High flow compressed air fittings versus standard flow..

[5030]

Been perusing high flow air compressor hose end fittings, Milton has them as well as some other makers, both domestic and offshore.

The one thing I don't like about the Milton fittings is the plugs are aluminum so I went with the Winnsky brand. They are imported but the plugs are steel. Very well made and appear to be quite sturdy and their female connectors are push to engage, no pulling the collar back. I need the added air flow for my high CFM consumption air tools
Anyone have any experience pro or con about them or the Milton's for that matter

Thoughts or experiences would be appreciated.

 

[Smokeydog]

Milton V style high flow come in steel or brass. Home Depot or Northern. I use brass but on high impact tool like a air hammer, a steel plug for extended time might work better. The female V coupler also works on the regular plugs so don’t have to change all tools.

 

[5030]

I actually attempted to bore out a standard plug to increased the ID but was not successful. It cracked and I was very careful. Chucked it in one of my lathes, used coolant and a small boring bar. I bought 2 packs of the Winnsky ones so I have plenty enough plugs to do everything. 14 plugs and 4 couplers in each pack. I looked for the Milton's but could not find them. All I saw for Milton was the aluminum plugs and I wasn't fond of them at all. Pretty anodizing but anodizing isn't about longevity. All I'm really interested in is the high flow rate for my high volume air tools as well as my CNC plasma cutter and table. Have more than enough CFM available, getting it to the tools was the issue, especially that Thor 1/2" drive impact. it's an air hog at 6.5 cfm free speed air consumption. I have 40 cfm at 135 psi available in dried air.

Already running large diameter air line, the choke point was the couplers and plugs.

I do like the Winnski push to connect couplers. I'm used to pulling the collars back on the Miltons. Push to connect reminds me of the hydraulic connectors on my farm tractors.

Will see how they hold up. if they don't I'll switch to the Milton's, if, I can find steel plugs.

 

[Sberry]

A heavy 1/2 impact is close to 25 cfm. At 6.5 a fitting wouldnt matter. 1/2 hose does help, there is north of 2/3# loss per foot on 3/8 at the 25 rate. A better fitting helps a little.

 

[number two]

You like good stuff?
Check out Prevost.
May have seen them in a Milton catalog.

 

[marhar]

Been perusing high flow air compressor hose end fittings, Milton has them as well as some other makers, both domestic and offshore.

The one thing I don't like about the Milton fittings is the plugs are aluminum so I went with the Winnsky brand. They are imported but the plugs are steel. Very well made and appear to be quite sturdy and their female connectors are push to engage, no pulling the collar back. I need the added air flow for my high CFM consumption air tools
Anyone have any experience pro or con about them or the Milton's for that matter

Thoughts or experiences would be appreciated.

Is the air for the tools coming off the tank or do you have a shop with airlines and you are connecting to a line? If it is a shop with black standard air pipe you should have a closed loop system. Which means the pipe does not dead end, it is a loop so air pressure come from both sides. I spent 8 years working in a plant that used pneumatic nail guns and we ensured we had a loop.

 

[Sberry]

A loop is good in a plant with continuous air use, also used to provide better flow but for most here with sufficient pipe, anything 1/2 and larger not really needed and has some potential for trapped water if not designed correctly and not using air beyond etc. Not every idea we see in "plants" is a great fit for smaller shops. In many cases over size pipe rusts, some restriction doesnt hurt, this is a benefit of true 2 stage but just as soon have some air velocity to carry any condensate along.
Nail guns are a bit different, very small use and short demand, almost do not figure in to a demand factor like rotary tools might. Many designed for small comp use, charges up within the tool between cycles.
Number 1 concern, impacts, other rotary tools can be compensated with some with pressure and sandblast is not much a problem as the flow is continuous and often limited by the compressor, not the hose size.

 

[Sberry]

Another thing, we seem to worry about coupler performance and then install 2 or 3 in series. Number 1 easiest way to improve air is to reduce amount of fittings and shorten hose, that could include increase hose size also. A proper air system has 1 quick in it,,, at the tool, from a reel or fixed whip. Those hydrants along the wall are amateur, iut adds another coupler and allows disconnecting hot hoses. If a hose is needed why disconnect the lead and hang it on the wall, I screw the whips on or use reels, all screwed to the supply. No opportunity for anyone to come along and fool with it, hose end provided for connection to tool. Got the place covered and actually overlapped but we never move sections of hose for routine work.
I think someone left a fitting ahead of reg for bypass but it could be removed, we never use it. Note location of service valve, AHEAD of any fittings on hard line for local disconnect. 3rd pic, that reg feeds 1 reel, the one before feeds several outlets.

 

[5030]

The entire shop is plumbed in 1 or 1.5" black pipe with 3/4" drops and all long pipe runs are sloped back toward the compressor receiver. and condensate drains on each, not that I get a lot because the compressed air from the screw compressor is dried 2 times. The little I do get is drained off daily and the Sullaire has it's own timed electric drain

 

[marhar]

th 3/4" drops and all long pipe runs are sloped back toward the compressor receiver. and condensate drains on each, not that I get a lot because the compressed air from the screw compressor is dried 2 times. The little I do get is drained off daily and the Sullaire has it's own timed electric drain

Another thing, we seem to worry about coupler performance and then install 2 or 3 in series. Number 1 easiest way to improve air is to reduce amount of fittings and shorten hose, that could include increase hose size also. A proper air system has 1 quick in it,,, at the tool, from a reel or fixed whip. Those hydrants along the wall are amateur, iut adds another coupler and allows disconnecting hot hoses. If a hose is needed why disconnect the lead and hang it on the wall, I screw the whips on or use reels, all screwed to the supply. No opportunity for anyone to come along and fool with it, hose end provided for connection to tool. Got the place covered and actually overlapped but we never move sections of hose for routine work.
I think someone left a fitting ahead of reg for bypass but it could be removed, we never use it. Note location of service valve, AHEAD of any fittings on hard line for local disconnect. 3rd pic, that reg feeds 1 reel, the one before feeds several outlets.View attachment 738199View attachment 738200View attachment 738200View attachment 738201

Nice setup!