ddurrett896
Well-known member
Adding a bathroom to my garage and using PEX B with crimps the first time. Anyone have a tool they recommend and any advice on fittings, crimps, etc? Thanks!
Plumbing Garage Bathroom - Pex B Tool
- Thread starter ddurrett896
- Start date
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I use the basic Apollo crimp tool and got my copper rings at supplyhouse.com
You need a lot of room for that style tool as the handles open to nearly 180 degrees. But it's cheap and easy.
Cut square, properly seat the pipe on the fitting and space the ring off the fitting 1/8-1/4"
You need a lot of room for that style tool as the handles open to nearly 180 degrees. But it's cheap and easy.
Cut square, properly seat the pipe on the fitting and space the ring off the fitting 1/8-1/4"
yatg
Well-known member
I have a ratcheting tool similar to this that I got about 10 or more years ago from Lowes.
This one has a gauge, but mine has a blue LED that comes on when the crimp is good.
It uses PEX cinch clamps.
This one has a gauge, but mine has a blue LED that comes on when the crimp is good.
It uses PEX cinch clamps.
captaindiode
Well-known member
I like the chinch clamp (Oetiker) too. One tool does all four sizes (3/8, 1/2, 3/4, 1) I got my crimp tool at Lowes. It is an Apollo and has a light that comes on when tight.
Here it is on Amazon:
Conbraco Apollo PEX 69PTBJ0010C 3/8-inch - 1-inch One Hand Cinch Clamp Tool,Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053YCN5I/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Here it is on Amazon:
Conbraco Apollo PEX 69PTBJ0010C 3/8-inch - 1-inch One Hand Cinch Clamp Tool,Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053YCN5I/?tag=atomicindus08-20
duneslider
Well-known member
I have apollo cinch and crimp tools and both seem to work just fine, I have had no problems with either style. I don't do a lot of plumbing but I just buy the materials typically at lowes/hd.
75gmck25
Well-known member
I got my Everhot PEX crimper and rings from one of the online supply places, and its worked really well for both plumbing and hydronic heat work. It comes with replaceable jaws for 3/8" up to 1" PEX.
When you start to layout your plumbing and crimp fittings, make sure you look at the clearance you need for the crimper jaws and handles, which means you might do some pre-assembly of fittings in tight areas. With copper sweat fittings you can get really close up to joists and studs, and your only worry is starting a fire when you are soldering. With a PEX crimper you have to fit the jaws completely around the pipe at a right angle, and with a manual crimper you need space to open the handles and get good leverage. That's one advantage of electric crimpers, since you using the tool's electrical motor to make the crimp and you don't have the long handles.
If you expect to need quite a few fittings and shutoff valves, it's worthwhile to look at supplyhouse.com and pexuniverse.com and compare them to local prices. You might end up buying a few more fittings than you really need, but the online supply house prices are much lower than Lowes, HD, etc.
I also used hot and cold copper PEX manifolds, with shutoffs for the connections to my bathrooms and kitchen, and they have been very useful. I can shut off hot or cold water to each fixture individually, which is really convenient when you need to make repairs. My wife made fun of me (over engineered?) when I was running all the PEX, but later realized how nice it was to keep the water on in the rest of the house during any repair to a single fixture.
When you start to layout your plumbing and crimp fittings, make sure you look at the clearance you need for the crimper jaws and handles, which means you might do some pre-assembly of fittings in tight areas. With copper sweat fittings you can get really close up to joists and studs, and your only worry is starting a fire when you are soldering. With a PEX crimper you have to fit the jaws completely around the pipe at a right angle, and with a manual crimper you need space to open the handles and get good leverage. That's one advantage of electric crimpers, since you using the tool's electrical motor to make the crimp and you don't have the long handles.
If you expect to need quite a few fittings and shutoff valves, it's worthwhile to look at supplyhouse.com and pexuniverse.com and compare them to local prices. You might end up buying a few more fittings than you really need, but the online supply house prices are much lower than Lowes, HD, etc.
I also used hot and cold copper PEX manifolds, with shutoffs for the connections to my bathrooms and kitchen, and they have been very useful. I can shut off hot or cold water to each fixture individually, which is really convenient when you need to make repairs. My wife made fun of me (over engineered?) when I was running all the PEX, but later realized how nice it was to keep the water on in the rest of the house during any repair to a single fixture.