Air tool expert needed

[Rick Potter]

When I buy quick change couplers, I find that some have 3 ball bearings in the female end, while others have four or five. I think I even have one with eight little ones.

Two questions:

1: Is there any correlation between the number of ball bearings and the quality of the coupler? My old HF models have three, and I think it was a Bostich that had eight.

2: Brass or steel? I have always assumed brass was the way to go, but is it?

Just curious, but I thought I would ask.

Rick Potter

[Mark Bolton]

When I buy quick change couplers, I find that some have 3 ball bearings in the female end, while others have four or five. I think I even have one with eight little ones.

Two questions:

1: Is there any correlation between the number of ball bearings and the quality of the coupler? My old HF models have three, and I think it was a Bostich that had eight.

2: Brass or steel? I have always assumed brass was the way to go, but is it?

Just curious, but I thought I would ask.

Rick Potter

Generally the more balls the better. It distributes the load on the nipple and helps minimize whats called "brinelling" which is where the balls will leave indentations over time on the nipple. Its more common in hydraulic applications but can happen on pneumatic nailers as well or other tools which have sharp hard cycles. If you want to get fussy about it, most tool manufacturers would generally recommend a whip off the tool, usually 18" or so and the coupler on that whip rather than directly attached to the tool. Moves the coupler away from the tool and impact, reduces radial stress on the coupler, and so on.

Steel or brass for pneumatics is mainly just preference but brass is typically used in moist/wet areas or moving liquids.

[Rick Potter]

Thanks Mark,

First impressions would lead you in that direction, but it is nice to know why they do it, and my first impressions are not always correct:o.

Rick Potter

[Mark Bolton]

my first impressions are not always correct:o.

Rick Potter

Mine either. I think generally you'll wind up with brass bodies and steel nipples, at least thats what I like. I often find the steel bodies to be a bit cheaper and harder to couple but we use push to connects everywhere and I dont often find them (bodies) in steel.

[Bill Huber]

I really like the new one that you pull back the collar on the female part and it stays there until you put the male in and then it snaps shut. So when you disconnect the collar will stay back ready to connect again.

I like the brass one the best, the steel will get crappy looking after a while and will also run if there is any moisture in the line at all.

[Mark Bolton]

I really like the new one that you pull back the collar on the female part and it stays there until you put the male in and then it snaps shut. So when you disconnect the collar will stay back ready to connect again.

I like the brass one the best, the steel will get crappy looking after a while and will also run if there is any moisture in the line at all.

Bill,
They are pricey but there are nice industrial blow off couplers out there now (been out for a long time) that when you rotate the locking collar it closes the coupler body, discharges the tool air, and then you uncouple. The nice thing about them is you are coupling and uncoupling under zero pressure. Its like snapping an unsnapping a hose with no air. My ex-wife use to work with me full time and she had a bear of a time with couplers. At 120psi she simply couldnt couple a conventional coupler holding back the sleeve while shoving them together. We switched to push to connects but then I found blow off style. They are nice but hurt to buy.

I have switched back to push to connects and like the Parker Hannifin couplers the best. Easy to connect even at full pressure.

[Mel Fulks]

The best ones I've seen are the "automatic" model made by Foster mfg in Springfield Mo. Pulling back the collar is not nessesary ,very sturdily made, used in some auto repair shops because driving over them usually doesn't break them. I had a couple I used for years ,someone in a weekend rush night crew damaged them by using a mangled male fitting. When I tried to buy more from same place ...they told me they had NEVER had them. Just now saw them on line.

[Mel Fulks]

....and to answer your question they are brass with 3 steel ,sloped pins.

[Ronald Blue]

The best ones in my experience are made by Parker but they are cashy. The beauty of them is that you are coupling with no pressure and then you turn the collar on the coupler and apply pressure. It works as Bill mentioned that he likes, the collar stays in release position until you push the male end into it. It snaps forward to lock and then the collar at the base is rotated about one quarter turn and the air is then on. It is positively locked on and there is no chance of an accidental uncoupling. When you get into larger hose sizes being able to couple without pressure is a big benefit. I am talking 1/2" or bigger and 150-175 psi operating pressures. Google a Parker EZ-501-8FP for an example.