This post is sponsored by The Home Depot. It all goes back to when the first Jones family decided to install indoor plumbing, and the rest of us just had to keep up with the Joneses. Since then, there have been plumbing issues ranging from clogged drains, to leaks resulting in second floor bathtubs suddenly ending up on the first floor. Home Depot recently sent us the Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set with Carrying Case. That kit, along with some DIY moxie, and you might be able to tackle the vast majority of your plumbing repair needs. When we add in the Husky Soft Cap Gel Knee Pads, Husky 2-1/8 in. Quick-Release Tube Cutter, and the Husky Wood Handle Sporting Knife, well now we are ready crawl through a full day of plumbing work.
Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set
The Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set comes in a durable, compact case that actually locks the tools into place. You don’t have to worry about the tools falling out when you open the case, assuming you click them securely into place.
• Husky 1-1/4 in. Quick-Change Ratcheting Cutter and replacement blades for cutting PVC, CPVC, PP, PEX, PE pipe up to 3.5 inch outer diameter
• Husky 7 in. Folding PVC Pipe Saw is ideal for cutting PVC, CPVC, PP, PE pipe
• 10 in. Soft Jaw Slip Joint Pliers fit most popular basin nuts and toilet spuds
• 4-way sillcock key opens and closes sillcock valves and spigots
• Husky Double-Ended Tub Drain Wrench installs and removes most tub, shower drains and closet spuds
• Husky 11 in. Basin Wrench with 1-1/4 in. capacity is made of heavy-duty steel and has a reversible head for working in tight spaces
• Comes with protective blow mold case
• Lifetime warranty with no questions, no receipt required
The following three items are not part of the seven piece kit, but were also sent to us and are featured in this article:
Plumbing Vocabulary and Spelling Test
Depending upon the region you live in, my name is pronounced ‘Bob’ in Pennsylvania or ‘Bab’ in Massachusetts or more of a ‘Bub’ in parts of Illinois and Minnesota. A lot of people will ask you to go turn on the ‘spicket’ to get water to the hose but it is actually a spigot. Spell check will turn ‘spicket’ into ‘picket’ and leave you wondering how in the world you are supposed to get water out of your wooden fence. I call it dialect but Miriam-Webster calls me wrong.
The sillcock valve is another learning opportunity for the novice plumber. A sillcock, or hose bibb, refers to an outdoor spigot that you find coming out of the side/foundation of your house. Not all sillcocks are frost free sillcocks but the Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set includes a 4-way sillcock key will help to open and close various spigots and valve stems.
Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set Tub Drain Wrench
Drains are just like batteries, they work just fine until they don’t. Formerly fast-draining drains will slowly show signs of slower water drainage, but the tell-tale sign of trouble is when they stop draining altogether. What would a guy who shaves his head know about unclogging tub drains you ask? It turns out my daughter has long hair.
The tub drain wrench included in the Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set is worth its weight in gold when it’s necessary to remove your tub drain for re-sealing or replacement. Normally, if you are clearing a clogged tub drain, you would remove the overflow cover (usually about a foot above the drain), and then use a drain snake to clear the blockage. However if the blockage is directly under the drain and before your trap, sometimes accessing it from the drain itself is necessary. In those cases, or when you’re simply replacing the tub drain altogether, then the drain wrench is just what you need.
Aside from the graphic nature of these next pics, this is a very straight forward process with the Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set.
I have not found those plastic screens to be helpful in catching hair in the tub. By using a non-hardening sealer such as Hercules Block or Megaloc, the tub drain can be removed without issue. Wipe off the old and reapply more sealer and you are ready to thread it right back in. Or, simply do the same with the new drain you are installing.
Plumbing Involves Cutting
The Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set includes two great cutting tools: the Husky 1-1/4 in. Quick-Change Ratcheting PVC Cutter and the Husky 7 in. Folding PVC Pipe Saw. These are sharp and effective tools that will save you time cutting pieces at your bench or down under the sink/crawl space.
The Husky Wood Handle Sporting Knife, not included in the Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set, came in very handy when taking the burrs off of the pipe I was cutting under the crawl space. The clip held it securely in my pants pocket as I was crawling in and out of the opening, over the duct work, and around on the ground.
The Husky 2-1/8 in. Quick-Release Tube Cutter is an absolute dream to use. Not only does the quick-release system save you minutes that seem like hours when opening and closing the cutter, it has an integrated deburring tool and second blade inside the handle. This cutter has the leverage to make quick work of any PVC, CPVC, PP, PE pipe up to 2 1/8 inches. While the Husky 2-1/8 in. Quick-Release Tube Cutter is a great addition to your plumbing tool kit, when you are working under a sink with multiple pipes and drains in a very confined space, this larger size tube cutter may not spin 360 degrees around the pipes. In this situation you will need to use a smaller version of the Husky tube cutter.
The Softer, Gentler Side of the Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set
Along with the right power and grip, the Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set provides some much needed finesse with the 10 in. Soft Jaw Slip Joint Pliers. There are times when you are needing to grip copper lines, brass fittings, or faucet handles that you don’t want to damage or leave marks on. The 10 in. Soft Jaw Slip Joint Pliers have clearly labeled and easily removed rubber covers that allow you to grip without marking.
The Husky Soft Cap Gel Knee Pads are the ergonomic equivalent of the soft jaw rubber covers. I have used many different types of knee pads in the past and, as my jeans can testify, I didn’t think too highly of any of them. The rubber straps would bind and pinch the back of my legs. The holes in the straps would be too loose or cut off the circulation to my feet. Some were nearly as hard as the cement that I was crawling around on, so what did it matter if I had them on or not?
The Husky Soft Cap Gel Knee Pads are one size fits all and allowed my legs to move freely and comfortably. In fact, they were so comfortable that I forgot that I was wearing them. I walked in the house and our 9 year old son told me that I looked like those police with all of the equipment on. He thought I looked really cool, but he will eventually learn how uncool I am. I was impressed with how comfortable the Husky Soft Cap Gel Knee Pads were to wear all day long.
The Yoga of Plumbing – The Husky Basin Wrench
The Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set is a compact set for a wide variety of plumbing projects. It travels well in your truck, under crawl spaces, or to a third floor bathroom sink. The Husky 11 in. Basin Wrench is an example of the right tool for a tight job. If you have the luxury of assembling the sink faucet and drain in an open space, by all means do. Use an adjustable wrench, slip joint pliers or whatever you need to install or remove parts. But if you are changing out a faucet in a sink that you really don’t want to remove, then you are going to need to use the included 11 in. basin wrench.
Lefty loosy, Righty tighty is one of our nuts and bolts basics. When you are on your back, under a sink, in a dark space, with pipes in your face and strange pieces of debris falling on your face (use eye protection). . .well then, making sure you have the reversible basin wrench in the correct position may be more of a task. Both the head and the handle are adjustable to assist with making partial turns.
Putting the Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set to the Test
I was able to use the Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set as well as the Husky Soft Cap Gel Knee Pads, Husky 2-1/8 in. Quick-Release Tube Cutter and the Husky Wood Handle Sporting Knife to remove an awkward angle in a kitchen drain. While I was under the kitchen I was also able to install some hanger wire to take the pressure off of the pipes that were under the sink.
The Husky Plumber’s Bundle
You can add other specialized tools as your projects and needs grow, but this handy kit covers many common plumbing tasks. The Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set is a solid investment that will travel and serve you well.
The Husky 7-Piece Plumbers Tool Set is a great kit at a great price at $49.98:
The Husky Soft Cap Gel Knee Pads will set you back around $26 for the pair:
The Husky 2-1/8″ Quick Release Tube Cutter runs around $24:
And the Husky Wood Handle Sporting Knife is a handy and very affordable blade at around $7:
I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with Home Fixated in sponsored content. As a part of the sponsorship, Home Fixated is receiving compensation for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are our own words. This post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.