Tools you want

skoronesa said:

We have a bunch of random knockouts in pieces at the shop, decided I wanted my own set. The case isn't much bigger than my current 1/2" socket set. It comes with a longer 1/2" ratchet that should do fine replacing my breaker bar too. Knockout sizes for 1/2" through 2" pipe. Greenlee #1804.

Do any of you deal with metal studs often? Holesaws on metal studs are awful and holes cut with tinsnips look tragic.


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To much trouble and to time consuming to use knockouts on metal studs,I use a unibit then take my left and right hand snips and make a pretty decent hole,good enough for pipe to penetrate anyways

sparky said:

To much trouble and to time consuming to use knockouts on metal studs,I use a unibit then take my left and right hand snips and make a pretty decent hole,good enough for pipe to penetrate anyways

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Ever run across a stainless sink with a hole too small or not enough holes?

skoronesa said:

Ever run across a stainless sink with a hole too small or not enough holes?

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Yup. My brother in law is an electrician so I just steal his knock out set.

sparky said:

To much trouble and to time consuming to use knockouts on metal studs,I use a unibit then take my left and right hand snips and make a pretty decent hole,good enough for pipe to penetrate anyways

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Unibits are awesome 👍

Does anyone have one of these? Looks like a really handy tool.

Sstratton6175 said:

Internal Wrench | RIDGID Tools

The Internal Wrench is used to install or extract Schedule 40 1" through 2" nipples. Holds closet spuds and bath, basin and sink strainers through 2".

www.ridgid.com

Does anyone have one of these? Looks like a really handy tool.

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Yes, I have two. Unfortunately they don't usually work too well. The knurling tends to clog with crap and won't bite. Now they zinc plate them and they are even worse. I have a very old Ridgid one that is black oxide coated and a much older unbranded one from before Rdgid took over making them. The unbranded one has much deeper, sharper knurling. The Ridgid one seemed to be case hardened while my unbranded one is almost certainly hardened tool steel all the way through.

Short answer is don't bother, certainly not for the price they want. If it had slits and reliefs cut into the edges like a good square extractor it would probably work quite well.

skoronesa said:

Yes, I have two. Unfortunately they don't usually work too well. The knurling tends to clog with crap and won't bite. Now they zinc plate them and they are even worse. I have a very old Ridgid one that is black oxide coated and a much older unbranded one from before Rdgid took over making them. The unbranded one has much deeper, sharper knurling. The Ridgid one seemed to be case hardened while my unbranded one is almost certainly hardened tool steel all the way through.

Short answer is don't bother, certainly not for the price they want. If it had slits and reliefs cut into the edges like a good square extractor it would probably work quite well.

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Thanks for the input maybe someone I know will send me a link to a good one on eBay lol

Sstratton6175 said:

Thanks for the input maybe someone I know will send me a link to a good one on eBay lol

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If you do buy it use some Hydrochloric Acid to strip off the Zinc plating. The knurling will grip better. But it will still suck and I suggest you don't buy one. Get a good spiral extractor set instead with the larger sizes.

TerryTotoSucks said:

I just got my gauge from Supplyhouse.com, gotta stay away from that place……

For fun I bought a couple sch.40 pvc dishwasher tees. Comes with a plug if the dishwashers not there yet or you’re removing the dishwasher, it’s molded on the side and you break it off when needed. Pretty cool as Miley would say
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We’ve had them in ABS and SYS15 PVC for years

Logtec said:

We’ve had them in ABS and SYS15 PVC for years

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On the rare occasions I need to attach a drain hose to PVC I will use a Female tee/Female adapter/Cleanout, a bushing, and a Nylon/CPVC insert adapter.

Sometimes we run into Washing machines in basements where the wasteline is too high for a standpipe and that's how we tie them in, also using a swing check. Or we want to eliminate the standpipe so if the line backs up it won't come out there.

Did that for a little old lady who couldn't go down in her own basement. The line had roots growing in and she couldn't afford to have it dug up. She would have a helper once a week who went down in the basement to find lots of sewage because the standpipe had been overflowing for days. Next lowest point was the 1st floor tub.

Logtec said:

We’ve had them in ABS and SYS15 PVC for years

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I’m years behind everyone else.

skoronesa said:

Ever run across a stainless sink with a hole too small or not enough holes?

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Yes many times,will the knockout mess the sink up from the pressure

sparky said:

Yes many times,will the knockout mess the sink up from the pressure

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No, usually works pretty well. That stainless is some tough schit.

skoronesa said:

The Ridgid is a 4" model, not 2". Those Schick pipe wrenches are as close to NOS as I've seen, one of the 14's even still has the sticker.

Like the "DOPE POT" on my tristand? Dope used to come in hard form as well because it's essentially a wax. You'd heat that cup with your torch to make it liquid so you could apply it.

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That home-made copper vacuum plunger to get all the water out of a W/C is so cool. I love that.

TerryTotoSucks said:

I lost my old Elkay wrench or misplaced it, but found one on sake today at Lowes for $4

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An old boss gave me one of those when I was doing finals for him {new construction}. I still have it to this day. He gave it to me almost {30} years ago.

TerryTotoSucks said:

People have asked why “ why go through all this trouble, just replace it “

Well when you’re on a home where everything is 1950 original and it’s cosmetically perfect condition the customer typically like to keep it to provide an original look to the home.

Also, I can make twice as much repairing a faucet then jumping to the next “ hit and run “ service call.

I might hit 3 service calls all within an hour if they’re easy…..and I love easy.

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I have never soldered a seat but another plumber taught me about it. It's a cool trick of the trade to be able to get out of a jam. Another way of doing something.

Sstratton6175 said:

Internal Wrench | RIDGID Tools

The Internal Wrench is used to install or extract Schedule 40 1" through 2" nipples. Holds closet spuds and bath, basin and sink strainers through 2".

www.ridgid.com

Does anyone have one of these? Looks like a really handy tool.

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I do. It rarely ever gets out a tub drain strainer. I usually wind up cutting them out.