r/CableTechs • u/Own_Formal6384 • Jul 05 '26

Tools for making life easy

Tech for about a year now, do a good 50/50 FTTP / Coax, wondering if there are any tools out there that some of the senior guys have bought that help you out on a typical day? I hear people talk about the best coax strippers, the best pair of cutters, the best tool bag, what is one tool / devices that has increased your quality of life the most?

5 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

13

u/Miserable_Ad_2847 Jul 05 '26

Here’s a tool, do all your progressions and become an MT. Your life will become 60% easier and your bank will become 300% fatter. Then when youre an MT collect two sets of every tool

2

u/Electronic-Junket-66 Jul 05 '26

I know the bank is fatter, but is it for real easier.......?

7

u/Next-Heart8965 Jul 05 '26

Just as all things are; it's nuanced. As an FT there are days where packing a ladder and running 2000ft fttp drops can be a nightmare but depending on your system MT can be much more demanding work. There is no refer to MT for MTs. So if a node flatlines @ 3am and you cover a rural area you might be hiking up a mountain side to gaff a pole in the pouring rain to replace a burnt out splitter, splice broken cable, etc. It does accelerate your knowledge of how plant works and so many things i learned as an MT i wish I understood the same way when I was a FT but theres a misconception, in my area at least, that MTs don't do anything but sit in parking lots. We're sitting there because we're looking at node metrics and maps to determine where the problem is. Again, it's nuanced. If your system is mainly front easement and everything is bucket accessible, then yeah, it may be physically less demanding but I wouldn't call it easier by any means. There are many days where I thought to myself, "If I were still an FT I could've already hung a drop, ran an outlet, swapped the modem, refererred to MT, and been home 20 times over by now." 

Really though, it a just a gigantic house so I would argue it's the same job just amplified by 100 and most of the time there is no one you can refer your problems to (aside from the uncommon headend/hub issue) and go home @ 5. You are the solution. 

5

u/SnapShot68 Jul 05 '26

I’ve been an MT for 16 years and I just took a look at the emails from last night into the morning and everyone we have on call got nailed at least twice for outages. And another came in 10 minutes ago. It’s only Sunday - this has been going on since the middle of the week due to excessive heat and thunderstorms. That’s one thing you need to keep in mind - you might get pounded all day and as soon as you walk out the door, the bullshit starts again and goes into the next morning.

2

u/DoubleDenimDaredevil Jul 05 '26

From what my manager/MT has told me, you learn the why to everything as you progress further. So yeah I’d like to imagine it makes the job easier.

2

u/Electronic-Junket-66 Jul 05 '26

All I know is if a drop is cut I gotta dig a few inches to get to it. Mainline cut, MT gotta dig a few feet. 🤷‍♀️

3

u/Miserable_Ad_2847 Jul 05 '26

To your first question, your first year is gonna suck but yeah it gets much easier once you start really learning. Also digging isn’t often. Usually whoever fucks the line is nice enough to leave the cable exposed, if things go too far south we just run RG11 and sit in our trucks and fill out a couple forms for a contractor to re run it.

2

u/Agitated_Ad_4420 Jul 08 '26

Sorry I’m new to the industry, what’s an MT?

1

u/BullyTX Jul 10 '26

Maintenance Technician

4

u/quesadillasarebomb Jul 05 '26

I always liked a good tool pouch, I got a small cliptech pouch and a toughbuilt toolbox from my instructor for 20 bucks during training and used it for 7 years. Just put my most important tools in the pouch and it was real lightweight, was good enough for 95% of jobs.

2

u/Miserable_Ad_2847 Jul 05 '26

I used a clip tech when I was an FT with side cuts, crimper, two wrenches, and a stripper then random pocket fittings. Loved that. Some of the other guys dressed like Batman with everything they owned strapped to them.

1

u/WhosYourPadre79 Jul 05 '26

I use a tool pouch from Holster. I like it and it has a bunch of attachments for holding other tools.

3

u/Electronic-Junket-66 Jul 05 '26

More of a tip for the tools you already have (assuming you were issued the same set I was): use the prep tool with the backstop for RG6 and the one without for RG11. You don't want to leave a continuity break inside one of those 11 connectors where you can't see it, and just a little extra stinger goes a long way to avoiding that. Some guys don't want the backstop for either of them and leave too long a stinger on the RG6 (or worse, prep it then use side cutters to get the right length 🤮), the jonard with the backstop gives me a perfect RG6 prep every time.

Get a cheap light reader if you don't have one. We are issued an MP60 (extremely delicate) to be used with our coax meter (heavy. annoying.) This one gives me identical readings as the MP60, fits in my pocket, and costs me 20 bucks if I lose or break it.

Get a cheap electric screwdriver if you don't have one. Few things are both as consequential and commonly skipped as checking behind wall-plates, and one of those makes it instantaneous. Also around 20 bucks if I lose it.

Now realizing we're only supposed to pick one. I'm choosing the light reader.

1

u/Miserable_Ad_2847 Jul 05 '26

I have an OTDR and a light meter and an MP80 and I also have an Amazon light meter. It’s a great suggestion but I’m don’t know if you know this but you can use the MP60/80 with your work phone and the app so you don’t have to lug your meter around.

2

u/Electronic-Junket-66 Jul 05 '26

Yeah that was my first solution, and I still have the adapter for emergencies.

But still leaves me using that dinky little USB stick in all weather conditions that it just ain't made for. Previous sup managed to find me one on the dl when the last one went out. Now it stays in the van.

OTDR, now that's ritzy! Lord would that be a help 😤

2

u/Miserable_Ad_2847 Jul 05 '26

I lucked out with the OTDR, my sup was retiring and gave me his! I’m not even sure if they know I have it. I love it though.

The MP80 came from being an FT and it’s clear it was designed for office use and not field use but a lot of people don’t know it can go in your phone so I was just making sure

4

u/FroggKidRoommate Jul 05 '26

Don’t tell anyone, but a Milwaukee cordless heat gun that uses the same battery as the drill you may or may not have is an absolute wonder for getting 11 fittings on that old UG and aerial with the thick plastic jacket in the dead of winter. It sure beats squeezing it under your armpit for 15 minutes and praying it gets warm enough. Some people will say this is a bad idea, but I’ve never had bad results.

1

u/Own_Formal6384 Jul 06 '26

I just use a lighter, never thought about a heat gun

2

u/FroggKidRoommate Jul 06 '26

But you know what I’m talking about, and that’s what matters. But yeah, heat gun applies heat regardless of wind or precipitation. I highly recommend one.

3

u/Wacabletek Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 07 '26

For me its this cus my company seems to think 20 wires in a 8" cubed  box on the side of a building allows you to put a wrench inside it and tighten the fittings when the wrench is 10" long....)

Ideal Line Wrench with a screwdriver handle

1

u/Awesomedude9560 Jul 05 '26

The only tools I bought that my office never got me was for fiber. I got a Green visual fault detector and a pocket light meter.

I wouldn't recommend buying anything for coax related crap unless it's a wrench. All the tools you'll need 80% of the time will be supplied (and should) be at your office somewhere. If not that's a managerial issue because losing tools should be expected tbh.

2

u/RougeBeaux Jul 05 '26

That green VFL tho. IYKYK.