[Shop-talk] Air Hose Reel Rec

[John Miller]

On 2/17/2015 6:48 PM, Dave Cavanaugh wrote:
> I have three of the Harbor Freight retractable reels in my shop.

I have two of the Harbor Freight hose reels.  So far so good, one's been 
in regular use for 8+ years, the other 6+.

Considerations: the rubber hose is okay, not great.  When the hose 
started to crack around the threaded end I cut the end off the hose, 
bought a barbed quick-connect socket from McMaster-Carr, installed it 
with a couple Oetiker clamps, and put some heatshrink over the clamps. 
If it starts to crack again I'll cut it and move it up four inches.  The 
ball valves in the branches are a good idea, wish I'd done so 
consistently, though the only leakage in my air system comes from crud 
accumulating in the quick-connect sockets, not in the hosereel hardware.

Before you put the hosereel up on the wall remove the four nuts and 
lockwashers that hold the reel to the ratchet assembly and reinstall 
them tightly with some red Loctite.

John.