Flexzilla air hose

joiner1970 · Jan 5, 2015

hi all

just treated my self to yet another compressor lol I got fed up lugging my bostitch around and ordered the senco pc1010. I posted ages ago about getting a better hose but as Im UK based we don't have a lot of choice. I looked at the flexzilla hose online but at the time it was expensive to get here. I ended up getting two hoses made up at a local supplier not sure what these ones are made of but they are a real pain and not very flexible especially in cold weather.

Ive just found out that I can buy a 25ft length of flexzilla 3/8" and I wont get stung for import duties and shipping is cheap too, it all comes to around £25 which sounds good. Before I order have I chosen the right hose not sure if you 1/4" threaded ends are different thread to European ones. Do they do different qualities of hose as I notice some say PRO . Also is 3/8" the best size ,its for brad nailing only upto 16 gauge.

http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Manufacturing-HFZ3825YW2-Zillagreen-Restrictors/dp/B0021WVO8W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420468642&sr=8-2&keywords=Flexzilla+Air+Hose

tbellemare · Jan 5, 2015

If it is a Flexzilla, it's a Flexzilla. That's the hose material.

Legacy Mfg, who makes and sells Flexzilla, also makes lesser quality alternatives in PVC and rubber for instance.

The connectors are 1/4" male NPT (National Pipe Thread). I don't know what you have on your compressor but I do know there is a different common standard for air/vacuum connections in UK.

Tom

joiner1970 · Jan 5, 2015

Tom

Yeah I think my old hose is PVC (rubbish)

Our compressors and tools here come with 1/4" bsp threaded but we fit quick couplers which then look very similar to yours. I know the threaded part isn't going to match but if I can get a male end and a quick female with NPT that should make the hose compatible. You guys are so lucky over there we just don't have the choice like you do with air stuff. I just paid £133 for the senco which you can get for less than half that price stateside.

I looked on the flexzilla site and it does list a normal hose and PRO hose not sure what the difference is. The normal one will do if it will stand up to pro use.

chris

tbellemare · Jan 5, 2015

My memory may be a little faulty but the Legacy Mfg. guy came by shortly after the PRO line was launched. If I remember correctly, the only difference is in the fittings?

The PRO line has fittings that can be changed in the field without any special equipment. That allows a hose to be fixed if damaged on the job site.

Like I said, that's what I remember... Maybe someone else knows differently?

Tom

wow · Jan 5, 2015

You probably know this, but you can order that hose from Amazon UK for £16.95 each. It comes with a 1/4" NPT fitting so you'll have to find an adaptor to BSP.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flexzilla-yellow-air-hose-MNPT/dp/B0021WVO8W/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A24DL03FVDNJ7R

There is an £11.07 delivery charge, but I put three of them in my cart and the shipping charge didn't change. I'm not sure how many you could buy before the shipping price goes up, but I could have 3 of them delivered to an address in the UK for:

Items: GBP 50.85
Postage & Packing: GBP 17.32
Order Total: GBP 68.17

That's GBP 22.72333 delivered, VAT inclusive. Seems like a pretty good deal to me?

BTW, I switched entirely to Flexzilla hose in my shop, and my only regret is like Festool - that I didn't do it sooner. I wish they didn't get dirty so easily, but I can always clean 'em up.

I don't know if they are available over there, but at the same time I also switched to Milton High-Flo couplers. They are a little pricey, but they make a 3/8" hose perform like a 1/2" with regular couplers. The difference is STAGGERING! No more cheapy couplers for me!

tbellemare · Jan 5, 2015

Legacy also sells high flow couplers, Wayne. I wonder how they compare to yours?

Tom

wow · Jan 5, 2015

Tom Bellemare said:
Legacy also sells high flow couplers, Wayne. I wonder how they compare to yours?

Tom

Not sure. They didn't offer them when I switched, so I probably wouldn't bother with them unless they were 'insanely great'.

[wink]

wow · Jan 5, 2015

wow said:
Tom Bellemare said:

Legacy also sells high flow couplers, Wayne. I wonder how they compare to yours?

Tom

Click to expand...

Not sure. They didn't offer them when I switched, so I probably wouldn't bother with them unless they were 'insanely great'.

[wink]

Just had a quick google and it looks like they are about 3x the price of the Milton.

Thunderchyld · Jan 5, 2015

I was just about to post what Tom did. He's right, the main difference with the pro line is the fittings. The Pro line came about because of their retail sales point, the PRO Custom Hose center. I was pretty impressed the first time I saw the sales point.

The biggest advantage I find with the pro line vs the standard is that when one of my idiots cuts an air hose I can fix it, either with a splice or by making shorter lines. Other lines are repairable, but I really do dislike hose barbs with clips, unless they're the crimp fit like pex.

Being able to make custom-sized lines can be a nice feature, though I sometimes wonder how useful it truly is. The main thing I've built custom using Pro fittings was a tool yoke for a friend. He does a lot of work with soundproofing and wanted to be able to use a blow off gun without having to disconnect the caulking gun. A regular splitter and hoses worked, but he didn't need the spaghetti tail to trip over. I used his same splitter (3-way) and made him 2 whip hoses. The air gun is attached directly w threads, no quick disconnect there. There is a QD on the caulking gun line, as well as being a QD on the 3rd port on the splitter. He sets up with the 3 way splitter sitting in a hammer loop on the back of his tool belt and loops the whip with the air gun around his waist, tucking the gun into a pouch.

thedude306 · Jan 5, 2015

I would go to the 1/4" for the brad nailer only. I love my flexilla but I do find it bulkier then other air line.

I have 3/8" on hose reals in the shop. 1/4" for moving around.

What makes a coupler high flow?

joiner1970 · Jan 5, 2015

WOW,

Yeah I had seen them on the UK amazon but if you're only buying one its cheaper on the US site.

I can get NPT quick release fittings on ebay or I might be abl to just cut off the NPT threads on the hose and get BSP fittings fitted here.

Chris

tbellemare · Jan 5, 2015

I have a bunch of BSP to NPT fittings that Schmalz sent me to configure their Vacuum Clamps to our air fittings. I don't know where they got them but they're available. I think they're more common in Europe than here...

Tom

joiner1970 · Jan 5, 2015

Just found this on Amazon looks a good hose anyone tried it ?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ATWZV8/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

tbellemare · Jan 5, 2015

I'm not fond of polyurethane hoses. I have had a couple of the coiled types and have to admit that there's a certain convenience to them but they don't last in my experience. I don't think I'd want to own a non-coiled one. The coiled version can be real handy at an assembly station, bench, machine tool or something stationary. I can't think of where one would use the others.

I've even switched over my water hoses at home to Flexzilla as the old ones bit the dust. I haven't found anything that compares.

Tom

joiner1970 · Jan 5, 2015

Are flexzilla not polyurethane as well then ? I though these Bostitch ones were similar.

tbellemare · Jan 5, 2015

If you go to the Grainger website, you'll note that they sell Speedaire AND Poly hoses. I'm pretty sure Speedaire are rebranded Flexzilla.

Tom

EDIT:
The only polyurethane hoses I know of that Legacy Mfg. sells are the coiled variety.

GarryMartin · Jan 5, 2015

joiner1970 said:
Just found this on Amazon looks a good hose anyone tried it ?

I have that hose. What do you want to know?

$14.95 on Amazon... amazing. Cost me £55 from FFX here in the UK!

http://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Bostitch%20Bospro1450%205902013945932%20Pro%201450%2025%20Hi%20Viz%20Pro%20Hose%206Mm%20X%2015M

joiner1970 · Jan 5, 2015

Is it good and is it flexible Garry ?? And I am talking about the hose lol

The Amazon one will have npt threaded ends but I'm sure I can change them when it arrives

wow · Jan 5, 2015

Tom Bellemare said:
I've even switched over my water hoses at home to Flexzilla as the old ones bit the dust. I haven't found anything that compares.

Tom

Funny that you should mention that. I found 3 of the 50-footers on closeout at Menards that I bought on the bag sale. Ended up costing $22 each. I did the...

{happy Dance}

GarryMartin · Jan 5, 2015

joiner1970 said:
Is it good and is it flexible Garry ??

It's a great hose, and definitely flexible; doesn't kink too easily. But my use is limited - I can't comment on how it would hold up in the hands of a professional on a daily basis.

Flexzilla air hose

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