# Heating the lab



## Anonymous (Jun 22, 2009)

Recently purchased some pex with the O2 barrier for hot water heating and found that the tubing uses expandable crimps - not really a do it yourself project when the expanding tool costs $800.00.

Since I only have a dozen joints to make , not wanting to call a plumber nor put out the money made this interesting tool to expand the tubing.

You need an air chisel with a 2" stroke that hits hard, not a cheapo.

Harold the forum's resident tool and die maker will get a chuckle from my crude machining.


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## Harold_V (Jun 22, 2009)

Hey, no chuckle required! That's a nice looking tool, and a very good solution to the problem. 

Well done, Gill. 

By the way, that reminds me of the reloading dies for the 458 Winchester Magnum I own. I bought RCBS dies, which were, at the time, as good as they get. The neck sizer had no lead, and there was apparently a small amount of misalignment, so the cartridges were coming out with the bullet offset by a few thou. 

I was working at Sperry then, and had full access to heat treating and grinding, so I made a new neck expander that looks very much like your tool, minus the shoulder. Heat treated and ground the thing and ended up with a very functional sizing die. 

Great minds must run in parallel tracks. 8) 

Harold


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## Barren Realms 007 (Nov 1, 2009)

If this problem is found again there are slip on fittings for the pex pipe. No tools required to fit together.


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