esp

Recipes 

Pex is a new kind of plastic water piping system built for new homes. It relies on clamps (which need a special tool) and Pex piping. IIRC the tubing comes in spools and is either 1/2" or 3/4". I was involved in commercial/light industrial plumbing so I've only used it a couple of times helping people out. If it stands up to heat, it would seem to me to be a much simpler solution than either copper or cpvc

Araxi

Recipes 

My manifold is made from pex only because I had some left over from my bathroom reno. It has held up well so far for about 12 brews with it.

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Beware of ANY nation built on religious zealotry.

kkocher13

Recipes 

If soldering the joints for copper was stopping you don't let it. A torch and solder are very inexpensive and sweating joints together is very easy. Plus after your done you a have a new toy to play with. Everybody needs a torch.

jgourd

Recipes 

Plus, you can use it for creme brulee!

esp

Recipes 

Soldering is very easy at the sizes we solder for manifolds (3/8 to 3/4). When you get up to 1.5"+ you need to move to something a bit more powerful than your box store soldering kits.

This is the way I do it:
1. using a sandpaper/emery cloth and wire brush clean all the fittings and pipe ends that will be joined. DO NOT TOUCH CLEANED SURFACES!!! solder doesn't adhere well after oil is on them.
2. Flux all the cleaned ends (1/2 inch from the ends for 1/2 inch fittings..accuracy isn't important, but solder will run where rivers of flux go).
3. unroll a length of solder (I do about 3 to 6 inches) and bend the first two of it in a 90* angle.
4. light the torch and hold it in your non-primary hand. work the flame over the fitting where the solder should go (the cup of the fitting, not the elbow of it).
5. When the flux starts to heat up and drip it is almost time to touch solder to the pipe...experiment to get it just right
6. When the solder melts easily (you'll almost be surprised at how easily it melts) run it around the entire cup of the fitting until it drips out the bottom (BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE SOLDER DRIP ONTO YOU IT WILL BURN!!!)
7. I usually wipe off the dripping solder while it's hot (by flicking the hot solder with the cold solder on the roll. Doing this allows it to sit flat on the bottom of the MLT)
8. Let it cool. After this I usually go over it again with sandpaper or a wire brush to get off all dirt, etc from the outside. Copper with flux with tarnish overnight and I don't like the look of green gunk all over my copper.
9. I use a Dremmel tool with a cutting blade to cut holes in the underside of the manifold.

I'm sure YouTube has videos, too. Don't be afraid of soldering. It's REALLY simple to do. Especially with the manifold, because it doesn't have to be water tight.