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m463

plumber did an install for me and had a super-expensive dewalt tool...

It could attach copper pipes to each other using pressure instead of getting out a torch and brazing. pretty amazing.

EDIT: this one: ($3000!)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011HX3HI0

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These tools cost here ~1200€ and are not expensive at all. Nobody in a trade job wants to mess with a torch, gas cans, dirty paste and soldering chemicals all day anymore. It takes seconds instead of minutes for one pressed connection. Ok, pressed connections are thicker than soldered, but doesn’t matter for most cases. Obviously as a hobby builder I can toy half day with torch and solder paste for 40 connections in my house.

copper pipes are not popular in this part of the pond (not any longer at least, outside gas). The most common domestic pipes are "pex/aluminum/pex" type which are designed for crimping and bending (by hand).

Other than that it makes a lot sense to go w/ crimping if possible - quite surprised it's rated up to 2".

You use copper pipes for gas? Interesting. In the US we use iron.

I have steel pipes for my central heating flow (UK) because my house was built during a copper shortage in the late 1960s. Every plumber has said they're a nightmare to work with compared to soft copper.

I imagine they’re much more difficult to work with but I don’t think copper meets code for gas in the US for some reason.

The story I know is that US gas (used to) cause corrosion of the Cu pipes. I don't have a gas line (in the house), so no recent installation - and of course I won't be installing a gas line on my silly-own (while I can go by and do some plumbing for the water). Yet, if i see a tiny (8mm) copper tube I'm quite confident, it's for the gas.

Perhaps a relic of the days of manufactured coal-based gas that they kept because there was already so much infrastructure. Out of curiosity I’ve been trying to see if the local steam utility offers new supply connections but I don’t see anything.

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