Doesn't sound that unusual if it were over here.  Very few building site workers use multi's of any kind in my experience.  I strongly suspect that this is because any of them that have tried one has gone for a cheap no-brand tool and has been put off by the poor quality.  Any good brand multi's are so expensive here that it puts people off buying them in the first place.

[ryan1835]

a couple of guys i work with have leathermans/gerbers and like them

i really want to try a sog though or a paladin

[Styerman]

I've checked out the Paladin's the 450 that I looked at was OK , some clever ideas , just didn't have the options I want .

Gareth , multi's are quite pricey in brick and mortar stores in Canada , but nowhere near as crazy as the UK or Europe .

Chris

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I count myself lucky that my coworker actually carries a huntsman

Prior to him you were lucky if you saw a Stanley blade

[sappyg]

having been a construction manager for the past 4 years i've had a chance to see what most all the trades are using around here. not one single SAK or multitool on any jobsite other than the one i carry.
hitachi has made big gains in power tools and taken over dewalts as the king of the hill. the price does play a factor and they do hold up very well. no framer would use anything other than a hitachi frame nailer. they all look like hell. i asked why they all used them and one framer told me that they were the only nailers that could drive nails, flush or sunk, in an LVL (laminated beam).
you hardly see any milwaulkie anymore and heaven forbid somebody actually has a flashlight. the biggest problem i have had on jobsites is lack of safe working equipment. jurry rigged ladders, lack of blade guards and damaged electric extension cords.

[Shane769]

I don't find this weird at all. I mean I'm working with a crew that is building the foundation for a new trades center at our college, and not a single person, carpenter, electrician, plumber, brick layer, operator, office worker, carry a multi or even a SAK. One delivery driver had a SAK on his belt but that's it. My foreman (carpenter) has a Charge model in his work truck though. But when your tool belt has more dirt in it then nails, and you are constantly in a hole deeper than 4 feet, something with that many moving parts becomes a pain in the ass to keep functional. I personally just spend a week rerouting a fire hydrant and that was in a hole over 20 ft deep. My pockets were literally filled with sand and dirt everyday. Also, when you carry a dedicated tool belt all day, you have linesman pliers for any tie wire/rebar work, which is the only thing I could see a multi being used for on my site, YMMV. As for popular tools on site, cordless anything but drills and impact drivers are not accepted, still not enough power for the boys. And Mikita is winning in most on site, followed closely by, Hilti, of all things. DeWalt is accepted as great quality, but due to some unknown circumstances the only one on site is the table saw.

[cncguy]

Almost all my construction worker friends carry a multi. My 2 carpenter friends carry a skeletool and a SOG. (One of them got all of his helpers a skeletool.) Electrician friend carries a wave and a SOG kilowatt knife. Plumber friend has carried a charge or a wave as long as he's been a plumber. Carpenter friends use Bosch power tools and plumber and electrician use Milwaukee.

[Styerman]

Shane , I hear you about working in a trench in the early stages of a project , at the time my partner and i arrived the place was 90% finished , the "Ruff" trades are pretty much gone , mostly inside guys and landscapers .

Come to think of it , I don't think I saw a corded screwgun or impact anywhere on the sight . By far the majority of the impacts were Milwaukee M18's .Just shows ya !

Chris

[Shane769]

We do have one corded drill, but thats for drilling form ply for the wall forms. Repeated drilling is easier with something that does not have a battery that slows down the amount of power output.

[parnass]

An air conditioning tech showed up for a service call at my home a couple of years ago.  I commented about his Leatherman multitool when I saw him using it.  I don't recall the model. 

He said he had gone through several multitools because he breaks them frequently.  I don't know if whether this was due to abuse or that multitools are not strong enough for repeated, daily trade use.