Frustration...

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curtis cutter
Posts: 559
Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 11:46 pm
Location: Curtis, WA

Frustration...

Post by curtis cutter »

I am really getting tired of the quality of spray nozzles for garden hoses. Why must they be so cheap. The patterns are half good at best and they last about a single season.

Anyone know of a good quality simple design, none of the multi tip things. Just a basic pull the handle to change from straight to fan pattern.
Gregg
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
SteveM
Posts: 7763
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:18 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Frustration...

Post by SteveM »

Find yourself an old bronze one. Just the simple variable wide spray to stream one like your dad had when you were a kid.

You might have to replace the gasket and an o-ring, but it will work perfectly and outlive your grandchildren.

Steve
curtis cutter
Posts: 559
Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 11:46 pm
Location: Curtis, WA

Re: Frustration...

Post by curtis cutter »

SteveM wrote: Sun Feb 16, 2020 10:12 pm Find yourself an old bronze one. Just the simple variable wide spray to stream one like your dad had when you were a kid.

You might have to replace the gasket and an o-ring, but it will work perfectly and outlive your grandchildren.

Steve
Garage sales are probably my best hope for something quality.
Gregg
Just let go of it, it will eventually unplug itself.
earlgo
Posts: 1794
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:38 am
Location: NE Ohio

Re: Frustration...

Post by earlgo »

Mr. Cutter: Try your local ACE hardware:
https://www.acehardware.com/departments ... ds/7680994
Free delivery to the store. Hope you don't have to travel to Geneva, OH to pick it up, though. :)
--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
TimTheGrim
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2003 2:47 pm
Location: El Paso, TX

Re: Frustration...

Post by TimTheGrim »

I used to be a Toolmaker at Melnor in the mid ‘80s. While there I was tasked with improving QC and reject reduction on the plastic hose nozzle line.
I did a concept work up, built a fixture and installed and tuned it. Rejects dropped from 4500/month to 80.
My foreman made my life so miserable, I left 6 weeks later. Go figure.

I Can assure you that my idea is NOT being used anywhere today and I agree most lever nozzles today suck.

My favorite is not a lever type . I’ve had really good success with the mini fire type nozzle from a Harbor Freight

I use one at home and had one at the refinery where our utility /wash down water was 110 psi. That nozzle kicks butt and did 3.5 years of tough duty. I left it there with one of my crew when I retired.

https://www.harborfreight.com/super-del ... ose+nozzle
Illigitimi non Carborundum
'96 Birmingham mill, Enco 13x40 GH and Craftsman 6x18 lathes, Reid 2C surface grinder. Duro Bandsaw and lots of tooling from 30+ years in the machining trades and 15+ years in refinery units. Now retired
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Harold_V
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Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Frustration...

Post by Harold_V »

TimTheGrim wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:19 pm <snip>
My foreman made my life so miserable, I left 6 weeks later. Go figure.
I had a similar experience. My conclusion is that when a worker outshines leadership, the worker is a threat. Jealousy on the part of the foreman tends to result in badgering of the perceived threat, with the distinct possibility that the worker will take the job from his superior (in his mind). Like you, I moved on. I was unwilling to waste my talent on a job where I was abused.

Strangely, the guy who saved my job when I was in training wasn't threatened by such things. He reveled in his accomplishment by ensuring that upper management knew that I was worth saving. So unlike the guy who gave me cause to move on in the incident, above.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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BadDog
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Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Frustration...

Post by BadDog »

I had similar frustration. Even buying a not cheap "good one" these days is an exercise in futility.

So I make my own. Just get a good brass ball valve hose bib, and a hose female thread brass adapter for mounting it on a hose. Now you have a good setup to put on the end of a hose to control the flow. Just yesterday I used it on the end of a long hose to water load my tractor tires. Very convenient with the valve at the end right at the valve stem adapter. Throw in a sweeper/tunneling nozzle for pinpoint "high pressure" streams. Add an old brass twist nozzle for cone-to-stream control (and you no longer have to crank closed/open!). And they make misters that screw on a hose thread, and wands, and whatever else you can image to make.

I made one for myself years ago. Liked it and made a few more. Then family/friends have seen them, and I made a bunch more. For less than the cost of a "good" POC store bought nozzle, you can have something that works and lasts. Even if you run over it with a tractor, you might need a new hose, but the nozzle won't be any the worse. Yeah, don't know who would be that stupid... :wink:
Russ
Master Floor Sweeper
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liveaboard
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Location: southern Portugal
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Re: Frustration...

Post by liveaboard »

things run over with my tractor...
Oh geez. List is long.
Things I hit with the mower came out worse.
Several hoses and a couple of nozzles are included.

I tend to crush the mirrors against tree branches in the orchard, so now I made strong mirrors.
I'm a little worried about what's going to happen to the trees.
John Hasler
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Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:05 pm
Location: Elmwood, Wisconsin

Re: Frustration...

Post by John Hasler »

Don't make them stronger, mount them on springs as is done on some passenger cars.
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liveaboard
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Re: Frustration...

Post by liveaboard »

Too late, already done.
They should swivel out of the way but if the angle is wrong [as it often is], crunch.
Just like my passenger cars actually.
I made them from 8" weldable pipe end caps and they weigh 10 lbs each.
on tractor.jpg
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liveaboard
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Re: Frustration...

Post by liveaboard »

Made the clamps from stainless; mounts on 12mm SS rods.
mirror mount.jpg
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NP317
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Frustration...

Post by NP317 »

You really should consider a more robust design...
RussN
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