Gadgets

[mstaylor]

While I completely agree that you should get together with your advisor, principal and security to verify what is allowed and what is not, don't push your luck either.
Above was mention of zero tolerance policy, that is a hot button issue to me. I am a firm believer in personal responsibilty and that includes making informed and reasoned decisions. If you are an employee or student you are responsible to learn the rules and live by them. But the employer/principal is responsible to teach and enforce those rules. Their job is to look at a situation, evaluate and make a decision.
That is a long way of saying the zero tolerance policy is stupid and lazy that takes all decision making out of the equation.

 

[TheGuruat12]

Shiben is correct in what I meant. All of our maintenance is done by a staff of "engineers," who [I/]probably[/I] do not have PE licenses. My point remains, that the theater needs a trained theater professional as part of the maintenance staff, or engineers, as we call them. Engineer, in this case, is probably inaccurate, as mentioned by church, but that is how they are addressed by all members of the school staff, district staff, and it is how they appear on work orders for maintenance jobs.

 

[derekleffew]

Any facility that I have been a part of, be it school, church, government, etc, has referred to these people as "maintenance." It sounds like the term "engineer" in this case is purely ego driven.

International Union of Operating Engineers | Washington DC
http://www.nyu.edu/employees/benefi...ilding-Engineers-Locksmiths-Code-107-810.html

 

[soundlight]

I'm gonna jump right over all of the insanity that's been happening in this thread and respond to the original post:

LED Minimag. I got the latest one for Christmas and I love it. Much better than their first version.

StageJunk Flat Focus Tool. As Pie said, it's great. lightweight, easy to use, and just an all-around great tool.

Combo screwdriver - one of the 6-in-1 ones. Mine has a nice wooden handle, and has 2 sizes of hex drivers if you take out the double-ended bits. If you wanna go all-out, buy the Klein 11-in-1 driver (here)

I've found that it's nice to have a circuit pen as well (like this one) for checking if a circuit is hot.

 

[kicknargel]

While a flashlight is good, a headlamp is better. I can only hold a mini mag in my teeth for so long before my jaw cramps up. My very favorite (although expensive) is the Petzel model that has a built-in retractable band--it's dainty and fits well in a pocket, and is ready to pop onto your cranium at a moment's notice.

 

[ship]

It always seemed that we were short that one basic tool when we needed it, but then we would need it for another year. Granted a lot of this was due to disorganization and misuse by some people, mostly accidental even, many came with the concept of "it's a tool I can throw it around because that's what it was built for," as we all know, throwing a drill across the stage and leaving a cordless battery to charge for weeks at a time (cheap chargers and drills especially) is a really bad idea if you want the tool to last.

One thing I did note over the years was that the little 3.6v batteries in a charge - given it was a lighting company, seemed to suffer from phase harmonics issues in killing off the batteries sooner than they should have. (That’s the assumption I had to explain the problem.) Smaller shop than now with a common power source, lots of computers, power tools and at times striking the ark on a hundred or so movers at a time. Was going thru batteries left and right - most just after their warranty.

I installed a 30min timer switch on my 20min. battery charger. Once the timer was done charging, it shut itself off. Believe this mostly solved the problem but not totally sure. Once the cordless screwdriver was discontinued, I both started buying the DeWalt, and after market batteries for the Panasonics. Could be the after market batteries were just plain better quality, but still believe that the half hour timer helped save batteries. Trickle charge is no longer in effect - I do use my cordless tools and change batteries sufficient that I don’t persay need to worry about draining or lack of use.

Idea perhaps? Granted most tools use 1 hour chargers thus would need a one hour timer. Also if not used for more than 30 days, a NiCadd battery probably should be drained of charge as per the manuals I remember reading. They say also though that the trickle charge is fine for up to that period of time without damage. Never really had a need for the larger voltage batteries.

If 30 days at a time without using the batteries, dischage them. Buy a flash light that uses that battery type to do so... (forgot, we also had the 14.4v flashlights.) The flashlight will better discharge a battery than a cordless tool with velcro around the trigger. Discharging a battery with a cordless tool could damage the tool or even possibly start a fire.

Always ensure your tool is in locked or neutral between direction also when storing them. Might be old, but I have heard said that a variable speed trigger when touching something sufficient to start the motor running can get hot enough to start a fire. Probably not true but good policy just in case at least so you don’t pick up the tool and find a drained battery because it was rotating slowly all night long.