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Good/best quick connect air couplings

Garwood

Diamond
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Location
Oregon
What manufacturer/brand of shop air fittings is both popular and good quality?

Or, another way of asking, if you buy this stuff for real commercial/industrial use what brands do you buy (hopefully on quality)?

I want to make an accessory for air fittings. I want to design it around existing parts that people like to use. That's my reason for the question.

Thanks!
 
What manufacturer/brand of shop air fittings is both popular and good quality?

Or, another way of asking, if you buy this stuff for real commercial/industrial use what brands do you buy (hopefully on quality)?

I want to make an accessory for air fittings. I want to design it around existing parts that people like to use. That's my reason for the question.

Thanks!

SKF, Parker Hannifan, SMC come to mind.
 
Parker and Milton. I think Ingersoll Rand makes couplers, too. They make regulators and filters and that sort of thing.

Edit: If it matters. I standardized on "industrial" style fittings. I have some ARO fittings that I use for specific hoses where I don't want normal tools hooked up.

Sent using Morse code on - .- .--. .- - .- .-.. -.-
 
Parker has a quick coupling division.

Yes they doo-o-o-o-o:
Google Maps

FWIW I have a few of their couplers, an odd standard IIRC for coupling up mold base water hoses. They have more flow in the standard 1/4" npt tip than just about everyone else.

IIRC after you decide what male tip config you want, you can choose from a few different female coupler styles, simple slide ring, push-to-connect, 2 step release, etc.
 
I worked for a Swiss Co. years ago and all they used was Staubli connectors. They were as I remember all SS and had a push button on the side instead of a collar. Very nice. But they didn't interchange with anything other than their own stuff and really pricey.
 
Yes they doo-o-o-o-o:
Google Maps

FWIW I have a few of their couplers, an odd standard IIRC for coupling up mold base water hoses. They have more flow in the standard 1/4" npt tip than just about everyone else.

IIRC after you decide what male tip config you want, you can choose from a few different female coupler styles, simple slide ring, push-to-connect, 2 step release, etc.
Good quality push to connect fittings are nice.

One time, my old boss plugged in a nailgun, the collar of the fitting stayed with the gun and the rest of the fitting flew down and hit him in the balls.

It was GREAT. :D

Make sure those fittings stay screwed together tight. Maybe a bit of blue Loctite.

Sent using Morse code on - .- .--. .- - .- .-.. -.-
 
Good quality push to connect fittings are nice.

One time, my old boss plugged in a nailgun, the collar of the fitting stayed with the gun and the rest of the fitting flew down and hit him in the balls.

It was GREAT. :D

Make sure those fittings stay screwed together tight. Maybe a bit of blue Loctite.

Sent using Morse code on - .- .--. .- - .- .-.. -.-

We’d bought one of those compressed air grease guns. Like the ones garages use were you stuff the stem into a big tub of grease. I’d connected it all up and we were ready to try it out. The big boss was there to see what he’d got for his £250. The gun was type with a couple of swivels on so you can get in awkward places. I had the gun and the end swivel pointing down towards the ground but when I pulled the trigger the whole lot spun around as though it had been taken over by supernatural forces and it fired out a big dollop of grease.

The dollop landed right on the collar of the big bosses nice new clean white shirt ! He wasn’t too pleased, I think he thought I’d done it on purpose !

Regards Tyrone.
 
I've used Milton for 30+ years and never had issues. Have tried off-brands and they're trash. Never tried the more expensive brands though.
 
Have not seen a quick disconnect from them yet.
Maybe you could narrow it down a wee bit with a linky ?

Very good fittings, but pricey!

Quick Connects | Valves | Swagelok

Here's Milton's version of the Staubli safety style fittings....

Milton S-99705 1/4" NPT M-Style Female Push Button Safety Coupler | JB Tools

I like Milton the best for price/quality and availability.....they also seem to have a better design than some of the other manufactures, the connections take very little effort compared to others!

Kevin
 
Use the Industrial style. If you must have a coupler then they get heavy as the line diameter increases.
I bought some of these Parker couplers and one male fitting. Copied it in stainless steel 304.
You would think that the profile is critical for no leaks. Wrong.

DSC_0854.jpg
 
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Around 15 years ago I fitted all my air tools and hoses with PCL quick couplers. They are a bit longer and last forever with a tight seal. But they are getting harder to find locally, as they were always a bit more expensive and the market has become much more price-sensitive. They were common in the UK but in the EU they are rare. The EU uses a DIN standard connector, and some countries use an Italian type. The three types are not compatible. What is the most commonly used coupler for air tools in the USA nowadays?
 
PCL couplers seal better but air passage is smaller than Euro / PCS type. Euro can be harder to join under pressure.

Far as I can tell there is no readily available latching female version of the Euro for extra security. Latching /security PCL can be a pain if you don't notice its mot a standard connector but they are much more secure.

I too am slowly converting from PCL to Euro. Mostly because the LiDL supermarkets in the UK occasionally sell connector kits at silly low prices in their "for one weel only" middle of LiDL promotions. Like a quarter the price of PCL for 6 or 8 connectors which includes useful extras in the pack like male-male or male-female threaded adapters.

Hafta take what you get in the pack on offer, which is why I've ended up with an excess of coiled hoses and other stuff that I will never use. But still way cheaper. Next time round I'm looking out for the inline pressure reducer thingy. Reducer and three swivels for the price of one swivel elsewhere, whats not to like.

The connectors are good quality too. Mate properly and seal well. I've known folks pay much more for worse from pro suppliers bargain ranges.

Real pro gear is better and will survive many more disconnect / reconnect cycles. The seal inside can only stand so many hook-ups.

Clive
 
4f253069d8131bcc98e80221e5b7a8b5.jpg


79fd0ff795676faf80c73a83a9922079.jpg



Around 15 years ago I fitted all my air tools and hoses with PCL quick couplers. They are a bit longer and last forever with a tight seal. But they are getting harder to find locally, as they were always a bit more expensive and the market has become much more price-sensitive. They were common in the UK but in the EU they are rare. The EU uses a DIN standard connector, and some countries use an Italian type. The three types are not compatible. What is the most commonly used coupler for air tools in the USA nowadays?

The company I worked for changed to “ PCL “ when “ Schrader “ fittings got too expensive. “ PCL “ were ok but not as durable as “Schrader “ were for industrial use. “ Schrader “ made bulletproof fittings. For instance the male “ Schrader “ fittings were as hard as Chinese algebra.

Regards Tyrone.
 








 
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