PLUMBING TOOLS
There is a saying known the world over by all craft men and women, particularly plumber: ‘ a good workman never blames his tools.’ All too often, however, tools are blamed for jobs that go wrong or for mistakes that are made. This is usually because the wrong tool has been used for a job or because the tools have not been maintained properly. “This information will show you all the common tools used by a plumber, what they are used for and tips on how to get the best out of them. Most plumbing activities involve the following:-
1. Measuring and setting tools

2. Cutting tools

The installation of sanitary fixtures/appliances involves the cutting or drilling of timber, sheet metal, metal pipes, earthen ware pipes and fittings, steel plates, plastic pipes and fittings and asbestos cement pipes. Some of the tools used with these materials are hacksaws, wood saws, power saws, scrappers, cold chisels, wood chisels, drill bits, files, pipe cutters, brace and bits, washer cutters.

N:B: Washer cutters have special, adjustable diameter bits. They may be used to cut washers of various sizes from sheet metal, lead, zinc, copper, leather or rubber.

Typical range of cutting tools are shown below.

3. Forming tools

The sanitary plumber will require special tools to flare copper pipes, to form sheet metal and zinc sheet plus zincalume, aluminium, stainless steel and to bend pipes and tubes. These tools may consist of a tube flaring tool (block and pin or an easy-flare tool), bossing mallets, mandrels, rubber mallets, pipe and tube threading dies (ratchet dies 12 mm-mm and 25 mm -50 mm) and machines and pipe and tube bending machines. Also, copper and copper alloy fabrication tools for forming junctions and branches in waste, soil and vent pipe installations. These are available for square (90 deg,  etc.) and oblique (45 deg) branches in the combinations shown in the drilling chart further on.

Jointing tools

For jointing materials such as galvanized sheet steel, zincalume sheet, copper aluminium, stainless steel sheet, mild steel pipe, plate and angle, UPVC pipe, brass and copper tube and others.

5. Percussive and Driving tools

These tools are primarily used to drive nails and screws, form materials and to secure fixtures and fittings.

The following tools are required: Screwdrivers, hammers of all descriptions, mallets, lead dressers, metal working stakes, anvils and jimmy bar (pinch bar).

6. Gripping tools

Various gripping tools are necessary for the installation of pipes, taps and fittings associated with sanitary plumbing fixtures. The following are essential;

Engineer’s vice, stillsons (both straight and offset), chain tongs, multi grips, foot prints, adjustable spanners of various designs and sizes, pliers of various shapes and sizes, tube spanners and pipe vices.

7. Digging and laying tools

The sanitary plumber or the drainer will be involved in laying sewers and storm water drains. A basic kit of digging tools and tools for working mortar, concrete, epoxy jointing materials and plaster are necessary. The essentials are: a shovel (various shapes), a spade, a crowbar, a pick, various types of trowels, concrete floats, spatulas and plaster small tools, underground boring machine, ditch-witch or trenching machine for special applications and larger jobs.

the above items are just some of the tools and or equipment that can enable the plumber to perform different tasks.

happy blogging.

Prepared by 

Gilbert Niwamanya