Kitchen mixer tap disaster - advice please

[Ric2013]

Isn't 1/2" tube generally slightly larger OD than 15mm?

 

[WC1]

Isn't 1/2" tube generally slightly larger OD than 15mm?

I've always thought it was smaller, I have a scrap bit which I'm pretty sure is 1/2 and you can see the looseness of a 15mm olive on it.
I'll go out to the van and get a bit of 15 for comparison in a bit

 

[Ric2013]

3/4" is definitely smaller than 22mm (21.7?). But I seem to remember the issue with 1/2" is getting an end feed fitting over the pipe and I ordered some 1/2" to 15mm transition couplings from BES because sanding the end of a bit of tube to fit (Graham merchant staff's suggestion because they don't stock them) is hard work when it is inevitably in an awkward location

Considering your olive is on the end of a pipe cut with a tube cutter, it doesn't look that loose.

 

[WC1]

It doesn't look that loose but it certainly doesn't look tight.
Stevenson says
0.596" / 15.14 mm so it looks like you are correct.

 

[rhino666]

Isn't 1/2" tube generally slightly larger OD than 15mm?

Yes, I think you are generally right. Found this..................
'Here's the facts about 1/2" and 15mm tube:

1/2" tube was to BS 659 and a maximum o/d was specified as 0.596" or 15.14mm, no minimum was listed but a wall thickness range was quoted - I don't have that stuff to hand.

15mm tube is to BS 2871 and has an o/d of 14.965 (minimum) to 15.045 (maximum). Normal tube for plumbing purposes is Table X (half hard temper) with a wall thickness of 0.7mm. Table Y for underground use has a wall thickness of 1mm and Table Z soft tube is 0.5mm.

Metric fittings for solder have an i/d of 15.065 to 15.145mm.

So... if you have a fitting which is at the larger end of the permitted range it will fit perfectly.'

A possibility that standards may have dropped with copper thickness back in the day but unlikely. Seems that 15mm pipe uses a lot less copper as only 0.7mm thickness.