# Garden hose quality and related accessories



## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Over the years I have acquired quite a large collection of various types , brands of garden hoses. Some were purchased for a quick a dire need with no shopping around others had more consideration placed when purchasing. From my experieince, the rubber hoses seem like they last the longest, but may be too heavy to drag around by some folks (not a problem for me)

Hoses no matter what they are made of with stamped or formed hose ends seem to have a very short lifespan unless you replace the ends with a good machined brass connector. The stamped ones seem to leak after just a short period of time. 

The hoses with the plastic connectors, are well IMHO, not worth taking home even if they give em to you.

Washers are yet another matter. There are all kinds out there. I still find the red or black flat rubber types to last the longest, but if you have a stampd hose connector the O-ring type seems to work better. I have no use for those Melnor or Gilmor green material washers as they seem to last if the do not get a nick in them but just a slight nick and they split very easy.

Nozzles: Man is there ever a selection of hose nozzles out there. SOme of the best ones I found were at Big Lots and had two in a pack for $3.99........nice solid brass construction and stainless seats, however they do not take kindly to dropping or rough handling. The types with the rotating nozzle end that changes to all kinds of spray patters (large round front nozzle) are ok, but have a tendency to start leaking bad between the rotaing collar and the mian body. Nothing worse than a leaky hose nozzle making the water run down your arm while in use.

Replacement ends are yey another vast area in selection. Mpost of the plastic repair splices or hose ends are pretty large and bulky. The type that uses machined brass ends and a hose clamp are great but that hose clamp is always in the way or presents a cut hazzard. I have a method I use to eliminate hose clamps on 99% of everything that may need a hose clamp to secure, with a wire wrap tool and tensioner that I invented some time ago, which leaves a smooth method of securing a fuel hose or water hose to a connector or nipple, and there is no chance of it coming loose in use if its done right. I made a couple of these gadgets and keep em around the house and in the vehicles for emergency repairs. Once you get uysed to how it works its fast and easy to apply the wire band tension to a hose connection but it does require a wire cutter to remove it at a later date if necessary. I use this device on all my air hoses and have yet to have one come off.

The sell a nice machined brass male or femal or splice kit for hoses at HD, kind of pricey at 4 or 5 bucks but they are well made and once installed they look just like a swedged on factory connector........I bought a few of these to have on hand. Then after replacing some connectors, I noticed a reduction in flow of the hoses. I shuld have seen it before hand but did not, but these nice heavy duty connectors have quite a reduction in inside diameter when installed which does cut down on flow through the hose, so thats something that may or may not affect its use in some situations. In mine it was enough to cut the flow down so I did not get the spread on my rotating sprinklers that I used to get.

And as much as I hate to say it, as I am not a fan of Crapsman in any way shape form or fashion, IMHO they do have the best hose and nozzle that is on the market today. Their black rubber hose with nickle plated machined brass connectors is hard to beat. Lifetime warranty but kind of pricey, but considering it shuld be the last hose you ever buyt its not too bad of a price.

Crapsmans nozzle that I also bought is really super nice. Its a heavy round short stubby affair, but is conmfortable to hold and easy to use. It too is a lifetime warranty and pretty pricey at $20.00, but its fully machined aluminum with stainless steel in all th wear areas and covered with a nice soft rubber material. It can close off flow by full rotation CW or CCW, and gives a nice heavy but soft flow for plant watering or a nice high pressure jet stream. Its worth checking out. I intend to pickup another as the wife laid claim to the one I bought.

SPrinklers are still another broad product line. I like the individual rotating types with the adjustable head that can be set for full or partial rotation, made by Gilmore, out of plastic material and have a molden in plastic spike that is usually set in the ground. I do not push the spike in the ground, but place pieces of 1" sq chrome plated steel tubes at strategic areaasm that these spikes on the sprinkler heads fit into and prevent them from moving. It also adds height to get the sprinkler head up in the air higher and you get better coverage. I also have some attached to the posts on my chainlink fence, so I can water both sides without ther fence redirecting the spray. The steel tubes are virtually invisible, so they do not present an eyesore setting there, as they blend in pretty good.

Oscillating type sprinklers are pretty good but pretty pricey if you buy a good one. I found the ones with a plastic linkage that drives the spray head are junk as it does not take much use until they start to bind and stay stuck in one spot or so.

For watering my garden, I use an old automotive wheel to which I weld a piece of 3/4 inch pipe to that extends vertically from the wheels center. I have these with lengths of pipe as tall as 5 or 6 feet. On top I adapt a rotating sprinkler head, and on the bottom of the pipe I attach it to a T fitting. One end of the T has a valve and hose end fitting, and the opposite hose fitting is on the other side of the T . It makes it possible to join two or more together, or just use one by closing off the pass through valve.They are perfect for getting over the tops of tall plants like corn and they give great coverage.

Maybe I have bored some with this long rant on hoses etc, But I am bored this morning and was just setting here thinking and watering the grass and garden when I started to take notice of all the different brands of hoses here and there. Unless any of my in usehoses get to the point of being uneconomical to fix anymore, I will probably replace them with the black Crapsman brands in the future. No more buying a repair end or splice to repair a cheap grade hose either. 

If anyone is interested in my little wire tensioning device I made let me know and I can post some images. To make one will require a lathe and a drill either hand or drill press, and a bit of time, but on a tractor in a field they come in handy, and virtually eliminates hose clamps, with just a bit of wire. I use stainless steel safety type wire.

Regards and once again I appoligize for this long drawnout rant....


So after all this rambling on about hoses, nozzles and repair ends, 

:dazed:


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

I have a black rubber hose that i pick up at a plant about 12 years ago. Its a industrial hose made by good year 3/4" x 50'. It has what looks like cast brass hose fittings and is very heavy. The wife don't like it says it to hard to pull around it don't bother me. So she bought her own in less then a week the end came off:furious: I put another end on it and she has been using it for about 5 years. But my 12 year old hose still going strong. And yes Chipmaker i would like to see pictures of your wire tensioning device. 
Jody


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Chipmaker _
> *If anyone is interested in my little wire tensioning device I made let me know and I can post some images. To make one will require a lathe and a drill either hand or drill press, and a bit of time, but on a tractor in a field they come in handy, and virtually eliminates hose clamps, with just a bit of wire. I use stainless steel safety type wire.:dazed: *


Yes! I have an interest in seeing this device for making field repairs.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

I have to say those black rubber Craftsman lifetime hoses are the BEST. In the rair event they DO fail, they take it back, and give you a new one. Awsome


Chipmaker.. I have the same style of garden sprinkler. Mine is mounted on an old flywheel insted of a wheel though. Works nice. Has an old well built "pft pft pft pft,ftftftftftft pft pft pft" sprinkler head on it and will last 3 lifetimes.


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Best hose I have purchased to date were $20 black rubber hoses (EXTREMELY TOUGH AND THICK) from Sam's Wholesale Club (wholesale side of WalMart like PriceClub) ---- These have lasted when ALL others have failed. I bought 2, I should have bought 2 more --- (I use a lot of hoses and I need to use the ole' middlebuster to run me some nice water line trenches)


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

i agree about nozzles... i try to buy made in US and ill try get good ones.. but ive bought cheapos too... ive had expensive ones fall apart and some cheapos last for years.. 

also as for hoses.. it seems the black rubber ones seem to hold up better for me.. 
i leave them all out all winter and the black rubber ones seem to last longer


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## leolav (Sep 16, 2003)

I have bought the brass quick connects for the house and accessories. I even put them in the pressure washer. Makes quick work of changing out accessories/nozzles.


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