A specialized tool for plumbing today no longer fits in a small suitcase, as it was a decade ago. Our material will introduce the devices without which no self-respecting master can do without installing communications, their maintenance and repair. So, what tool for plumbing is indispensable? What tasks do masters have to face?
Common work
What standard tasks do masters usually have to solve? Often, when servicing plumbing at private facilities, service customers require the plumber to perform the following activities:
- Installation of meters for calculating the flow of cold and hot water.
- Installation and repair of mixers.
- Replacing shut-off valves.
- Elimination of leakage of pipes.
- Fix the drain tanks.
What tools for plumbing are required when implementing the tasks of this plan? Here you can not do without a set of pipe wrenches, a set of consumables, spare crane boxes.
In what situations does the master need an entire arsenal of tools?
Often, a full set of plumbing tools is used when connecting communications in a new, not yet lived-in house. It may be needed in case of complex reconstruction of premises or at the stage of housing construction. In such situations, the plumber will have to cope with the laying of the pipeline, the installation of heating systems, the connection of water supply.
One of the most indispensable tools for plumbing in solving the above problems is a roller pipe cutter. Previously, the only alternative to such a device was the grinder. However, its application does not make it possible to make the highest quality slices, which the roller pipe cutter copes with without problems.
There is another important plumbing tool used in the implementation of complex tasks. This is a pipe bender, which greatly facilitates the laying of communications in the house. A professional version of this device allows you to bend copper and steel pipes at an angle of 180 about . Some models have hydraulic control, which saves plumbing a whole lot of effort with a large amount of work.
Gas key
Gas keys for plumbing are a priority tool in a wide arsenal of devices for performing versatile work. Such devices facilitate the unscrewing and clamping of nuts of individual sizes. With their help, you can interact with compounds that do not have hexagonal grooves.
Soviet manufacturers produced such a tool for plumbing with straight clamping jaws. The specified feature had one obvious minus. The sponges had a small length, which negatively affected the level of clamping strength of the fittings. There were also difficulties with intercepting the handles of the gas key.
Western manufacturers of plumbing tools have implemented a different solution by developing a gas wrench with clamping jaws that look like crab claws. In professional slang, such a device is called a cormorant. The device guarantees the maximum possible clamping of the fitting and provides the convenience of intercepting the handles when working in tight conditions.
Cormorant-type gas keys are available in several sizes. Tool No. 1 is used to work with inch fittings, as well as elements with smaller parameters. In turn, the gas key No. 2 allows you to service equipment with 2-inch fittings. When performing plumbing work, the second option is most often used.
Swedish key
A Swedish or adjustable spanner is an ideal solution if you need to interact with hex nuts of various sizes. Changing the clearance between the jaws of the tool is performed by rotating a special wheel with a worm gear. Like the above plumbing tool, the Swedish key is available in several sizes. An indispensable device if you need to unscrew and clamp the elements of the mixers, as well as fixing the chrome-plated, painted elements.
Pipe-cutting machines
During the installation of the pipeline and the installation of heating systems can not do without devices for cutting lerok. Naturally, instead, you can resort to welding joints. However, such a solution will not be so economical.
Currently, a plumber can purchase a manual machine of various diameters. The stores offer several kit options. Typically, craftsmen require 1/2, 3/4, 1, and 1.25 inches. They will be enough to perform a number of works, for example, arranging a pipeline, installing a heating system. There are also 1.5 inch and 2 inch lehrs. The latter are required only in exceptional cases.
Power tool
When installing communications, you often have to hammer holes, cut materials, and make all kinds of cuts. In this case, an electric tool for plumbing will come to the rescue. It is, first of all, about automatic drills, grinders, punchers. Replace such devices with manual means is unlikely to succeed. Therefore, when buying a power tool you have to spend a lot of money.
Another mandatory device in the arsenal of professional plumbing is a soldering iron. This electric tool for mounting a polypropylene pipe is indispensable.
Universal screwdriver
In one of the first places in importance in the plumbing tool kit is a universal screwdriver. Professional models include a number of curly and flat nozzles, have ergonomic handles. The device provides the ability to perform any work, up to servicing boiler equipment.
As practice shows, the greatest convenience in the implementation of most tasks is provided by a universal screwdriver with a working part no more than 12 centimeters long. When performing the most complex operations, such an element can be fixed in the cartridge of an electric drill.
Pipe thread cutting tool
A tool will be needed in cases where you need to create joints without using welding. A screw-thread clamp for pipes is usually used when connecting conductors using couplings. The device provides the creation of reliable connections and significantly reduces the time required to perform high-quality work. In recent years, klupp has been one of the most sought-after tools among professional plumbers.
Pipe cutter
Such a tool for plumbing is necessary when working with plastic joints. If desired, a metal sheet can be used as an alternative to the fixture . However, in this case, you will have to confuse yourself by cleaning the slices, remove the garbage left after cutting. The pipe cutter gives you the opportunity to save yourself from unnecessary problems and provides fast, high-quality preparation of plastic joints for installation of communications.
Stripping
Some polypropylene pipes contain an inner aluminum layer. The latter is used by manufacturers in order to reduce the likelihood of material deformation under the influence of high temperatures. In some products, the layer is located closer to the outer layer of material, in others - to the center. In the first case, to connect the pipes by soldering, you will have to remove the metal using a device called stripping. The tool is a cylinder with cutting surfaces of various diameters fixed at the edges. Often during the execution of plumbing works pipes with a diameter of 20 to 40 mm are used. For this reason, stripping with cutting tips of the appropriate size must be present in the tool kit.
Auxiliary tool
There are a number of useful devices that are not at all mandatory in the arsenal of professional plumbing. Among the tools that can make life easier for the master, it should be noted:
- Miniature grinder - in the absence of such an electric device, difficulties often arise with making cuts in places where access is substantially difficult.
- A jackhammer - it will be necessary if necessary to gain access to the centralized pipe of the sewer riser, which is covered by a thick layer of concrete.
- Industrial vacuum cleaner - presented equipment can be useful if the work is often performed in conditions of high pollution of the premises.
- Shtroborez - a tool is useful when you need to create many recesses in the flooring or in the walls when installing communications.
- Portable welding - sometimes you just can not do without the need to connect metal pipes in this way. The cost of a portable welding machine is quite high. However, in the case of professional plumbers, the device will quickly pay for itself.
- Drill with a set of drills and chamfers on wood - these devices are useful when installing plumbing in a house with wooden floors.
Expendable materials
An extremely useful tool for plumbing will be a special drawer with pull-out sections and numerous compartments for storing consumables. Its presence will allow you to avoid chaos when searching for individual means to perform work. In such a container, plumbing is recommended to be sure to put flax, fumlent, silicone and gaskets of individual sizes. All this is required to seal the joints. You can not do without brass and bronze plugs that contain internal and external threads. You can put several taps, nipples, all kinds of bolts and nuts in a box. This basic kit allows you to avoid unnecessary headaches in almost any situation.
Finally
In conclusion, I would like to note that the widest range of tools mentioned in our material are not all the devices that a master may need. We should not forget about the most commonplace things, such as surface markers, measuring tape, building levels, pliers, hammers, and other little things. Obviously, getting the whole arsenal will require a considerable investment. Therefore, it is recommended that a person who plans to enter this business consider all the options and draw up a sufficient budget in advance.