who makes footprints now

[Billy Bob Bob]

did not know they had gone bust even but just seen this
Archived Report - Footprint Tools, Admiral Works, Sheffield.

 

[Nostrum]

Just realised not the same as tamz has shown in the pictures though, you hammer it in and it forms a socket. Always known it as a swage but maybe it is something else?

 

[tamz]

Looks like a lot of work Tam,were these fittings standard practice before the advent of compression? how do you rate these against the newer fittings.

You can do them very quickly. Only takes a few seconds. The joints are stronger than a compression ring as it cant pull off. The old PDM fittings were the best of the drifted ones. I'll have a look later to see if i have any lying in the scrap pile.
Type B manipulative joints are still supposed to be used on any pipework underground.

 

[Guest123]

Those adjustable scribe cutters were bloody dangerous and only a wee grub screw held the arm in place on mine. When used in a electric drill, they spun like a possessed propeller.

Still got my bobbins and mandrels and all the old sheetlead and copper working tools. Better staying in the toolbox, no way do I want to run about a roof on a cold Scottish Winters morning any more.

 

[peteheat]

Tamz,

Still used in the refrigeration industry, also recommended by OFTEC for oil lines.

 

[nicro3]

Had a van broken into 15 years ago had footprints nicked. Not missed them

 

[Gray0689]

Use footprints almost every day got 4 sets

 

[nicro3]

Also f shifters never missed them

 

[Gray0689]

What's an f shifter

 

[nicro3]

An ajustable spanner

 

[nicro3]

Supplied in the old days in a plumbers tool kit.

 

[Gray0689]

F shifter
Ok just a shifter to me
And I hate the look of pump kind of things I don't own ant pump pliers

 

[Leo21]

I've got two sets of footprints, never use em. Crescent pump pliers every time. We used the swage things at tech. My old man had one of those cutters your on about, lethal. Anyone remember the gp saws plumbers used?

 

[nicro3]

F shifter
Ok just a shifter to me
And I hate the look of pump kind of things I don't own ant pump pliers

And I thought I been drinking

 

[Kimou]

The footprints are the only thing I use on plastic nuts as they don't mark them.
I see the manipulative B fittings on steam generators in dry cleaners. They're a good design. They'd be useful on outside taps to some extent in cold weather when pipes pop out the compression.

 

[Kimou]

The swaged joint was outlawed but I think they're allowed again. Strange, as the joint is apparently stronger than the copper itself, or so I'm led to believe.