John Guest Speedfit JG Pipe Cutter ~ Cuts up to 22mm Plastic Speedfit Pipe (1 per Pack)

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Remember I said to always cut dead centre of one of these stars? Well, that's because when you push your pipe in to a fitting, you know you've pushed it in far enough when it reaches a star. SPEEDFIT® fittings such as the ones shown above have a release collar which can be pushed in to release the pipe. There are also fittings with screw collars which are used to clamp the pipe in place and are simply unscrewed to release. One thing to be aware of is that the O-rings within these fittings can be easily damaged if you simply ram the pipe in. To reduce teh risk of this happening, as you push the pipe in, twist it. This will also help to get the pipe down until it touches the pipe stop a bit easier. Again, make sure your water is turned off, appliances aren't plugged in to LIVE electrics.I then had a couple of washing up bowls to catch any water still in the pipes, and then used a wrench to remove the washing machine. From experience, hand tight washing machine hoses leak, so I always need a wrench to loosen or tighten. Note that although my current washing machine only needed cold water, the situation may change down the line. So I also fitted a hot water pipe at roughly the same length. SPEEDFIT PLUMBING FITTINGS FOR A WASHING MACHINE

So, it made sense to install Speedfit plumbing now and cap it off with a 15mm End Stop for each the hot and cold water. And without a doubt, ensured these had a red or blue 15mm colletto ensure they couldn't accidentally be removed. My reason for this is that they don't screw tight; they only push on and these will be exposed until we fit the kitchen units. SECURING THE SPEEDFIT PLUMBING PIPES I learnt this very early on when my father in law sent me shopping for our bathroom Speedfit plumbing. But on that occasion, he came to visit and installed it for us. So, below, are the hot and cold pipes I was talking about with the compression valves. Depending on your situation, this is how mine looked originally, but needed to dismantle it. DISCONNECTING MY WASHING MACHINEE: These are isolating valves (See isolating valves project) which spedfit make in a chrome plated finish or a plastic finish When these units fail, is it normally fairly soon after installation, and would it be reasonable to assume if they've lasted say 12 months or more they should be OK after that? The other fool proof tips I learnt is to only make your cuts along the stars that are printed alongside the pipe. That way, when you push your pipe in to each fitting (after you've placed an insert in of course), you know you've pushed it in enough. (See two photos down for the example). ALL ENDS OF YOUR PLASTIC PIPES NEED INSERTS

One thing I've been determined to understand is learning how to install what I consider basic Speedfit plumbing for a sink and a washing machine. Sometimes I've been irrationally overwhelmed when facing a leaky pipe and assumed I've needed to call a plumber. However, still feeling a new girl in town, finding a trustworthy one and without pricey call out fees has sent me in to a panic.Note: It should be noted that these types of fittings should not be used with chrome plated pipes. This is due to the fact that the gripping mechanism or ring inside the fitting is not quite strong enough to bite into the chrome plating and secure the joint. I slotted my pipe in to the cutter, exactly where I wanted to cut it. Once it's in, you can't slide it about to adjust. Then I twisted the cutter in the same direction as the arrow on it (see picture) until it popped off. It actually didn't really leave any or many burrs behind, which may be down to my cutter being new. TIP: Try to twist in a straight line as it can leave a spiral effect, so you may want to practice on some spare. However, fine wire wool can remove it. IS A DEBURRING TOOL ACTUALLY WORTH IT?

The reason these are important is to firstly prevent leaks, but also, when you tighten the fittings, the pipes won't cave in as you've given them an extra wall. This was actually rather fun. How it works though, is that is has convex and concave angled sharp metal to deburr the outer and inside of your pipe. Instead, I found fine wire wool worked so much better. For me, this tool was a waste of money. I WAS AFRAID OF LEAKS Ergonomic handle - AIRAJ pipe Cutter machine handle is ergonomically designed, wrapped in soft rubber, non-slip and wear-resistant, increasing comfort and reducing hand fatigue. SPEEDFIT® is interchangeable with copper so any run that is to be visible can simply be carried on in neat copper plumbing with soldered joints. Here, I show you how I successfully set up my own Speedfit plumbing for the first as part of my utility kitchen build.To fix this, I bought some 15mm pipe clips that screwed to the wall. However, it really matters what you're screwing them to. In this picture, I'm screwing to some chipboard where a door used to be. Note, we haven't just used chipboard here, but for this, predrilling a hole, then screwing to the wall was perfect for this. FOR PLASTERBOARD WALLS The pipe is not as rigid as copper and when the fittings are connected, especially with hot water, the ends of the pipe can become a little compressive. It's important you don't use a mix of speedfit with other types of push fit brands because they're designed to fit the rest of their range. This is important to avoid leaks andI believe the same goes with copper plumbing too. MY SPEEDFIT PLUMBING WORKS! So, that was all the copper pipe I needed. This really was just the transitional piece so I could get started with my speedfit fittings. How many times have you tried to tighten a compression valve, only to find it either still leaks or drips more profusely? Quite a few for me. And it's instances like this that have scared me off plumbing with copper. And with this being in a very awkward spot once our utility cupboards would be fitted, it was vital I did this job right.

The fittings are quite a bit more expensive than copper fittings but again, the labour saving element makes up for that. The image below shows isolating valves in place with copper feeds at one end and plastic running up to service the taps. Simple connections, done in seconds. Standard Fittings: Simply push the collet down squarely until it touches the main body of the fitting. This will release the gripping mechanism and allow you to gently pull the pipe outThe performance specifications are within the guidelines of normal domestic activities and this includes central heating. I then placed my olive around the 15mm pipe (about the size of a blob on the end of a flat head screwriver) and smeared it with my gloved finger. I then placed it in to the compression valve and tightened the fitting. I haven't shown it here, but you'll need a spanner for this and grips to hold the compression valve tight so you don't twist the existing copper behind it. I take the point that it's best not to use them in inaccessible spaces, but I dont see how thats possible as a pipe running vertically inside a wall needs a elbow to bring it out through the plasterboard into the room doesn't it? Disconnecting a fitting is as easy, if not easier, than connecting up. Each of the two types has a slightly different process: However, it was essential that I added copper pipe first in to my compression valve (see the shinier copper below). WHY? Because you can't insert speedfit plumbing plastic pipes in to the compression valves, but you can put plastic fittings on to copper pipe. So I still learned something out of my comfort zone. SPEEDFIT PLUMBING IS A DODDLE - SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO IF PREFERRED