air compressor accessories

[lopezian]

I recently bought my first small air compressor, an Eaton EC-3001, based in part on recommendations found here. I intend to use this compressor as a tire inflator, dust/debris blower, and to power a nailgun. When I went to buy hoses at Harbor Freight or Northern Tools, I didn't know the difference between the various hoses and which one to choose.

There seem to be hoses that are 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 3/4". They are made of Urethane, rubber, or even "PVC". Why would you choose one over the other?

Thanks in advance.

 

[RobJ]

The hose size acts as extra volume and the speed that the air reaches the nail gun. It'll affect someone like a roofer who will fire off a shot or more a second or if you have 200' of hose it'll keep more air near the gun, it's not a pressure thing, volume. For home use I'd stick with 1/4" or 3/8". I also like rubber. The others can be hard to work with if you are on a cold area.

Good Luck,
Rob

 

[Bird]

RobJ is right in his answers, but maybe I can add just a little. Mechanics who use 3/4" impacts, big grinders and sanders, and sandblasters that use lots of air will go with 1/2" or 3/4" air hoses and the larger quick couplers. But for the vast majority of us the 3/8" hoses are all that's needed and the quick couplers only have 1/4" flow through them anyway. At one time or another, I think I've owned just about every type of 1/4" and 3/8" hoses made. And in some particular environments, some materials are better than others, but again, for most of us, it's really not going to matter much. Regardless of the material, most of them are rated for 300 psi and we're not going to have more than 120-175 psi from the compressor. Two years ago in September, I bought my first PVC hoses; two yellow 60' hoses from Northern Tool. One of them stays on the compressor and is pressurized at all times. The other is only used occasionally. They were relatively cheap from Northern Tool, so I thought I'd give them a try, and I'm glad I did. They both seem good as new after two years.

 

[RobJ]

BTW, I have HF item 91086 - really like it...nice hose. and 46104, nice hose, retractable part works fine, just sounds cheap. And some 42185 to carry around.

Good Luck,
Rob

 

[Bird]

There's certainly nothing wrong with any of those, Rob. You notice those are rated for 200 and 250 psi, which is certainly adequate. Two years ago I've never heard of PVC hoses and mine are rated for 300 psi. Are they any better?? Beats me. Either kind will handle more pressure than we're going to have.

 

[kenmac]

I use the urethane hoses. They seem to last longer than the rubber

 

[lopezian]

Thank you all for the replies. I'm working on an order from northerntool and HF now.

 

[RobJ]

There's certainly nothing wrong with any of those, Rob. You notice those are rated for 200 and 250 psi, which is certainly adequate. Two years ago I've never heard of PVC hoses and mine are rated for 300 psi. Are they any better?? Beats me. Either kind will handle more pressure than we're going to have.

Heck if I know Bird. But I bought a couple of what I think are PVC, whatever they are they are not rubber. But they are stiff, hard to roll up, don't pull through a house very well (I do some trim work on the side for my sis who is a decorator, crown, base, etc). I think I still have pieces of 1 running from the AC to the reel. The other I sold in a garage sale.

Same story with my garden hoses, I went rubber on those to after the cheaper stuff.

Here is a pic of the weekend place, The 25' hose retractable air hose (little HF AC just below, and the 30' retractable power cord. I can get anywhere in the garage and about 20' out front. If you start using a retractable...you'll never go back!!

 

[Bird]

If you start using a retractable...you'll never go back!!

By "retractable" are you referring to those little 1/4" coiled yellow air hoses as shown in your picture, and the two of mine in this picture made in my shop? Those things are pretty stiff and pretty thin material; nothing at all like the 3/8" PVC hoses I have now. But the only problem I had with those little coiled hoses was a couple of times the fitting on the end came off, but those were used almost daily at the workbench.

 

[RobJ]

Yeah I had the same problem with the coiled hoses, ends came off. The yellow coiled are great if you stay in one place. I used to work for Senco and sold to upholsters, etc, they all hung from the ceiling.

The red hose in the reel is retractable. You pull it out, it'll click about every turn and catch if you let it back in. Then to retract give it a short pull and the spring takes over! Like a room shade.

One of the ones I mentioned from HF you have to turn the reel by hand. Still handy, it has 50' on it.