Water pump pliers are tools created for the purpose of gripping pipes and come in various designs referred to as arc joint pliers and Channel Lock Pliers and often just referred to as pumps. The jaws on water pump pliers are angled to the handle length to make it easier to reach into awkward spaces and joists. 

It is not just plumbers who use water pump pliers, as they have a wide array of different applications. They are multi-functional products used for rotating and bearing nuts and bolts, locking parts and grasping non-uniform objects. 

Water pump pliers come with serrated jaws that have a curved shape and can be adjusted to grasp objects of various sizes in the same manner as slip-joint pliers. 

Arc-joint models come with a pivot point that also shifts in a manner akin to slip-joint pliers. Still, others may feature a series of grooves that enable the positioning of the jaws at various openings while keeping the jaws still parallel to each other. The channel design varieties provide a better grasp of the pipe and other objects, with the jaws able to be set in no less than seven separate positions on many different plumber pipe varieties. 

Sizes of water pump pliers

There are various sizes of water pump pliers that range from four to sixteen inches in length, with the mid-range models generally being the most useful. The handles on all water pump pliers models are of a length that is in proportion to the tool length to offer maximum leverage. 

125mm water pump pliers are pocket-sized tools that can be carried every day, while 150mm and 180mm water pump pliers offer greater leverage and capability for tasks that have to be carried out in difficult positions and spaces. 

The most popular size of water pump pliers with tradesmen is the 250mm pliers. This is not surprising as they are an excellent tool for domestic jobs and general maintenance. 

Larger pliers, such as the 300mm and 400mm pliers, tend to be used mostly in more industrial settings. For example, the 400mm Cobra XL pliers will be capable of gripping a two-inch pipe fitting while weighing around half the weight of a two-inch pipe wrench, which also has a much lower gripping capacity. 

Water pump pliers are manufactured from steel, and the most comfortable to use are those that have handles that are sheathed in plastic. 

Use

It is simple to use water pump pliers. The beak of the pliers has to be attached to the bar and then slightly tightened to remove the need to keep holding the handle. The lower jaw can be set in different positions just by having a tracking segment slid under the top jaw in order to establish a wide array of jaw openings. After the adjustment has been made, putting pressure on the upper handle will be enough for the pliers to bite into the workpiece and result in a safe grip.

Choosing the right size of water pump pliers from RS is imperative to get the job done correctly.