Plumbing Tools

Plumbing Tools

Plumbing tools are the hand tools every plumber, maintenance crew, and serious DIY user needs to keep on hand — pipe wrenches for gripping pipe, basin wrenches for tap connections, pipe cutters for clean square cuts, threading kits for cutting pipe threads on site. AIMS Industrial stocks plumbing hand tools for trade and industrial customers across Australia.

The categories within plumbing tools

• Pipe wrenches (Stillsons) — adjustable jaw wrenches for gripping pipe; available in sizes from 8 inch to 48 inch and beyond
• Basin wrenches (tap wrenches) — for tightening tap connections behind sinks and basins where standard wrenches won't fit
• Pipe cutters — wheel-type cutters for clean square cuts through copper, plastic, and steel pipe
• Adjustable wrenches (shifters) — general-purpose adjustable for fittings and unions
• Tube benders — manual benders for forming neat bends in copper tube
• Pipe threading kits (manual) — die stocks and dies for cutting threads on smaller pipe sizes
• Drain plungers, augers, and snakes — for clearing blockages without powered equipment
• Inspection mirrors and lights — for inspecting pipe runs, behind fittings, and inside cabinets

Pipe wrench sizing

Pipe wrench size is the overall tool length, which corresponds to the pipe size it can grip and the leverage it provides. As a rough guide: 8-10 inch wrench for 1/4 to 1/2 inch pipe; 14 inch for 3/4 to 1 inch; 18 inch for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inch; 24 inch for 2 inch pipe and larger. Most working plumbers carry a 14 inch and 18 inch as everyday tools, with smaller and larger sizes added as work demands.

Basin wrenches — the right tool for the job

Basin wrenches have a long handle and a swivelling head that grips a tap nut behind a sink or basin where a standard wrench can't fit. They're the difference between a tap connection that takes five minutes and one that takes an hour with damaged knuckles. Every plumber's kit should include at least one basin wrench; serious plumbing work warrants two (different sizes).

Pipe cutters versus saws

Pipe cutters produce cleaner, squarer cuts than saws — the wheel cuts as it rotates around the pipe, leaving a clean edge with minimal burr. They're the right tool for copper, plastic, and stainless pipe up to about 50mm diameter. For larger pipes or steel pipe, hacksaws or powered cutters are usually the better choice. Pipe cutter wheels wear and need replacement — keep spares on hand.

Brands stocked at AIMS

Bahco covers a broad range of trade-grade plumbing tools — pipe wrenches, basin wrenches, adjustable wrenches, and pipe cutters. The Bahco range is widely used by Australian plumbers because the build quality holds up to daily use, replacement parts are available, and the sizing covers what working plumbers actually need. For specific items not in standing stock, contact our team for sourcing.

Companion ranges

Plumbing hand tools sit alongside our plumbing power tools, pipe sealants, pipes/tubes/fittings, and pipe threading systems ranges — together covering the trade plumber's bench and toolbox needs. For complete plumbing kits or fitout pricing, contact our team.