Every Tool You NEED to Wire a Commercial Workshop (Featuring Crafted Workshop)
Use coupon code “craftedworkshop10” for 10% off your next Rack-A-Tiers order!
When you’re wiring up a commercial workshop, it helps to have the right tools. You could wing it and hope everything works and is up to code, or you could be like Crafted Workshop (YouTube Channel) and use the best tools for every job combined with meticulous planning and research. If you do it right the first time, the chances of problems in the future are reduced. And, if you do a really good job – any future problems will be easier to fix. Let’s dive into this video and see what we can learn about electrical tools! Plus, we’ll give you a list of Rack-A-Tiers tools that will help if you working on a similar project.
Wiring the Workshop
The workshop Johnny is renovating had some complicated wiring with four panels, and some very dirty conduit running through the shop. He has decided to rip everything out and wire it from scratch for this project. He is treating this building as commercial so if you’re planning any commercial electric projects, this is a great place to start.
Here’s Crafted Workshop describing the plans for this stage of the renovation:
“The next big step in the shop renovation is going to be doing all of the electrical work. As you guys might remember, I’ve basically gutted the electrical here in the shop area. The previous owner had done some stuff to the wiring that made it really hard to identify which circuits went where, and so I decided to just kind of start from scratch since I didn’t have any outlets where I wanted them anyway. And you know, a lot of my power tools require specific amperages and so it seemed to make more sense just to kind of start fresh. So, I can finally get started wiring the shop, which is really exciting because this whole time of building out all of this stuff in here, I’ve been working off of two outlets.”
Rack-A-Tiers Wire Dispenser
Look: If you’re working with wire and you’re still not using a wire dispenser, then I don’t know what to tell you at this point. If you want to work like a real professional, then look no further than the Rack-A-Tiers wire dispenser – an industry standard for 2 decades.
“It allows me to have all five of my spools nicely organized and I can pull the wire off of it without it getting all tangled up.”
It’s the most functional and portable wire dispenser you’ll own – you’ll be finding new uses for it for years. And if you work with really big reels, then check out the 500 lb. rated Rack-A-Tiers XL.
Get the Rack-A-Tiers Wire Dispenser
Wire Tub Coil Dispenser
Working with a coil of MC cable can be more awkward to work with than NMSC, but it can be very useful when needed, especially if you have the right tool to help you along.
“If you’re newer to electrical work and want to add some circuits to, let’s say your garage shop, I would highly recommend checking out MC cable. It is very easy to work with. The metal sheathing protects it so you can run it surface mounted so you can skip all of this conduit bending work and run MC cable instead.”
We couldn’t agree more, and our Wire Tub is perfect for dispensing MC cable. Wire tub rotates like a Lazy Susan to smoothly dispense (and rewind!) wire in all directions. Just drop your coil in and start pulling. Rewind the excess when you’re done to save time and money.
Croc’s Needle Nose Wire Strippers
For this project, several GFCI outlets need to be installed. The most obvious tool you need is a good wire stripper. Wire strippers are a tool that everyone knows, and chances are you have used plenty – but you’ve never used any like the Croc’s Needle Nose Wire Strippers. Strip wire, cut screws, crimp terminal connectors and more in one tool.
Check out the Croc's Needle Nose Wire Strippers
Hoppy Bender
Bending conduit for box offsets is something every electrician needs to do, which means you’re going to need a conduit bender – especially if you want uniform bends across lots of conduit.
Crafted Workshop gives a rundown of his EMT bending process:
“Bending these box offsets is pretty simple. I went ahead and cut my piece of conduit to length. Once I did that, I went ahead and marked out a couple of lines. I marked in two and a half inches from the end and then from there another two and a quarter inch. Four and three-quarters of an inch from the end. The angle I’m going to be using is 10 degrees on the bend. All I’m going to do is take my conduit and I’m going to slide it in here and line up my mark with the arrow on the bender. Then from there, I’m just going to put some pressure on it. I want to be pushing closer to the bender because if I were to push way back here, that’s going to create a bend in the entire piece, which is not what I want. I bend until it touches my little guide and then I’m going to push through and I’m going to rotate the piece 180 degrees, lining up my next mark with that arrow again. And then I want to sight down to make sure my bends are going to be lined up because I’m bending up and then back down.”
The Hoppy Bender is a great option for box offsets because it has a ‘stop’ that lets you replicate exact bend angles every time. Plus, it’s perfect for 3- and 4-point saddles and 90-degree bends.
Reemer Bit
We love multi-use tools. On a project like this, a Reemer Bit would come in handy. Reemer bit is a double ended driver bit (Phillips and Robertson) that can also ream out your pipe so you have everything you need in one bit.
Electrician’s Edge Pro Tool Belt
These tools are all great, but you still need something to hold them. Introducing the new Rack-A-Tiers Electrician’s Edge Pro tool belt and bags. This tool belt is tailored to electricians in every stitch and feature. Electrical work has its own demands, and no other tool belt is more up to the job.
- Riveted tool pouch bottoms to protect from wear and tear
- Quick-pull electric tape holder
- Magnetic strip for metal fasteners, bits, or any other odds and ends
- Removable tape measure clip
- Made from incredibly durable 1300 denier polyester/nylon
Level Up with Electrician's Edge Pro
AC Line Splitter with GFCI Tester
“And once the breakers were flipped on, I could test the GFCI outlets, both of which functioned fine. And then I use my little outlet tester to test the GFCI protection on the rest of the outlets on these two circuits.”
For this project, Crafter Workshop installs GFCI outlets throughout the workshop. If you’re planning something similar, then picking up an AC Line Splitter will make testing GFCI outlets and identifying wiring faults a breeze.
Check out the AC Line Splitter
Electrical Tools That Get the Job Done
Setting up a workshop? Make life easier with the right tools. From wire dispensers to tool belts, Rack-A-Tiers has your back. Crafted Workshop nailed it with their setup, and now you can too! Work smarter, not harder—grab what you need, skip the headaches, and get the job done right the first time. Don’t forget to use craftedworkshop10 for 10% off your order. Your future self (and your coworkers) will thank you!
