“Where a longer section is required, two hoses can be joined – short end to short end.”
http://pipers.ie/store/products/rubber-bellows-connector/
How does that work exactly? Is there a small standard sized plumbing gizmo I can find at the local hardware store?
Does anyone know the actual length of these hoses? Two is a given, I’m actually worried that I might need to order a third one.
When I got my new bellows by Lawrence Thomson of Kinross-Shire Scotland it came with a length of Clear PVC Tubing Pipe Hose.
I soon replaced it with the flexible rubber connector tubing I saw on http://www.kellehertrad.com/bellows.html also sold at NPU.
Overall length 114mm
long end 71mm
short end 30mm
ID around 15-16mm
I have a custom made wooden Adapters by Rich Daly USA
One piece of this tubing is all you need as it is flexible and not stiff as bends.
I have the short end of tubing permanently fixed to bag wooden blow pipe.
I have the wooden adapter connected on the long end and connects to the inside of brass tubing on bellows.
Cheers
Ferg
I can’t answer the part about how you’d put two of them together … perhaps a piece of appropriate-diameter brass tubing inside at the join? … but I have this type of connector and it’s great. Crazy-flexible and thus MUCH more accommodating to my middle than the black or clear tubing. Thinking of ordering another for my new set, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. Thanks for the reminder!
The connector is 6" long. One of my sets has a fairly long blowpipe, and the 6 inch connector is the perfect length. The other set has a short blowpipe so I have part of a second connector fastened to it and I use a piece of 1/2" ID vinyl tubing to connect the two. The tubing is a bit slick so I’ve run a pin through the connection between the short connector and the tubing to make it permanent. The other end occasionally slips out, but that only gives me another opportunity to curse at my pipes.
Thanks for the info, folks.
That’s what I did and it works perfectly.
A problem with this kind of hose is that it leaves black marks on the clothes. Don’t forget to protect it!
A good wash with dish soap helps. In early days I had a little fabric sleeve over mine to protect my clothes (also because it was so industrial-looking), but that was lost along the way. I think I remember wrapping it with a layer of Vetrap (Coflex) at one point, too, but I don’t even notice the tube now.
If you have silver or silver plated pipes it’s worth noting that the black rubber connector’s will tarnish the silver where it comes into contact. More of a problem if your set is silver plated as with prolonged contact it eats into the plating.
NPU changed the rubber hose a few years back from matt manure sulphur flavour to a shiny plasticy rubber with no nasty smell.
I bought the stinky one years ago at wcss and had it in my coat pocket all week, I thought it was just the country air I was sniffing but it was my pocket.
! Mine smelled like manure, too – for quite a long time!
Good thing I live on a farm.