Good quality air compressor fittings?

[db8]

Do any of you guys know where one can get good quality air hose fittings that don't leak? I think most are made out of brass and are used for quick connect and disconnect of air tools. All of mine continually leak and are junk -- bet you can guess where I got them from? Thanks. Dave

[Mel]

I get mine from Grainger.

Be careful mixing and matching brands. There are at least 2 different ones that are not interchangeable.

[Garland Edwards]

These can be purchased localy from Motion Industries, Fastenal, Allied Electronics.

http://www.smcpdf.com/files/KK-KK13-print.pdf

Ed

[G-force]

I buy Parker brand from McMaster Carr.

[Bob Axsom]

There are different styles of fittings with a letter code as I recall. Get the same style and you will be fine - it is difficult to visually detect the difference. If you go through the fitting rack at Lowe's the cards will tell you the style of male and female fittings. If you don't know what yours are ask for help in the store and they should be able to mate or compare yours and tell what family you should be dealing with. I went through the same hit or miss process at first and had the leaks - now there are none.

Bob Axsom

[G-force]

Bob brings up a good point. There are many styles of quick disconnects for air lines. In general, there are two that are the most common, and visually they are mirrors of each other. Most common is the "Industrial series" and the other is the "Automotive" or "Tru-Flate". Pictures of both can be seen down near the bottom of this web site: http://www.hoseline.net/hose/airhose.htm
My work has standardized on the Tru-Flate style, so thats what I use at home so I don't have to change connectors when I bring air tool back and forth from home to work. When ever I need to use my tools at other peoples shops (who typicaly have the more common Industrial style) I made up an adaptor: a male Industrial fitting screwed right into a female Tru-flate fitting. Now I can use their airlines that have the industrial fittings.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by G-force

... I made up an adaptor: a male Industrial fitting screwed right into a female Tru-flate fitting ...

Me too. It allows me to use a friend's pneumatic squeezer and him to "borrow" it back without the annoyance of changing the connector each time.



Back to the original topic, by reading between the lines it sounds like Dave's connectors came from Harbor Freight. Mine too, and I've had to toss out a fair number of them due to leakage. Still, they're very cost effective.

If the tip of the male connector has a sharp edge it will quickly damage the rubber washer inside the mating female connector. I've started polishing the tips on any that don't feel smooth to the touch and that seems to have made a difference.

Wish I could find replacement rubber washers but even McMaster-Carr didn't have the non-standard size that is used. It bothers me to toss something made of brass due to a bad $.02 rubber part but I guess that's the age we live in.

[gasman]

Originally Posted by Joe

Me too.



.

Your local auto parts will have quality fittings. In the picture above you can see a single ring cut into the fitting. That's how you can tell an automotive fitting from the others. Industrial has two rings.

This fitting requires you to pull back the collar to make the connection.