Had some free time this afternoon...

[Hammack_Welding]

Decided I would build a hose reel for my torch. I had rollers I had made for a previous job, and decided to use one of them. Started by cutting some old harrow disk down to make a spool with.

[Hammack_Welding]

One of the rollers. I took it apart and welded the disks to the roller to make a spool.

[Hammack_Welding]

Built a stand out of some drops, and mounted the spool back on it.

[Hammack_Welding]

Put some paint on it, and the hose, and mounted on the truck. I use quick disconnects with a short leader hose from the regulators since I occaissionaly have to hook up some long hose to get on elevators with. So I unplug the spool when I am rolling it and plug it up when in use.

[jtrapper]

Pretty cool. How are you going to attach hoses? Looks like you have plenty of capacity for hose. I know I'm not fond of rolling my hoses up everytime I use the torch. Keep us posted.

[Hammack_Welding]

jtrapper, if you look at the top of that last pic you will see a set of female quick disconnects on the hose that. I have a 3ft hose coming from my regulators with the male quick disconnect on them. I only hook them together when I am using the torch. If I am gonna unroll it or roll it up I just unsnap the hoses so it will spin freely.

[jtrapper]

OK, I hadn't seen that series. How do those quick disconnects work? I've been eyeballing them for awhile now seems like a time saver to me, but about 80 bucks for the set, I'm kinda holding off for awhile.

[MicroZone]

Looks great Hammack! What color are you going to paint it?

[Hammack_Welding]

Thank's Microzone, I have got to paint the whole bed, reels and all. I am still playing with the layout on this truck. I would have preferred to build a bed from scratch, but for money and time reasons decided to just modify this bed since it came on the truck. I am just now starting to get everything layed out and welded to it like I want it, so I am gonna pull the welder, tanks, air compressor, and hoses/cables then spray the whole bed black. Still have a simple crane I am working on to mount also before I start painting though.

[tapwelder]

Free time, You're supposed to spend your free time on the ring roller. You got us in suspense. Come on man.

Good job.

[WelderDaddy]

Nice but how about just using a steel tire rim. Not as deep but since each revolution would hold a much longer length of hose it might work good.

[Hammack_Welding]

Yea I know tapwelder, The ring roller is still in process, but I am having to wait until I get finished with another job. I need the drops from it to make my bushings for the roller. I should have another update on it sometime this week. So keep an eye open...

WelderDaddy, I suppose a tire rim would work, Just too big, and not really the look I was going for, but it will work. I am figuring that I can run 100ft of hose on this reel.

[Sandy]

Nice thing about the discs is they already have a nice pre-made taper. Good choice, great work.

Thanks for the pics.

[clive]

You have sent my brain into overdrive, are the quick connects the same as on an air-compressor or do they have to be specially rated for o/a gases? And how well do they seal?
Clive

[chopper5]

thats cool :cool2:

[KMAC]

Nice work, reels make the truck look so much neater. Was thinking of the same set up for welding cables, with twist lock connectors.

[Hammack_Welding]

Clive, yes the couplings are specifically for o/a I would NEVER attempt to use an ordinary air coupling. I have never had much trouble at all with leaking. They have check valves built in as well. I usually check them for leaks when I service my equipment once a month. I started using them a year ago and the first set I have still doesn't leak.

KMAC I agree, I was planning to build a set for my welding cables as well. I did one set awhile for a friend's farm service trailer. You will be surprised at just how much lead they will hold.

[clive]

Clive, yes the couplings are specifically for o/a I would NEVER attempt to use an ordinary air coupling. I have never had much trouble at all with leaking. They have check valves built in as well. I usually check them for leaks when I service my equipment once a month. I started using them a year ago and the first set I have still doesn't leak.

KMAC I agree, I was planning to build a set for my welding cables as well. I did one set awhile for a friend's farm service trailer. You will be surprised at just how much lead they will hold.

Thanks, I asked some of my apprentices if they use these fittings in their shops, a couple did but most didn't. Off to the welding supply tomorrow.

[rednekinaz]

Quit slacking off and get back to the ring roller!!! JK. Nice reel.

Skip

[bigcountry1009]

That's pretty slick hammack. Man, I just scrapped about 25 or 30 harrow discs.

[Hammack_Welding]

bigcountry, never scrap a disk pan..... You would not believe some of the uses i have found for them in the past. I always try to keep some old ones on hand.

[jworman]

Hammack_Welding]Clive, yes the couplings are specifically for o/a I would NEVER attempt to use an ordinary air coupling. I have never had much trouble at all with leaking. They have check valves built in as well. I usually check them for leaks when I service my equipment once a month. I started using them a year ago and the first set I have still doesn't leak.

I'm curious about why you would NEVER use air couplers on your O/A hoses? I mentioned it once to a welding supply guy (by coincidence; Hammack Welding Supply in New Mexico) and he was aghast to hear the idea. He mentioned the danger if you coupled them backwards. I told him I had two completely different styles of air couplers (and different from the ones I use with my air supply), so backwards wasn't possible. Then he thought maybe it would work OK.

I thought of this long before I (and apparently the welding supply guy) ever saw these couplers commercially made. I have been using these same air couplers now for over 30 years and they haven't leaked yet. They don't have the check valves in the couplers, but I have check valves further up in the hoses.

[Diehard]

hey hammack, why couldnt you use two swivel connections like an air hose reel has and put one on one side and one on the other. maybe not have to disconnect at all, would this work?