Let’s say you’re working on some kind of device or component that receives, outputs, or transfers a fluid, such as water or coolant. This could be in an automotive system, a piece of machinery, liquid-cooled equipment, or any other part that has flexible tubing or hoses connected to it.
There are a couple of things you could do.
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You could disconnect the hoses and work quickly, hoping that very little liquid spills out all over the place. Or, you could grab pinch-off pliers and clamp the tubing shut so that you can disconnect them without having to deal with a lot of spillage.
Pinch-off pliers shut off the flow through flexible tubing so that you can remove or work on attached components.
Sometimes you will see these called hose pinch pliers.
When designing and building air or water loops for small projects that involve flexible tubing, I will usually incorporate shut-off quick disconnect valves around components that I know will be removed and reinstalled regularly. Even so, I find myself using pinch-off pliers when other components need maintenance or replacing.
Pinch-off pliers can be used on a wide range of flexible tubing, such as vacuum lines, fuel lines, and coolant lines. The larger the tool, the larger the maximum diameter of tubing it can securely pinch closed.
Plastic pinch-off tools are available, but parallel-jawed pliers, such as the SK Hand Tools version shown above, are often a better buy. The jaws swivel, and so you create a parallel pinching force every time.
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The kind I use look like the SK version, but under Craftsman and KD Tools branding. A lot of other brands – especially those that manufacture tools for automotive and aerospace industries – offer similar tools.
You can sometimes get away with using other types of tools to pinch off tubing, but unless the jaws are parallel, wide, and smooth like these pliers, you run the risk of damaging and even compromising the tubing.
The Craftsman and KD pinch-off pliers that I use can be hard to open, but I don’t really see that as a downside. After all, if they require a little muscle to open, that means there’s less risk that the pliers will release unintentionally on their own.
These pliers can be used anywhere along a length of tubing to shut off flow at that point, but I generally try to avoid using them right on top of where tubing or a hose is attached to a fitting.
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Daniel
I’ve used a small pair of Craftsman ones that look exactly like these for years. I like them a lot & they always have worked well on smaller hoses. I will say though, on thicker hoses (such as fuel lines) I typically will use a different style of hose clamps….specifically OTC 4506 Fuel Line Clamps….they work extremely well, and unlike the similar looking clamps that Lisle sells (#22850 — PLASTIC!!), the OTC version is metal.
typhoon
I have the Craftsman variant (#47051), and it’s definitely come in handy several times. So much so, actually, that I’ve been tempted to buy the set of three sizes (#47218) they offer on the web site.
KL
I’ve got the set of 3 red plastic ones, they work well enough for every automotive cooling hose I’ve ever used them on. Not as versatile as what’s shown here, but affordable & effective enough.
Brian Buehler
I’ve thought these looked handy for a long time but have been afraid of damaging the hose/tubing. Am I just being over cautious?
Stuart
There’s no such thing as being over-cautious.
These *can* damage delicate tubing, but they often don’t. The edges are rounded, and so there shouldn’t be lasting marks or any lingering evidence of where a hose was clamped. If there is, make sure not to clamp the hose in the same area the next time around, assuming there are other areas the clamp can be placed.
I have only ever used these clamps on thicker-walled tubing.
If there’s a question as to whether the clamps can be safely used on tubing or hose, it’s best to seek professional/expert opinion, or a product’s manufacturer.
fred
Stride Tools (Imperial and Milbar) also make similar tools and pinch-off tools for soft copper A/C tubing plus some other variants like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Milbar-Stride-Tool-Clamp-660650/dp/tech-data/B00230GBZS