curlyoak Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 It is time to replace the hose to my compressor. I do not know what to avoid or prefer. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 Avoid the cheap, almost transparent urethane ones. The hose ends don't have good longevity, since the hose is so flexible. At some age, which is not that old, the hose pops off the end, and flails all around. They also kink pretty easily. Rubber lasts forever, but it holds dirt, and sawdust. I don't even use those in the mechanic shop. I have two 3/8's hoses that are 45 years old, and still kicking. I don't remember the type, or brand name, but I bought them from Senco, when I bought a bunch of nail guns. They aren't super flexible, but are plenty flexible. The cover is pretty hard, but nothing sticks to it. I wish I knew the brand name, and type, because I've looked for them since I bought those first two 100' hoses. I have one Flexilla (or Flexeel-something like that) which is only a couple of years old, but so far, I like it fine. One thing that worried me to start with was that the ends, including the threaded parts, are plastic (even though it doesn't look, or feel like plastic), but so far, so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 I have this one Goodyear Retractable Compressor It is by far the best one I have ever had. It is light weight, real flexible, it doesn't fight you when you are moving it around. Its a real soft pliable material. I have had it over 5 years and don't see so much as the beginings of a weak or worn spot. Thee retractor works nice and smooth. Its a bit pricey but so far worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 I agree with avoiding the urathane ones. Also to add they don't seem to flow as well as the 3/8" rubber. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030EU5Y4/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_7?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1 The above is what i use, rubber 50' good year. Probably the same hose in Chet's reel just without the reel. That is if reels aren't your thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 I use a Flexzilla hose & retracting reel. The hose is very nice; light, flexible & never tangles. And surprisingly, despite the day-glo yellow surface, stays clean. The reel works well. I tossed all my old rubber ones, not because they leaked, but because they were so miserable to use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 19 minutes ago, Chestnut said: Probably the same hose in Chet's reel Yep, same hose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 I use that yellow, Goodyear hose in the mechanic shop, minus the reel. I don't think it's all rubber, because it doesn't pick up dirt as bad as the regular rubber hoses. I don't like it as good as the old Senco hoses, but I could never find them anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 1 hour ago, drzaius said: I use a Flexzilla hose & retracting reel. The hose is very nice; light, flexible & never tangles. And surprisingly, despite the day-glo yellow surface, stays clean. The reel works well... That would be nice on both counts! I have a real mounted on the ceiling with a 50' rubber hose. The real works well but the red hose is dirty and gets knotted up if I pull it across the shop. Typically it only goes about 10' so not a huge issue but "never tangles" would be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave's Not Here Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 2 hours ago, drzaius said: I use a Flexzilla hose & retracting reel. The hose is very nice; light, flexible & never tangles. And surprisingly, despite the day-glo yellow surface, stays clean. The reel works well. I tossed all my old rubber ones, not because they leaked, but because they were so miserable to use. +1 I have a hose reel in my shop and also one in my garage. Replaced both over time with the Flexzilla reel and hose unit and like them better than the old rubber hose ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 I like hose reels, but not the automatic retractable ones. Being a bit of a cleanliness freak, any time a hose gets reeled back in, an old t-shirt (or similar) is held around the hose with one hand, while the other hand winds the reel. All our hoses are on such reels-from 50' to 200'. Any time a hose gets pulled out, we know it's clean enough to use anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackoak Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 another +1 on Flexzilla . Love the hose , the reel itself I would give a B . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted December 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 8 hours ago, Chestnut said: Probably the same hose in Chet's reel just without the reel. It is different. The link Chet offered is a hybrid composition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 How do the flexzilla's handle cold? My big issue is that when it's -10 is usually when i need to fill a tire and want my air hose easy to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 copied and pasted: EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE - All weather flexibility (-40 Degree to 150 Degree F Ambient) note that you can get about any size hose, and length, with either 1/4", 3/8", or 1/2" threaded ends. No need for 1/2" ends for anything smaller than a 1" air wrench, which even I don't have. https://www.amazon.com/Flexzilla-Fittings-Lightweight-Hybrid-ZillaGreen/dp/B001C6NC7O check out the video on that page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 1 hour ago, Chestnut said: How do the flexzilla's handle cold? My big issue is that when it's -10 is usually when i need to fill a tire and want my air hose easy to work with. The coldest my shop gets is 4.5* C, but it's not noticeably stiffer then than it is in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 are they anything like these hoses? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0197S2LJ8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Just curious. When i get a few $$ i'm gonna trust you guys and try one of these flexzilla things. I need another air hose for replacing tires. It's nice to not have to move my aircompressor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 That's the type on the bottom of my list. I ended up tossing two of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted December 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 Chet, on one side of the retractor is a hose end that has allowances on a side plate. Can that hose come out further or is another section of hose needed for a longer reach to the compressor? Thanks 22 hours ago, Chet said: It is by far the best one I have ever had. It is light weight, real flexible, it doesn't fight you when you are moving it around. Its a real soft pliable material. I have had it over 5 years and don't see so much as the beginings of a weak or worn spot. Thee retractor works nice and smooth. Its a bit pricey but so far worth every penny. I think the one referred by chestnut is rubber not the hybrid material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 28 minutes ago, curlyoak said: Can that hose come out further or is another section of hose needed for a longer reach to the compressor? You would have to get another section of hose. And I stand corrected, mine is a hybrid polymer... but I am still real happy with it, even if it was made from used sausage casings. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted December 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 Chet, I think your hose is the best one. Pricey but quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnesota Steve Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 6 hours ago, Chestnut said: How do the flexzilla's handle cold? My big issue is that when it's -10 is usually when i need to fill a tire and want my air hose easy to work with. They handle it really well. I bought a 30' Flexzilla on a reel at Menards maybe 10 years back. It's extremely flexible in the winter. I like having the reel, but it's always a pain putting the hose back in and sometimes have to do it 3-4 times as it'll bunch up too high in one spot and not go all the way in. The cheap clear pvc hose that came with my compressor I'd avoid. But the reinforced polyurethane I haven't had any problems with. I have a 1/4" hose in the shop for use on my nail guns and it seems pretty flexible, doesn't get all tangled. But if you were using all day long on job sites, if you were yanking on it a lot I could see maybe it wouldn't last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 49 minutes ago, Minnesota Steve said: I like having the reel, but it's always a pain putting the hose back in and sometimes have to do it 3-4 times as it'll bunch up too high in one spot and not go all the way in. That does occasionally happen to me. When it does, I pull it back out & feed the hose back in, holding it to one side or the other so it coils up on the reel more evenly. It only does it on the last 10' or so. If it got to be an issue, shortening the hose a bit would solve the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 I have one reel that holds 200' of 3/8", and a couple of smaller ones that hold 50'. None are self-retracting, and there is little effort required to reel the hose in. Since we wipe the hose as it's going in, it's easy to control how it goes around the reel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 I had non-retracting reel on the wall & it worked very well, but was not conveniently located. The best place in my shop is on the ceiling, where it would not have worked well at all. That's why I got the retracting one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.