No assumption of 'free' involved.
If it had different configuration, it would be a 12 dollar tool for
crimping
coaxial cable, vinyl siding, whatever. I see it as a
grotesquely overpriced tool.
Ya know, the cell phone industry has made such strides because the true

product is not the phone, but the use of the communication system it
connects with. So the phones are virtually 'free', but necessary for
the
connection.
I see PEX in similar fashion. They could 'bundle' tools with the
tubing,
put it into installers hands, and if a tool gets lost, pay list price
for a
roll of 500 feet and get another tool.
PEX has considerable future if they stop seeing it as an opportunity to

gouge the users on the price of the tools. And if they continue, they
will
get the attention of the Chinese 'knockoff artists' who will provide
the
tools for 'free' if you buy the PEX from a Chinese manufacturer, and
there
goes another U.S. company down the tubes because of failure to
acknowledge
international marketing patterns.


Michael, GOOD tools are worth the price, especially if you use them a
lot. Everyt time I buy a cheap tool, it bites me in the A--. If you
are just doing a one time project, you can often rent the good tool for
a few bucks. If you are a professional, Buy a good tool, not a cheap
knockoff. You won't regret it in the long run. Most home centers will
rent the tool cheap if you buy the tubing from them. Or you could buy
the Quick-Tite compression fittings and put everything together with a
couple of crescent wrenches.


Stretch