Air Hose Question

[mikester]

Ive owned a pancake compressor for years. Pretty much only use it for trim work. Finish and brad nailers.
It came with a 25' black rubber hose. Since its not used often the hose is still in good shape but stiff. I see a lot guys on jobsites using the new lightweight thin flexible hoses.
Looked around at the local Lowes and HD yesterday and they have 1/4" and 3/8" hoses but I'd have to order a 25' length since they mostly carry 50' and 100'.
What do you guys recommend as far as brands ? And which ID ? The package for one of the 1/4" hoses says its good for roofing, framing and trim. Opinions ??

 

[mike93lx]

1/4 is plenty for nailers and has the benefit of being really lightweight.

No idea what brand mine is but it's blue and I likely bought it at HD or Lowes.

I have a heavier 3/8 hose but only use it if I need the reach and then connect the 1/4 to that.

 

[cgrutt]

I use Senco (red) and Hitachi (green) 1/4 hoses with my portable compressor they both work fine, coil easily and stay relatively flexible regardless of temperature.

 

[zmotorsports]

For my carpentry work with nail guns I have a 1/4" x 50' lightweight Flexeel hose. Works great and less weight than the rubber hoses I use in my shop for automotive and fabrication work.

Flexeel Hose, 1/4" x 50', Reusable Fittings, Automotive Six Ball Coupler & Connector, Transparent Yellow | Flexeel Hose, 1/4" x 50', Reusable Fittings, Automotive Six Ball Coupler & Connector, Transparent Yellow | Coilhose Pneumatics

coilhose.com

 

[RTM]

1/4 is plenty for nailers and has the benefit of being really lightweight.
...

I have a heavier 3/8 hose but only use it if I need the reach and then connect the 1/4 to that.

I have a couple of neon green 1/4" Flexzillas I use at the guns, and fatter, less flexible hoses that I use to get reach. Have a Y connector so I don't need to keep swapping guns

 

[mixerfixer]

I am heavy equipment tech by trade. I use a 3/8 x 50 Flexzilla daily. It has 1/4” pipe threaded ends. It’s been a good hose. After 4 1/2 years of daily use it is getting a bit stiffer. Recently needed another 25 foot hose. Grabbed a Diablo from HF on sale for like $12. It’s an ok hose but it is heavier. You can’t let go of the hose with a blow nozzle or lighter tool, it will drag it off the side of the piece of equipment. I will replace the Flexzilla with another when needed.

 

[skeer]

I've been using the same orange 1/4" PVC nonsense since like 2005. I hate it! Can't do a damn thing with it in the winter, it gets stiffer than a solid copper ground rod.

 

[Firebrick43]

I personally prefer a larger diameter and stiffer hose and then put a 6’ whip on the tool itself with a flexible hose such as flexzilla

 

[skeer]

Fly fishing with your compressor.. lol

I personally prefer a larger diameter and stiffer hose and then put a 6’ whip on the tool itself with a flexible hose such as flexzilla

 

[The Cobbler]

I like Hybrid air hose for it's lightweight & flexibility ( especially in the cold)
there are differences in brands , and I found the Flexilla to be poorer choice in my experience .
The best by far that I've owned is Tundra by KuriTec. it's getting tougher to find, but I have a lifetime supply so I'm not too worried.

 

[Walkers]

Just order Flexilla and be done and happy!

 

[mikester]

Thanks for all the replies folks. Since I hardly use this compressor I ran to HD this evening and picked up a 25' 1/4" Husky hose for $19. I'll hang the original one up in the garage next to the other lines i have out there for the garage compressor. Im just trimming a couple of more windows tomorrow and might replace one side of the trim om my back door. This will work for what Im doing.

 

[tak1313]

I have a 50ft 3/8" and 100ft 1/2" for my 60 gallon. The vast majority of the time, though, I am using my 2 gallon aluminum silent for stuff like nailers and other stuff that has low cfm needs. For that, I use a 15ft 1/4" (cut down from 25ft because I never need that length on the small compressor). All my hoses are hybrid because of flexibility and weight.

On the 1/4", it's a straight (non-coiled). Coiled hoses really bug me because they never stretch to the length they're advertised as, and more importantly, as the stretch and get closer to the limit, they pull against you resulting in either extra effort or the compressor moving (and/or strain on the fittings).

 

[Tinkerer2]

Any idea where to purchase a 3/8" Flexilla hose with 1/4" fittings about 12 ft long? I've found a 6 and then it goes to 25. Don't really want to couple 2 6's together.

 

[RTM]

Never seen one, only 25, 50 & 100.

Maybe buy a 25, and up with two 12' hoses with a little tinkering?

 

[u2slow]

I dont subscribe to much of any brands. What one person can get in their locality, I most likely cannot get.

Pay attention to hose material, fitting sizes and study pictures. Make your own educated decision.

My go-to hose is a 50' 1/2" silicone type with 3/8" npt fittings. A poly coil 1/4" hose gets used additionally for small/handy tools.

 

[tak1313]

Any idea where to purchase a 3/8" Flexilla hose with 1/4" fittings about 12 ft long? I've found a 6 and then it goes to 25. Don't really want to couple 2 6's together.

Don't know if you're up to making your own hoses. It's pretty easy, which is why I just got a 25ft and cut it down to 15 (haven't done anything with the other 10ft - yet). You really only need to barb one side since the other side will stay intact.

Most people just use standard screw type hose clamps, but for me, I couldn't help but get a hydraulic crimper (this is Garage Journal after all). I just got one of those with interchangeable heads (about $100), but then I used it to not only make that hose, but a bunch of whip hoses for my impact wrenches and air hammers. but standard screw clamps do fine, as does oetiker type clamps, which look better than screw - we're not talking uber hydraulic pressure.

 

[isr2kba]

Any idea where to purchase a 3/8" Flexilla hose with 1/4" fittings about 12 ft long? I've found a 6 and then it goes to 25. Don't really want to couple 2 6's together.

They make them to length at my LHS. It’s out of a large flexzilla display. Maybe there’s some like that near you.