propress-style crimping question with couplings

[Mr Blint]

For almost all of my DIY projects in the past, I used solder and my repairs and my new work have both held up so far for 15 years without leaks. But recently I bought one of the relatively inexpensive bolt-cutter type manual crimping tools for propress-style fittings. I've done a couple dozen crimps in 3/4 and 1/2 copper that appear to be holding up fine. No leaks after a couple of weeks. I also just bought a hydraulic version of one of those crimping tools. It is considerably lighter, and its crimping jaws have a far simpler design that doesn't require the "legs" to be fully splayed like a gymnast doing a split on the balance beam before the crimping head can be opened to enclose the fitting. Its crimping head isn't as massive and there's no risk of getting your finger pinched in gears. I'm expecting the hydraulic one to be far easier to work with, especially when the pipes are overhead between floor joists in the basement.

My question: on the next repair, I need to use a coupling and was wondering if it's important that the crimp on both ends of the coupling line up with each other perfectly and aren't rotated as they are in this photo of my first dry-run test crimp with the new hydraulic tool.

 

[Breplum]

crimps do not have to line up at all.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[dollinger]

I have a hydraulic version and it works fine. My only concern is I'm not sure when it crimped enough.

 

[GReynolds929]

Is that copper on the right side of the coupling in pic

 

[Mr Blint]

Is that copper on the right side of the coupling in pic

Yes, some very old copper, original to the house, circa 1948. Just some scraps from sections I'd cut out, when giving the new hydraulic tool a dry-run.

 

[Mr Blint]

I have a hydraulic version and it works fine. My only concern is I'm not sure when it crimped enough.

It took 40 pumps per crimp on the Viega coupling and 50 pumps per crimp on a Viega ball valve, both 1/2 inch. I wasn't sure how many pumps to do and decided to stop when it felt like it really couldn't go any tighter. With the ball valve, I used a length of PVC pipe to get a little extra leverage on the final few pumps. I don't think you can overdo it. The dies prevent it. The hydraulic tool I have has jaws just like the Milwaukee, same squeeze mechanism, but with inserted dies, not a separate head for each size.

 

[dollinger]

I was able to borrow a Milwaukie tool which was essential for the tight spots. But for a few fittings or a repair then it is fine. Mine takes about 15 pumps.