Best tools you u never realized you needed until you had?

[raze1225]

For me the milwaukee wireless copper cutter is SO much better than i anticipated jesus christ. Cuts up to 1" absurdly fast. Saves insane amount of time. and have cut lines with water in many many times with not a single hiccup.
and the kapro levels. They wrap around the copper / pvc making leveling MUCH easier if your alone since you dont need to awkwardly hold the level on the pipe while strapping.

 

[breplum]

I owned a wimpy early concept Superior Tool rechargeable tubing cutter, before Milwaukee developed theirs. So glad Milwaukee came out the them!
I owned (stupidly) a hand operated expansion pex tool and after one house happily bought a few Milwaukee M-12 exp PEX tools and love those.
Ridgid ProPress, I would say is the best invention of my 45 year career. Especially after adding the close quarter set with jaw set that goes to 1.25"

 

[Matt30]

Off the top of my head probably another vote for the Milwaukee expansion tool for Wirsbo. Although in my younger days I did a **** ton of 2” water pipe manually in a commercial building and I was never in better shape haha

I’d also have to say my Lenox close cutters. I haven’t gotten in a spot yet I couldn’t make those work to make a repair

 

[Aloha Mark]

I witnessed a plumber using a Milwaukee M12 Copper Tubing cutter on 3/4" L coiled copper tubing that was installed 20+ years ago in a crawl space. It took him three minutes to make one cut. This does not seem to be better than using a Ridgid tubing cutter, which I volunteered to him. There was over 6" of clearance so I wonder why he refused the offer. I would be wary of a tool that has 10% negative reviews on Amazon and HD and reports of crushing copper tubing.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I really like the Oscillating cutting tools.

Quality battery operated tools in general are the biggest game changer for me.

Thermal imagers and quality sewer cameras with locators.

All that comes to mind.

 

[GReynolds929]

My ONA puller for Moen 1225 & 1222 cartridges. I have yet to have one out in less than 10 minutes no matter how stuck it is...no more heating a screwdriver, breaking stems, dowel and tap trick, etc.

 

[three_jeeps]

My ONA puller for Moen 1225 & 1222 cartridges. I have yet to have one out in less than 10 minutes no matter how stuck it is...no more heating a screwdriver, breaking stems, dowel and tap trick, etc.

I had no idea something like this existed. It would have saved me from extra work when I tried to extract a 1225 cartridge and ended up lifting the entire sink + counter top becasue the valve was stuck. Happens on every one of my Moen faucets.

My house has 4 moen faucets - three use the 1225 cartridge. A recent request for a replacement valve from Moen resulted in a rebuild kit and not the entire valve assembly like what was done in the past. The kit is comprised of some 0-rings, the rubber seals at the water ports, and a very small tube of grease...Isn't that *special*....Now instead of just sliding in a new valve after futzing trying to get the old valve out, I get to rebuild the old one. How ridiculous...
j

 

[Aloha Mark]

I really like the Oscillating cutting tools.

Quality battery operated tools in general are the biggest game changer for me.

Thanks to the recommendation on this forum, I decided to join the club and ordered a Milwaukee 2471-21 12-Volt Copper Tubing Cutter Kit. The clincher with Milwaukee is the 3-yr warranty with NO receipts needed. Planning ahead, also got two replacement cutter wheels. How many cuts necessitate the need for R&R?

Also went (way) overboard and got a Ridgid RP-241 propress tool. Registering that tool and its accessories was lengthy, but necessary, given its expense. In fact, this is now the single most expensive tool in my entire collection of tools. Ouch.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Thanks to the recommendation on this forum, I decided to join the club and ordered a Milwaukee 2471-21 12-Volt Copper Tubing Cutter Kit. The clincher with Milwaukee is the 3-yr warranty with NO receipts needed. Planning ahead, also got two replacement cutter wheels. How many cuts necessitate the need for R&R?

Also went (way) overboard and got a Ridgid RP-241 propress tool. Registering that tool and its accessories was lengthy, but necessary, given its expense. In fact, this is now the single most expensive tool in my entire collection of tools. Ouch.

I’m not sure how many cuts the wheels make, quite a few. I’ve had mine a while and it’s just now needing replacement. But I don’t use it much.

 

[matt.mena]

I’ve bought three pairs of the Milwaukee M12 copper cutters since 2018. They DO work great… for a while. With each cut over time the tension of the cutting wheel lessens. My first one worked great for the first 4 months until I noticed less tension. Another four months and they took too long to cut through even with a new wheel. After over a year I just bought another bare tool. The tension decreases the same as the first. I bought a third from a friend that had a few months use. Same thing. I gave the first one away to a friend that’s a carpenter and Milwaukee fanatic.

 

[matt.mena]

Man, I don’t use my snap cutters anymore!
I’ve had this for 6 weeks and love it.
RIDGID made a beautiful tool here.
Cuts cast quick!

 

[matt.mena]

This pivoting pipe dolly helps us get large orders onto an elevator. Usually we have to load and unload each piece of cast one at a time on elevators.

 

[matt.mena]

View attachment 32305
Man, I don’t use my snap cutters anymore!
I’ve had this for 6 weeks and love it.
RIDGID made a beautiful tool here.
Cuts cast quick!

View attachment IMG_9045.MOV

 

[kilpat420]

My ONA puller for Moen 1225 & 1222 cartridges. I have yet to have one out in less than 10 minutes no matter how stuck it is...no more heating a screwdriver, breaking stems, dowel and tap trick, etc.

When they do get stuck and u pull out the center of the cartridge without the rest of it u need a T handle puller with the little ball bearing that pops out in the water inlet. That comes in handy for sure.

 

[Geofd]

View attachment 32316

View attachment 32316

Have you cut old cast iron in place.,..xh, sv, anything bigger than 4"

 

[Twowaxhack]

Those look nice, I use a ratchet type snap cutter and I have a scissor type.

I cut clay pipe with them more than cast.

Ususlly the cast I’m cutting would crush before it cuts, so I like to use a Diablo blade or whatever.

 

[matt.mena]

Have you cut old cast iron in place.,..xh, sv, anything bigger than 4"

I have ratchet cut 5”, 6” & seldom 8”.
With the new RIDGID ratchet cutters I’ve only cut up to 5” so far. Worked really well.

If it’s real old cast, which I run into from time to time, I’ll have to use a grinder or Diablo carbide sawz all blades because the ratchet cutters could just crumble the pipe.

 

[Geofd]

Yeh I have used those blades I was shocked how fast it cut thru, we have the rigid pro press
Cutter I used it once, it cracked the new no hub,

 

[arctic bill]

Now i feel old , i have never used any of these , been retired from from fieldwork plumbing for
ten years.

 

[Mark.S]

View attachment 32307
This pivoting pipe dolly helps us get large orders onto an elevator. Usually we have to load and unload each piece of cast one at a time on elevators.

A question for you pros. Is it common to still install cast iron for inside downpipes etc ? I recently bought a 1976 era house and was surprised to see cast iron. In fact one down pipe had split. Fortunately the inspection showed a damp area on the ground floor and the seller replaced it with plastic. I worry about corrosion and splits/leaks on the old cast pipes