The Milwaukee 3pc Close Quarters Tubing Cutter set #48-22-4263 has been available for about a year now, I recently added it to my tool bag. The cutters can be bought separately but I definitely have a need for all three sizes (1/2″, 3/4″ & 1″) so the kit made the most sense for me. I Read more
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The Milwaukee 3pc Close Quarters Tubing Cutter set #48-22-4263 has been available for about a year now, I recently added it to my tool bag. The cutters can be bought separately but I definitely have a need for all three sizes (1/2″, 3/4″ & 1″) so the kit made the most sense for me.
I purchased the kit at the Milwaukee factory service center here in the Twin Cities for about $50, a price point I would expect for all three sizes and a case. So far I have only used the cutters for a few weeks and I’m still on the fence. Having used similar style cutters for twenty years, I have to wonder if I didn’t get a bad set or if they simply need some “breaking in” time to exercise the tension springs. Let me explain.
The cutting wheel articulates under spring tension, this is how the cut happens. When you place the cutter on the copper tubing the wheel is spring loaded and pushing against the outside wall of the tube, as the cutter turns the wheel and spring does the cutting. My problem so far is that when the cutter is placed on the tube and not yet cutting, it tends to jump off the pipe. This is annoying. Check out the video below for a visual.
I’ve talked with dozens of other plumbers using the cutters or similar styles, some having the same issue, many who are not. I intend to continue using the set for a full month before I decide to keep them or try another cutter.
There are three things I want to highlight in this video, not all are totally flattering so please take a look: 1. The 2nd generation M12 Fuel Impact is even better than the first and that’s actually incredible because anyone who’s owned the 1st gen knows it’s a very nice tool. 2. The Smith HE2 Read more
There are three things I want to highlight in this video, not all are totally flattering so please take a look:
1. The 2nd generation M12 Fuel Impact is even better than the first and that’s actually incredible because anyone who’s owned the 1st gen knows it’s a very nice tool.
2. The Smith HE2 copper fintube baseboard is fabulous. The performance is crazy awesome and makes it the best bb on the market for mod/con & electric boilers, without a doubt. Don’t argue with me on this, I’ve tried them all and I’ve installed miles of bb. This is a fact, it’s science.
3. The Milwaukee Tool dipped gloves (I’m wearing the cut level 1 pair here) are nice but too stiff in the cold for my liking. Also, they’re supposed to have “SMARTSWIPE” index fingers but I can tell you first hand they don’t work on my iPhone 7+ at all. I’m told that this may be due to my screen protector or the angle of my finger. They did however protect my hands against the 750 million cuts I would’ve received from the razor sharp aluminum fins on the bb. They’re priced right in my opinion and I’d have no problem buying more pairs because they fit well and offer the protection I am looking for.
Hope this helps,
Eric Aune
Aune Plumbing, LLC
Mechanical Hub ProStaff
I turned 40 in 2017 so it’s official now that half my life I’ve been working as a plumber professionally. In that time I’ve completely wrecked my shoulders, hands and knees. I’m not at all proud of that, it just is the way it is At this point. That’s nothing new for anyone that’s been Read more
I turned 40 in 2017 so it’s official now that half my life I’ve been working as a plumber professionally. In that time I’ve completely wrecked my shoulders, hands and knees. I’m not at all proud of that, it just is the way it is At this point. That’s nothing new for anyone that’s been in the trades for more than 10-15 years. I’ve since made a lot of changes to how I handle materials and use tools (the right tools for the job) but I’ve also changed how I take care of myself physically. What I’ve always been lacking is a strong discipline to consistently wear appropriate PPE while working.
This is also nothing new for anyone working in the trades. I’m changing that this year. I challenge you to do so as well. I’ve been relatively lucky to this point, my eyes are both intact and strong so far but my hearing could be better. I never hit the floor without knee protection but I don’t always wear safety glasses. I have zero excuses, I own it all and none of it is out of reach or as expensive as missing a day of work or having surgery. Join me in making 2018 a safer, more productive year.
Infrared radiation, or simply infrared or IR, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with longer wavelengths than those of visible light, and is therefore invisible without specialized imaging devices that can detect and display the electromagnetic radiation. Infrared imagers have long been available to consumers and professionals but at no point in history has this technology been Read more
Infrared radiation, or simply infrared or IR, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with longer wavelengths than those of visible light, and is therefore invisible without specialized imaging devices that can detect and display the electromagnetic radiation. Infrared imagers have long been available to consumers and professionals but at no point in history has this technology been so affordable. As a plumbing and heating contractor of over twenty years in the business I highly recommend exploring what is available in the market today.
I have been using infrared imagers on the job for only a handful of years, lately because of the cost I have purchased a couple new devices that make having the technology literally in my pocket a reality. The SEEK CompactPro and Flir One Pro both connect to my iPhone and offer the ability to quickly diagnose problem areas on heat exchangers, piping, pumps and more as simple as plugging the device into my phone and starting an app. Mobole phone imaging deivices range in cost from $250-450 US and have been tested in the field for more than two years now.
Handheld imagers are available from multiple manufacturers such as Fluke, Flir, Milwaukee and more. the latest imagers developed with the skilled trades in mind offer just the right amount of features and resolution needed to get the job done without clogging up the interface with unneeded features in tune with more precise measurements needed in other fields of work. Here is a very brief but to the point video of just one of the many uses I have daily for infrared imagers. I hope this helps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW3OhW81UC4