Homemade Hydraulic Hose Wrap

Homemade Hydraulic Hose Wrap TRACTORS Hydraulics 34-1-38 "We do site prep work for timber companies, and the brush is hard on hydraulic hoses," says Robert Raymond, Cove, Ark. "We started making hose protectors from plastic pipe, cutting it in spirals with a knife, to slip around the hoses. It was hard work and took a lot of time, so I came up with a simple cutter that does it fast and easy." Raymond starts with plastic pipe with an inside diameter to match the outside diameter of the hydraulic hose. He then selects a 4 to 6-in. length of steel pipe just large enough for the plastic pipe to slide through and welds short lengths of smaller pipe to each side of the cutter pipe for handles. They provide needed leverage when cutting the plastic pipe. To make the cutter, he drills a hole near the end of the pipe for a 3/8-in., no. 8 grade or better bolt. He fastens the bolt in place with a 1/2-in. nut on the outside and a lock nut on the inside. He then welds the outside nut to the pipe, removes the lock nut and grinds the end of the bolt to a cutting edge. "I leave the back edge of the cutting face slightly thicker for added strength," says Raymond. "You need to take your time when grinding the bolt down so you don't overheat it." Grinding out the face creates a curved cutting edge. The angle of the face determines the width of the spiral that leaves the pipe. The flatter the face, the narrower the spiral will be. If it is too wide, it is hard to open it up to wrap around the hose. "I made a selection of cutter pipes to match common hose diameters, including 1/2-in., 3/4-in., 1-in., 1 1/4-in. and 1 1/2-in.," says Raymond. "Sometimes the larger diameter plastic pipe can collapse as it is being forced through. I place a small insert opposite the cutter blade to keep the plastic pipe in place." Raymond notes that the cutter can be made from all scrap parts. It has saved him a lot of money over the years, both in protected hydraulic hoses and not buying commercial protectors. "I looked at the wraps available, and they cost $12 per foot or more," says Raymond. "My only cost is the plastic pipe and my time. When hoses are covered like this, I can bundle them and tie them. I use them on brake lines too. It just about stops wearing rubber off the lines." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Robert Raymond, 495 Polk Road 233, Cove, Ark. 71937 (ph 580 244-3212).

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