Tool Talk with @Nic.Electric: Top Electrical Tools to Work Smarter
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Most electricians have a pretty impressive toolkit, but which tools are actually worth keeping in your truck? To find out, we chatted with @Nic.Electric (aka Brandon Nichols), a seasoned electrician and IBEW Local 322 member from Wyoming. Brandon shared his insights on his must-have Rack-A-Tiers tools and how they make his work easier—from residential projects to industrial jobs. If you’re looking for gear that’s practical, durable, and efficient, you’ll love his recommendations.
Who is @Nic.Electric?
Rack-A-Tiers: Hey, thanks for talking to us! Go ahead and tell us a bit about yourself.
@Nic.Electric: My name is Brandon Nichols, I am @Nic.Electric on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. I’m from Wyoming, IBEW Local 322.
Rack-A-Tiers: And what kind of work do you mainly specialize in?
@Nic.Electric: Right now, I mainly specialize in residential, but next year in Wyoming they’re doing a nuclear power plant, so we’re going to be switching from residential to industrial. I’ve done it in the past, so it would be nice to go back to the industrial side of things.
Croc’s Needle Nose Wire Strippers + V-Cutter
Rack-A-Tiers: Alright, let’s start with the Crocs Wire Strippers. What do you like about them?
@Nic.Electric: I love the Crocs, they fit in your hand perfectly, they’ve got that curve. I’ve never dropped a pair just because of how they fit in my hand. And the V-cutter fits perfectly on them, really nice for slicing into 12-3 wire since the 12-2 slots of the Crocs doesn’t work for it, so the V-Cutter is awesome. But yeah, it’s definitely my go-to stripper.
Rack-A-Tiers: Beautiful, alright.
Allen Head Driver Bit Kit
Rack-A-Tiers: You also did a post about the Allen Head Driver Bit Kit, tell us about that.
@Nic.Electric: That was so nice to have. It just fits right on your drill or torque wrench, and there is the adapter piece for other wrenches. It goes right into a lug, and you can tighten it down to whatever torque you want. It basically fits any lug you have.
Check out the Allen Head Driver Bit Kit
6 1/2” Magnetic Access Plate
Rack-A-Tiers: You’ve been using the Magnetic Access Plate too, right?
@Nic.Electric: I have a 4 square box at my house that is exposed, and the access plate was the perfect size to cover up that 4 square box. Honestly, I could paint over it, and you wouldn’t even be able to tell it was there.
Rack-A-Tiers: We’ve seen a lot of people say the magnets really come in handy.
@Nic.Electric: Oh yes, the 4 earth magnets hold right onto the 4 square box plate. The 6 1/2-inch plate is metal, so it just held on strong and if I ever need to get in the box, it’s really easy to take off as well.
Stud Ball Magnetic Stud Finder
Rack-A-Tiers: Your Stud Ball video really showed off how easy it is to use.
@Nic.Electric: Good old stud ball, love the Stud Ball. It’s so easy to use. Mainly what I use it for is trying to find a stud under drywall. You just got to run it up and down and it will find the sheet rock screws that are mounted into the studs, and it’s found every single one every time.
Rack-A-Tiers: Have you used it for any interesting purposes?
@Nic.Electric: Actually yes! I have attached it to a fish tape or fish stick, when I dropped a bolt down a PVC conduit. It was probably a 3-foot trench, and it was already buried, and I didn’t want to dig that out. But I was able to retrieve that bolt with the Stud Ball.
Rack-A-Tiers: Stud Ball saved the day, very nice.
Nut Blaster Wire Nut Twister
Rack-A-Tiers: How about a little about the fan-favorite tool: Nut Blaster?
@Nic.Electric: Love the Nut Blaster. You don’t have to twist wire nuts by hand anymore, you do have to be careful and not crank on the trigger when you put it on a drill but yeah definitely saves time and no more pre-twisting.
Rack-A-Tiers: Why do you think someone should use the Nut Blaster instead of doing it by hand?
@Nic.Electric: Honestly, I see a lot of older electricians with carpal tunnel from twisting wire nuts by hand when you can just put a Nut Blaster on your drill and take it nice and easy. Less work on your wrist and less wear and tear on yourself.
@Nic.Electric’s Top Tip for New Electricians
Rack-A-Tiers: Awesome. Let’s end it off with one piece of advice you have for electricians who are just starting out.
@Nic.Electric: Starting out, work smarter not harder, let the tool do the work for you and it will be a lot easier.
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If you want to work smarter then make sure to check out the tools Brandon recommended! Thanks to @Nic.Electric for taking the time to chat with us about his top Rack-A-Tiers electrical tools. Check him out at any of these links:
