Top 10 Gifts for Your Lineman
Altec partnered with LineJunk on Facebook to ask linemen what the must-have tools are for their gearbag. After more than 300 responses, we compiled the results to give you the Top 10 Linemen Tools! Based on responses from our linemen, these are just a few uses for the top tools.
#1 MADI Hammer
- Used for installing staples to secure a copper ground on a pole
- Used for installing lag bolts to hang U-Mold on a pole
- Used to drive bolts into drilled holes of wooden poles
#2 Skinning Knife-Hook Blade
- Used for scoring and slitting cable jacket
- Used for clipping on tail ends of armor rod
- Long finger guard helps keep fingers away from blade
#3 Channel Locks
- Multi range adjustment allows for use on different size bolts and nuts
- Used for holding the nut on the back side of a bolt or holding a bolt head
- Used to loosen lock nuts
#4 Klein’s Pliers
- Used to twist wires and make small crimp connections
- Used for trimming ends off aluminum tie wire (#6 or #4 wire)
- Used for pulling cotter pins out of shackles
#5 Crescent Wrench
- Used to tighten pal and lock nuts
- Used to bolt insulators onto crossarms
- Used to hand tighten hardware

#6 Electrical Tape
- Used for just about anything!
- Used to maintain coiled wire
- Used to protect low voltage wires from coming in contact with grounded wires on secondary voltage
#7 Fiberglass Folding Ruler
- Used for measurements to frame poles
- Used for measurements to terminate wire
- Constructed of tough nylon, reinforced with glass fibers for added durability
#8 Lowell Wrench
- Used for making up two-hole and four-hole spade connectors on padmount transformer secondary bushings
- Bolt-thru design allows bolts to pass entirely through socket
- 3-in-1 Tool for Distribution and Transmission to tighten multiple size hardware
#9 Screwdrivers
- Used for hanging hand lines on a pole
- Used for removing an old bolt
- Used to make up small connections on secondary
#10 Lowell Wrench
- Dual ends provide multiple size options
- Used for hand tightening transformer lugs
- Used for tightening lightening arrester bracket hardware
To check out more linemen tools, visit Altec Supply Store to shop our entire Tools and Accessories Catalog. To speak to an Altec representative, call 1-877-GO-ALTEC.








