Additional Tools

Question 1

Automatic Wire Stripper

Answer 1

This tool provides a fast, precise way to strip insulation off the ends of wires. It is handy when wiring a lot of fixtures.

Question 2

Rope Wrench

Answer 2

This heavy-duty snip can cut cable or rope cleanly. It saves a lot of time and aggravation when making up stingers, wiring fixtures, or rigging with rope.

Question 3

Crimper

Answer 3

used for crimping connectors onto wires, useful when wiring some types of fixtures.

Question 4

Spider Wrench

Answer 4

special T-handle wrench for use on sister-lugs, the wrench fits over the outside of the sister-lug bolt. It can be very handy when an Allen slot gets stripped.

Question 5

Electrician’s Scissors

Answer 5

These extra-tough scissors (they can cut through a penny) are especially useful for cutting metal gobo patterns, but also great for cutting gels, rope, and the like. (A gobo is a metal cutout used to make patterns in light)

Question 6

Thumbscrew-type ⅝ in. wrench

Answer 6

A small, convenient alternative to carrying a big crescent wrench; does not provide as much leverage as a wrench but is great for ⅝-in. bolts on stirrup hangers.

Question 7

Hand Rasp aka rat-tail rasp

Answer 7

This rasp can pierce and saw through luan (the thin plywood used to make set walls). It is useful for cutting a quick rat hole in a set wall, to feed a power cord into the set.

Question 8

Allen and hex keys (American and English)

Answer 8

These wrenches are used for fixing stands, among other things.

Question 9

Full set of screwdrivers

Answer 9

The set should include a large and small Phillips, a very small flat-head screwdriver, a large flathead screwdriver, and a right-angle screwdriver for lamp head repairs

Question 10

Vice Grips

Answer 10

These include small, needle-nose grips for clamping onto small parts while making repairs and large, crescent vice grips for getting a tight grip in a jammed pin connector.

Question 11

Soldering Iron and Solder

Answer 11

For soldering electronics

Question 12

Cordless Electric Drill/Screw Gun

Answer 12

Especially useful when rigging, a screw gun is handy to affix devices to a wooden structure to keep them neat and organized

Question 13

Hammer

Answer 13

For hammering or pulling nails (more commonly a job for construction or grip dept.

Question 14

Tape Measure

Answer 14

Dimensioning construction project

Question 15

Glue

Answer 15

Super-glue has a multitude of uses

Question 16

Big Flashlight

Answer 16

It is handy to have some big flashlights when shooting at night. They can be passed out to electricians at the end of the night to perform a walk-around “idiot check.”

Question 17

Can Handle

Answer 17

This is a handle that fits over the bull switch to provide comfort and leverage when throwing large, spring-loaded switches. If you throw a lot of switches, a handle can save you a lot of strain