Best Pex Manufacture for Cinch Connections?

[Kail]

I am in the process of building a house and I'm getting ready to plumb the waterlines, I'm not a pro but I'm handy. I have a old cinch tool that I bought a decade or more ago. I was in blissful ignorance and did not realize different pex manufactures require there own fittings. Seems like everyone on here recommends Uponor pipe and a expansion tool, but I'm not sure I want to buy a new tool, and I have had good luck with the cinch tool in the past.

Is there different manufactures of cinch fittings that should not be used with other cinch tools?

I want to use type A pex. What brand would you recommend with cinch fittings?

Are the actual fittings for cinch and crimp the same, and just the rings are different?

I'm buying a Manabloc manifold, can I buy the one that comes with crimp fittings and just use ss cinch rings on it?

Or should I just suck it up and buy the Uponor expansion tool?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Craigpump]

Buy a used Uponor tool and resell it after you're done

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jadnashua]

While you could probably use cinch connectors with type A, paying the premium for that type (IMHO, the best of the three available) begs for the expansion tool and the minimum amount of restrictions in the flow. I think of it this way...pex is already a lot smaller ID than the same sized copper...with the expansion fittings, you are very close to minimizing additional restrictions...the cinch type fittings just slip into the end of the pipe, and therefore MUST be a smaller ID, or they wouldn't have any strength to fit in there. Then, the memory of pex will always produce a good seal if your fitting isn't damaged and you position it properly...cinching a ring in place needs to both occur at the proper place and be tight enough without being too tight...more of an opportunity for failure.

 

[Craigpump]

We use Uponor because we've seen wayyyy too many clinch ring joints leak. Also, the brass adapters are pretty thin walled and I've seen them fail due to acidic water.

 

[CountryBumkin]

That's what I did - bought used tool with intention to resell at end of job - but I've decided to keep it now (never know when a repair or mod is going to be needed).
Here is the same tool I have, at eBay. Bid is at $122 now. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wirsbo-pex-expander-/281929746800
Good luck.