PEX Crimper Tool Recommendation

[gahrajmahal]

Hi folks,

I have been doing several plumbing repairs and have started to enjoy working with PEX tubing. So far I have rented the tool kit from Home Depot, but by now I could have purchased one myself. I have another plumbing project and thought I'd get some recommendations before my purchase.

Thanks ahead of time...

 

[DTE]

I have the Apollo set from Lowes. The biggest drawback I have seen with it is in tight quarters it will not work , I guess some type of ratchet crimper would be a nice addition along with this set.https://www.lowes.com/pd/Apollo-Multi-Head-PEX-Crimping-Tool/3572368 . But I have very little Pex experience.

 

[Firebrick43]

Get a Milwaukee m12 propex expander, they are awesome and the fittings don't reduce flow like crimp ones do.

 

[PCustoms]

Got one off Amazon, like $30. Uses the stainless rings.

EDIT: Iwiss PEX ratcheting crimp tool, curently $25.39

No complaints.

 

[rlitman]

Get a Milwaukee m12 propex expander, they are awesome and the fittings don't reduce flow like crimp ones do.

Well, they are better in many ways, but the fittings are uber expensive, and damn near impossible for me to find locally, and you can only use this with PEX-A, which is also unavailable for me locally (it is NOT rated for PEX-B, which is pretty much everything available in stores by me, or PEX-C)

Got one off Amazon, like $30. Uses the stainless rings.

EDIT: Iwiss PEX ratcheting crimp tool, curently $25.39

No complaints.

This one (which I have) is $23.50
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N9N2ZKP/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I also have the Oetiker crimper, which can be used from the side, for use in tight places.

 

[tjdux]

I also have an apollo brand crimper, the bolt cutter style and yes it can be hard or impossible in really really cramped settings but a little creativity and maybe a shark bite and its really great tool.

I was in your exact shoes, had several plumbing projects and instead of renting a few times I actually redid the whole house at once and bought the tool before hand. Live and learn.

Once you buy it you may end up looking for plumbing projects lol.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[RAYJAY]

there is only one place to buy all of your pex and plumbing supply's

http://www.supplyhouse.com/

http://www.supplyhouse.com/PEX-Tools-26000

 

[gahrajmahal]

Thanks all, you are really coming through for me again! I'll fil you in on my purchase. I think the rental ones are the Apollo. I like that it has a cut off tool in the kit in case you mess up and want to reuse a fitting. I really like the manifolds, it really simplifies the installs.

 

[johninct]

Viega. Pretty hard not to do a good job with their tool and fittings. Once starting the crimp, the tool can't be removed until it is crimped completely.

 

[Group B]

Got one off Amazon, like $30. Uses the stainless rings.

EDIT: Iwiss PEX ratcheting crimp tool, curently $25.39

No complaints.

I recently got the same one. Works flawlessly. So much cheaper than the sharkbite push lock fittings. Plus you can use it for CV joint clamps.

 

[moto367]

I had a small job recently and couldn't justify the expense. I used the shark bite fittings. They were a little more money but it was super easy for my job. I'm no plumber so there may be pro's and con's but haven't had any leaks yet.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Well, they are better in many ways, but the fittings are uber expensive, and damn near impossible for me to find locally, and you can only use this with PEX-A, which is also unavailable for me locally ...

That's a bummer ! I have done some work with PEX (like PEX-B because it was SO STIFF we had to buy straight sticks instead of coiled) so I do have a brass ring crimper but I have always thought that using an expander was the way to go. Obviously not, if it required "special" tubing and fittings !

 

[acer66]

I got two Zurn and I really like them.

 

[gahrajmahal]

So, I clicked all of your links (thanks!) and purchased the Apollo set from Lowes as recommended by DTE. The link took me to a northern Lowes and it was listed for $49. When I switched to the more souhern Lowes near the job I am doing it is $79 !!
I ordered it online to make sure I would have one when I go over later in the day. An extra 15 miles to save $30. It is the same crimper that HD rents, so I have confidence it is a sturdy unit although not compact.

 

[Firebrick43]

That's a bummer ! I have done some work with PEX (like PEX-B because it was SO STIFF we had to buy straight sticks instead of coiled) so I do have a brass ring crimper but I have always thought that using an expander was the way to go. Obviously not, if it required "special" tubing and fittings !

Don't be deterred rlitman. I highly doubt that pex A or the fittings are unavailable where he is. Yes many box stores don't carry it(Menards carries some) but all the plumbing supply stores do such as furgusons.

Also as ray jay posted, supplyhouse.com is just a day away from your front step, prices are good, and shipping is free over 99 dollars. It's rare for me to use anyone else. Also the fittings that propex use are high quality and don't suffer from dezincification that many brands of crimp fittings have in addition to the better flow and less issues with kinking.

The m12 expander tool is expensive but the resale value is phenomenal on eBay. For less than $50 you can "rent" the tool for as long as you need. The ease of use, both physically and getting into tight spaces is so much better that crimp tools or manual expanders.

 

[Kaizen]

I've had this one for years and haven't had any problems. Great for homeowner where you will be doing 1/2 and 3/4 only
Off the shelf at hd
http://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBit...al-PEX-Copper-Crimp-Ring-Tool-23251/202270489

 

[CoogarXR]

I have my trusty old Zurn Pex crimpers. I have never made a bad crimp. I have done at least 4 whole houses with them. They are pretty big, so you have to use a little logic so you don't pex yourself into a corner, so to speak, lol. They supposedly aren't for tight quarters, but I use them under the sink all the time with no problems.

 

[rlitman]

Don't be deterred rlitman. I highly doubt that pex A or the fittings are unavailable where he is. Yes many box stores don't carry it(Menards carries some) but all the plumbing supply stores do such as furgusons.

Also as ray jay posted, supplyhouse.com is just a day away from your front step, prices are good, and shipping is free over 99 dollars. It's rare for me to use anyone else. Also the fittings that propex use are high quality and don't suffer from dezincification that many brands of crimp fittings have in addition to the better flow and less issues with kinking.

The m12 expander tool is expensive but the resale value is phenomenal on eBay. For less than $50 you can "rent" the tool for as long as you need. The ease of use, both physically and getting into tight spaces is so much better that crimp tools or manual expanders.

Nah, I've checked with the local supply houses a few years back, and none have PEX-A or expansion fittings. To be fair, it was before Milwaukee had the expansion tool out, and I was working with a friend's Wirsbo tool.

Supplyhouse.com IS just a day away, and I've gotten the expansion fittings and PEX-A I've worked with from them. I do highly recommend them. I also recommend using PEX-A, even if you're using crimp fittings, as it is way more flexible. Yes, it works with crimp fittings too.

 

[Radix2]

Nah, I've checked with the local supply houses a few years back, and none have PEX-A or expansion fittings. To be fair, it was before Milwaukee had the expansion tool out, and I was working with a friend's Wirsbo tool.

Supplyhouse.com IS just a day away, and I've gotten the expansion fittings and PEX-A I've worked with from them. I do highly recommend them. I also recommend using PEX-A, even if you're using crimp fittings, as it is way more flexible. Yes, it works with crimp fittings too.

Menards here has a complete selection of pex-a fittings and pipe.

 

[rlitman]

Menards here has a complete selection of pex-a fittings and pipe.

With a 16 hour round trip to the nearest Menards, I'd probably get something delivered from pexsupply faster. LOL

 

[Firebrick43]

Rlitman, the more I thought about it it may be scarce in your area. Union plumbers don't like it as it reduces labor cost. A lot of large cities actually don't allow pex (citing multiple invalid reasons) because of this.

 

[rlitman]

Rlitman, the more I thought about it it may be scarce in your area. Union plumbers don't like it as it reduces labor cost. A lot of large cities actually don't allow pex (citing multiple invalid reasons) because of this.

PEX certainly isn't scarce around here. And I know of no union residential work in my area (commercial yes).

Around here, Propress has reduced labor costs in copper enough to make PEX no longer nearly as competitive. Between that, and the fact that PEX has so many cheaper systems than expansion I think is why the expansion hasn't gotten much traction here.

Look at it this way: how can a plumber upsell the price of expansion fittings, when that price puts PEX into copper price territory? Would you choose PEX over copper when the bottom-line price is the same?