the crimping conundrum

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lakerd

Member
Apr 21, 2018
13
sw pa
naturally as a DIY guy i tried to improvise a crimp on a piece of stove pipe and was having no luck so i decided to spring for the crimping pliers, specifically the malco C5R. but first i had to do my research and started with the rockford chimney supply website since that is where i got my liner kit from. they have a page for the C5R (which they typo as CR5) which they sell and it states capacities for various metals. this metal i am trying to crimp is pretty substantial so i figured i ought to pay attention to this capacity chart. it states Capacity Stainless Steel: .021 in. (0.53 mm.) and i got a feeling the T-snout i am trying to crimp is too thick for it to handle. so i messaged rockford asking what is the thickness of their T-snout but they have had a business day to reply and so far nothing from them. so i went round and round the various charts available on line regarding gauges and thickness and the malco website and am fed up with the whole business of inches vs mm vs gauge and the typos that abound on the internet and would like to ask members of the forum for their experience using the MALCO C5R crimping pliers on the 316L stainless steel forever flex 6" T-snout connector since that is what i am trying to crimp. don't tell me you used it on your gutters and it worked fine, or just muscle it with needle nose pliers. i just want to make an informed decision before i pay $30 for something i'll use once and leave in my will to some bewildered innocent.
 
naturally as a DIY guy i tried to improvise a crimp on a piece of stove pipe and was having no luck so i decided to spring for the crimping pliers, specifically the malco C5R. but first i had to do my research and started with the rockford chimney supply website since that is where i got my liner kit from. they have a page for the C5R (which they typo as CR5) which they sell and it states capacities for various metals. this metal i am trying to crimp is pretty substantial so i figured i ought to pay attention to this capacity chart. it states Capacity Stainless Steel: .021 in. (0.53 mm.) and i got a feeling the T-snout i am trying to crimp is too thick for it to handle. so i messaged rockford asking what is the thickness of their T-snout but they have had a business day to reply and so far nothing from them. so i went round and round the various charts available on line regarding gauges and thickness and the malco website and am fed up with the whole business of inches vs mm vs gauge and the typos that abound on the internet and would like to ask members of the forum for their experience using the MALCO C5R crimping pliers on the 316L stainless steel forever flex 6" T-snout connector since that is what i am trying to crimp. don't tell me you used it on your gutters and it worked fine, or just muscle it with needle nose pliers. i just want to make an informed decision before i pay $30 for something i'll use once and leave in my will to some bewildered innocent.
It will work fine.
 
Too thick for DIY "crimping pliers". They work on plain, thin steel stove pipe.
For SS pipe don't be cheap, get the manufactured pipe pre-crimped, or with the correct connections like Selkirk or ICC.
There is a place for DIY, but not for combustion flues IMHO.
 
Too thick for DIY "crimping pliers". They work on plain, thin steel stove pipe.
For SS pipe don't be cheap, get the manufactured pipe pre-crimped, or with the correct connections like Selkirk or ICC.
There is a place for DIY, but not for combustion flues IMHO.
There is absolutely no problem with crimping the snout with hand crimpers. Many manufacturers tell you to do it in their instructions when necessary. We do it all the time it is the only way to make the pipe run the right direction in many cases.
 
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