pipe crimp

Airman Mikey_2

We have had great experience with crimp fittings. My only hesitation in recommending it to the inexperienced is the importance of being competent with all types of joining styles. I've even poured lead joints (though I never had to wipe a lead water line. You always have more to offer when you are experienced with more methods. Be careful on plan and spec jobs that the engineer agrees. We had to buy a tool for a school system that checked every line of the spec book!

bill_67

pipe crimps

i am new in the field, i am schooled but not experienced, i am already disliking some places i have had to operate a torch in, are pipe crimps the way to go or is it a waste of time looking at them

Mark Eatherton

In my professional opinion...

they are the ONLY way to go. I'm CERTAIN 2, maybe 3 other people will disagree with me, but they are a minority. I getting sick and tired of having to go back and take care of other peoples leaks...

There are three people in this world that don't have leaks on soldered joints.

Plumbers who lie. People who don't solder. And Copper Head Ken :-)

Go for it. It will reduce your labor factor by a minimum of 1/3.

ME

Jeff Elston

Come on MArk

Well I would like to introduce myself as # 4 I don't leak buddy and I don't lie

[Deleted User]

Not one eh...

Not ever. That HAS to be some kind of Guiness Book of World Records record... :-)

ME

Unknown

I get solder leaks

Plenty of 'em . At least one a job . Usually a few minute fix . What's the guesstimate on time to fix a crimped fitting ?

Mark Eatherton

I dunno.....

Never had one fail. And if it did, with a couple of repair couplings (which they DO make) I guarantee you I can replace it faster than I can drain a system completely dry for a good soldering repair.

This is not directed at you and or anyone in particular Ron, but if you get a soldered leak, and you "doctor" it up (extra flux, beaded solder, capped joint, whatever) over a period of time, the chances of that joint leaking again at some point down the road are good to excellent. I know, because I have done the same thing myself, and gone back at much later dates only to see the dreaded crust growing the white fur on the joints that I doctored up.

I am only aware of one bad pressed joint, and its reason for failure was pretty obvious (premature trigger finger).

Have you tried one yet? With the ultimate speed that you and your crew do these boiler replacements in, you would set new land speed records for boiler replacement jobs. I can see it now, "Two a day Ron"...

I am certain that the local Ridgid Viega rep would be MORE than glad to tag along on one of your jobs for the day, or half a day...

and, I understand that they CAN'T be used every where (limited tool accessability, tight situations, whatever) but for 99% of the time, it will work.

Try one, just once and let us know what you think about. Better yet, tell your boss that you want to start doing boiler replacements on a flat rate basis, buy the tool, provide the fittings yourself, and take a half a day off to spend with your family...:-)

Serious about you trying it. I'd LOVE to see what you think of it.

ME

mtfallsmikey

Ditto

I've been soldering/brazing copper pipe and fittings for around 40 years, and if I were still working in the field every day, I would go crimp. The manufactured quality of the pipe itself, and fittings seems to have gone down the toilet (badabing!)and I still get leaks from time to time...reminds me of the guy who "never misses" a shot at a deer! I'm starting to desensitize myself in regard to the comments about plumbers tho.

Unknown

Givem time

The press fittings will leak at a greater ratio that a solder fitting. Father time will prove this theory.

Unknown

I haven't tried a crimp system yet

I don't want to say that these types of systems will not save time . I do believe though that the work we do specifically , replacement boilers , will not see any decrease in piping time to be worthwhile .

Take today ..... 3 zone boiler with a coil . 3 of us . Total copper piping time was probably less than 2 hours . That was with one B tank going ( we all shared ) . I just can't see how we'd save time using a press tool . 3 different size pipes , I'm guessing you have to change the head every time you fit a different size ? Right there would cramp my style cause I like to solder one pipe , let it cool while I start another , then go back to the first pipe . Lotta head changin' for someone who pipes like me .

Redoing leaky joints - actually , our fixes are by and large , permanent . I'd know the next day or even the next month if we had a leak ( that kind of feedback we would get immediately after it's noticed ) . We do things that most might consider questionable ( moving pipes right after they are sweat and still liquid , soldering pipes with water in them ) , and I haven't heard of a callback on a sweat leak in a long , long time .

But I would love to see a pro handling a press tool , just to see if maybe I'm wrong

Keith_24

solder

Thanks guys for condemning your brothers with this stuff. PVC pipe, aquapex and crimp copper are the reasons that we face such unsophisticated competition. People just don't bother to even attempt to master their craft. Look at the original poster. Doesn't want to figure out how to control his heat so he wants to go for a quick and easy fix. I'm 25, I have a lot of decades ahead of me of working in the field, and if the rest of my career is throwing plastic around I can look forward to a lot of unemployment. I'll be laid off because the customers don't care about the difference in quality and just want it done cheaper, because the bosses just see dollar signs and want everything done faster faster faster, and because any knucklehead can turn his hat backwards, pick up a ridgid propress and tell everyone that he's a plumber. Where's the pride?

Keith
PS I get leaks on soldered joints too. It doesn't make me less of a man. And PS again here in the New York City schools we're still doing 100% poured underground joints. That stuff is from the days when men were men and plumbing was plumbing.

bill_67

pipe crimp

I am the person who asked the original question on the pipe crimp, i thank each and everyone for their opinion,but
i take offence to keith's jab that i only want a quick and easy fix,iwant to do the job right and asked for opinions
on a valid tool,i live in alaska and i can encounter extreem conditions here with frozen pipes and such, i have done jobs in too small of crawl spaces that were fire
hazards to fix frozen pipes that would have been quicker with a crimp if they work, not because i want an easy fix

Mark Eatherton

I agree...

If Keith bases his future on his ability to pour lead joints and such, he IS a dieing trade. NO ONE can afford his skills because he hasn't increased his speed.

Skill and pride can still be maintained, even with the speed tools...

ME

Master Plumber

John_162

Must be a Outta date Local 1 Plumber. And you wanna know why labor unions are lossing work.