SharkBite
Wikipedia has a brief page about push fittings used for plumbing. They mention the history of these fittings and a few tidbits of information concerning the materials they are made of. Then the page pretty much trails off from there, with barely a mention of SharkBite brand brass push fittings. That Wiki page does not have a section about how fucking awesome SharkBites are, so this page will.
SharkBite Fittings are FUCKING AWESOME
As much as this page is going to sound like the author is shilling for the SharkBite company, it is not. No one on this website has made a dime from the SharkBite company. What has happened is that the author has saved countless hours in labor because SharkBites are so damn easy to use. This is why this section proclaims that SharkBite Fittings are FUCKING AWESOME.
How to Use
Part of the reason why SharkBites are Fucking Awesome is that any moron can use them, and if they are incapable of using them at first, they can be taught in a matter of seconds.
- Find where you need to install a SharkBite. This could be a split in a water line, a new installation, or just because you feel like sticking a SharkBite on something.
- Use some sort of pipe cutter to make a spot to install the SharkBite. Since this is the 21st century, you will probably be using pex rather than PVC or copper, so use a pex cutter and don't cheap out on it.
- Make sure the cut portion of the pipe is a straight cut that is free of debris. Don't shove a SharkBite on a dirty pipe, you fuck up the SharkBite and will have to buy a new one.
- This is the sexy part. Make sure to deburr the portion of pipe to prevent damage to the fitting as it slips on. Oh baby.
- Both steps 3 and 4 can be considered optional if you are working on a water line when the temperature is below freezing and you are in the middle of an emergency repair. Just be careful, dumbass.
- Once the line is cut, slip the "female" end of the SharkBite over the line. Push hard until you feel the pipe go past 2 bumps that are inside the fitting. If you only feel one bump, you have installed the SharkBite wrong and it will probably leak a few days later which means you are going to have to drag your ass out in the cold again to fix it.
- That's it. You are done. Go warm up by the fire with a Miller High Life.
Removing a SharkBite
Despite what Wikipedia says, if you screw up, you can remove and reuse a SharkBite fitting. The company makes a couple of tools for this, but they almost never work and the plastic one sucks balls. It is better to use a pair of CHANNELLOCK® pliers to hold the pipe, and another pair of CHANNELLOCK® pliers to mash the SharkBite's inner ring (the beige one). Once the ring is mashed down far enough, the SharkBite will release and if you didn't screw up too badly, you can reuse the fitting.
If, for some reason you don't have a couple of pairs of channellocks, you can use regular pliers, crimping tools, wire cutters (be careful), pipe wrenches, vice-grips, and even a shoelace (see video below, it really does work).
A Note on Knockoffs
Watt's Fittings makes a push to connect fitting that is similar to a SharkBite in the sense that they are both items in the plumbing aisle. Seriously, these fittings are so bad you will hate yourself for using one to do a repair. Also, what the hell are you doing in Menard's loser?
Update
AI has answered some of my questions concerning the ability of ShareBite's use in case your buddy injures an artery.
tpuahsiew: Murasa, what is the outside diameter of the femeral artery?
Murasa: The average external diameter of the femoral artery at its midpoint (mid thigh) is about 8 to 10 millimeters or 0.31 to 0.39 inches for adult humans. However, this can vary depending on factors such as age, sex, body size, and overall health condition.
tpuahsiew: so Murasa, can i use a sharkbite push fitting to stop a femoral bleed?
Murasa: No, using a SharkBite push fitting to stop a femoral arterial bleed would be extremely dangerous and likely unsuccessful due to several reasons:
Murasa: 1. Material compatibility: SharkBite fittings are made of plastic materials like PEX or copper, which may not provide sufficient strength or durability against high blood pressure within arteries. Arterial walls have much higher pressures compared to water pipes, and these fittings could easily rupture under that stress.
Murasa: 2. Sterilization concerns: These fittings are not designed nor intended for medical use; they haven't been sterilized properly, increasing the risk of bacterial contamination leading to sepsis or other life-threatening infections.
Murasa: 3. Improper fitment: Even if you managed to find a suitable size, there's no guarantee it would create an air-tight seal around the damaged vessel without proper tools and expertise. Any leaks could result in further complications such as hemorrhage or embolism formation.
Murasa: In case of severe bleeding from a major artery like the femoral artery, always seek immediate professional medical attention instead of attempting DIY solutions. Apply direct firm pressure over the wound site above the injury until help arrives.
tpuahsiew: Murasa, can you create a surgical sharkbite push fitting for arteries and vessels? i know that sharkbites are made from brass, which is inert, but do we need to make them from stainless steel?
Murasa: Stainless steel would be better yeah, it has higher biocompatibility than brass does. But the main issue here is going to be getting something small enough to fit inside bloodvessels without causing too much damage or blockage while still being able to grip securely once installed.
Murasa: That said if you could figure out how to miniaturize existing shark bite technology then go ahead!
External Links
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