What % of tools that you use at work are yours?

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For those that work in fabrication shops, what is usually provided by the employer, and was is left to you? I'm about to finish up school, and I want to get an idea of what tools i need to have in order to perform my trade. Obviously things like mig pliers, tape measures, ect should be left up to you, but what about hammers, fit up tools, and basic hand tools?
Reply:The more that you have that are yours, the more efficient you can be, the more valuable you will be. When the time comes for you to go out on your own if you have everything you need you will be sitting pretty. By rights the employer should supply all of the power tools and odd ball stuff.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:It just depends on the shop. I worked at one where they provided everything but your helmet. They paid for overalls and shirts even. Then some want you to provide your own welder. As long as pay reflects the investment I prefer to provide everything. At my current job I don't weld often but when I do I get $25 for each project I weld on for providing the welder, and it is rarely on for more than 5 minutes on a job. That $25 is also on top of $30/hr pay for time.Dynasty 200DXPassport plus w/ spoolmate 100victor 315c oxy/(act and prop)Miller digital elitemilwaukee power tools
Reply:Originally Posted by TozziWeldingThe more that you have that are yours, the more efficient you can be, the more valuable you will be. When the time comes for you to go out on your own if you have everything you need you will be sitting pretty. By rights the employer should supply all of the power tools and odd ball stuff.
Reply:Sounds like a kickback arrangement there...
Reply:100% and 98% of the tools they use.    but i own the place sooooo.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:The other side of the coin is (when you go out on your own) your tools are highly worn and have a lot of hours on them. But it is frequently hard to get an employer to buy tools that make the job easier and faster (if they dont believe that they will get a good return on investment). Sometimes the cheapest tools will do ( when supplied by the company) but they can make the job harder ( like dull or ineffient tools). Dont forget your co workers will like to borrow your good tools. And who is gonna replace your tools that evaporate? So you will allways supply some, but is it worth it if you get paid hourly?  Remember the longer it takes the more you get paid. Lots of guys will say bring on the crappy dull tools. Is it worth it to take your hard earned pay to supply tools for your bosses to profit from? Only you can say.Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:I just got on at a shop where they supply everything but the welding hood. Every station is fully supplied, they all have the exact same stuff all laid out on the tool table. You have about 6 different air grinders.
Reply:Everything is mine, but like 7A749 I own the shop.When I need help, all I ask is that they bring their own helmet.Miller 252Miller Bobcat 225Lincoln MigPak 1801959 Hyster forkliftHarris OA torch
Reply:i have worked for shops that supply everything including the hood (no outside tools were allowed)then some shops I used all my own stuff except there machine then on the other hand i have had to supply  everything 100% including machine on jobs It all depends on the shop and what you are doingMiller Xmt 350Lincoln Ln-25Ahp 200xSmith Gas Mixer AR/HTig is my Kung FuThrowing down dimes and weaving aboutInstagram http://instagram.com/[email protected]
Reply:When you supply everything you are basically a subcontractor.Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:I work in many differents company, but most of the time is worker buy he's own "hand tools" and the shop supply electrical and consumable stuff as grinder and grinding disc, cutting torch, gaz, drill and drills bit.But only because i love tool i bought my own 4 1/2 makita grinder because not all shop supply those small grinder, and for some job i even bring in the shop my cordless Dewalt drill, cordless drill are so handy and usefull and sometime if you work in a small shop they won't supply them.I also use to work in a big company where 1 time a years, when you had you paycheck you've recieve about 200$ for boots and 100$ for tools, that was good too!Calculator > Bevel Square
Reply:I own my own place, so everything is mine, except the big *** rollaway tool box my buddy couldn't move into his third floor apartment.  When I worked at a fab shop, we were required to have basic hand tools, layout equipment, small tool box.  The shop  provided everything else.-AaronJet 17.5" Drill Press1942 South Bend 16x84 Lathe1980s Miller 320A / BP --- 2013 Power Mig 2562012 Jet 7x12 Horizontal BandsawVictor O/A Setup
Reply:A new guy is not expected to have it all.The forward in Starrett's book for student machinists sums up my opinion on things.to you and your fellow craftsmen of the mechanical arts this little book is respectfully dedicated. you are or may soon become one among a group of workers who are making a major contribution to the human progress and achievement.the precision worker in metals and materials worthy of the most exacting skill, may well enjoy a constant and enduring pride and satisfaction in his life's work. his is an honorable occupation, one that has steadily and rapidly increased in value to the community and the nation and is destined to play an ever more important part in the future.the information available to todays machinist and engineer through the medium of the textbook, reference handbook and trade press is great both in scope and excellence. this book does not pretend to take their place. its purpose, rather is to assist the student machinist in familiarizing himself with the fundamentals of all good mechanical work and to provide him with reference material that may be of the broadest usefulness both as a beginner and as an expert. if it succeeds in accomplishing this purpose, if it adds to your understanding of your craft and to your ability to work accurately and well, you may be assured that the time you devote to its contents will be time well spent indeed.a word about that equipment that will contribute so materially to the successful and efficient application of your brain and hand. the tools in a machinists kit are an unfailing index of the character of his workmanship. a well fitted kit of fine tools offers the most convincing testimony of a mans value and is one of the strongest endorsements he can have when applying for a job. the possession of a well balanced, well cared for selection of fine tools indicates personal pride in the quality and accuracy of work, a lack of dependence on the pernicious borrowing habit and confidence in ones ability to do the sort of work that demands recognition. the next best thing to having a complete outfit of fine tools is the disposition on the part of the beginner to add to his collection as rapidly as he can afford, never permitting himself to beat the gun by compromising with the quality of his tools.A lot of times what you are provided to work with sucks. Do not be the idiot that has to do and undo hundreds of fasteners in a day and uses a crescent wrench that the company provided for 20 years.Last edited by mikecwik; 04-12-2013 at 06:16 PM.
Reply:One thing about a "beginner" or any kind of fresh young man who have just done trade school, you are certainly not obligated to start your 1st day at work with a full Snap On cabinet drawers stack full of tools, but with MY experience, i can tell that having a lot of tools and a organized tools box as fast as you can afford it with your paycheck can help you, imagine this situation, you and one other guy just start at a new big company, you both just done welding course, what you want as a young worker is start to fabricate or weld stuff, not cutting material or doing grinders s h i t.Guess what, if you have tools, andYour friend don't, there is a HUGE chance that you start as fabricator or fabricator helper (thats mean the real learning)and make some basic stuff at a table or small fitting job, your friend who don't have tools will do the boring grinder.Why ? If you just done trade school you don't have a lot of experience, and your employer know that so don't worry, the next thing that can help you to grow in this trade is being "self sufficient" (not sure about that word) so you don't have to ask some old grumpy workers for tools, the older worker don't like to borrow tools and your foreman will understand that you don't have tools because you just done school but he won't they are not huge fans of workers who walk arround the shop for tools.Last edited by LayoutMan; 04-12-2013 at 08:58 PM.Calculator > Bevel Square
Reply:Then again I am a toolaholic so it dosent matter. Being self employed is a disease like tools.....Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:i work in a small fab shop so i had to bring just about everything but the building haha. but the more tools you have the more versatile you will be for odd jobs. the real key is knowing how to use the tooling. ive seen guys with $30,000 in tools and couldnt fab anything..
Reply:Originally Posted by fabproevan the real key is knowing how to use the tooling. ive seen guys with $30,000 in tools and couldnt fab anything..
Reply:Haha..  Mike I'll give ya that one.
Reply:The welding jobs I had were never with what I would call "good" employers, and as such if I wanted to do good work without going insane I didn't have much of a choice to use my own tools. Even my present job, which is a great employer, (computer related), which is not welding at all, I use lots of basic hand tools. My boss offered to reiumburse some of my tools up to a certain amount. I was not able to buy the types and brand of tools that I wanted with that amount, but I never put in for the reiumbsument. I have picky tastes and wouldn't have been able to complete my kit under that budget... I just assume buy my own tools and take them with me when I leave the company. They do provide me with the expensive test equipment I need whenever I ask for it, so I'm happy!I think the tools a person uses says alot about them and the work they do.Whether your future employer has tools or not for to you use, and whether you take your own tools into work is irrelavlent, as a tradesmen you need to have your own tools, even the big expensive ones like welding machines. I say this for a few reasons:1. Buying your own tools gives you a better appreciation for what they are worth and how to take good care of them.2. A trademan, especially a welder, needs to be able to practice on his own terf to further skills that may not be utilized @ your current job.3. You never know when a job may end for whatever reason, and there is a distinct possiblity your new employer may require to have more tools then your previous employer did. In between jobs waiting for a paycheck isn't conducive to tooling up.4. You never know when you may to wish to engage in some side work for fun or extra cash. You'll be glad you already have the means to do so without having to purchase any equipment.Be carefull, however, what tools you bring in a job site. Keep in mind who you are working for. I've heard horror stories about a business shutting down all of a sudden and the banks or new owner putting locks and chains on the doors overnight. Some people have had to sue in order to be allowed in the building and get their property back.Lincoln Idealarc 250Lincoln Weldanpower CC/CV engine driveLincoln LN-25 wire feederMiller Syncrowave 180 SDVarious oxy-fuel setups featuring Victor, Harris, and Prest-o-lite products
Reply:I had a guy try to keep me away from my tools once, I drove by until a door was open, then went in and started carting my tools out. The guy called the cops, and by the time it was settled they helped me cart my tools out.Dynasty 200DXPassport plus w/ spoolmate 100victor 315c oxy/(act and prop)Miller digital elitemilwaukee power tools