air line leader hose question

[DARKSCOPE001]

Hey guys, So I wanted to get a few leader hoses for my air tools at work but im being **** about them, and have a few requirements. I work on aircraft so If anyone has any favorites in the hangar or garage please feel free to give me your advice

1. Weight: taking a rubber air hose up in a hole with you is getting to be a pain.

2. Size: Right now On my air ratchet i have a flexzilla 4ft leader hose and they are only available in 3/8 So I would really like to go to a 1/4" as I dont need absurd amounts of airflow

3. Length: I want the leader hose to be about 10-15 ft long so I can tie off a main rubber air hose to a ladder or lift and then have my leader for getting into tight areas.

4. Fittings: I was going to try and put a hose barb directly into the end of the air line that goes directly to a 3/8 NPT and then threads directly into my swivel fitting so I have less bulk at the end of my tool. This raises another question? would a zip tie or two zip ties pulled tight with a zip tie gun hold firm enough? or could I put some shrink tubing over a worm clamp?

But over those few requirements I think ive narrowed my decision to a flexzilla or a amflo blue polyurethane hose. Both of wich i will have to either buy a 25ft length and modify to get my length requirements

If I understand correctly the polyurethane hose will have a smaller O/D and be slightly more light weight but i will lose Flexibility over the flexzilla but im not sure if my swivel will take out any loops I might get or not.

Flexzilla will be slightly more heavy and slightly larger O/D but more flexible.

Also anyone have a favorite swivel? I just have some old chunky ones I think I got from sears a while back.

Thanks
Sean

 

[NHBandit]

How about using a short section of PVC pipe ?

 

[TAMPAGT07]

How about using a short section of PVC pipe ?

Here we go.....

 

[rlitman]

No, a zip tie is not acceptable. I would not be happy with a worm gear hose clamp on a tool. Wrapped in shrink wrap is better, but it still sticks up a lot (without the shrink wrap, the strap end is dangerous). An Oetiker clamp is better (better yet wrapped in shrink). Or a proper crimped end made by a hose shop.

But it sounds like you may be better off with "push on" style hose. Amflo makes that in 1/4" id. It's a little spendy, but really lightweight and nice stuff, and the ends would be clean as can be that way.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

Thanks very much Rlitman I never even thought of using a band like that.

Ideally I would like to have nice finished ends that actually come on the hose. Amflo actually makes a "field reparable" end that is installed on the hose that closely resembles a AN flexible hose sleve. (contacted them and they said it was not available for seperate purchases) and Flexzilla offers crimp ends but you have to have the crimper and i dont really want to go that far down the rabit hole for a few leader hose.

Those push on style ends look nice. What makes them stick good enough without extra banding? just curious.

Thanks
Sean

 

[wilham320]

You can use a gates power grip clamp on a barb. It is a thick heat shrink clamp.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

Ok guys so I think I may have found what i needed.

I found this little guy on amazon from coilhose pneumatics http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000189GB0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

But while I was searching amazon I found that coilhose and airpro are cheaper than there china made counterparts, and of course made in the usa.

But before I pull the trigger on some flexeel can someone comment on its flexibility, diameter, and weight? Thanks very much

 

[spotco2]

Visit your local hydraulic line shop and tell them exactly what you want and they can build it for you.

It just depends on how much money you want to spend to be ****.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

It just depends on how much money you want to spend to be ****.

Thats the problem. Not that much. Im not a structures mechanic im just tired of having bulky air fittings on the end of my air tool and carying a heavy rubber hose up inside a little hole and fighting it for what seems like more time than I end up getting use out of it.

 

[alan camby]

I really like push-on hose. It will not come back off, think Chinese finger trap. I have installed hundreds of push on hose assemblies and have never seen one fail or leak. Very economical and very reliable.

Go to Mcmaster-carr.com and search "Push-on hose" and "push-on hose fittings"

You do have to use the push on hose with push on fittings. Can't use regular air hose and expect the fittings to work.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

You do have to use the push on hose with push on fittings. Can't use regular air hose and expect the fittings to work.

I figured as much I cant remember where I read that. but I thought I read somewhere that the push on style hose fittings must be used on push on style hose Just my luck another dead end.

Well I emailed Coilhose pneumatics and if I hear back from them that these will work on the end of the flexeel hose this might be my new go to for making leaders.

heck Might even get a few guys around the hangar that want to buy a few. Closest thing i saw was a guy who showed me a kit from Cleveland aircraft tool http://www.cleavelandtool.com/Lightweight-Airhose-Kit/productinfo/ACKIT/#.Umvm6xCZ7yM he was a structures mechanic and showed me this kit and said he really liked it.

But I wanted to do one better and eliminate the coupler altogeather at the tool end to free up even more space when your confined areas. I actually bought my Ingersoll rand 1105 max d2 for doing a SB for replacing some check valves and man it saved my *** a few times. I could barely get my hands in there let alone swing a ratchet. and there were a few times I was thinking "If only I didnt have this F#@*ing air couplers right at the end of this tool it would be so much nicer.

Thanks everyone
Sean

 

[ravenccorax]

why not use stainless wire as a hose clamp? multiple ways to make it work and adds practilaly zero weight and no large bumps or weird stuff hanging off.

for example http://kk.org/cooltools/archives/9735


trying to find a pic of description. basically a wrap or two of stainless lock wire around the hose. the way i was taught was end nips but most anything works. twist and twist with a lil rocking motion and the wire will tighten to an amazing amount then the tail will snap off leaving at most a lil button which you can tap down flush with the end of the nips. no weight no mess no fuss no sharp hanging bits to scratch or cut.

 

[Fireball027]

What about buying some of the flexzilla air hose in bulk, buying the end fittings and make your own air line to suit your needs. I believe they also have it in 1/4 air line.