Why antistatic hoses are so heavy and stiff?

[Svar]

Why antistatic hoses are so heavy and stiff? This goes not only for Festool but also Bosch or any other brand. They are like pythons trying to drag away your smaller tools when left unattended. Why can't they be light, just as regular ones I've got at 1/3 the weight, and still be conductive? It's not as if antistatic ones have metal spiral inside, they are just plastic/rubber impregnated with some conductive stuff. How hard is it to make them light AND conductive?
OK, rant is over.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Apparently, harder than you think...

 

[Laminator]

I stretch my new hoses for a day or two between two trees in the sunshine.  After this they are much more flexible and about 2' longer to boot.  This does not seem to lessen the antistatic quality at all.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Heavy?? I don't get that, I find them very light. New AS hoses can indeed be very stiff though, but they become more supple over time, and I've never found their stiffness to hinder my work.

Only gripe I have is their price, they're 3 or 4 times as expensive as those from a competitor, and during work on site, a hose is exposed and can easily be damaged through various causes. But the price makes that I have to treat it like a diamond necklace.

 

[charley1968]

Good idea [member=10148]Laminator[/member]

 

[DB10]

  I agree that the A/S hoses are way too expensive, we are paying a very high premium for the Anti Static label. I'm not sure if FT make these hoses,  or if it's a third party manufacturer that makes them.

 

[4bocote]

[mad]
My complaint with the hoses is :    they are so strongly coiled!!  It is always a wrestling match to operate the tool,  when the hose is twisting it's own way,  not the way I am trying to go.      And the wrestling match continues as I  keep using the tool.    Do the new covered hoses make it any better?    let me know.  thanks, steve

 

[Dongar]

The 36 mm hose for the planex is lighter, more flexible and antistatic. So they don't have to be made that way.

 

[leakyroof]

[mad]
My complaint with the hoses is :    they are so strongly coiled!!  It is always a wrestling match to operate the tool,  when the hose is twisting it's own way,  not the way I am trying to go.      And the wrestling match continues as I  keep using the tool.    Do the new covered hoses make it any better?    let me know.  thanks, steve

  I cant speak for the shorter 'sheathed' hose, as I own the longer version for ceiling or tall wall work. Although it's two hoses joined together and not exactly like a regular hose, it DOES  seem less prone to fighting you like a new AS hose does.
I've also heard of people running hot air from a hair dryer or heat gun CAREFULLY through the hose to help it 'learn' to be less of a battle when uncoiled. They put the hose as straight as possible and run the hot air through it, which is about the same as the poster who mounted his hose between the trees and used sunlight to stop the memory coiled of the hose.

 

[leakyroof]

The 36 mm hose for the planex is lighter, more flexible and antistatic. So they don't have to be made that way.

  True, but that Planex hose IS a bit more fragile in a work site environment if you're not careful. it's easier to cut or crush it than a regular AS hose.

 

[Cheese]

Do the new covered hoses make it any better?    let me know.  thanks, steve

I like them better, I put the covered hoses on my C 22 and Midi and there's less of a fight. However, they're being used only for sanding and for the DF 500. Have not tried them with a TS or HKC.

 

[QuailRider43]

I love my Planex hoses.  Price is painful, but they're lightweight, flexible, and stay clean on the outside ie. don't accumulate a film of dust like non-AS hoses do.  I reserve the stiff regular green AS hoses for attachment to the CT36 boom so I don't have to deal with hose wrangling on the hand tools.  Planex hose for anything where I'm moving around a lot, e.g. vacuuming the shop.  I also use a Planex on my Kapex because it's located close against the wall in the shop, and having the extra flexibility was advantageous when changing the angles and snaking it under the built-in cabinet it's resting on.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

The sheathed hose is definitely an improvement over the regular hose. Also that the power cable is taken care of as well. I have the short version and use it mostly for sanding.

 

[grbmds]

[member=39446]4bocote[/member] The covered hoses seem to be more flexible. The end that connects to the tool is slightly tapered which really helps with sanders, the Domino 500, and routers. i have used it with the TS55 and it also works better with the saw but I tend to use my 36mm hose most times with the saw because I have it and have convinced myself I get slightly better dust collection with the larger hose.