Pipe trades joint training committee, Inc Pipe, Fittings, Valves, Supports, and Fasteners

Why this reference earned a spot in my kit

I keep a small stack of trusted references in my gang box, and this guide has been in regular rotation for both jobsite checks and classroom sessions. It’s not flashy and it doesn’t try to be a code book. Instead, it gives working plumbers and pipefitters a clean, organized way to confirm the details that matter: what a component is, what it’s made of, how it’s used, and what to watch for when installing it. On one recent shift change, I used it to verify a flange class and bolt selection on a steam branch; ten minutes with the tables and diagrams prevented an expensive mismatch.

What it covers

The coverage spans the core building blocks of a piping system: pipe, fittings, valves, supports, and fasteners. The pipe section lays out common materials (from plastics and copper to carbon and stainless steel), nominal pipe sizes, schedules, and typical pressure/temperature considerations. It also helps you sort out end connections—threaded, socket weld, butt weld, flanged, and grooved—so you’re matching like with like.

Fittings get the treatment they deserve. Elbows, tees, reducers, caps, and specialty pieces are presented with the names, end types, and typical use cases. The definitions are concise, and the illustrations are clear enough that an apprentice can quickly see the difference between, say, a concentric and eccentric reducer or a street ell versus a regular elbow.

The valve section is where this manual pulls its weight on selection. Gate, globe, ball, butterfly, and check valves are covered alongside key variables: shutoff versus throttling, flow direction, body and trim materials, seat types, and actuation. It doesn’t try to be a catalog; instead, it shows how to choose a valve that fits the media, pressure, and service you’re dealing with.

Supports and restraints get practical attention, too. There are standard hanger types, U-bolts, clamps, trapezes, spring supports, anchors, and guides, along with the concepts that make them work: spacing, load paths, thermal movement, and vibration. The fasteners chapter rounds out the system by explaining bolt types, thread forms, coatings, and the basics of torque and tightening sequences for flanges and equipment.

Throughout, selection and installation criteria are presented as straightforward reminders—compatibility, pressure class alignment, temperature limits, corrosion concerns, and sealing methods—so you can work out the decision tree quickly.

Usability and organization

What makes this guide effective is the structure. It’s arranged the way a foreperson tends to think: component first, then materials and end types, followed by selection notes and installation cautions. Tables and diagrams are where you expect them, and the terminology is consistent. I can hand it to a first-year and say, “Look up hanger spacing for copper,” and they’ll find the right chart without a scavenger hunt.

Illustrations are functional rather than artistic—line drawings with labels, exploded views where needed, and simple schematics showing flow direction or component orientation. They’re not there to impress; they’re there to clarify. The index is serviceable, and cross-references between sections help when a question straddles topics (for example, when a valve end connection dictates the gasket type at a flange).

It’s also a good teaching companion. I’ve used it to structure toolbox talks on topics like threaded joint makeup, flange torque patterns, and selection of isolation valves for mixed-metal systems. In that role, the guide gives just enough depth to anchor a discussion without bogging down in theory.

How it performs in the field

Three examples from recent months stand out:

• Matching valve to service: On a chilled water retrofit, we needed quarter-turn shutoff without introducing high pressure drop at partial open. The valve section’s quick comparison of valve types, seat materials, and throttling characteristics prompted the crew to choose a full-port ball valve for shutoff only and a globe valve where throttling was actually required. That saved a return trip after an initial misselection.

• Hangers and movement: A long run of copper in a mechanical room was binding at anchors after startup. The supports section walks through basic anchor/guide placement and the need to accommodate thermal movement. Using the spacing chart and the overview on guides, we revised the layout with a true anchor and properly spaced guides, adding a spring hanger near the elbow to reduce stress. The next startup was quiet.

• Fasteners and flanges: We had a mixed bag of bolts on a 150-class flange pair—some zinc-plated, some plain carbon steel. The fasteners chapter’s discussion of coating compatibility and tightening sequences was enough to prompt a quick reset: uniform bolt selection, appropriate washers, and a star-pattern torque in stages. The joint sealed on the first pressurization.

None of these are exotic problems, and that’s the point. The manual helps on the everyday decisions where mistakes cause leaks, noise, or call-backs.

Depth and accuracy

This is a practical reference, not an engineering text. It aligns well with the standards and practices most tradespeople use day to day. The pipe sizing and schedule information is consistent with common charts, flange classes are explained in a way that tracks with manufacturer data, and the valve summaries reflect real-world performance rather than marketing claims. I appreciate that it calls out end-connection compatibility and sealing methods—places where inexperienced hands often stumble.

Where it intentionally stops short is heavy calculation or code interpretation. You won’t find detailed stress analyses, exhaustive metallurgy, or a tour through every clause of plumbing and mechanical codes. For most trade work, that’s a reasonable boundary. When I needed a deeper dive into thermal expansion allowances for a specialty alloy system, I reached for a design manual, not this book.

Where it falls short

A couple of limitations are worth noting. First, some content reflects the time of publication. Press-connect systems, newer polymer offerings, and updated references to industry standards have evolved in recent years. The fundamentals here still hold, but I’d like to see more coverage of modern press fittings, grooved coupling nuances, and mixed-metal corrosion mitigation as seen in current products.

Second, the treatment of niche applications—sanitary/hygienic tubing, high-purity gas piping, HDPE fusion, or FRP—remains thin. That’s understandable for a general guide, but if your work leans into those areas, you’ll need specialized resources.

Finally, I wish there were a searchable digital version. On a phone or tablet, being able to jump directly to a term would be a genuine time-saver during submittal reviews or punchlist walks.

Who will get the most value

• Apprentices and new journeypersons will benefit from clear definitions, illustrations, and selection criteria that reinforce classroom learning and field observation.

• Working plumbers and fitters will appreciate the quick-reference tables and the reminders that keep small mistakes from becoming big ones.

• Field supervisors and estimators can use it to sanity-check scopes, shop drawings, or submittals without pulling a stack of catalogs.

Engineers and designers may find it handy as a common-language bridge to the field, though they’ll still rely on design codes and manufacturer data for detailed work.

Bottom line

I recommend this guide for anyone in the piping trades who wants a reliable, plain-spoken reference for daily decision-making. It covers the components we touch every day, organizes the essentials in a way that’s easy to navigate, and offers just enough selection and installation guidance to improve outcomes without slowing you down. It’s not a replacement for codes, and it won’t answer every specialized question, but as a backbone resource for pipe, fittings, valves, supports, and fasteners, it earns its place on the shelf and in the gang box.