My father began his electrical career in 1951. I came along six years later and haven’t looked back. Needless to say, I grew up with Klein Tools as a big part of my life. Klein, which pre-dated both my father and myself by nearly 100 years, made tools that have always been at my disposal for doing important tasks throughout my childhood. I repaired bicycle spokes, fixed the chain on my mini bike, and eventually, repaired the sprockets on my ten speed. It took me a long time to figure out why my dad got so upset when I left a perfect pair of side-cutting pliers out in the rain. As an adult, I learned quickly to recognize value in a good tool. The Klein Power Conduit Reamer falls under that category.
My own electrical career started in 1974. On the first day of my apprenticeship, I proudly showed up with a brand new tool pouch full of Klein products. Several of those tools are actually still in my pouch, though, I find that my tool ensemble is constantly growing as I add in the newest creations from the company.
Klein Power Conduit Reamer Features
Recently, I was given a new style conduit reamer made by Klein. It’s manufactured in the USA and uses a 1/4″ quick release hex shaft that can attach to the chuck of any impact driver or cordless drill. At the tip, you can insert any 1/4″ hex bit (a square recess bit is included) to install couplers or connectors.
The Power Conduit Reamer runs about $26. It’s stepped, so it will automatically ream 1/2″, 3/4″, and 1″ conduit. The blade is also removable and replaceable, priced at less than $10 for a 2-pack. To remove it, you just use the included hex wrench, and take out the single threaded screw that’s recessed into the stepped head. I tested it on a Makita LXDT08 impact driver and some other tools and in each case it was a perfect pairing.
Klein Power Conduit Reamer Testing
For my primary testing I inserted the Klein Power Conduit Reamer into, among other tools, an 18V DeWalt DCF885L2 impact driver and used it on several job sites. It was great for deburring the inside and outside of EMT in just a few seconds. I found that it not only saved me the time of an extra step when it came to running conduit and mounting boxes, but it also saved a lot of wear and tear on my arms. For years I cut EMT with a hacksaw, followed by the interior and exterior reaming of the conduit with a pair of Channellock pliers. Anyone who does this for a living knows that can get old pretty quick.
Now, thinking back to several years ago, I remember replacing the Channellock reamer method with a Klein Conduit Reamer (#19352) that attached to a screwdriver with two set screws. That was definitely a step in the right direction and has certainly been a time-saver, even though it was still a very manual process to do the reaming work. This newest Power Conduit Reamer is even more efficient, plus it really cut back on the repetitive stress I placed on my arms and wrists. I was able to cut conduit and install anchors for the boxes and straps and never change tools.
This is a tool that has progressed in the right direction from the beginning. Like many of Klein’s tools, it seems like a good fit for doing real work in the real world. It’s not so far advanced that it’s impractical, and it doesn’t force you to work in a way you’re not accustomed to working. For someone who has been in this business for a while, I appreciate that. If Klein continues to develop tools using this mindset, I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
