October 25, 2018

The ultimate guide to PEX crimpers for plumbers

If you’ve ever had to fix or maintain plumbing, radiator, or hydronic systems, then chances are you’ve come across your fair share of PEX pipes. When you need a piping system that will come together quickly, while still offering versatility and quality, PEX is where you turn. In order to install these pipes, you need the proper PEX crimping tool.

Knowing what crimping tool you need for the smoothest installation of your PEX pipes may seem challenging. In this article we will delve deeper into the explanation of how they work and what features to focus on while searching for the best PEX crimping tool.

What is a PEX Crimping Tool?

If you’ve never had to install your own piping, or simply haven’t had to figure out what tool you needed, then it’s important to become a bit more educated about what exactly you’re looking for before you begin searching for the best PEX crimping tool.

A PEX crimping tool is an integral part of the PEX pipe installation process. PEX pipes were created by the company SharkBite and are made from cross-linked polyethylene tubing. These pipes are considered more desirable than their copper or CPVC counterparts largely due to their greater flexibility.

Your PEX crimping tool will be there while you install your pipes to compress the small, copper crimp bands around the pipes, and secure the tubing using the PEX barb fittings.

Using a PEX Crimping Tool

The process of using the best PEX crimping tool once you find it is not as difficult as you may think. You simply need to be prepared and focused. Here is what you should do:

Cut your PEX pipe to the size you need and want.
Slide your crimp rings onto the pipe you just cut.
Fit the pipe to the tube and push it on.
Move your crimp ring to the edge.
Open the crimping tool by pulling both handles.
Situate the opening of the crimping tool securely and firmly onto the crimp ring.
Push the handles back together, closing the crimping tool.
This will cause force which fixes the crimp ring in place, creating a watertight seal.

When you have your hands on your own best PEX cinch tool, you will get to see and feel the tool and you’ll have a better understanding of just how the process will go.

Features of the Best PEX Crimping Tool

When you’re exploring your options for PEX crimping tools, you want to feel armed with knowledge that will help make your decision easier. What you need to know is the features that you should be thinking about. Different models of tools are designed with slight variations, so knowing what those variations mean to you is important.

These are the factors you need to consider during your search:

Tool Length: you could find yourself trying to apply PEX piping in a variety of places. Identify your specific needs to choose the right length of PEX crimping tool.
Size of Crimping Clasp: PEX crimping tools differ in the size of their crimping clasps, which means that your pipe will be made into different tube sizes. The crimping clasps range from ¼ of an inch to 1 inch.
Calibration: if you do a lot of pipe installation, you may find that your PEX crimping tool becomes stretched out. This will lead to you having a more difficult time securing crimp clasps onto pipes. The ability to calibrate your crimping tool back to an effective position could be very useful.
GO/NO-GO Gauge: this helps you determine whether your tool will perform the job on the size of crimp and pipe you have.
Ease of Use: the whole point in getting your own PEX crimping tool is so that you can perform installations by yourself. You want a tool that is simple and straightforward to use no matter what your skill or experience level is.

You don’t need to be an expert before finding the right PEX crimping tool for you, but if you keep these features in mind, your search will be much smoother.

Conclusion

Your PEX crimping tool will give you the freedom and ability to become a handyman, in your own right. You will be able to install pipes, which will make you feel like you’re prepared for any accidents that could come. Taking your time to search for the best PEX tool will make all your future pipe installations feel like a breeze!