Favorite Air Connector Style?

scottg1952 · Oct 16, 2009

Like an idiot I lugged home a toy air compressor from the dump today. It was pretty easy to figure out what went wrong with it and why it ended up in the dump. It works as good as it ever did now. Its one of those 3 gallon, 6 pound, things that might run a nailer??.... Maybe. Possible airbrush use?? A fraction of a single cfm @90 pounds.
Its the same one you see being sold under about 122 different brands.
The only drawback was the previous owner had pulled off the quick connect fittings. Probably the wrong style for me anyway.
It made me wonder..........................

So, what is everyones favorite air hose connector style? And why??
I went with the mechanic style long ago. I don't even now why I did.
Now I keep finding industrial style fittings in all the second hand places.
I have a small sack of industrial fittings I would gladly swap for the same of
mechanic fittings.

Or maybe I should just give in and go to industrial fittings? I think I have almost enough industrial style to switch over.
yours Scott

krusty the clown · Oct 16, 2009

by far the most popular is the milton style, most shops i have worked at use them but i also have a set of lincoln and aro fittings for my air tools for when i change jobs.

Steve from Socal · Oct 16, 2009

I use the Milton/industrial interchange fittings, they seem to be the most robust. They are also the most common and often the least expensive. Horrible Fright sell Milton couplers at very good prices.

Steve

d33pt · Oct 16, 2009

i've been buying the HF brass ones, but they keep leaking. thinking of getting something better.

mikeyr · Oct 16, 2009

Milton T The HF ones leak BADLY but Milton's don't, I use the T style because its what was popular when I started out 35 years ago, nowdays its another style but I have too much invested to change now.

bluesman2a · Oct 16, 2009

Miltion M Series (Industrial).
I just replumbed the shop, and used them cause they don't leak.

Ezzie · Oct 16, 2009

ARO or Milton "A" style. This is what I first started using 35 yrs. ago so have stuck with it.

srmofo · Oct 16, 2009

I use the industrial style.....cause thats whats always been at every shop Ive worked at

HF couplers ****

djd99 · Oct 16, 2009

I've used Milton for years as there a high quality quick connect, Don't buy from HF as there junk.

Industrial Concepts · Oct 16, 2009

scottg1952 said:
Like an idiot I lugged home a toy air compressor from the dump today. It was pretty easy to figure out what went wrong with it and why it ended up in the dump. It works as good as it ever did now. Its one of those 3 gallon, 6 pound, things that might run a nailer??.... Maybe. Possible airbrush use?? A fraction of a single cfm @90 pounds.
Its the same one you see being sold under about 122 different brands.
The only drawback was the previous owner had pulled off the quick connect fittings. Probably the wrong style for me anyway.
It made me wonder..........................

So, what is everyones favorite air hose connector style? And why??
I went with the mechanic style long ago. I don't even now why I did.
Now I keep finding industrial style fittings in all the second hand places.
I have a small sack of industrial fittings I would gladly swap for the same of
mechanic fittings.
Or maybe I should just give in and go to industrial fittings? I think I have almost enough industrial style to switch over.
yours Scott

Milton & some of the others are having their couplers & ******* made in China. The problem is that the metal is softer & the dimensions are not consistant. I like the Prevost couplers & niplles (plugs). I use their Hi-flow for most of my needs, 3/8in hole with a 1/4 in body.

Charles (in GA) · Oct 16, 2009

Four major types of air couplers. Probably the most popular is A (see the attachment) and is commonly called an industrial interchange.

B is the long nose Lincoln, a few people may still use it, not sure why.

C is the auto or mechanics coupling, sometimes known as a Parker Truflate ******.

D is the Aro or short Lincoln type. Note the longer snout on it than the industrial type and the lock groove is not symmetrical top to bottom.

There are universal couplers that handle the A B and D types. Home Depot sells them, NAPA has them, a few others.

I use the industrial interchange type at work, so that is what I use at home. I used to use the Aro type and still have some of those ******* on air tools, so I use the universal couplers.

Charles

Kevin54 · Oct 16, 2009

Prevost FTW!!!

Bfoughty · Oct 16, 2009

Due to having some HF male couplings in the Industrial interchange style and some Milton I got tired of trying to match up the female with the males. I went with the Universal female and no more problems. A little more expensive then regular females but worth the time saved.

travisd · Oct 16, 2009

I've had a couple of what I'm sure were the brass HF males break on me. Lota of fun when the hose just suddenly disconnects from the tool and goes whipping around the floor...

Torque1st · Oct 16, 2009

I use the A style but I have adapters for the long Lincoln B style because the neighbor used it and we exchanged tools at times or used them in each other's shops.

I have had no problems with the HF parts but I try to stay away from the brass ******* because they are easily damaged. The only one I use is on my inline lubricator which is always stored coupled up into a loop.

Joe69 · Oct 16, 2009

I have used the Milton style with good luck. I currently use the ARO style because that's what we use at work. They are as good, and I can bring tools home from work and plug and play.

Joe

ZRX61 · Oct 16, 2009

Charles (in GA) said:
Four major types of air couplers. Probably the most popular is A (see the attachment) and is commonly called an industrial interchange.

B is the long nose Lincoln, a few people may still use it, not sure why.

C is the auto or mechanics coupling, sometimes known as a Parker Truflate ******.

D is the Aro or short Lincoln type. Note the longer snout on it than the industrial type and the lock groove is not symmetrical top to bottom.

There are universal couplers that handle the A B and D types. Home Depot sells them, NAPA has them, a few others.

I use the industrial interchange type at work, so that is what I use at home. I used to use the Aro type and still have some of those ******* on air tools, so I use the universal couplers.

Charles

I use the one you have listed as C, but they are refered to as T type for some reason. & I have a few adaptors to use the A version couplings with my tools or airlines.

speed bump · Oct 16, 2009

I run the industrial ones on everything.

Elroy · Oct 16, 2009

Elroy would also point out that the industrial interchange style are also available in different body sizes.

gravygrabber · Oct 17, 2009

That "C" style is the style I've used in every shop I've worked in. I actually was trying to find a ****** earlier tonight at the auto stores to fit my spray gun and that "C" style was called a "T" style for some reason on the package and the other longer style "M".
In the end I had to plumb my hose directly to my spray gun without a coupler because nobody had the style I needed.

fordcragar · Oct 17, 2009

d33pt said:
i've been buying the HF brass ones, but they keep leaking. thinking of getting something better.

What I've noticed about some of the HF brass fittings, is that there is a ring near the end of the fitting that is smaller/thinner on some of the HF fittings. If you have a Milton fitting and then compare all of your HF fittings, you'll see what I mean. Just make sure you get the thicker fittings and they will work better. Where I've seen this the most is with the fittings with the male end, the female ends didn't seem to have this problem.

babzog · Oct 17, 2009

I just buy whatever's in Home Depot, Walmart or Canadian Tire (Walmat is usually the cheapest). I have a mix of 1/4" T and IM fittings. I picked up the universal female fitting from HD for the compressor and hose ends which works for the T's and IM's but it doesn't accept that fitting show earlier with the really long extension (not that I care as I don't use them).

ZRX61 · Oct 17, 2009

ok, just to stop the confusion....
http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/air-couplers-c-809.aspx

A = M style
B = L style
C = T style
D = A style

hth

& I use these hi flow style for my paint guns:
http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/milton-v-style-hi-flow-coupler-plug-combo-s216-p-15105.aspx

babzog · Oct 17, 2009

These are the type (typically, Campbell Hausfeld) that the three BB stores (above) carry:

Automotive, or "T" fittings
Industrial, or "I/M" fittings

wreckercologist · Oct 17, 2009

The Prevost are good products, and are easy to connect, but wear out quickly under heavy use. I've had the best luck with a Milton M style. They are tough enough to stand being dropped on concrete dozens of times a day, and wear very well. The only thing they don't like is when you crush them with a stiff leg or wheel lift!! :spit:

Speed-Racer · Oct 17, 2009

I like the Milton A style, that series of coupler allows you to push in an air tool, the other styles require you to pull back the sleeve. It maybe what I started with and I am sticking with it. This style is harder to find locally and I do not recall seeing it at Home Depot or Lowes, usually a tool truck or similar. A few years ago, I ordered them in bulk to save the hassle of driving around every time I purchased a new air hose or tool. This thread has good timing, I just put one on a new air hammer a couple of hours ago.

BSmith · Oct 17, 2009

I believe an M style male will work in an A style female. I know my males are some of each and I have no problems getting them into the A style female I buy at Home Depot.

rwhite692 · Oct 20, 2009

I use the HF ones, they are so cheap that when (if?) they ever were to give me a problem, I'd just replace it... I have a couple handfuls of M/F in my air tools drawer...

I can't remember the last one that actually failed on it's own. I did crush one of the female couplings under a transmission once.

Favorite Air Connector Style?

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