- - AGRICULTURAL CORE CURRICULUM - - (CLF2000) Advanced Core Cluster: AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS (CLF2550) Unit Title: PLUMBING ____________________________________________________________________________ (CLF2553) Topic: PLUMBING TOOLS Time Year(s) 1 Hour 3/4 ____________________________________________________________________________ Topic Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson the student will be able to: Learning Outcome #: (L-1) - Properly identify plumbing tools and materials. (L-2) - Exhibit safe handling and working practices with plumbing tools Special Materials and Equipment: Examples of different plumbing tools References: Burke, Stanley R., & Wakeman, T. J. (1990). MODERN AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS (2nd ed.). Danville, IL: Interstate Publishers. Cooper, Elmer L. (1987). AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS: FUNDAMENTALS AND APPLICATIONS Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers. Editors of Reader's Digest. (1973). COMPLETE DO-IT- YOURSELF MANUAL (7th ed.). Pleasantville, NY: Reader's Digest Association. Ripka, L. V. (1978). PLUMBING INSTALLATION AND DESIGN. Alsip, IL: American Technical Publishers. RESOURCES: Black and Decker Home Improvement Library. (1990). HOME PLUMBING PROJECTS & REPAIRS. Available from: Cy DeCosse Inc., 5900 Green Oak Drive, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343 1-800-328-3895 Evaluation: Tool Identification test by the instructor and oral review. TOPIC PRESENTATION: PLUMBING TOOLS Many different kinds of tools are used in plumbing. Steel, copper, and plastic are the most common plumbing pipe materials. Common and specialized tools needed to safely and efficiently work with plumbing materials are described below. ===================================================================== *** INSTRUCTORS PLEASE NOTE *** Illustrations of plumbing tools can be found in: 1) Black and Decker's HOME PLUMBING PROJECTS AND REPAIRS. 2) Readers's Digest COMPLETE DO-IT-YOURSELF MANUAL 3) Ripka's Plumbing INSTALLATION AND DESIGN ===================================================================== A. Measurement and Layout Tools 1. Steel tapes come in a variety of lengths; the ones most commonly used in plumbing are 50 and 100 feet long. 2. A tape measure has a retractable steel blade and comes in 8, 10, 12, 16, and 25 foot lengths. B. Benches and Vises 1. A pipe vise is the preferred tool to use to hold steel pipe in place for cutting, reaming, and threading. It can be mounted on a portable tripod stand for field use. NOTE: A machinist's vise should not be used to secure pipe unless it has a set of pipe jaws in addition to the regular jaws. Trying to hold round pipes in the straight-edged jaws of a machinist's vise can lead to slippage of the pipe if the jaws are secured too loosely and flattening of the pipe if the jaws are secured too tightly. 2. A plumber's bench is used to support large diameter steel pipe when cutting, reaming, and threading. 3. An adjustable pipe support stand has a concave roller and is used to support the free end of a long length of pipe; it is especially useful in conjunction with a portable pipe threading machine. C. Cutting and Threading Tools for Steel Pipe 1. A hand-held wheel-type pipe cutter is used to cut steel pipe. It is rotated around the pipe and progressively tightened. The material is pushed to either side of the cutting wheel which leaves a large ridge or burr which must be removed. 2. A pipe reamer is used to remove the ridges or burrs from the inside of pipe; it can be fluted or spiral in design. 3. A portable pipe threading machine contains a powered head and can be used to cut, ream, and thread small diameter steel pipe. 4. A half-round file is used to deburr large diameter pipe and works well on all materials. 5. Oilers are containers with a pump and nozzle used to apply cutting oil when cutting threads in steel pipe. 6. Pipe dies are used to cut threads on steel pipe. A special tapered thread commonly known as National Pipe Thread (NPT) or as American Standard Taper Pipe Thread is used to provide a leakproof joint. NPT is tapered 3/4" per foot. Since pipe fittings come threaded, the plumber needs to cut only external (male) threads on the steel pipe. Sometimes a pipe tap is used to clean up internal (female) threads on used or damaged fittings. A die stock is a handle that holds the die in place. D. Cutting, Cleaning, Soldering, Flaring, and Bending Tools for Copper 1. Copper tubing cutters come in various designs for large and small diameter copper pipe and tubing. Many have a built-in reamer. Midget tubing cutters cut copper pipe in close quarters. 2. A combination inside-outside reamer is convenient for 1/4 to 1 1/2" copper tubing. It is less awkward when preparing many joints. Large diameter copper pipe may also be reamed with a half-round file. 3. Copper fitting brushes are used to clean the inside diameter of fittings. Commonly available sizes are 1/8 to 2 1/2" brushes. They are handy when doing new construction where many joints must be prepared. 4. Copper tubing brushes range in size from 1/8 to 1 inch and are used to clean the outside diameter of copper pipe. Normally copper pipe over 1 inch in diameter is cleaned with abrasive sandcloth. 5. A propane torch is commonly used for minor plumbing repairs. It is used to heat the pipe and fittings. Small throwaway cylinders make this style of torch convenient for small jobs. 6. Acetylene or propane refillable cylinders are common for large soldering jobs. A regulator, hose, and torch body make up the kit. 7. A friction ignitor or striker is used to light the torches above. 8. A yoke and screw flaring tool is used when flared-style fittings join fixtures or copper tubing. After the tubing is cut and reamed, a flange nut is slipped over the tube. Then the yoke is tightened to secure the tube. The screw with its cone-shaped end is tightened to produce a 45 degree flared end. 9. A swage (swedge) or hammer-type flaring tool can be used to flare soft copper tubing. They come in diameters ranging from 1/4" to 1." 10. A spring bender is used to bend soft-tempered copper with outside diameters ranging from 1/4 inch to 7/8 inch. 11. A lever-type bender is used to bend small diameter (3/16 inch to 1/2 inch) copper tubing. 12. Pipe benders come in various designs and sizes and can be used on large-diameter (5/8 to 7/8 inch outside) hard drawn copper tubing. E. Cutting and Reaming Tools for Plastic Pipe 1. A plastic tubing cutter is used to cut Poly-Ethylene (PE) or Poly-Butylene (PB). It operates like a pair of shears. 2. Tubing cutters are primarily designed for copper, but they also work well with plastic. 3. A blade-type cutter works similar to a tubing cutter, but uses a replaceable blade rather than a cutting wheel. 4. Hacksaws have replaceable blades and work well for cutting small diameter (2" or less) plastic pipe as long as care is taken to make a square cut. 5. Plastic pipe inside-outside reamers come in various sizes. A pocket knife or half-round file works equally well for deburring plastic pipe. F. Assembly Tools - Wrenches and pliers are used to tighten fittings and turn pipe. Finishing assembly tools have smooth jaws in order not to mar fixtures or decorative nuts with chrome plating. The following is a partial list: 1. Straight pipe wrenches come in a variety of sizes and materials. Aluminum is popular and reduces fatigue because it is 40 percent lighter than malleable cast iron pipe wrenches. 2. End pipe wrenches are used in tight locations. They also come in a variety of sizes. 3. Chain wrenches and chain tongs are used to tighten iron and steel pipe. They distribute the biting force evenly around the pipe without crushing it and can be used in close quarters. 4. Monkey wrenches come with smooth jaws and are used to tighten square and hexagonal fittings. 5. Adjustable open-end wrenches (also known as crescent wrenches) have smooth jaws and can be used in finish work. 6. Multi-joint pliers (also known as water pump or channel lock pliers) are used with plastic pipe and for a variety of other applications. G. Miscellaneous Plumbing Tools 1. A plunger clears drain clogs with air pressure and water. 2. A snake is a flexible steel cable rotated and pushed through a pipe to unseat a clog. 3. A jab saw is used to cut off water closet bolts; it can be useful in tight spots where a hacksaw would be handy. 4. A basin wrench is used to extend behind fixtures and tighten water supply connections. 5. A basket-strainer wrench is a specialized wrench used to tighten the basket strainer in a kitchen sink. __________________________________________________________ Activities: 1. Set out plumbing tools and materials and have students identify them, checking to be sure they use the correct names. 2. Choose the appropriate tools to use with each type of pipe and then practice cutting, reaming, threading various sizes of steel, copper, and plastic pipes. __________________________________________________________ 7/10/91 JD/JD/tf #%&C