Introduction:
Purchased a pneumatic nailer or pneumatic stapler and a compressor to power it, now you just need to connect the two. Air hoses and fittings, while easily forgotten, allow you to do this and without these your pneumatic nail gun or pneumatic staple gun will remain unused.
Air Hoses:
Produced in a range of lengths, mainly 7.5m (25 feet), 15m (50 feet) and 30m (100 feet), a worker has a wide range of options to choose from. When choosing what length air hose to use, it is of course paramount to choose one that is long enough for the task you intend to undertake. However, you should not needlessly use an air hose that is too long, as this can be a tripping hazard and may also lead to friction loss and a loss in air pressure, as air travels through the hose for longer distances. As well as this, the inside diameter is another factor that should be considered when choosing an air hose. Produced mainly in 1/4” (6mm), 5/16” (8mm) and 3/8” (10mm) diameters, 1/4" (6mm) air hoses are the lightest, however they are also the most likely to suffer from friction loss, compared to 5/16” (8mm) and 3/8” (10mm) air hoses.
When it comes to choosing an air hose material, there are three main options available, rubber, polyurethane and PVC, as well as a combination of these materials, a hybrid option.
- Rubber – Highly durable and works well in almost all weather conditions and temperatures, as well as being flexible and maintaining its shape when bent (it doesn’t kink). However, it is far heavier than both polyurethane air hoses and PVC air hoses, making it difficult to transport. This makes it suitable for environments where a user intends on staying in one place and not moving around too much, such as a garage or workshop.
- Polyurethane – Significantly lighter than rubber air hoses, making them far easier to transport, these air hoses are also highly durable and work well in almost all weather conditions and temperatures. However, they are slightly less flexible than rubber air hoses. Therefore, polyurethane air hoses are ideal for when a user is expecting to move around a lot, when working on a construction site or building project for example.
- PVC – An ideal lower cost option if working in warmer weather conditions. PVC air hoses are very lightweight but lack flexibility, meaning they kink relatively easily. They are also unsuitable for use in colder weather conditions and aren’t as durable as rubber air hoses and polyurethane air hoses. They are suitable for user’s who may be looking for a lower cost option and don’t require the durability and flexibility of a rubber air hose and polyurethane air hose.
- Hybrid – A combination of two or more of the mentioned materials, hybrid air hoses combine the best aspects of these materials, making them a good all-round choice. However, this does mean they are unable to provide these individual aspects to as high a level as these materials would do individually.
Industrial Fittings:
Designed to fit on the ends of air hoses, compressors and air tools, industrial fittings are available in three main sizes, 1/4” (6mm), 5/16” (8mm) and 3/8” (10mm). They are also produced in three main forms, female threading, male threading and with a hose tail. Although many air hoses, tools and compressors already come with fittings attached, it is important to have spare parts in case damage occurs to the original parts, or simply just more parts are required. Fittings should be matched to the size of the air hose, so a 1/4” air hose should have a 1/4” fitting. There are two main variations of fittings, couplings and adaptors, also known as connectors.
A common way of connecting a compressor to an air tool would be the following:
A male threaded coupling would be attached to a compressor, this is then connected to a hose tail adaptor, which is then attached to the hose. The other end of the hose would have a hose tail coupling installed, with this then being attached to a male threaded adaptor, attached to the air tool a user intends to work with. Your pneumatic nail gun or pneumatic staple gun is then ready to use. Sometimes a worker may want to attach two hoses together, to lengthen the amount of hose they have available to work with. While this can be done through a similar method as mentioned above, every time an extra fitting is added to the chain, there is a risk of pressure loss. Therefore, a simpler method would be to use a double ended hose tail connector.
Other fittings that can be used are Hi-Flow couplings and Hi-Flow adaptors, to maximise the amount of air travelling from the compressor to the air tool. Devices such as Y Shaped adaptors and couplings, allow connections to two air hoses at the same time. As well as other multiple hose adaptors and couplings, to allow for multiple air hose connections at any one time. Furthermore, elbow fittings are also available to allow air hoses to be placed around a room in a clean and tidy manner, especially where only a small amount of room might be available.