# Best Airhoses?



## builder98 (Dec 15, 2012)

Can Someone please give me their take on the best airhoses to use? I've always bought what was on sale at the depot and im just wondering if premium air hoses are worth the price. Have you ever ran 3/8 from the compressor then down to 1/4 to the gun? Thanks.


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## ExtremePride (Oct 27, 2010)

I buy 1/4" 100' at tractor supply to run the nailers. If more length is needed then I have a couple 3/8" 50' flexzilla hoses that are to heavy to be dragging around a roof


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

builder98 said:


> Can Someone please give me their take on the best airhoses to use? I've always bought what was on sale at the depot and im just wondering if premium air hoses are worth the price. Have you ever ran 3/8 from the compressor then down to 1/4 to the gun? Thanks.


Yes


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## builder98 (Dec 15, 2012)

Thanks BB your input was invaluable...:no:


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## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

I couldn't imagine not using the premium hoses. Tough, flexible, smaller OD, if you do bust it you can splice or make a shorter hose.

I find 2 50' hoses are easier to manage than a 100', more versatile too.


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## hboogz (Aug 26, 2013)

Just bought this for work around house and garage. I don't do much roof work, but having a 100' hose on the cheap on the rare occasion you might need one sounds like a win to me..


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## wallmaxx (Jun 18, 2007)

I like 100' Flexeel made in the USA.


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

hboogz said:


> Just bought this for work around house and garage.


That looks decent and less expensive than the ones I use. I normally just get the red rubber ones from home depot and link them together. If I'm doing inside type work, I use the blue ones.

But reading the reviews at HD, it appears as--yet again--a manufacturer has cheapened their formerly good product.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Amflo-3-...-Air-Hose-552-50AE/202205325#customer_reviews


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

I like these from Senco. http://www.acmetools.com/webapp/wcs...&cagpspn=pla&gclid=COHC1YrDwboCFWpk7AodL1YA8g


I also have thicker 3/8" Goodyear and Amflo for use as feeders if i need more distance, and a 50' and coiled Flexeel 1/4". The Senco is a little heavier, but lays flatter and is more durable.


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## hboogz (Aug 26, 2013)

Rustbucket said:


> I like these from Senco. http://www.acmetools.com/webapp/wcs...&cagpspn=pla&gclid=COHC1YrDwboCFWpk7AodL1YA8g
> 
> 
> I also have thicker 3/8" Goodyear and Amflo for use as feeders if i need more distance, and a 50' and coiled Flexeel 1/4". The Senco is a little heavier, but lays flatter and is more durable.


I take it a good brass 3/8 to 1/4 coupler should suffice if I needed to connect the two ?


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## steex (Feb 19, 2013)

I use 3/8" Goodyear for framing and roofing and laying around on the shop floor, and 1/4" Flexeels for finish work. Nothing longer than 50 feet. To answer your question hboogz, you usually don't need a coupler because most 3/8" hoses use 1/4" fittings. Which kind of makes you wonder why anyone bothers with 3/8" hoses at all. I sort of think the increased air volume inside the hose acts as a buffer and makes my framing nailer behave more predictably, but it might just be my imagination. The thicker hose is also more durable when it gets dragged around on rough surfaces and stepped on.


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

hboogz said:


> I take it a good brass 3/8 to 1/4 coupler should suffice if I needed to connect the two ?


What Steex said is correct. All my hoses still have 1/4" fittings. Even though there is a restriction in each end of the hose, the larger hose will have less friction and allow better air flow. 3/8" fittings would be better, but I don't think anybody in our field uses them. You'll find more of those sizes in industrial and automotive shops. For nail guns and such it doesn't really matter that much. Where it becomes more important is with sanders, grinders and other air hogs.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

i just buy whats on sale as long as their not pvc. 

we use a 1/2" feeder line off the big pig when framing and installing siding.. when im trimming i use 1/4" though because the hose can slide freely underneather doors


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## basswood (Oct 31, 2008)

I found that for finish work, 50 foot hoses are often more than I need and 25' can be too short.

I bought a 100 ft. hose blue flexeel and cut it into 3 hoses 33' long. My favorite length. Flexeel is nice in that the hose ends are reusable and you can add reusable strain relief ends to any hoses you make for about $5 each end. They also sell splices so if you cut a hose they are easy to repair.

My lengths are color coded. My 50' hoses are red. The 33' are now blue. If I get a 100' it will be a green flexzilla.

Anyway, I can also add a 50 and 33' together or two 33's or go nuts with all of them. Often I run the 50' to the three way splitter with three lanyards there and then run 3 33' hoses to a work area if I am using 3 guns. Or run the hoses to three different rooms and just move my gun, rather than dragging hose. Just depends on the situation.

All hoses work better if you use a heavy swivel lanyard at the tank or at a splitter. The lanyard helps keep the hose on the ground. I also add swivel ends to guns that don't have them. 

On last thing I did is to use different colored electrical tape and to mark both ends of each of my blue hoses... orange, black, yellow, so if I need to disconnect a hose, I know which is which when I get to the other end.

That is my hose management system. Tah dah.


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## kiteman (Apr 18, 2012)

I bought 300' of Parker push-lok 3/8 rubber hose 30 years ago and now have it whittled down to about 200'. Probably the best rubber hose made at the time. I always use 3/8 " fittings because I don't think they Ice up as bad, but if the moisture is there you're gonna freeze up no matter what you use. 

That said, my buddy brought out his 100' 1/4" Interchange poly hose last year, and wow! I can't believe I've been dragging that heavy azz, awkward rubber hose around all those years. I still use a section for supply, but I bought a 50' and 100' Grip-Rite poly hose a month ago and love it so far. 

The 1/4" hoses won't run my impact wrench on anchor bolts.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

I have two 100' 1/4" poly hoses on a reel with an additional 50' tightly rolled in a box. The 50' is for when I absolutely need to take the compressor out of the truck. Otherwise if I need 132' that is what is reeled out. Same if I only need 20.

Today I was able to park the truck in the alley and trim out on the 3rd floor with the hose going up the stairs through a door 75' away. So I didn't have to lug or hear my compressor.


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## steex (Feb 19, 2013)

So you run a gas compressor and work in a crime free area?


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

steex said:


> So you run a gas compressor and work in a crime free area?


Electric compressor steel cabled to the truck. Electrical outlet was about 40' away from the truck. 

Most anyone would have got away with is a 10 gage 50' extension cord and if they wanted some hose they would have had to cut it.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

I run several 50' hoses. I don't even own 100' hoses. Nor do I own any 3/8". Simply put I can run 150' 1/4" and get no noticeable loss.


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## skillman (Sep 23, 2011)

I have Flexeel hoses . 2 = 25' 2=50' . Also picked up a roll of soda hose at swap meet 500' of it . Cut and made my own lengths and just addied fittings Couple 15 / 25 / 50 / 75 / 100 works great .


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