3/16th's Tubing Tool(s)?

[Bucket Head]

After reading and hearing a lot about the 3/16 tubing, I plan on giving it a try this year. What I hav'nt read or heard a lot about is the tooling for it.

How is everybody working with it? Are the companies making 3/16 tubing tools? Are folks modifying the 5/16 tools? Are people making their own 3/16 tools? What is working well and and what is not working well when putting this stuff together?

You guy's have any helpful hints on the 3/16 tubing and the tools needed for it?

Thanks in advance!

Steve

[psparr]

Use a 5/16" tool and put a piece of 5/16 tubing split lengthways in the jaws where it grips the tubing. You might need to glue it in or tape it. Works well.

[themapleman54]

We have the tools at fillmore maple supply / dominion & grimm 585-567-2738

[steve J]

I do as psparr stated above and it works fine

[Bucket Head]

How are you holding the split tubing in place- tape or glue? And it stays put okay?

Has anyone considered welding on the correct size (whatever size that might be) rod coupler nut?

Steve

[steve J]

I did not glue it although I am sure it would have helped as the piece fell out a few times. I still have some 5/16 out so I use the tool on both.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I took angle grinder and ground down one of my one handed tools and my 2 handed tool so it holds 3/16 and 5/16, just have to adjust set screw on the vice grips.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

If you cut enough of a groove out of the 5/16" tubing(approx 3/16") just snap it over the lateral line and it holds in place tight. Then clamp tool over that, put in your fitting, unclamp tool, and pull 5/16" pieces of tubing off lateral line. I set up approx. 400 taps on 3/16" this year and used the same pieces of 5/16" tubing as shims for the whole job. Rigid 5/16" tubing works best for this.
Neil

[psparr]

If you cut enough of a groove out of the 5/16" tubing(approx 3/16") just snap it over the lateral line and it holds in place tight. Then clamp tool over that, put in your fitting, unclamp tool, and pull 5/16" pieces of tubing off lateral line. I set up approx. 400 taps on 3/16" this year and used the same pieces of 5/16" tubing as shims for the whole job. Rigid 5/16" tubing works best for this.
Neil
Great idea. Thanks for that!

[adk1]

If you cut enough of a groove out of the 5/16" tubing(approx 3/16") just snap it over the lateral line and it holds in place tight. Then clamp tool over that, put in your fitting, unclamp tool, and pull 5/16" pieces of tubing off lateral line. I set up approx. 400 taps on 3/16" this year and used the same pieces of 5/16" tubing as shims for the whole job. Rigid 5/16" tubing works best for this.
Neilthat is genious!

[cncaboose]

make sure you have a few extras of the split 5/16". You'll wind up leaving one here or there on a lateral if you are anything like us. I was walking lines last week and found one.