Totally agree, renting first makes sense. I borrowed one for a bathroom remodel—super helpful for lining up tiles, but honestly felt like overkill for basic plumbing. Guess it really depends on the complexity of your setup...
I felt the same way about borrowing tools. When I did my boiler plumbing last year, I rented one of those fancy pipe threaders, thinking it'd speed things up. Honestly, it ended up being more hassle than help—spent half the time figuring out how to set it up right. For simpler plumbing, basic hand tools usually get the job done just fine, but if you're dealing with tricky angles or lots of custom fittings, renting specialized gear can be a lifesaver.
Totally get what you're saying about the pipe threader—those things look great on paper, but setup can be a headache. A couple thoughts from my experience:
- For basic boiler jobs, simpler is usually better. Fancy gear can slow you down if you're not used to it.
- Specialized tools shine when you're stuck with tight spaces or weird angles. Saved me big-time once when I had to reroute pipes through an awkward crawlspace...
- If you do rent, spend a few minutes watching setup vids beforehand—it helps avoid the "why-isn't-this-working" frustration mid-job.
Glad you got it sorted though!
Haha, totally relate to the "why-isn't-this-working" moment mid-job... been there more times than I'd like to admit. Agree simpler tools are usually better, but gotta say, sometimes that fancy gear is worth the headache once you get past the learning curve. I rented a pipe threader once—thought it'd save me time—ended up spending half the day figuring it out. Lesson learned: YouTube tutorials BEFORE coffee break, not after.
"Lesson learned: YouTube tutorials BEFORE coffee break, not after."
Haha, that's solid advice. I've definitely had my share of frustrating moments with rented equipment—thought I'd save money by DIY-ing a tile cutter once, ended up wasting half the tiles figuring it out. Still, you're right about the fancy gear sometimes paying off once you get past the initial headache. Good on you for sticking with it and sorting out your boiler plumbing... patience pays off in the end.
