Air Hose that doesn't tangle?

[Greg Peterson]

I recently bought a 50' length of air hose at Lowes. It has a nice heavy rubber skin and feels rugged enough. This hose works fine except it is having a hard time forgetting that it was once rolled up tightly in shrink wrap. It's preference tangle and snarl up.

Is there a particular brand of air hose that doesn't try to tangle itself back up into a roll?

[James Phillips]

There is some that feels plasticy and some that feels rubbery and has a corded inside. If you got the rubbery type you should not have this problem.

[Ben Grunow]

The old large OD rubber hoses but they are heavy and leave black marks all over. The flexeel brand small diameter hoses are the best I have seen for light weight. I have some knock off small diameter hoses that are nightmares.

Someone will know the material that the good ones are made of as it can not be brand specific.

[Jim Becker]

Although I use and prefer the Flexeel hoses, the fact of the matter is that any hose you coil up for storage is going to have, umm...some...tendancy to kink, etc., as you re-roll it after use. A hose reel is one solution that helps mitigate that but hose reels also provide some limitations to flexibility of use. So I just live with things as they are. I also use 25' hoses so that when coiling them up, it's reasonably easy to do. If I need more length, I connect two together.

[Greg Peterson]

Thanks for the pointers and suggestions. The 50' hose has come in hand a time or two, but 25' is a more manageable length. I'll keep my eyes peeled for the Flexeel hoses.

[Randal Stevenson]

HF sells Goodyear hose in various lengths. I have a 100' spool in the auto shop, and a 25', and a 50' for portability. I have considered making a 10' length, as you shouldn't really have a lot more then you need. Both a trip hazzard, and air loss (pressure at volume, not too relevant with a brad nailer).
Goodyear is available in at least black and red (red doesn't leave as much as a mark).


Also, when you get a new hose, stretch it out in the sun for a day. It does make a difference.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I have settled on Flexeel hose in 1/4" size for running nail guns. Even though it coils, it never tangles. You can get it here:

http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/a/ab/coilhose/flexeel.htm?L+coastest+hyzb7874ffa13da1

[Rick Lizek]

Polyurethane hose is the term. I use the Grizzly hose reel
http://www.grizzly.com/products/H0614 and mounted it on a plywood base so I can hang it up or take it on site with a carry handle I made.
I use the 3/8" x 100' poly hose from Northern Tool as it's the best price $25, cheaper than Coastal and just as good as Flexeel.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200267474_200267474
The hose is almost weghtless compared to older rubber hoses. The hose reel makes it very managable.

[jason lambert]

I highly recomend flexeel brand hoses, I bought one thin one 25' for a portable compressor I have to run a nail gun what a difference it is so lite to carry and doesn't pullon the back of the air gun. Within a month I got rid of all my black heavy hoses and have now gone to all flexeel brand hoses. Since it is thinner and ligher 25' is not a issue without a reel. I do however have a 100' larger diameter in the gurage on a harbor freight reel that system works good. Being thinner also doesn't take up as much room on the reel.

[Greg Peterson]

I'm at the point where sheet rocking the shop walls is the next project. All the 120V wiring is in the walls (240V circuits will go through conduit as equipment is acquired). I have four circuits solely dedicated to outlets, which are all GFCI protected since I am working on a concrete floor. Hopefully with the vast number and location of outlets I won't need any extension cords. One less tripping hazard.

Once the sheet rock is up I am going to run air lines in the shop with hanging, coiled air lines at the workbench and TS and quick connect outlets throughout the shop, thus eliminating the need for long air hoses. Surely as the hose length decreases, so to does the propensity for tangling. Still, it doesn't hurt to have hose that is less prone to coiling and tangling.

I know, I know, no pictures, it doesn't exist. I don't know about you guys, but every time I go to use the wifes digital camera the rechargeable batteries are dead and the spare set is also dead.

[Al Willits]

Only stuff I ever had any trouble with was that yellow curly stuff you buy at the borgs, thought if I hung it for a bit it might straighten out a bit...nope, threw it away.

I normally buy all my air hose from automotive supply houses, stays flexible and straight.
Don't remember the brand though.

Air hose is something I'll spend a bit extra on, pays in the end.

Al

["Gary Brewer"]

Greg: Take a look here: http://www.floydtool.com/air_hose.htm
Gary

[Bob Reeve]

Greg,

I will start this by saying I am biased. I work for Coilhose the manufacturer of Flexeel. It is a virgin Polyurethane product made in Oregon and New Jersey. All new hose has a memory because it is packaged shortly after manufacture. Flexeel will relax after being used for awhile. It is 1/3rd the weight of rubber, non marking, and stays flexible in cold weather. 1/4" ID hose is all that is needed in a woodshop. There are other makers of polyurethane hose but most are chinese imports. Your decision.

Bob

[Dan Clark]

I have a 25' and 50' Flexeel in 1/4", and a 100' Flexeel in 3/8". Great hoses. Light weight and doesn't tangle. A little pricey, but a great product.

Regards,

Dan.

[mark page]

I second the flexeel vote, or those that are made of same composites. I have a spraygun in my hand at least 3 days a week and my eyes and mind are on the project, not my feet. The last thing I need is to be tripping over hoses. I have had great use from flexeel hoses and they tend not to retain their packaging memory very long which is very minimal to start with. I pre-prep for spraying by laying and routing the hose in a double U-shaped formation on the floor around the bench, and behind my required walking space. It is imperative that the hose lay flat and un-kinked or it gets tossed in the free donation bin. I personally don't use the auto-wind reels as the hose gets wound in tighter coils and the possibility of more memory retention remains. I coil mine in large loops on a simple garden hose hanger simply hung on the wall in approx 4' diameter or so loops. No problems so far. The auto reels are great in certain atmospheres and conditions, but I myself prefer not to use them.

[Matt Meiser]

Another Flexeel believer here. The short 1/4" ones are great because of how light they are. Northern Tool is selling knockoffs too. I have one of the 3/8" ones on my overhead reel, but I'm not quite as happy with it as the Flexeel. It is a somewhat stiffer, but that is just as likely due to the larger diameter as anything.