Author Topic: Price reduced on PEX crimpers  (Read 4888 times)

Exflyboy

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Price reduced on PEX crimpers
« on: January 27, 2014, 12:08:12 PM »
Home Depot now sells its combined 1/2" and 3/4" PEX crimper for $60.

At this price there really is no need to mess with (IMO risky) Sharkbite push to fit fittings at this price. Crimped fittings are so much cheaper.

Buy one and thank me later..:)

http://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBite-1-2-in-and-3-4-in-Dual-PEX-Crimp-Tool-23251/202270489

Frank
« Last Edit: January 27, 2014, 12:18:22 PM by frankh »

paddedhat

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Re: Price reduced on PEX crimpers
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2014, 09:14:50 PM »

 Or for 1/2 that price you could buy a universal tool for the stainless steel PEX clamps, and upgrade to a style of clamp that is a lot easier, far superior, and doesn't require a gauge to check your work.  Lowes has the tool #153553 "Apollo quick clinch clamp tool" for $29. I have done thousands of joints with these rings, and they are great.  You also need a ratcheting tube cutter, "Kobalt" 1-5/8" pvc cutter, #150994 for $11, and you're good to go. 

Exflyboy

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Re: Price reduced on PEX crimpers
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2014, 02:40:04 PM »
Your argument then is the other style of crimp ring is more reliable?.. I have not seen any failure data to prove that, but having to have access to one side of the joint maybe an improvement, I have not used this style so I can't say.

The stye of clamp you are referring to is also more expensive.. about 54c a pop vs 14c for a copper ring at my local Home Depot.

Purely on a cost basis the break even is somewhere around 80 to 90 joints.

Once set the tool calibration doesn't drift but testing with the go-no go guage is hardly a big deal.. would be nice if they included one with the tool however.
One advantage of the copper ring style is you can use the same tool to make repairs on the Polybutylene style of pipe with the correct fittings.. Although I am looking forward to the spring when I will rip out all of the PB piping from my rental mfg'd home.

FRank


paddedhat

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Re: Price reduced on PEX crimpers
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2014, 07:45:45 PM »
No arguments at all, I have no clue as to the failure rate of any system. I NEVER had a clamp fail in service, just leaks due to installer (my) error, and all of those were caught by pressure testing, before putting the system in service. As a pro, I switched to PEX, years ago, as several competing systems became available locally. Instead of setting me up with the original copper crimps, my supply house counter guy sent me to a competitor to get the tools I needed to use the "Oetiker" style clamps. He stated the most of his high volume guys had switched over from the old style, because it was a superior system. The tool is one size fits all. The clamps, If bought in reasonable volumes (bags of 100-1/2" clamps, or 50-3/4" clamps) are a small fraction of the prices you list. I pay roughly .18 and .32 for 1/2 and 3/4 respectively. The advantages are numerous, but the biggest are that you only need one tool for all sizes of pipe, and the tool is as compact as a large pair of electrician's (lineman's) pliers, so it can fit into some pretty small places. As for use on other pipe systems. I was in a campground recently where all the black poly well pipe was connected with the usual barbed fitting, and Oetiker clamps, instead of the typical hose clamps. I have also used them occasionally for car repair, as they are exactly like some of the clamps found in my kid's VW. The crimp tool is interesting. My first one was a $119 pro tool brand from a supply house. My second was a "Kolbalt" brand from Lowes for less than $40. They are the SAME tool with different handles, LOL.

Exflyboy

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Re: Price reduced on PEX crimpers
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2014, 09:57:07 AM »
Interesting.. Yes I was given my copper ring style crimpers (1/2/3/4 combined) so had no motivation to look at the Oteker style. That system may indeed be superior in use.

I need to replumb the mfg'd home this summer (awful PB pipe, although its never leaked.. yet) so it may pay to switch at that point if I can get the decent "pro deal" on the clamps from the supply houses rather than the box store.

Cheers

Frank

enigmaT120

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Re: Price reduced on PEX crimpers
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2014, 10:43:14 AM »
Do any of you use the (I think) Wursbro tool, that expands the pex tubing temporarily so that you can fit it over the fittings, then it contracts back down?  I bought one of the tools (about 200 bucks)  but gave it to my buddy in exchange for him re-doing all of the plumbing under my house.  He is much faster at working on stuff like that than me.  I like that system because there's no metal - water contact, so nothing to corrode.  I think it saves money on fittings, too, but probably not only for one house.


Greg

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Re: Price reduced on PEX crimpers
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2014, 03:05:08 PM »
I use the wirsbo "propex" expansion tool.  I'm a big fan of this system, and used it on my own home with radiant heat etc., as well as projects for others.