Wow - that McMaster-Carr page is a revelation- I've never actually
encountered most of the push-in types they illustrate. Practically, it's
always happened that when I get something that includes air couplers, they
mate with my ancient Milton couplers. Still using the oldest ones, from the
late 60's, never maintained a thing and never had a leak from one of them.
The one on the end of my main air hose gets something coupled to it at least
a few times a week for a tire or blasting, and when I'm actively working on
something it might be dozens of times in a day. OTOH, the coupler in the
middle of that same hose gets uncoupled less than once a year. No problems
with it either.
The couplers at the hangar are Chinese HF ones (physically interchangeable
with the Miltons), less than 7 years old, and the HF females have
occasionally leaked all along. And the Michelin-labeled HF air hose lasted
a whole year of very infrequent use before checking deeply and showing the
outer cord. I bet Michelin is glad they put their name on that stuff. I
need a replacement hose out there but I have no idea where to find good hose
now. My home-shop hose is 1970 Binks 3/8" hose, and when I wipe it down it
still looks essentially new.
Karl
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