pex tools

[jomo924]

looking to do some pex plumbing repairs and havent work with it yet. Need the crimping tool, not the best but a fairly good one, any recommendations?

[Cliffprocraft190]

You might want the best. A neighbor or mine had a pex fitting pop off the kitchen faucet while they were out for several hours on Easter morning and flooded the whole house with a couple inches of water.

[grandbassslayer]

Mine looks like this, but you really don't need one of these with the third handle unless you are crimping 1".
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBit...C961/202688118

Honestly I would get a cheaper one for around the house.

[squib]

The Home Depot here rents the Pex crimper.

[grout-scout]

I bought the Home Depot kit a few years back, nothing blew in the 5 years that I owned the property. Check all fittings with the go/no go gauge. I did notice that Home Depot now has a new style of clamp, not sure if it’s better or worse.

[grandbassslayer]

Only use oetiker clamps.

[larryhyco]

Mine looks like this, but you really don't need one of these with the third handle unless you are crimping 1".
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBit...C961/202688118

Honestly I would get a cheaper one for around the house.

That’s a lot better tool than the one I have

[ironoutlaw]

Apollo at lowes is ok. We plumbed over 20 trailers in a mobile home park and never have had a failure

[grout-scout]

Only use oetiker clamps.

Do those work with the clamps that you posted though? Aren’t these clamps the ones that require the pinch pliers or do they just look similar. I’ll try to link to HD’s clamps and see if you’ve used them.

This is one style, any good?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBit...-202032916-_-N

[grandbassslayer]

Do those work with the clamps that you posted though? Aren’t these clamps the ones that require the pinch pliers or do they just look similar. I’ll try to link to HD’s clamps and see if you’ve used them.

This is one style, any good?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBit...-202032916-_-N

IMO no, I wouldn't use them. That being said millions of them have been installed.

[bassboat1]

I've got the Qest crimpers (1/2" and 3/4") for the solid annealed copper rings. I also have the Zurn tool for the stainless quikclamp (one tool does all sizes, so less $$). I replumbed my entire home from the street entrance with the Zurn equipment 8-9 years ago. Didn't gauge anything, no leaks to date. If you're going to be working in tight quarters, consider a style that has a compact crimp tool available.zz.png

[mrblue1122]

Look on Ebay...I got a package deal with a nice set of cutters and a ratcheting crimper..they threw in a variety of crimps...had free shipping and received it in 4 days...less than $40.00 total and haven't had a leak yet....well......except the one coupler that I forgot to crimp while fitting it all together...

[savjoe]

forget the pex tools and go to sharkbite fittings. much easier to use and they're bulletproof.

[grout-scout]

forget the pex tools and go to sharkbite fittings. much easier to use and they're bulletproof.

I would 100% disagree. My brother in law bought a house that had been band-aided with shark bites, several started leaking. Might he great for short term, but didn’t work long term.

[brnzbaklvr]

This is what I bought..https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...P661/307332514.it works well in hard to reach areas and it is one hand operation..Its for the Stainless Oetiker style clamps...I'd like to have the Milwaukee for the crimp rings also but the kit is 800 bucks..https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...-22C/301403416I'll get it down the road if I retire and start doing side jobs..I have sharkbite hand tools but anything above 1/2 inch can be tough to crimp if you are in a tight spot..
As far as the Clamp vs copper ring debate....That is a battle that has been going back and forth for awhile...As long as they are properly crimped without excess stress on the joint they are both fine..
Push lock shark bite fittings...We use the same design for air at work...Not a huge fan but if it isnt buried in a wall and you can easily access it they are OK..The trick is deburing the tubing properly..I try to avoid using them as much as possible...but they pass most codes..If there is any movement at the joint at all they will leak eventually.
The Sharkbite hand crimpers sold at Lowes are made in the US...They are better quality than the Apollos from Home Depot for not much more money....You can get them.for the copper rings or Stainless clamps..https://www.lowes.com/search?searchT...te+pex+crimper