On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:27:07 -0700, "Mamba" wrote:

wrote in message
.. .
OK, I posted about PEX clamping. I made the mistake of stating my
opinion about it, which is not in favor of it. Thus the whole
discussion thread went in that direction and the original point of my
post was lost.

So, I am posting it again, with the intended question.

I'm sure that in time there will be cheap generic crimp tools being
sold that only cost $19.99, but even at that, everyone owns a
screwdriver and with hose clamps being readily available, easy to
install, and much easier to remove than the PEX clamps now being sold,
why not just use hose clamps?

The Pex clamps I used (see links in my other posting) were actually easier
and faster than hose clamps. The point about the tool cost is valid, I paid
about $100 for mine. I know the ratchet style operation will not release
until you get to the correct tension for the clamp, then it will not let you
go further. This calibration makes the use idiotproof, which would be a
boon to many folks working with plumbing (at least Pex).

The one advantage of a pipe clamp might be that you can add one around an
installed conection, with the Pex clamp you need to remember to slide it
onto the tubing before fasterning to the connector. It's surprisingly tough
to pull the Pex off the connector in tight spots.

So if you object to purchasing a tool specially designed for the job, try
pipe clamps. I spent $100 on the tool, it took me 5-6 seconds to do each
clamp connection, and I had zero leaks in maybe 100 connectors throughout
the place. I had to take off some clamps when I plumbed a valve wrong and
also when I retrofitted a water filter. They are extremely easy to remove
with a good set of snips. Just remember to position the crimp to make it
available to get teh snips on. Not all Pex clamps I have seen work the same
way, but these ones were a snap.

IMHO, the tool was worth it for me, maybe not for everybody. The plastic
clamps you described in your other post would give me absolute nightmares.

Cheers
Gary


I never said anything about plastic clamps. I am referring to
stainless steel hose clamps used to connect (for example) a gas line
to a fuel pump or carb in a car.

I will agree that the tool is probably quicker than turning a screw on
a hose clamp, but if it takes me 20 seconds to turn a screw V/S the 5
seconds you spend, that's real minor compared to the cost of the tool.
Lets say you install 50 clamps. That would be 250 seconds with the
tool, (or 4+ minutes), or 1000 seconds (16+ minutes) with screw
clamps. That's 12 minutes difference. I'd have to earn hundreds of
dollars per hour to justify that. Sure, this will pay off for a
plumber, but not a homeowner. Actually, for myself, owning the tool
will actually pay to own because I am always doing some sort of
plumbing for myself or others. But for rthe average homeowner, it
wont pay at all if screw type hose clamps are the other option.

How you can cut them with a snips without cutting into the pipe itself
is beyond me. The problem starts when there are several clamp styles
available. I'd like to see the ones you use. Please post a photo or
web link to one. The ones I originally saw were just solid rings,
like a wedding ring, with nothing sticking out. Now I have seen the
ones with the tabs on the side that look like a hose clamp without the
screw and are probably stainless steel.

Like another poster said, will PEX become another situation like
aluminum wiring? And even if the pipe itself is durable and long
lasting, there is still no standard with the clamps. There are
several types. So even if I do decide to buy the tool, I'll wait till
they come up with a standard, or I may end up using Beta tapes when
everyone is using VHS, and end up with a costly useless tool.

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