Compressor connections

[RogerS]

I bought one of these headless nailers from Axminster and this Bandit from MachineMart but have got caught out by the difference in connections.

The Bandit is 1/4" BSP and the Axminster pinner is PCL and so I think I need one of these quick release couplings (part number 100312) but would appreciate confirmation.

Many thanks

 

[Vormulac]

Hi Roger,

I wish I could offer some advice, but sadly all I can do is sympathise. I bought a kit very similar to the Bandit, and a new airhose and a small medley of different air-tools and every single piece of kit has a similar but crucially slightly different connector on it. It's absolutely maddening! :evil:

V.

 

[George_N]

Roger, The part you show is the quick release female PCL connector. However, check the fittings on your compresor. It may be set up with Uni connectors which are shorter than PCL. Most of the cheaper compressors and air tools I've seen have Uni fittings.

 

[RogerS]

George

The compressor is also 1/4" BSP as are both ends of the hose. So by my reckoning I need something with a male BSP to screw into the end of the hose and a female PCL on the other end, that the tool will plug into.

Roger

 

[Shultzy]

Roger, let me know how you get on with this compressor as I want to buy the same.

 

[Scott]

The compressor is also 1/4" BSP as are both ends of the hose. So by my reckoning I need something with a male BSP to screw into the end of the hose and a female PCL on the other end, that the tool will plug into.

That sounds right to me Roger if your hose is 1/4" BSP female. I have same pinner but use heavier hoses with a male end so I use female BSP to female PCL but the PCL fitting you linked to will fit the pinner

Cheers

 

[paulm]

I had a similar issue and just bought a pack of 1/4" male bsp fittings for a few quid, from screwfix I think, and unscrewed the pcl fitting from the axminster tool and replaced it with the bsp.

Seemed cheaper and easier at the time after I got very confused trying to figure out and find expensive convertors.

Don't know if I have misunderstood the problem though......!

Cheers, Paul.

 

[It looked straight]

For what it's worth here's my five penn'orth. I collect and shoot air rifles - mainly precharged pneumatics, which have to be filled to between 165 and 200 Bar, using either a high pressure stirrup pump or a scuba cylinder. The problem is that virtually every manufacturer uses different fittings, and changing fittings on filling hoses can be a fiddly business given the pressures involved (over 20 times that produced by typical workshop compressors).

The popular and simple solution is to fit a female quickfit connector to the end of the hose, then make up connectors for each rifle fixed to a male quickfill probe. It's not easy to describe (I'm a printer not a journalist) but I see no reason why a similar system shouldn't work with air tools, allowing fast changeovers.

 

[Colin C]

Hi Roger

I see you get it then

I had the same problem as my hose split when on a job :evil: but I got a new one from Machine mart and I will be getting a smaller one.

I also got new fittings, all PCL for my nail guns and quick fittings for the ends

 

[George_N]

My compressor came with a female Uni QR fitting which screws into a female 1/4" BSP thread, possibly because it was bundled with a small kit of air tools that all had Uni fittings. If yours has a just the female threaded outlet then you could probably just screw your air line directly into that, assuming the airline has 1/4" male BSP thread (some plumbers PTFE tape works well for a good seal). I find it better though, to have a female QR on the compressor and an airline with a male bayonet fitting on one end (to connect to the compressor) and a female QR on the other to attach to the tool. Sorry if that's all a bit obvious but the variety of fittings can be confusing.

 

[Marky]

Roger...

The part 100312 is correct for replacing the uni fitting on the compressor.

As said wrap with a bit of ptfe tape and screw in...

** That is of course if you have a pcl hose for the connection**

If your using the hose that came with the compressor then you need

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;jsess ... arch=16326

or equivelent for the nail gun...

If you see what I mean

Marky

 

[RogerS]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Is a UNI connector the same as a PCL connector?

Shultzy....so far it's looking pretty good. Will try and find time to play with it a bit more. I've run out of things to nail :lol:

 

[George_N]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Is a UNI connector the same as a PCL connector?

Shultzy....so far it's looking pretty good. Will try and find time to play with it a bit more. I've run out of things to nail :lol:

No, the Uni bayonet is much shorter than the PCL and they are not compatible. Best thing is to choose which one you want to use and stick with it for all your air tools. A swivelling bayonet fitting is also very useful on a nailer or spray gun as it can make access to your workpiece easier.

 

[martlewis]

Roger, let me know how you get on with this compressor as I want to buy the same.

I have used one of these Bandit compressors for 2 years now and it has been great. Not really suitable for spray painting but all my nailers work well with it. When I got it I asked Machinemart for a straight hose which came with quick release connectors (don't know the name of them). They also gave me a replacement for the standard threaded connector on the compressor, and I took a dozen connectors for the nail guns. Now whenever I get a new nail gun I simply remove the standard threaded connector and screw one of the spare quick release ones instead with some ptfe tape.

Martin

 

[OLD]

I have been through this and i recommend pcl much more robust its easy to sort out as both types use 1/4 bsp threads so you can choose the fittings you need from diagrams etc.

 

[Shultzy]

Thanks martlewis, I'll put that on my list, its a pain, lots to buy and nowhere to store till the shops' built

 

[martlewis]

Thanks martlewis, I'll put that on my list, its a pain, lots to buy and nowhere to store till the shops' built

You could buy everything and store it in my shop, promise I wouldn't use any of it :lol:

Martin

 

[Shultzy]

Martin, I bet you would charge me a storage fee eh! :lol:

 

[martlewis]

:lol: Nah, just fancied loads of new tools to try out... Oops did I say I wouldn't use them :?: :roll: