In our plumbing community, there are many rumors about what tools a plumber should have. In this article I will try to dispel rumors and share my experience in purchasing and using the tool. This article will also be useful to those who want to install engineering systems in their home.
Having worked as a plumber for almost 18 years now, I have seen a lot of tools, good and bad, convenient and clumsy. There were also many comical situations with the instruments. But during all this time, I realized one thing: you can’t save on tools. There are, of course, exceptions for those who do not do plumbing professionally. You can take a regular tool. But keep in mind that at the most crucial moment, a bad tool can let you down.
Thus, let's move on to the list of tools and talk about what exactly it is needed for.
Gas keys
The very first tool of a plumber is a gas wrench . It's like a scalpel for a surgeon. When leaving for a site, you can forget your head, but if you forget the gas key, it will be a disaster.
Throughout my work I have used different gas wrenches. But they had one undeniable advantage. All of them were made in Europe. Yes it's expensive. But I assure you, it's worth it.
They say that the soul of a samurai lives in his sword. I would like to believe that the soul of a plumber lives in a gas key.
In my 18 years as a plumber, I have practically seen several generations of keys. And I traced the essence from the design. Previously, gas wrenches had straight jaws.
The key is good, no doubt about it. But this key has a very big disadvantage. It lies in the fact that the clamping jaws are very short, which does not allow the fitting to be clamped tightly. Also, straight jaws on gas wrenches are good for unscrewing rusty or tightly twisted fittings, since such a wrench has maximum clamping. But such a wrench is completely unsuitable for screwing or unscrewing a large number of fittings, since straight jaws do not allow you to quickly intercept the wrench for the unscrewing or tightening operation. This clearly shows up with keys number 1-2-3. But with big ones you can get used to it.
Another remarkable representative of this series of keys is this key .
Due to the fact that this key does not have levers connected to each other. Allows this wrench to dig into fittings like a bull terrier into an enemy. This wrench is very convenient for welders. Choose an aluminum alloy handle. Then it will be light and powerful.
In the Soviet Union, few people thought about the convenience of the tool. That's why they made such clumsy keys as in the first picture. And the plumbers suffered and tortured their clients. Yes, and they still suffer.
In the West, they took a different route. Western instrument designers took a lot from nature. I remember advertising posters for gas keys with a crab claw in the background. This key is also called a cormorant, named after the bird of the same name.
Gorgeous keys. They clamp firmly at three points, do not tear off the edges on the fittings, and at the same time make it very convenient to intercept the key. Thus, the work of tightening and unscrewing fittings has turned from a routine task into a real art at high speeds.
These gas keys are available in four sizes, numbered: 1,2,3,4. This corresponds to the size of the maximum fitting that can be grasped with this wrench. So wrench number one will take the 1 inch fitting and so on.
I recommend that professionals purchase keys of at least number 2. And in the household, it is also more convenient to use key number two.
Now let's talk about the younger brothers of gas keys. We simply call them gazovichek .
This gas valve is a very practical key. It's compact, fits into tight spaces, and adjusts up to two inches. The photo shows my own gas engine, which I purchased in 2008. It's a little worn, its teeth are worn down, but it continues to work. Sometimes I file his teeth with a file and that’s it.
Now there are many similar keys, especially with plastic handles. This key is not convenient in narrow places. And such places often appear in our work. There is an option with thin rubberized handles. It's convenient to work with them.
Once, at one site, work was carried out on the installation of engineering systems and the client also showed participation and interest. At the same time, he asked me to help him do all sorts of little things. My colleagues and I took gas with us in 90 percent of cases.
And at one fine moment this client simply went mad and started yelling: Why are you going everywhere with this gas key? And we tell him: True, this key is very universal. And unscrew the nuts and hold them with pipes and other materials. With one hand you can catch the size and you are ready.
But we see that the client is still angry. Then we put this very gas in his hands and invite him to try it. And what was his surprise that this small key was so strong and truly universal.
After this incident, if one of your colleagues takes the gas bottle in their hands, someone will immediately shout: “Are you going everywhere with this gas bottle!” Everyone laughs and it helps to lighten up our serious work.
There is also a modern key from this series. I call him Predator .
This key, according to the advertisement, was made in the image of a dinosaur's mouth. Original Quatro series. This means four functions. The first is the new type of clamping jaws, the second is a sliding part up to 2 inches, the third is a push-button lock and the fourth is rubberized thin handles.
The first time I was very afraid of this key. Because one extra movement and the fittings could be torn off. But at the same time, due to the push-button lock, this key has a limitation in strength. I broke the latch while trying to unscrew the cast iron radiator cap with the first key.
And the key is also not convenient in narrow places, because the latch is pressed and the key opens to a large size.
Otherwise a great key. If handled correctly, it replaces gas key number 2. I currently do not have gas keys in stock. There are only Predators. At the same time, this is enough to solve everyday problems. And if I need more, then I simply ask for larger keys from my colleagues.
Scope of application
The main area of application of the key in question is plumbing work. With its help, plumbers can tighten fittings, remove pieces of pipe from rusted or stuck joints, etc. Due to the elongated handle, the operator has significant physical leverage, with the help of which the greatest force is applied to the element being unscrewed. This force is many times greater than when using a conventional open-end wrench. The tightening of nuts on various screwed parts occurs in a similar way. Thanks to the application of uniform forces through the lever, the device does not “lick” the edges and does not break the thread.
A LITTLE HISTORY : In Russia, the “Professional Installer” competition is held annually. At his last tournament in 2019, the adjustable wrench was recognized as an indispensable tool for professional work. Depending on the areas of its application, the places were distributed as follows:
- Plumbing activities;
- Repair work at a car service center;
- Assembly and installation of furniture.
Universal screwdriver
I consider the next most important tool to be a figured or, in my case, a universal screwdriver .
It is necessary to choose good screwdrivers, since when installing a heated floor, for example, the number of screws can reach several thousand. But now everything is simpler, so many people use cheap screwdrivers and throw them away after each object.
I went a different route. I bought a universal screwdriver for $25. This particular model contains three figured screwdrivers and three flat ones, and allows you to solve almost the entire range of plumbing problems. It is especially convenient to work with it during the prevention and repair of wall-mounted gas boilers.
This screwdriver lasts me for 2 years. In this case, you can remove any screwdriver from it at any time and clamp it into the chuck of a drill or hammer drill. The length of the screwdrivers themselves without the housing is approximately 120 mm.
Common works
What standard tasks do craftsmen usually have to solve? Often, when servicing plumbing at private facilities, customers of services require the plumber to perform the following activities:
- Installation of meters to calculate the flow of cold and hot water.
- Installation and repair of mixers.
- Replacement of shut-off valves.
- Elimination of pipe leaks.
- Repairing cisterns.
What tools for plumbing work are required to implement the tasks of this plan? Here you cannot do without a set of pipe wrenches, a set of consumables, and spare valve axle boxes.
Knife
The next plumber's tool is a knife. I use four types of knives in my professional activities:
The first knife is an ordinary kitchen knife in a case. This knife is convenient for cutting polystyrene sheets, polyethylene and bread for lunch.
The second knife is made from a hacksaw blade and is popularly called a leather jacket. Shoemakers mainly use this type of knife. In our case, the knife is convenient for splitting blocks of wood and cleaning paint from steel pipes.
The third wallpaper knife . This knife is convenient for cutting paper, polyethylene and cutting out gaskets. A knife is also necessary for sharpening construction pencils. Models with blade position locks are convenient.
And the fourth knife is universal for electricians. But as it turned out, this knife is a godsend for plumbers. We plumbers have to deal with wires and cables in our work. This knife allows you to cut insulation in one motion. Easy to strip wires and clean internal threads.
Additionally, to work with electrical devices and boilers, I use an indicator screwdriver and special tools for biting and cleaning cables and wires .
a flat and shaped screwdriver with a long blade available . Such screwdrivers are necessary for repairing boilers and tightening mounting pipe clamps in shafts and other hard-to-reach places. You can put an insulating casing on the tip for working with electrical appliances
Also, to work with wires and to hold parts, I recommend that you have pliers and side cutters in your suitcase.
Pliers are generally a universal tool. But I often use side cutters to bite off the free ends of plastic clamps when installing heated floors.
Power tools
When installing communications, you often have to drill holes, cut materials, and make all kinds of cuts. In this case, an electric plumber's tool will come to the rescue. We are talking, first of all, about automatic drills, grinders, and hammer drills. It is unlikely that such devices will be replaced by manual means. Therefore, when buying a power tool, you will have to spend a lot of money.
Another must-have device in the arsenal of a professional plumber is a soldering iron. This electric tool is indispensable for installing polypropylene pipes.
Hammer
Another important plumber's tool. I chose a hammer with a plastic handle because the wooden handle gets dry and the iron part of the hammer can come off the handle and cause serious injury. It is also necessary to remember that when working with a hammer you must wear safety glasses.
After many years of use, I was surprised that the imported hammer had a pictogram for working with glasses. I haven't seen this on other hammers. So much for the difference in concern for occupational safety.
In what situations does a master need the entire arsenal of tools?
Often, a full set of plumbing tools is used when connecting communications in a new, not yet inhabited house. It may be needed in the case of a complex reconstruction of premises or at the stage of housing construction. In such situations, the plumber will have to cope with laying the pipeline, installing heating systems, and connecting the water supply.
One of the most indispensable tools for a plumber when solving the above problems is a roller pipe cutter. Previously, the only alternative to such a device was a grinder. However, its use does not make it possible to make the highest quality cuts, which a roller pipe cutter can handle without any problems.
There is another important plumbing tool that is used to carry out complex tasks. We are talking about a pipe bender, which greatly facilitates the laying of communications in the house. The professional version of this device allows you to bend copper and steel pipes at an angle of 180°. Some models have hydraulic control, which saves the plumbing technician a lot of effort during a large volume of work.
Chisel
a chisel for everything . Also available with a protective plastic cover. A chisel is necessary for cutting out products from metal sheets. Use a chisel to unscrew broken threads of fittings, unscrew nuts, and so on.
Also, during work, it is necessary to file or clean fittings, threads and pipes from paint, rust and irregularities. For this purpose files and needle files are used.
In my work I use a round, flat and triangular file . The first size.
Extractor head set
Set of extractor heads
Used to extract damaged bolts and nuts. The heads are made of chrome vanadium alloy steel, they have a special spiral internal thread that fixes a damaged nut or bolt head.
Extractor head set
The set includes 10 heads from 9 to 19 millimeters. The size of the landing square is 3/8 inches. Supplied in a case.
Extractor head set
Putty knife
Since plumbers often have to seal the water sockets in the grooves themselves, I recommend purchasing a small spatula. When purchasing, pay attention to the thickness and elasticity of the metal spatula. Otherwise, the spatula will not bend or bend too much. In both cases there will be inconvenience at work. In our case, the golden mean comes in handy.
When assembling a tool, you need to understand that the plumber should not have specialization. I often see that plumbers are divided into two or even three camps. Some make water and sewerage, others heating, others boiler houses.
I believe that this is wrong, since all these systems are interconnected. After all, in order for the water supply system not to freeze, heating is needed. To fill the heating system, you need a water supply system, and so on.
Clients especially suffer from this division of plumbers. Clients have to deal with two or three teams. At the same time, in the end you won’t find the last one, all the first ones are about to disappear. Thus, when hiring crews, pay attention to this and think carefully about who will be responsible for what.
My close colleagues and I have no problems with division of work. As my father always answered the question of what you do: Auto, motorcycle, bicycle, photography, e-la, rowing and hunting, TV and radio mechanic!
This is of course a joke, but every joke has some truth. So my point is that a plumber usually provides a full range of services. Roughly speaking, all wet systems are up to the plumber.
Tools for installing heated floors
And water heated floors are just such systems. In order to install water heated floor systems, you must have a tool for working with plastic pipes. Namely: Plastic pipe shears, pipe reamer, springs, press machine and, of course, bolt cutter .
A bolt cutter is necessary for cutting the poppy reinforcing mesh. The mesh is used to install heated floor pipes on it. It is also used to reinforce the finishing screed of a heated floor. I chose a medium size with wire biting up to 6mm in diameter.
Often in work you have to install systems in plasterboard walls. To do this, you need to purchase metal scissors . I purchased modern scissors because they are convenient for working with the profile. There are, of course, straight scissors, old Soviet ones. But these scissors are convenient for working with sheet metal.
Many will say, why should we bother with drywall at all? My answer is that if you do not fix the water outlets and sewerage yourself or make sure that drywall specialists do this, then you will get crooked water outlets. This is especially tragic with water sockets for a shower or bathtub faucet. In this case, you will not be able to install the mixer. You will have to break the tiles, plaster and still set everything according to the level and planes.
Why such difficulties when you can do it from the very beginning and sleep peacefully, literally and figuratively. After all, there is nothing difficult in cutting off a piece of profile and screwing a beam into it. Screw this structure to the plasterboard wall guides and screw the water outlets to the depth we need.
Now we have smoothly approached the second section of the plumber's suitcase .
This department usually has many sections for small things: These can be screws 4.5 mm long and 4.9 mm thick; plastic dowels of different models with a diameter of 6 mm are required for screws. I prefer dowels from companies such as Hilti, Fisher and so on.
There are also screws in an assortment of lengths, thicknesses, for wood and metal. Be sure to have meshes for faucets, car clamps for gas and water hoses, washers and nuts DM 6,8,10 mm, assorted gaskets, several open-end wrenches in sizes 8-10, 12-13, 9-11 and 17 mm , there is also a 7 mm socket wrench for replacing nozzles on gas boilers.
Since my first education is as an assistant driver of a diesel locomotive, I know electricity and electricity well. networks. To work with them, I use an indicator screwdriver, pliers, a special tool for stripping wires, and of course a tester .
Value for money
These two main parameters are of most concern to the end consumer of any product. Regarding adjustable wrenches, it can be stated with certainty that if the tool is intended to be used no more than a couple of times a year, and even then for standard household needs, there is no need to focus on expensive Western brands.
Normal budget options for the above purposes will cost a potential buyer 100 - 300 rubles, but they will not be equipped with additional options, such as, for example, a rubberized handle or a protective coating on the body. The most optimal household option is considered to be models ranging from 500 to 1000 rubles - they may already have additional modifications, and their quality will be at the level of world brands.
The most expensive models cost from 1,500 rubles and above. They are made of heavy-duty alloys and come with additional components, such as a ruler, oil level, additional fasteners, and replacement lips. However, professional plumbers prefer to have a large and universal set of all tools at home.
Gun with sealant
An important place in our profession is occupied by a gun for silicone and other sealants.
Now I can’t imagine what people would do without silicone. It is used everywhere. And they smear it on flax when winding, and siliconize earthenware, use it for gluing different materials, and so on.
Therefore, for this you need a reliable pistol with a smooth operation. Otherwise, when working with earthenware, you have to spend a long time wiping off excess silicone or leveling it.
19. Straight double-sided ratchet
Double-sided snap-on ratchet, straight
Double-sided snap-on ratchet, with a ratcheting mechanism and a lever direction switch. The profile of the annular jaw has twelve edges, which increases the contact area of the working surfaces and reduces the risk of deformation of the edges of the fastener during installation.
Straight double-sided ratchet
You can choose between straight and bent keys, with an inclination angle of the annular jaw relative to the key plane of 25 degrees, for more convenient work.
Straight double-sided ratchet
At an angle
Extension
Now let's talk about an electrical extension cord or carrier in a simple way.
I recommend taking Turkish ones with a cross-section of at least 1.5 mm square and a length of at least 50 meters. When working, I recommend unwinding the extension cord two to three meters larger than the required size. Because you have to make moves along the way. This way, you can move around without unplugging electrical appliances connected to the extension cord.
If you want to connect a not very powerful welding to the extension cord, then you need to completely unwind it. Otherwise, the extension cord will act like a coil and simply fail due to overheating.
This extension cord can easily withstand a load of 5 kW. I don't recommend exceeding it.
Disc bit holder
Disc bit holder
Disc ratchet, universal mini tool with a diameter of 4.6 centimeters. The wrench has a magnetic bit holder on one side, and on the reverse side there is a 6.35 mounting square for installing socket heads.
Disc bit holder
A ratcheting disc wrench can be used alone or in combination with an extension, screwdriver or ratchet.
Disc bit holder
Hammer
It's time to talk about the hammer drill . I use a Bosch rotary hammer, model 2, power 800 W. I took a set of drills for it with sizes: 6,8,10,12,14 mm. There is a sharp peak and a flat one. There is also a set of metal drills and a container with lithol to lubricate the drill shank when inserted into the hammer drill chuck. I often see completely dry hammer drill cartridges. This is terrible, because the main wear occurs precisely when working in drilling mode with perforation.
In principle, a reliable, inexpensive and practical tool. Once our founder, a German citizen, gave us a headache regarding the short service life of rotary hammers in our hands. Since our hammer drills have been working for 2-4 years, and if you believe his words, he’s had hammer drills in his team since the 90s.
It is clear that the Germans are very careful. Therefore, we still have to learn and learn from them. Although, with proper operation and maintenance, we have models of rotary hammers that are 8-10 years old.
I've seen a lot of different rotary hammers in my work, but I still want to try Hilti rotary hammers. They have better quality, a stronger blow and a red color, but they are also more expensive.
Lighting
You also need to have a camera on hand to film lessons. The second problem is lighting. I solved this problem by purchasing a spotlight with a halogen lamp.
These floodlights are not expensive compared to modern LED floodlights. I use lamps with a power of 300-500 W. It all depends on the quality of the spotlight itself.
And working in a lighted room is more pleasant than in a dim room. But if you go broke and buy an LED spotlight, you won’t have to replace lamps that have burned out or been knocked down by an impact. There will also be good savings for the client, since LED spotlights are 10-15 times less powerful than halogen lamps.
For woodworking I use a small folding wood saw .
Many people criticize me because I always advocate using flax . But I am unshakable and, therefore, linen and pasta take pride of place in my suitcase.
Now I want to talk to you about a welding machine for PPR pipes or an iron, so to speak.
The photo shows an ordinary Chinese iron with a power of 1.5 kW. But I took it because it contains the entire set of pipe attachments. From dm 20 to dm 63. This iron is already four years old and, in principle, it copes with its task.
Sweeps
Some polypropylene pipes contain an internal aluminum layer. The latter is used by manufacturers 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 the material, in others - to the center. In the first case, to connect pipes using soldering, you will have to remove metal using a device called a stripper. The tool is a cylinder with cutting surfaces of various diameters fixed at the edges. Often, during plumbing work, pipes with a diameter of 20 to 40 mm are used. For this reason, the tool kit must contain strippers with cutting attachments of the appropriate size.
