Using the airlines at work for puncture repairs?

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Andrew_Culture

Internet Marketing bod
I've now been commuting for long enough that I have a little repair kit in my desk at work, but the one thing I don't have is a pump. One of the engineers here (they're a hardy lot) suggested I use any one of the many airlines that are dotted around the factory (all fed by a big compressor). At first I thought it sounded like a very silly idea, but now I'm wondering if there's a fitting that would go from the 10mm hoses we have poking out of walls here to a presta valve fitting, preferably with a pressure gauge?

It would save me the need to have a track pump sat under my desk!
 
OP
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Andrew_Culture

Andrew_Culture

Internet Marketing bod
I've just found this http://www.prestaflator.com/ and answered my own question!

At that price I might as well get a track pump!
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
You need to be a bit careful. The volume of air in a bike tyre is pretty small. Factory airlines usually have very high flow rates so you run the risk of blowing the tube to pieces almost instantly unless you can severely restrict the flow.
I think...
 

lordloveaduck

Well-Known Member
Location
Birmingham
You need to be a bit careful. The volume of air in a bike tyre is pretty small. Factory airlines usually have very high flow rates so you run the risk of blowing the tube to pieces almost instantly unless you can severely restrict the flow.
I think...

Any chance you could post a video when you do use there pump. Think it will be a great watch if it does blow:becool:
 

HovR

Über Member
Location
Plymouth
Get a car (schrader) specific attachment for the air line, and then use a schrader-presta adaptor available off eBay/Amazon for a couple of pounds?

I use an air line for my tires, although on a smaller scale, and it works fine.
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
If any of the airlines have a nozzle type blowgun on them with a 6 mm diameter nozzle about 100 mm long, get a few inches of 6 or 8 mm nylon tubing ( the engineerswill have some)and slide it onto the blower nozzle, it then slides straight over the valve on the bike., been doing it for years, no problems. Inflates a tyre in seconds. No chance of over inflating because the nylon tubes is tight, but not too tight on the valve. As the pressure. Increases, the tube needs to be gripped on with you hand. Sounds a handful, but it's easy, works in seconds.
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
Just to expand a bit...
This is typical of what we use...
http://cl.rsdelivers.com/product/le...la-sopladora-de-boca-larga-10bar/1981146.aspx
The flexible nylon tube slides over the metal nozzle. Slide the other end over the presta valve and press the trigger. It may be beccessary to use your hand to hold the pipe on the valve, but it works excellently.
Co-incidentally, you can use that blowgun to inflate schraeder valves as well. Use the nozzle at an angle to press the valve needle and press to inflate. Takes a bit more practice, but a good get out of jail option.
 
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Andrew_Culture

Andrew_Culture

Internet Marketing bod
Thank you very much indeed you guys. Space isn't an issue so I might grab one of those £10 track pumps from Argos.

I think they'd be wary of letting me use the compressor really, I took my Jo Blow track pump into work and made the rear tyre explode so loud the MD ran down from his office thinking there had been an industrial accident!
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
Thank you very much indeed you guys. Space isn't an issue so I might grab one of those £10 track pumps from Argos.

I think they'd be wary of letting me use the compressor really, I took my Jo Blow track pump into work and made the rear tyre explode so loud the MD ran down from his office thinking there had been an industrial accident!
Not as loud as the bang you get from an oxy acetelene bomb :hyper:
Who'd believe a cup sized pocket of gas could make such a noise :laugh:
 
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