Bulk hose, cut to fit?

[Tom Winters]

So a couple of inches in a hose one way or the other is going to make that big a difference? I don't want to rain on the DIY'ers parade - there are guys who want to machine their own backplates, make their own lead shot, cast v-weights, swage hose fittings - hey, go for it if that turns you on. If I was going to make my own hoses, I'd want to grow my own rubber - who knows if those people at Goodyear pee in the rubber or not? Plus I could get back to Vietnam and all that good food there.

 

[padiscubapro]

I've wondered about making my own hoses too - have you found any sources for supplies? And what kind of tools are necessary for the crimping?

Tim

(over here it would pay for itself quickly just to avoid continuous shipping charges - a single 22" LP hose cost me $30 because of shipping )

Oxycheq sells SCREW ON hose ends (3/8 unf and reg ends).. These are RE-USABLE and stronger than any crimp-on connector you will find..

BUDDY / Ambient Pressure Diving has been using these type of connectors for years.. They also have snap connectors (serviceable) as well...

All my hoses are customized... you can cut an end off one a hose/ screw on the appropriate fitting (its two piieces) the collar which screws on first, the the fitting which screws into the collar (opposite threading).. The hose gets pinched between the screw in fittin and collar for the entire length.. forget about it leaking... a much higher contact area than a crimp connector..

 

[Nostromo]

I'm not sure I understand the concern. I do my own automotive repair all the time, which includes occasional brake work. Your typical hydraulic brake system is a hell of a lot more complicated than crimping a fitting on the end of an air hose. Given the nature of the beast, I'd say blowing a hose at depth is safer (perhaps "less dangerous" might be a better term to use) than losing your brakes on average American freeway. Yet while I can go to a dozen auto shops and get brake parts without a second glance, if I want to make a scuba hose people think I'm going to die. Go figure. Personally I'm the type that if possible I would rather do something myself than trust it to some unknown person, people, machine, or collection of the above. As an example, a set of regs I just bought happens to have a loan Halcyon hose on it, and the crimps are really ugly. Not just ugly, but crimped in a way that in my opinion might actually compromise the integrity of the hose. I make better hose crimps at work all the time, but then I sweat the details too. So my point is, if I can make a better fitting hose, with better quality crimps, and do it a hell of a lot cheaper, why not?

Anyway, as I mentioned before I posted roughly the same question in the the DIY forum. I got several good leads on companies that sell scuba hose in bulk. For those (like kidspot) that are interested I suggest checking out the details there. For those that think crimping hose fittings is rocket surgery, I guess all I can say is I live life on the edge.

I almost forgot! Thanks padiscubapro for the info on the screw-on fittings. That's exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for.

thanks again,
e.a.e.

 

[Hoosier]

Thanks for a great info... But, I can't find Screw on hose ends at their website. It is a special order base item?..........

Oxycheq sells SCREW ON hose ends (3/8 unf and reg ends).. These are RE-USABLE and stronger than any crimp-on connector you will find..

BUDDY / Ambient Pressure Diving has been using these type of connectors for years.. They also have snap connectors (serviceable) as well...

All my hoses are customized... you can cut an end off one a hose/ screw on the appropriate fitting (its two piieces) the collar which screws on first, the the fitting which screws into the collar (opposite threading).. The hose gets pinched between the screw in fittin and collar for the entire length.. forget about it leaking... a much higher contact area than a crimp connector..

 

[FredT]

Hose fittings, ANY hose fitting, is a highly engieered artifact. They HAVE to be able to be assembled by untrained labor, often in the wrong order, and STILL work! The smarts are all in the tooling and fitting manufacturing tolerances. Anything assembled bad enough to not work has to immediately obvious to the untrained eye.

 

[detroit diver]

I have a custom hose fabricator across the street from me. I asked him about doing scuba related hoses. He flat out told me that the market wasnt' big enough to warrant the liability insurance premiums that he would need to pay to produce this type of hose.

I would think that any individual wishing to do the same thing might want to consider this.

 

[Web Monkey]

I posted something similar in the DIY (Do It Yourself) forum so if that's the place for it feel free to kill this one, but my question does have a DIR slant to it so I put it here too.

be. I realize DIR is all about standardization, but I'm not talking about major length changes, just enough so that for my specific person, it doesn't feel tight or "flap in the breeze" as you guys say. Any ideas?

thanks,
e.a.e.

Although I've never seen SCUBA hoses manufactured, I have seen other hoses with fittings made, and can tell you that it takes a significant amount of time and skilled labor to setup the production line so the dies are correct and the crimping pressure is just right (not enough and the hose blows loose, too much and you get an early failure).

Personally, I'd spend the $30 and buy it already made from a manufacturer who has an actual QA process for the hose, fittings and completed product.

Terry

 

[Nostromo]

I've done a little more research since I started this thread. Would anybody like to speculate as to what the average "QA process" is for a factory made scuba hose?

Anyway, having personally made quite a few compressed air (and other fluid) hoses with a variety of fittings in a variety of applications far more demanding than diving (and never having one fail) I still say it's not rocket surgery. I will admit some hoses and their respective fittings are a little more intensive in the equipment and skill departments. Hydraulic hoses come to mind.

e.a.e.

Although I've never seen SCUBA hoses manufactured, I have seen other hoses with fittings made, and can tell you that it takes a significant amount of time and skilled labor to setup the production line so the dies are correct and the crimping pressure is just right (not enough and the hose blows loose, too much and you get an early failure).

Personally, I'd spend the $30 and buy it already made from a manufacturer who has an actual QA process for the hose, fittings and completed product.

Terry

 

[Nostromo]

Consider it in what way? Are you suggesting I might be forced to sue myself if I blow a homemade hose?

e.a.e.

I have a custom hose fabricator across the street from me. I asked him about doing scuba related hoses. He flat out told me that the market wasnt' big enough to warrant the liability insurance premiums that he would need to pay to produce this type of hose.

I would think that any individual wishing to do the same thing might want to consider this.

 

[aquaoren]

Now seriously,
The hoses don't cost so much that no one could afford them, they last for ages if used reasonably. Calculate how much they cost you on a daily basis if used for lets say 3 or 5 years.
Personaly, my time would be too precious to waste it on something like that. Not talking about the increased risks even if it's not "rocket surgery"