trekkeruss
03-23-2016, 04:15 PM
I haven't been on AGO in a very long time. Detailing just wasn't on my mind. My beloved dog got very sick last year and in September I had to let him go. I still miss him terribly. But life goes on.
This morning I went to wash my car, only to discover that my cheap hose nozzle had finally given up the ghost. It had been leaking since forever, and now it just would not shut off. I also hated it because it was one with a rear trigger; even if I was careful it would flip on the ground and spray water all over the place ... most often right at me. Too, my hose has been bothering me for a long time. Not only would it kink rather easily, it had a small pinhole in it.
So I have been looking at hoses and nozzles for awhile. I was considering a Flexzilla or Craftsman hose, and I was looking at getting a "real" fire hose nozzle by Task Force Tips (the C1024 Twister). But I'd have to order those things, and I wanted to wash my car TODAY. After reading reviews around the 'net, I went over to Lowes and got the Orbit Max nozzle. It's one of those rotating turret nozzles with eight spray patterns. The thing I like best, aside from it being seemingly well-built, is that it doesn't have a trigger at all. Instead it has a valve controlled with a thumb operated lever at the rear. Not only will I not get accidentally sprayed, it should be durable as well. Fingers crossed.
I was only intending to buy the nozzle, however, I looked at what hoses that had, and saw one in a box. At first glance I thought it was one of those expandable hoses. In reality, it's like a forestry fire hose. It's somewhat flat when empty, and certainly lightweight. I didn't weigh it before taking it out of the box and using it, but the maker claims it is 50% lighter than a vinyl hose. The 50" x 5/8" hose has aluminum couplers, and the hose itself is made of a "Tru-Flex" inner core and a "G-Force Woven Fiber Jacket." I don't know what those materials are, but I'm guessing polyurethane and polyester. No other lengths or diameters are available.
I put a quick disconnect on the faucet end, and used plumber's tape on all the threads. My initial thoughts are ... I love it! Everything works as it should. I have no leaks, I didn't get wet, the hose didn't kink, its light and easy to maneuver, the nozzle's flow control valve is silky-smooth, and I didn't have to spend too much (The hose was $37 and the nozzle $15). On the packaging, they show the hose rolled up into a five gallon bucket, which is one of the other things that sold me on the hose. So instead of leaving an unsightly, sorta-coiled-up hose outside like I have been doing (or having to buy a $200 Eley hose reel), I just store it in my wash bucket. The package also shows the hose being dragged over the hood of a car, claiming the "non-marring outer cover glides easily over surfaces." Um, I don't think I will be trying that. Time will tell about long-term quality, but right now, I give it a :dblthumb2:
http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr253/pistoncupchampion/Detailing/IMG_0152_zpstgao3hdc.jpg (http://s489.photobucket.com/user/pistoncupchampion/media/Detailing/IMG_0152_zpstgao3hdc.jpg.html)http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr253/pistoncupchampion/Detailing/IMG_0159_zps34gje14k.jpg (http://s489.photobucket.com/user/pistoncupchampion/media/Detailing/IMG_0159_zps34gje14k.jpg.html)
http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr253/pistoncupchampion/DSC01232JPG_zps7ca53c0b.jpg (http://s489.photobucket.com/user/pistoncupchampion/media/DSC01232JPG_zps7ca53c0b.jpg.html)
Dim Sum 2006-2015
This morning I went to wash my car, only to discover that my cheap hose nozzle had finally given up the ghost. It had been leaking since forever, and now it just would not shut off. I also hated it because it was one with a rear trigger; even if I was careful it would flip on the ground and spray water all over the place ... most often right at me. Too, my hose has been bothering me for a long time. Not only would it kink rather easily, it had a small pinhole in it.
So I have been looking at hoses and nozzles for awhile. I was considering a Flexzilla or Craftsman hose, and I was looking at getting a "real" fire hose nozzle by Task Force Tips (the C1024 Twister). But I'd have to order those things, and I wanted to wash my car TODAY. After reading reviews around the 'net, I went over to Lowes and got the Orbit Max nozzle. It's one of those rotating turret nozzles with eight spray patterns. The thing I like best, aside from it being seemingly well-built, is that it doesn't have a trigger at all. Instead it has a valve controlled with a thumb operated lever at the rear. Not only will I not get accidentally sprayed, it should be durable as well. Fingers crossed.
I was only intending to buy the nozzle, however, I looked at what hoses that had, and saw one in a box. At first glance I thought it was one of those expandable hoses. In reality, it's like a forestry fire hose. It's somewhat flat when empty, and certainly lightweight. I didn't weigh it before taking it out of the box and using it, but the maker claims it is 50% lighter than a vinyl hose. The 50" x 5/8" hose has aluminum couplers, and the hose itself is made of a "Tru-Flex" inner core and a "G-Force Woven Fiber Jacket." I don't know what those materials are, but I'm guessing polyurethane and polyester. No other lengths or diameters are available.
I put a quick disconnect on the faucet end, and used plumber's tape on all the threads. My initial thoughts are ... I love it! Everything works as it should. I have no leaks, I didn't get wet, the hose didn't kink, its light and easy to maneuver, the nozzle's flow control valve is silky-smooth, and I didn't have to spend too much (The hose was $37 and the nozzle $15). On the packaging, they show the hose rolled up into a five gallon bucket, which is one of the other things that sold me on the hose. So instead of leaving an unsightly, sorta-coiled-up hose outside like I have been doing (or having to buy a $200 Eley hose reel), I just store it in my wash bucket. The package also shows the hose being dragged over the hood of a car, claiming the "non-marring outer cover glides easily over surfaces." Um, I don't think I will be trying that. Time will tell about long-term quality, but right now, I give it a :dblthumb2:
http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr253/pistoncupchampion/Detailing/IMG_0152_zpstgao3hdc.jpg (http://s489.photobucket.com/user/pistoncupchampion/media/Detailing/IMG_0152_zpstgao3hdc.jpg.html)http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr253/pistoncupchampion/Detailing/IMG_0159_zps34gje14k.jpg (http://s489.photobucket.com/user/pistoncupchampion/media/Detailing/IMG_0159_zps34gje14k.jpg.html)
http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr253/pistoncupchampion/DSC01232JPG_zps7ca53c0b.jpg (http://s489.photobucket.com/user/pistoncupchampion/media/DSC01232JPG_zps7ca53c0b.jpg.html)
Dim Sum 2006-2015