# How you like pro press?



## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

I purchased a Ridgid cordless pro press tool this year. It handles 1/2"-4". I am in love with the tool. It doesn't make sense on many jobs but when it does it is amazing. I have pressed3-4" and no problems yet. My concern is how long will these fittings/ O'rings last? will the system stand up over the test of time. Any thoughts or insight would be great.


----------



## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

My rep told me the viega fittings have a 50 year warranty. 
I do love the PP but its not a daily use tool for us. It sure gets us out of some jams. Like in the basement of a 4 story building just press in some valves and go. 

Funny story. We did a mega press job for the first time, 1600' of 2". my dad was freaking out we didn't have enough threaders. I tried to explain to him the difference but he just wasn't getting it. So after he borrowed extra equipment in his big worry we only ended with threading 5 pieces of pipe. He was amazed.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

I love propress. Works great.


----------



## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

I am excited about using mega press. I just need the right situation to arise. pressing a 2" gas line is hard to get my head around. Exciting none the less.


----------



## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

wharfrat said:


> I am excited about using mega press. I just need the right situation to arise. pressing a 2" gas line is hard to get my head around. Exciting none the less.


Has mega press been approved for gas in L.A.? I used propress years ago at my last shop! Don't have much of a need for it yet. I haven't seem anything over 3" in a while!


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

I'm in love with it.. I have the cordless rp-200 and it's great. My poor old asco torch right hasn't left the truck since I got it.


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

All the old school plumbers can gripe about how new technologies are affecting our trade but I have a occupied building with galvanized pipe and a few tenants (including a restaurant) that want the water off as little as possible. Solder or press? Exactly. We have the Ridgid 330 and the 200 and they get used weekly.

David


----------



## 4Aces Plumbing (Aug 26, 2011)

You are getting it done quicker, and the parts cost more, so you get more mark up. Depending on your price structure you are still charging the customer close to the same, so when you do the math you are making more in less time. Yes, I love ProPress.


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I charge a premium because there is less shut down time in a lot of situations. So quicker and more money.

David


----------



## Carcharodon (May 5, 2013)

Most amazing tool ever, I carry the rigid up to 2" on my truck.
Its clean and easy, can do a water heater in no time, not to mention quick repairs
You just have to try and not use it all the time, found myself wasting time trying to figure out a way to use it where I could of used the smaller reg fittings and soldered it quicker.
I ve used the smaller millwaukee one too, that is amazing, can fit it almost anywhere.


----------



## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

i have never used it but it seems like a sharkbite. its an o ring thats doing the seal. then you are kinking the copper to hold it on. i am not sold on it but i agree that it saves time. if it lasts 20 years, great. we have all seen failures on galv, soldered copper, pex, cpvc, and the list goes on. its technology. go with what works:thumbsup:


----------



## Carcharodon (May 5, 2013)

SchmitzPlumbing said:


> i have never used it but it seems like a sharkbite. its an o ring thats doing the seal. then you are kinking the copper to hold it on. i am not sold on it but i agree that it saves time. if it lasts 20 years, great. we have all seen failures on galv, soldered copper, pex, cpvc, and the list goes on. its technology. go with what works:thumbsup:


If only sharkbites required the same $3000 tool then maybe it would eliminate a lot of people that use sharkbites.


----------



## supakingDFW (Aug 19, 2014)

Every time I use my cordless Ridgid Propress tool, I end up laughing to myself thinking....Dang, this is almost cheating!!:laughing:


----------



## Carcharodon (May 5, 2013)

And the Mega Press, that literally cuts job times in half, hell more than half. Just waiting for the day for it to be approved for underground, even though poly might still be quicker


----------



## themavinator (Apr 15, 2009)

supakingDFW said:


> Every time I use my cordless Ridgid Propress tool, I end up laughing to myself thinking....Dang, this is almost cheating!!:laughing:


I know! Sometimes I think people should have to have 10yrs of soldering before they are allowed to have the luxury of the propress


----------



## supakingDFW (Aug 19, 2014)

themavinator said:


> I know! Sometimes I think people should have to have 10yrs of soldering before they are allowed to have the luxury of the propress


You got my vote!:thumbsup: you should have to pay your dues and master the torch before you get to Cadillac it with propress!!


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Glorified sharkbite.

For the one-man-shops, how long does it take to earn the money to pay for the tool?........:whistling2:


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Hard to say. You might make the payoff on one job or on 100. For me, I have an equipment fee and it takes me 17 times to pay off the tool just from that alone. 

I had one time where a fellow plumber needed to tie in a 2" tee in a 1' chase. I told him I do the propress and could do the job for him in 20 minutes but it costs this much. He laughed and said he could do the same thing with soldering. BTW this was for a strip mall so the shutdown affected a bakery and a restaurant.

That day he called me up and asked if I was available to do the job. When I got there, his plumber told me they've been trying to solder that joint for 3 hours. Took me 20 minutes like I said originally. But for 3 hours, 2 establishments were out of business(but still paying their employees), the plumber looked incompetent and 3 people onsite were being paid for 3 hours each without doing a thing.

So in this scenario, I'd ask not how fast can you pay off the tool but how much could you lose by not having it?

Oh yes I'm an oms.


----------



## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

I have the 330rp ridgid with dies up to 2 in and the nibco with large chain dies 2 1/2 threw 4 in love them both and the nibco payed for itself in one job. I had three weeks figured in for labor on some chill water lines and we had them run and tested in four days. The type of repair and type of building makes the difference. Hospitals where I do a lot of my work are more cost effective because of the logistics of a open flame. Smoke alarms and bad valves makes a simple repair costly. Pro press simplifies the problems and removes a lot of the mess.


----------



## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

I'm about to pull the trigger on the Milwaukee M18 press tool, I like Ridgid, but like straight design of the Milwaukee


----------



## 4Aces Plumbing (Aug 26, 2011)

I have had the Milwaukee M12 for less than a year, it has paid for itself twice over and that is not including the markup I receive on fittings. All that said I probably only use it once a week, but when I use it it is an invaluable tool and I make sure I make money with it!


----------



## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Tommy plumber said:


> Glorified sharkbite.
> 
> For the one-man-shops, how long does it take to earn the money to pay for the tool?........:whistling2:


1.5 jobs. I don't use it on every piece of copper. It was purchased for a commercial 2" gas job. 

I love flat rate pricing for frozen water lines slam in a repair coupling and your out.


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Will said:


> I'm about to pull the trigger on the Milwaukee M18 press tool, I like Ridgid, but like straight design of the Milwaukee



What about the Ridgid 200b? We use it daily.

David


----------



## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

Ridgid also has the cast cutter which is awesome!


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

dhal22 said:


> What about the Ridgid 200b? We use it daily.
> 
> David


I've mentioned that to Will about 3 times already....lol. I think he just wants to be different lol


----------



## victoryplbaz (May 19, 2012)

Tommy plumber said:


> Glorified sharkbite.
> 
> For the one-man-shops, how long does it take to earn the money to pay for the tool?........:whistling2:


Mine was paid for on my first job. I ran 2" main for a commerical building 600'


----------



## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

gear junkie said:


> I've mentioned that to Will about 3 times already....lol. I think he just wants to be different lol


Ridgid 200b only goes to 1.25" right?


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

yep you're right on that one. If I had to do it over again, I'd buy the 200B first, then look for a good deal on ebay for the regular model.


----------



## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

The M18 and the newer large version of the Ridgid is what I'd get, think the straight design on the large Milwaukee is superior for repair work. The Milwaukee has the Megapress now also, and I beleive about $500 cheaper than the full size Ridgid.


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*stupid question...*

I have thought about one but never jumped
we have torn a lot of them out when replaceing
Culligan water softeners that were installed with
3/4 pro press fittings.......

what do the fittings cost on average for 3/4 and 1 inch compaired to common sweat copper type??


----------



## billwestrick (Mar 4, 2013)

wyrickmech said:


> Ridgid also has the cast cutter which is awesome!


love the cast cutter. very nice for retro-fit and repairs.

bw


----------



## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

billwestrick said:


> love the cast cutter. very nice for retro-fit and repairs. bw


I had a bunch of rotted out cast that had to be replaced at a local hospital. Done one bathroom group without the attachment it took two men 10 hours. The next bathroom group which was identical only took 6.5. Just in labor savings the tool has payed for itself. Fittings are hi but if you figure the time it saves and the elimination of water problems they are cheap. Going to do a little job with some 4x2 tees soon and a 3 in 90 tomorrow. Between the smoke alarm time savings and being able to speed up down time it is a essential tool in a hospital.


----------



## MatthewWats (Nov 20, 2014)

Pro Press is the best plumbing product. it is the original pipe joining solution. It will provide a fast as well as secure tactics for joining two copper pipes or tube without any flame or any joining product.
It is one of the perfect option for plumbing, water system, heating etc.It also offers more pipe fitting configuration than any other pipe joining system.


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

MatthewWats said:


> Pro Press is the best plumbing product. it is the original pipe joining solution. It will provide a fast as well as secure tactics for joining two copper pipes or tube without any flame or any joining product.
> It is one of the perfect option for plumbing, water system, heating etc.It also offers more pipe fitting configuration than any other pipe joining system.


Really??? Did you learn all that by using a folding ruler??


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I can find any holes in his statement. Of course we are Propress all the way at my company.


----------



## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

My Service Plumber called me today in dis belief how fast his repipe is going together. He is 59 years old and a very traditional Service Plumber. Great guy and a terrific Plumber. His one flaw is he does the trade his way. His way is great but having him try something such as ProPress he just gives you the look. 
This building they make furniture and everything has a coat of fine dust. I talked him into the PP to keep any flame out of the building. He decided to try it. Called me this afternoon laughing in amazement with how much work he completed by himself. Piped a small bathroom, a sink and 35 ft of overhead pipe and had the water on in six hours.


----------



## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

My first propress experience also came along with my first freeze machine experience. I didnt use the machine, but amazed that we could propress valves in without shutting down the water. That was cool as sh!t to me.


----------



## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

this is why I love press fittings. Makes a almost impossible job quick.


----------

