Protect Hoses In A Fiberglass Shop
Posted on: 24 June 2015
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If you own or manage a fiberglass shop, you know how easy it is for things to become destroyed. Fiberglass and the chemicals used when working with fiberglass can cause damage to just about any material that they regularly come into contact with. Here, you can learn some simple solutions to help prevent damage to the air hoses you use in your shop so that they last longer and are easier to maintain.
Cover Hose Fittings
If you happen to use more than one hose connected together with a fitting, it's going to be exposed to fiberglass. Whether it's chopped glass, resin, a combination, or just strands of fiberglass by themselves, there are a few measures you can take to prevent these materials from interfering with the fittings.
- Once connected, put a coat of release or car wax over the outside of the fittings. If resin or resin mixed with fiberglass does get on the fittings, the wax will protect them and allow you to peel the mixture off of the fittings.
- Tape a piece of cardboard around the hose fittings. Cut a piece of cardboard so that it is long enough to go just beyond the fittings, and wide enough to circle the outside diameter of the hose. Wrap tape around the cardboard on either end so that it seals the hose in completely. Seal the long seam with a piece of tape. You can cut the tape and cardboard off when it becomes covered in glass and resin and too cumbersome to move around.
- Cover the fittings with a PVC coupling. Insert one end of the hose into the coupling. Connect the two hoses together and slide the coupling over the fitting. Seal the ends with duct tape. Use a coupling instead of a piece of pipe to avoid cutting the hose with the sharp edges of a cut pipe. If you do use a pipe, sand the edges down to round them off and remove sharp edges.
If you have hoses that are suspended in the air, you should always have them on an arched hose holder. This prevents kinks and cracking, but if you use a hose holder that has an outside cover on it, this will also protect the arch of the hose from any overspray. As an added measure to protect the entire hose, put one thin coat of car wax on the outside of the hose. This allows you to peel off any hardened chopped fiberglass that may accumulate on it throughout the day or week.
For more tips, contact a local hose supplier, like Hose Pros- 24 Hour Mobile Hydraulic Hose.