When hose lengths have to be exact, then the
old carpenter’s saying applies: “Measure twice,
cut once.”
Remember that under pressure a hose may
increase its length by about 2 percent, so adding
some slack might be beneficial. Take care to cut
hoses straight across and provide enough length to
fit over fittings completely with room for clamps.
If you cut hoses at an angle, you may not be able
to make use of the full shanks on the fittings.
When cutting an EPDM suction hose, you
may need to cut a helix or double wire several
different times as you slice through the hose.
Hydraulic hoses may have braided steel that will
make cutting them rather difficult — but not
impossible with the proper tools.
After cutting any hose, flush it with water or
air to remove any rubber or metal debris. Flushing
will prevent debris from getting into the fluid
system.
A fairly common practice is to heat up rubber
hoses to soften them up so they will fit easier over
a fitting. You should avoid this because the heat
may damage the hose. A better option would be
to use a non-petroleum lubricant (soap) to help the
hose fit over the fitting. For PVC hoses, a common
practice that works is to put the hose in heated
ethylene glycol for two to three seconds before
inserting the fitting into the hose. When the
PVC cools it will form snuggly around the fitting.
Cutting hoses requires the right tools.
Don’t forget that hose fittings require extra length — so account for fittings when measuring.
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