wrenchstore.net

The adventurous soul who decides to venture into the world of do-it-yourself plumbing should go into this unexplored country armed with the proper tools.

Wrenches are quite literally the plumbers “must-have” tool. The plumbers needs adjustable wrenches and, of course, pipe wrenches.
 
Adjustable wrenches do just that, they adjust to fit the job by means of the fitted jaw applying the needed force. While they come in sizes ranging from 4″ to 2′ long, most DIY plumbers can get by with those, which have 10″, or 12″ handles.
 
Pipe wrenches are used for grabbing onto and manipulating pipes and pipe fittings, which have “threads”. Sizes range from 12″ to 18″, and, of course, are designed to fit whatever size pipe is being worked on. Pipe wrenches, however, work differently from adjustable wrenches, in that they require that the permanent jaw be the one to which the force is applied.
 
Rib-joint pliers and locking pliers are also two tools, which no plumber should be without. Rib-joint pliers are essentially adjusting pliers, as the jaw can be moved back and forth to accommodate different sizes of pipes, fittings, nuts, bolts, or other objects. Locking pliers hold things stationary, but they also can be adjusted to fit whatever it is they are holding.
 
Screwdrivers are practically indispensable to the DIY plumber. These nifty tools perform a vast array of functions besides just tightening and loosening screws. The smart DIY plumber will have a number of these in various sizes.
 
The main part of plumbing is, of course, working with pipes. And, sometimes, pipes must be cut. So, what does the plumber use to accomplish this task? Pipe cutters, of course, in appropriate sizes and designs for the many types of pipe that may be encountered.
 
Not all pipes are the same length, and not all plumbing jobs require the same length of pipe. This is no problem when one has a measuring tape, preferably the steel type, and sufficiently long enough, usually at least 25′, so that it can extend for several feet without needing to be supported.
 
Clogged drains are another task with which the DIY plumber may be faced. However, by judicious application of the appropriate drain clearing tool will once more allow the water to flow freely. The tools themselves may be as simple as a plumbers helper (also known as a plunger), or the slightly more complex hydraulic blow bag.