10 replies to this topic

[Sam-underscore]

Hi all,
In my endeavors to try to make (maybe) the greatest airgun ever(writeup incoming) I have seen several threads and builds, and they all use push-to-connect fittings such as 9087K144 or 9087K81 as the cost of my mcmaster order quickly skyrocketed, I started to look for a cheaper alternative. I found these barbed tube fittings (5463K38 and 5463K45). With these fittings you can get ten of them for the price of 1 or 2 push-to-connect ones, so my question is why have I never seen anyone use these fittings before? Am I missing something? Is it because they do not seal properly/require glue or other adhesive?
Thanks in advance for all the help!

[Doom]

A few Nerfers have used barbed fittings. I imagine the reason they are rare is that Captain Slug used them because he liked them, and other people just copied what he did without thinking much about it. There are no disadvantages to barbed fittings aside from that they can be a little difficult to set up. You usually need tubing clamps to keep the tubing on. I'm not sure what the outer diameter of your tubing is, but something like 5324K51 should serve you well.

[Ivan S]

One disadvantage to barbed fittings is that they have a smaller ID than the tube, which adds a bottleneck to flow. This may or may not be an issue depending on whether you need air to flow through quickly. Since push-to-connect connects around the outside, they don't have that problem.

Edited by Ivan S, 28 March 2014 - 12:26 AM.

[Zorns Lemma]

I would advise using a blend of push-to-connect fittings for maintenance convenience and barbed fittings for frugality.

[Sam-underscore]

A few Nerfers have used barbed fittings. I imagine the reason they are rare is that Captain Slug used them because he liked them, and other people just copied what he did without thinking much about it. There are no disadvantages to barbed fittings aside from that they can be a little difficult to set up. You usually need tubing clamps to keep the tubing on. I'm not sure what the outer diameter of your tubing is, but something like 5324K51 should serve you well.

Thanks! Yes I am using 1/4" OD tubing. Does anyone have first-hand experience using these clamps?

When using push-to-connect fittings is adhesive required to make a good seal, or can you just stick it in there and you're fine?

[Azrael0987]

As long as you get the tubing over more than one of the ridges it'll seal fine. The clamps are made almost exclusively for this kind of thing. They are sometimes made of wire like the one shown, or are flat ribbon wire, but either way they work the exact same way. I've used them multiple times. They aren't there so much to create the seal, they're meant to keep the tubing from coming off the ridges which make the seal. And it'll be a very tight fit to get the tubing over the ridges if it's the right size connector, so don't freak out and worry you got the wrong size. Unless you have other things you are ordering than the fittings, tubing, and hose clamps, just go to a hardware store. Any decently stocked one will have all of that.

Edited by Azrael0987, 28 March 2014 - 09:18 AM.

[Birch]

As long as you are making an air gun that doesn't need super high flow, use barbed fittings. They work just as good, if not better than clamps. Try using these: http://www.mcmaster....ittings/=ragtzo

But if flow is an issue, just use clamp connectors or: http://www.mcmaster....ittings/=raguc2

Both of these(per single fitting)are about a tenth of the price as clamps, and work really well.

Edited by Birch, 28 March 2014 - 09:29 AM.

[Sam-underscore]

As long as you are making an air gun that doesn't need super high flow, use barbed fittings. They work just as good, if not better than clamps. Try using these: http://www.mcmaster....ittings/=ragtzo

But if flow is an issue, just use clamp connectors or: http://www.mcmaster....ittings/=raguc2

Both of these(per single fitting)are about a tenth of the price as clamps, and work really well.

Both of your links go to the exact same place, and yes I have been there

[Birch]

Both of your links go to the exact same place, and yes I have been there

Whoops, I kinda skim posts. Sorry about that.

[roboman]

Pneuaire has an insanely cheap line of "economy" push connects. Do not apply anything to the tube before you insert it into the connector, or you run the risk of ruining the fitting.

I've used both barbed fittings and push connects, and I vastly prefer push connects if I have space available for them. It's very hard to get a leak-free connection with a barbed fitting if you're not using a tubing clamp of some sort.

Edited by roboman, 28 March 2014 - 10:37 AM.

[Birch]

It's very hard to get a leak-free connection with a barbed fitting if you're not using a tubing clamp of some sort.

It is a little bit harder to get a leak free connection, but it can be remedied by either wrapping over the tubing were it goes into the barb with some e-tape or putting over larger tubing in the same area.