I don’t have much trouble with my tools between jobs, cuz I’ve got them locked up, but during a project when I’m working and a sub is working, I can’t very well rush out and coil up my extension cord to force him to use his own.
I don’t mind sharing my cords, but I’m just a part-time muddler who can barely afford his toys… ah, I mean TOOLS, so I sure can’t afford to have my Yellow Jackets grow legs and walk off.
I realize sometimes they disappear intentionally and sometimes it might be an accident (cords look alike), but how do you guys keep your subs from walking off with your cords? I’m not there to babysit them.
jt8
Replies
I know one guy who used a light cable, about 1/8", with swaged on ends and a set of small brass locks, just big enough to lock two cords together, or a cord and the cable to lock the cord to the temporary pole, but too small for the cord caps to pass.
He locks the first cord to the the temporary pole and then the ends together after that. Also keeps the cords plugged in.
These locks were cheap according to him and they are all keyed alike. He keeps a key on a loop of wire on his belt.
Looked too much like a PITA but he doesn't, again according to him, lose many cords. Works for him I guess. Given the cost of a good quality 50' and 100'- 12 gauge cord it looks more reasonable every day.
Neon orange spray paint. Coil them up, and spray a little here and there. It won`t stop out and out theives....but the accidental swipings are far less likely to occur. And if ya work with the same subs on regular occassions, you`ll find em eventually even if they do get taken by "accident".
Extension cords are necessaties.....nothing worse than being caught shorthanded. They`re one of the things I make sure to check out everytime I go to HD...whether I need one or not. If the heavy duty ones are on sale, I grab one. All with strange neon orange spots.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
They`re one of the things I make sure to check out everytime I go to HD...whether I need one or not. If the heavy duty ones are on sale, I grab one.
Beginning of last summer, I walked into Lowes and they had 12ga, 25' Yellow Jackets on clearance for something like $6.44/ea. For some reason I only grabbed one.. probably thinking I didn't need any more short cords. But guess what, that is the ONLY 25' I have left! You don't realize how often you use shorties until you don't have them (or only have ONE).
I like your spray paint idea. That makes more sense than stencil-spraying my name on them (which no one but me would see).
jt8
Edited 12/3/2004 12:24 am ET by JohnT8
Use bright pink instead.And cover enough of the cord that no matter what, the pink will show.Not too many people wanting to steal a flaming pink anything...
The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow
I painted our hoses and cords pink (and some of the new guys tools j/k) with that same reasoning. I have no problem with pink, but some guys do . . .:-)
Yup, or use the flexible rubber coating that's made for dipping handles into (6' coils of wire, maybe 4' for shorties, paint 1' at top and bottom - you get the idea). Also, put locking ties at each end; at least that cuts down on the accidental walk-aways..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
My brother and I work together, and have tried the paint ideas, but things have still turned up missing. A thief won't be persuaded by some paint.
What we do is carry electrical tape. Yellow for him, blue for me. Any tool we use gets wrapped with the tape somewhere. Ends of cords, handles of tools. Works for bar clamps too. Anything that someone else might think is theirs, has a bright blue (or yellow) band on it. Won't stop the thieves, but has eliminated the accidentals.
We also write our names in a couple places with a Sharpie. We could go to the trouble of engraving, but again, that won't stop a theif.
An added benefit of always having the electrical tape in my pouch is that I can use it to tie up coiled cords and hoses, or use it as a clamp for small parts.
I keep my things clean and in good repair. When mine goes out the door, I'm told don't worry, I'll give it back. In return, I get some beat up, frayed, filthy cord. It infuriates me, but I've yet to come up with a good way to deal with it. Am I going to back charge them $25 every time a cord walks?
SHG
Am I going to back charge them $25 every time a cord walks?
You could, but you'd be short-changing your self on the true cost. You have the lost time of who ever discovers the cord is gone; then your lost time when it is reported to you. After that, there's milage on a vehicle to and from some store to get a cord. Then, there's all the expenses in buying one more thing that can't realy be charged to the job.
In all fairness, I'm cheating here a little bit--I remember a trade pub with a little throw-away column filler about how a lost 100' extension cord costs something like $389 to replace, and that presumed only 0:15 to the store and back.
Start backcharging $400 or $500 for missing cords--that might make a difference. Or not <g>.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
There are certain problems on commercial sites -- especially Home Depot because they hire a low-end traveling circus to install their shelving and other things. I've only lost one orange cheapo 25' cord. Now I have a little lock which can go around two diameters of the cord so I can loop it around something solid and lock it.
The other alternative, at night, is to park a couple of wheels of a scissors lift on it and remove the controller! This still doesn't stop someone from unplugging your cord and using the only receptacle outlet for their own use.
~Peter
Martha Stewart's current roommate is serving 3.42 years for extention cord theft.
Highway construction about 40 miles south on the 15 has a huge generator hanging from a crane and a big Miller welder about 20' below the generator.
Guess it works, it's been that way every time I go by for months.
Joe H
Highway construction about 40 miles south on the 15 has a huge generator hanging from a crane and a big Miller welder about 20' below the generator.
Guess it works, it's been that way every time I go by for months.
They've been building a new car dealership nearby. I've noticed they do the same thing. They've got their generator, ladders, and other misc up on the fork maybe 20' off the ground.
jt8
I've seen this done before and thought it was for security reasons. Hard to steal something when it is 30' in the air.
Wrap electical tape in a couple of spots with an access of tape knotted up in the middle and taped over . For some reason the thievin.bastas don't take taped cords. You could even tape/ conceal your business card under there.
Thats how we do it now JohnT8.
Heres a pic of the boxes and ladders dangling. We dangle the generator and compressor from the crane.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
and remove the controller!
That's a whole different thread. <g> I've got a full set of manlift keys rattling around one of the toolboxes (spares, extras, never-turned-ins, etc.) It's amazing how few key sets there seem to be for rental lifts--yet they almost always are there in the morning.
For cord locks, I've used heat-shring tubing and stock fisihng leaders. The shrink tubing holds the leader tight "enough." You can put a name on "brothers" tape and under clear shrink tubing, too--looks professional when you recover your cords from the sub who "borrowed" them.
Mostly, I just assume that half the cords won't come back on commercial projects; that way any that do, are "free." I did a TI job for a bank, and the subs list had me schedule in replacing all of the cords used. The three of the six that were left I gave to the bank, as they had "bought" them (labled & tubed them, left thme in their mainatence room).Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
My electrician coils up his cords every night. Period. It doesn't matter what is going on or who is doing what; he taps the guy on the shoulder, says he's leaving, and unplugs the cord, then coils in up in that funny figure 8 thingy that electricians do. Never had one stolen.Regards,
Boris"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
Speaking of electrician's cords - its a funny thing, but electricians, who should know better, seem to use the wimpiest, frayed, ground-prong missing cords. I would never 'borrow' a cord from my electrician - fraid of electricating myself.
I was driving down the road and stopped to pick up a 50' and a 25' cord laying in the street. They were a bit worn and a bit scuffed but they still work great.
On the radio they keep track of the number of traffic jams caused by ladders and mattresses. I am looking for a 16' fiber glass extension now.
Farmer Dave------ you might just get that ladder if you are quick enough.
A few years I am driving on the express way to drop my son off somewhere---and I see on the other side of the divider a BRAND SPANKING NEW 24 ft. fiberglass extension ladder in the middle lane.
I told my son---if that thing isn't gone when I come back I am grabbing it.
I dropped the son off and 5 minutes later I come by and a police cruiser with lights flashing is pulling the thing off to the side.
I didn't stop because I was driving my comercial truck with ladder racks and I figured the cop would assume I dropped the ladder in the first place and ticket me.
Stephen
I write my name on my Yellow Jackets with a sharpie right at both ends. Doesn't stop thieves, but, as others have mentioned, it helps with the accidentals. Makes it easier to identify who's is who's when everyone is cleaning up.
I also have a length of the double sided Velcro right by the male end to hold the coil together once it is all rolled up.
Luka- Funny you should mention pink. I found a pink razor knife in a boat I was working on and it was there when it came from the manufacturer. I grabbed it since, "it's just a knife and if anyone is gonna call me anything because of that, screw 'em". I also thought that nobody would steal it from me if it was pink. 6 years later, when people find it, they actually return it to me. If you can find a way to mark it with something that doesn't come off or looks bad enough, you'll still have it later. Or, when someone asks if they can borrow one, say, "no, but I'll sell it to you". Or, "I was just about to use it.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Re-wire all your extension cords with male connectors on both ends and your tools with female connectors.
>>> Re-wire all your extension cords with male connectors on both ends and your tools with female connectors.
Yeah great idea. Keep one of the male ends plugged in at a job site, other end loose, and watch the next "thief" have a "surprise" :-)
Ha! That is good! That is really good.
That would be fun Uncle dunc!
Actually, I mistakenly did that once with a 220 line that I was rigging up for an air compressor. I had it plugged and Forest walked up. He had the impish look on his face as he asked me in his famous mischievious way "How's that gonna work?". Since I knew the look, and had encountered that question many times....I immediately knew something was wrong..but I couldn't figure it out. As he unplugged the cord for me, he kinda chuckled and mentioned that it was probably a good idea that I hadn't grabbed that male end the wrong way!
That woulda hurt!
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
But then you have bare, hot, conductors - and here comes the OSHA guy !.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Well, yeah, you'd want to have safety caps for the connectors not currently in use.
I was talking to a roofing crew the other day, they make their own extensions from this ugly green cable with twist-lock connectors and modify all their tools to match: and people still "steal" their extension cords..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Oh. I thought that was the idea of having both male ends. So when the thief goes to grab the unused cord, he gets a little reminder that it doesn't belong to him.
I make my own using black 12/3 sjo. They look a lot different than your standard yellow/orange jobbies. Subs seem to leave them alone.
I bought a roll of 10/4 SO cord. 250' cost me $167.00. It's a littlr hard to get it into a standard cord end, but I can. I also use it for single phase and 3 phase.. Plus, no one else has one4 and they stay flexible at or below freezing.
The solution here is simple and fun.
On the end of the cord install a Lojack concealed inside of the j-box end. The longer the cord, the better the transmitting range (batteries not included). When you've purchased a locater, you now have the capacity to go out and pin down the heist meister. Just walk right in, take back what's yours, and show him how to tie a hangman's noose. Hangman's tree not included.
but during a project when I'm working and a sub is working, I can't very well rush out and coil up my extension cord to force him to use his own.
Yes you can ...
I know ... because I do it all the time.
I have my own subs who I'd let take my MAC card for a ride around in my own van ...
then there's times I'm subing and working around other GC's subs ...
and for the most part ... I make it clear if I have to that no one touches my stuff.
Ya know what ... the guys that ain't thieves ... are the same guys that bring in their own cords too! Guys that don't steal will ask first ...
Thieves just start using w/o asking ... so I have no problem letting them know to not touch my stuff .... don't need them liking me anyways ....
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
I agree Buck. I would certainly confront anyone that used any of our tools. If a guy asks to borrow any tool, I'm hesistant, and often will offer to go do the task, rather than lend the tool. But...if a guy simply uses a tool without asking, I figure he needs a lesson in manners, and I don't teach manners class too well. That's something I need to work on....
I don't even lend tools to my own guys, unless they already own that tool and something caused it to be unavailable. IF they don't have a sledge and want to borrow mine, I tell them that I'd rather that they jump into their truck and go buy one. At first, the new guys get a little peeved, but eventually, they quit asking...then we all can get along! If that concept bothers them too much...they can go somewhere else and borrow tools.
I've never lost a tool to a borrower that already had that tool. The borrowers fill their tool bags with misc tools and never buy one!
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
i make my own, using 14/3 stranded cable, and install my own yellow ends
makes them very distinctive and easy to repair
caulking is not a piece of trim
I have a bucket of male and female twist lock ends I salvaged from a big commercial job.
Thought maybe some day I would convert all my cords and tools to twist locks. that way no one esle can use either your cords OR your tools.
Mr T
I can't afford to be affordable anymore
Thought maybe some day I would convert all my cords and tools to twist locks. that way no one esle can use either your cords OR your tools.
I think at that point it doesn't become a 'or' but rather an 'and'. They will use your tools AND your cords, cuz that's the only way they can use them.
jt8
cord locks and odd ball cord caps.....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!