Nifty little air nozzle

[Josiah Bartlett]

I like having an air nozzle handy for blowing off chips, but I only usually have one hose handy, taken up by a nail gun or some other tool. The trigger type blow nozzles aren't all that convenient.

I got one of these last time I was at Harbor Freight, and its great. I keep it next to my pencil and it provides nice control over the air flow.

I know somebody is going to rag on HF, but this is actually a quality piece for the price. They have them in both industrial and automotive style couplers.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94081

[Kyle Kraft]

That looks really handy. I'll have to check it out the next time I'm in the HF store. I agree with you, some of the stuff they carry is pretty decent quality, and some of the stuff is just plain junk....you have to be diligent!

[Jim Kountz]

Yeah those little things are nice to have, very useful. Heres a tip though and I cant believe Im going to admit this on live internet but here goes! I found it amusing to shoot it in the air when I disconnected it from the quick coupler and then catch it you know just something fun to do. Well one day I shot it up in the air (it only goes a couple of feet) but instead it hit my hat brim which then startled me causing me to fall back against a tool box and knocked some clamps off the wall. Now Im sure all this was very funny to see if someone had been watching but I just kinda felt like an posterior!! LOL!!!

[Jim Becker]

I keep a similar device on the bouncy-hose that's above my bench anytime it's not hooked to a gun. Very handy! I also use it at the lathe for blowing chips and shavings out out hollow forms.

[Randal Stevenson]

I've had one for a number of years, before HF started carrying them. Eventually I will run a hard line to leave a small flex line with one of them hooked up to. As to ejecting your tools from your coupler, I refuse to do that. I had a neighbor, roofer, who connected two lines together with a standard quick coupler (first mistake), so he could reach (more air hose then extension cord), he dragged it through some bushes and it got caught, he yanked (second mistake) and it hit him in the mouth. I would strongly recommend (coming from someone who wrenched with wet hands), looking into Tomco, Parker, or HF safety couplers (item 92834, currently only showing on the HFUSA site). They release the air presure FIRST, then release the coupler.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Josiah (great name by the way!),

Thanks for the heads up. I'll have to check that one out. It seems like I'm always in need of one of theses.

Jim: Funny story. I think we can all say that we've had those I'm-glad-no-one-just-saw-me moments.

[Jim Kountz]

I had a neighbor, roofer, who connected two lines together with a standard quick coupler (first mistake), so he could reach (more air hose then extension cord), he dragged it through some bushes and it got caught, he yanked (second mistake) and it hit him in the mouth.

Randall, how in the world did this happen? Being a general contractor I use these things on many many tools on a daily basis and have for over 20 years. I constantly connect and reconnect these things with one hand all the time and I have never had a hose "fly off" like that much less travel any kind of distance when it does. I guess if you were right in front of it there is some danger but usually they just go "poof" and flop down on the floor. I dont know any contractor who doesnt have at least a dozen or so of these in use everyday. I always just set my foot on the hose and pull the disconnect with one hand and the hose just goes limp on the floor. never been a problem. Guess it was one of those things that happened to your friend, sorry to hear about that.

[glenn bradley]

Yeah those little things are nice to have, very useful. Heres a tip though and I cant believe Im going to admit this on live internet but here goes! I found it amusing to shoot it in the air when I disconnected it from the quick coupler and then catch it you know just something fun to do. Well one day I shot it up in the air (it only goes a couple of feet) but instead it hit my hat brim which then startled me causing me to fall back against a tool box and knocked some clamps off the wall. Now Im sure all this was very funny to see if someone had been watching but I just kinda felt like an posterior!! LOL!!!

If you had a shop-cam you coulda won $50k on America's Funniest Videos.

[Larry Fox]

I found it amusing to shoot it in the air when I disconnected it from the quick coupler and then catch it you know just something fun to do.

HA - so I am NOT crazy and the only one that does this (I do it with my regular air gun). I find doing it quite amusing actually.

[David Epperson]

Randall, how in the world did this happen?
My guess is that he might possibly have put a male on the wrong end of a hose. Almost all female couplers have a check closure to prevent this.

[Jim Kountz]

If you had a shop-cam you coulda won $50k on America's Funniest Videos.

Ahh yet another missed opportunity!!

[Rick Lizek]

http://www.coilhose.com/uploads/products/Page%2037.pdf
I like the inline type blow guns. It's always there and you can't loose it.

[Eric Gustafson]

Randall, how in the world did this happen?

I think I know how this can happen. The female disconnect catches on something, which disconnects the line. The extension you are holding is stretched like a rubber band and pressurized. When the line finally lets go it is flying towards the anchor point (you) and flailing wildly as the pent up pressure escapes. :eek: Actually, it is a wonder I haven't been hit the same way. :o I will have to be more careful.

[Jim Kountz]

I think I know how this can happen. The female disconnect catches on something, which disconnects the line. The extension you are holding is stretched like a rubber band and pressurized. When the line finally lets go it is flying towards the anchor point (you) and flailing wildly as the pent up pressure escapes. :eek: Actually, it is a wonder I haven't been hit the same way. :o I will have to be more careful.

Well this bugged me to the point of a small experiment. I took two 25' air hoses the good quality rubber hoses that dont get stiff in the winter. I connected them together and cranked the pressure on my compressor all the way up to 125. I grabbed the quick connect and pulled it loose. It popped off and went about 2 feet. I then stretched the hoses with a good amount of pull and did the same thing........It went about 2 feet.
Now then this does get interesting. Both times I was on the non-working end of the hose (ie the end that would still be connected to the compressor, not the end the tool would hook to) so when I disconnected the hoses I was still holding the pressurized hose. I did the test a third time holding the non-pressurized hose and the other hose did take off about 5-6 feet and it did flail around a couple of times before it hit the ground, however it flew AWAY from me NOT towards me. So I suppose this would be dangerous if it hit you but you would practically have to be standing on top of it.
There now I can sleep tonight!! LOL

[Randal Stevenson]

Well this bugged me to the point of a small experiment. I took two 25' air hoses the good quality rubber hoses that dont get stiff in the winter. I connected them together and cranked the pressure on my compressor all the way up to 125. I grabbed the quick connect and pulled it loose. It popped off and went about 2 feet. I then stretched the hoses with a good amount of pull and did the same thing........It went about 2 feet.
Now then this does get interesting. Both times I was on the non-working end of the hose (ie the end that would still be connected to the compressor, not the end the tool would hook to) so when I disconnected the hoses I was still holding the pressurized hose. I did the test a third time holding the non-pressurized hose and the other hose did take off about 5-6 feet and it did flail around a couple of times before it hit the ground, however it flew AWAY from me NOT towards me. So I suppose this would be dangerous if it hit you but you would practically have to be standing on top of it.
There now I can sleep tonight!! LOL

Back from work.

He was on the roof, and had come down towards the bottom of it, (towards the gutters) and was yanking the hose that projected towards him. Part of the effect was air pressure, part was hose flex, part was green bush branches flexing, part was the momentum of him jerking it. A fluke yes, but one that could have easily been stopped, by using either a threaded connector, or a longer hose to begin with.