u/Altruistic_Tower_198

What’s up y’all? Quick question. Does anybody use other linesman’s alternatives? I don’t really prefer the weight of a lineman nor do I like them not being spring-loaded. I broke my hand a few years back and have limited mobility so I preferred to not have to open and close my pliers if that makes any sense. I’m currently using SK tools ironworker pliers, but they kinda suck. Is there anybody that has a good suggestion for a tool that will last long and still have good performance but thats spring loaded with a lighter overall build?

How does a first bracket APE become valuable enough to a contractor/ GF that they get kept from job to job. Aside from the common sense stuff. I show up 30mins early everyday and am already working by start time. Im usually the last one to leave and i make sure the site is tidy (at least what pertains to the electricians. I ask a fuck ton of questions and never make the same mistake twice. Im starting to seriously progress knowledge wise and can pretty much be given tasks and get them done in a timely manner without supervision. I try really hard to make sure my work is the cleanest and most consistent on the site. My GF has already noted that on several occasions. So much so that when we got a new jw on the site who was non union prior and didn’t have experience with the current work load, i was asked to get him up to speed on what we were doing. ( that dynamic has since changed and Im back at the bottom of the barrel🫠). I feel like Im doing really well, especially for someone who just started. But my GF is not from my local and might not stick around much longer as he’s running 3 different sites currently and has another project starting soon. The job is supposed to last a while but i want to learn as much as i can from my foreman and GF as they are both only a few years older than me and became foreman as soon as they turned out (which is my goal). Any tips?

Just bought a couple new tools and a tote to keep them in. On Monday I had seen some guys going through my bag from another crew. I told my foreman he said make sure that I let them know that’s not cool if i see them do it again. Today on my way lunch I grabbed my bag to lock it in the job box and I noticed that i had tools stolen. Kind of sucks. I guess this is like hazing since I’m a new apprentice. How often should i expect this sort of thing to happen and whats the best way to protect your things while working if you cant lock them up?

EDIT just to clarify some things. This crew is not ibew. They are a rebar crew. They primarily speak Spanish. almost no one at the site other than the electricians speak fluent English. There are 200+ people on site at any given time and they all wear ski masks so you cant even tell who these guys are. I told my foreman he said he’d replace them and he also said he’d turn a blind eye to any consequences that follow if i were to locate my tools and the one who took them. But told me its unlikely id see them again because they probably wont bring the back to the site. All my tools have a very unique marking on them that is easily recognizable. Also i lock my tools up in a gang box at lunch i was roughing in a panel with my cart maybe 20 yards away at the time but it was to my back. The first time it happened was a similar situation but i made eye contact with one of the and they ran off. I had work to do so when i had the chance i told my foreman. He asked if they took anything but they hadn’t that i noticed so he said if it happened again to confront them. This time around i didnt see it happen so im not sure who it was this time. And Im from local 595e.

I got the call last week Wednesday! Orientation is tomorrow!!! Local 595!!