Air tool threads

I recently bought a small compressor which has (appaently) 1/4" BSP
fittings - I haven't measured them, just accepted what is in the
manual (There is no mention of BSPT).

To compliment this I am now looking for various accessories - Simply
blow gun, Tyre inflater etc.

Looking on eBay I see quite a few '18 piece' and '21 piece' sets and
none of them specify what thread the fittings are. I've sent mesages to
four different sellers and none came back with any answer until I sent a
'sort of' snotty message detailing a sentence from his eBay Shop text
where he said that he was a caring and conscientious seller and asking
for at least a 'Sod Off - I don't know'. To which he simply replied
'??????????????'.

Eventually we did get into a conversation and he appologized for not
knowing what I was talking about (My question was simply are the
fittings NPT or BSP) and giving me details of the manufactureres web
site.

No details were available there but there was a 'contact us' form so I
sent them the same question. This is their response:-

"I am sorry that you were not able to get the appropriate answer from our
online reseller.

To answer your question, they are ¼” NPT (Euro/US) couplers but all the
threads are in fact BSPT as is all our air tool range."

Can anyone turn this into a definitive statement with regard to the
thread on the fittings they make? Or correct my misunderstanding with
respect to Air Tool fittings?

TIA.

JG

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:45:01 +0100, JG <jg@crescentcomputing.co.uk> wrote:

>I recently bought a small compressor which has (appaently) 1/4" BSP
>fittings - I haven't measured them, just accepted what is in the
>manual (There is no mention of BSPT).
>
>To compliment this I am now looking for various accessories - Simply
>blow gun, Tyre inflater etc.
>
>Looking on eBay I see quite a few '18 piece' and '21 piece' sets and
>none of them specify what thread the fittings are. I've sent mesages to
>four different sellers and none came back with any answer until I sent a
>'sort of' snotty message detailing a sentence from his eBay Shop text
>where he said that he was a caring and conscientious seller and asking
>for at least a 'Sod Off - I don't know'. To which he simply replied
>'??????????????'.
>
>Eventually we did get into a conversation and he appologized for not
>knowing what I was talking about (My question was simply are the
>fittings NPT or BSP) and giving me details of the manufactureres web
>site.
>
>No details were available there but there was a 'contact us' form so I
>sent them the same question. This is their response:-
>
>"I am sorry that you were not able to get the appropriate answer from our
>online reseller.
>
>To answer your question, they are ¼” NPT (Euro/US) couplers but all the
>threads are in fact BSPT as is all our air tool range."
>
>Can anyone turn this into a definitive statement with regard to the
>thread on the fittings they make? Or correct my misunderstanding with
>respect to Air Tool fittings?
>
>TIA.
>
>JG


1/4" BSP is 19tpi and 1/4" NPT is 18tpi, the diameters are about 20thou
different. If the tools have adaptors fitted, then they could support both
threads by removing the adaptor, or not. All of the tools I've got so far,
over here, have been 1/4BSP even when of obviously Chinese origin.

None of that is very helpful :-( If the tools look to be a sufficient
bargain, then get them and assume that you may have to get 1/4"NPT to PCL whip
hoses if they don't have 1/4"BSP fittings.

Mark Rand
RTFM

On 22 Jul, 22:45, JG <j...@crescentcomputing.co.uk> wrote:
> I recently bought a small compressor which has (appaently) 1/4" BSP
> fittings - I haven't measured them, just accepted what is in the
> manual (There is no mention of BSPT).
>
> To compliment this I am now looking for various accessories - Simply
> blow gun, Tyre inflater etc.
>
> Looking on eBay I see quite a few '18 piece' and '21 piece' sets and
> none of them specify what thread the fittings are. I've sent mesages to
> four different sellers and none came back with any answer until I sent a
> 'sort of' snotty message detailing a sentence from his eBay Shop text
> where he said that he was a caring and conscientious seller and asking
> for at least a 'Sod Off - I don't know'. To which he simply replied
> '??????????????'.
>
> Eventually we did get into a conversation and he appologized for not
> knowing what I was talking about (My question was simply are the
> fittings NPT or BSP) and giving me details of the manufactureres web
> site.
>
> No details were available there but there was a 'contact us' form so I
> sent them the same question. This is their response:-
>
> "I am sorry that you were not able to get the appropriate answer from our
> online reseller.
>
> To answer your question, they are ¼" NPT (Euro/US) couplers but all the
> threads are in fact BSPT as is all our air tool range."
>
> Can anyone turn this into a definitive statement with regard to the
> thread on the fittings they make? Or correct my misunderstanding with
> respect to Air Tool fittings?
>
> TIA.
>
> JG

Hi JG, not my world I'm afraid but have a look here about half way
down they discuss the fit and where they will leak if the two
different sizes are assembled together:

http://www.colder.com/Portals/0/pdfs/NPT.pdf

Like Mark says, if it is cheap enough and a good tool I would look to
make up an adaptor hose. My cheap Chinese compressor came with 1/4BSP
and an even cheaper set of "tools" from a market type stall fitted
perfectly, but that could just have been my good luck of course.

Keith

"Mark Rand" <randm@internettie.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fkk7a3lgg6egebh2v2vrueef0psr917bo9@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:45:01 +0100, JG <jg@crescentcomputing.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>I recently bought a small compressor which has (appaently) 1/4" BSP
>>fittings - I haven't measured them, just accepted what is in the
>>manual (There is no mention of BSPT).
>>
>>To compliment this I am now looking for various accessories - Simply
>>blow gun, Tyre inflater etc.
>>
>>Looking on eBay I see quite a few '18 piece' and '21 piece' sets and
>>none of them specify what thread the fittings are. I've sent mesages to
>>four different sellers and none came back with any answer until I sent a
>>'sort of' snotty message detailing a sentence from his eBay Shop text
>>where he said that he was a caring and conscientious seller and asking
>>for at least a 'Sod Off - I don't know'. To which he simply replied
>>'??????????????'.
>>
>>Eventually we did get into a conversation and he appologized for not
>>knowing what I was talking about (My question was simply are the
>>fittings NPT or BSP) and giving me details of the manufactureres web
>>site.
>>
>>No details were available there but there was a 'contact us' form so I
>>sent them the same question. This is their response:-
>>
>>"I am sorry that you were not able to get the appropriate answer from our
>>online reseller.
>>
>>To answer your question, they are ¼" NPT (Euro/US) couplers but all the
>>threads are in fact BSPT as is all our air tool range."
>>
>>Can anyone turn this into a definitive statement with regard to the
>>thread on the fittings they make? Or correct my misunderstanding with
>>respect to Air Tool fittings?
>>
>>TIA.
>>
>>JG
>
>
> 1/4" BSP is 19tpi and 1/4" NPT is 18tpi, the diameters are about 20thou
> different. If the tools have adaptors fitted, then they could support both
> threads by removing the adaptor, or not. All of the tools I've got so far,
> over here, have been 1/4BSP even when of obviously Chinese origin.

All air tools I've got have been 1/4" BSP, or at least the 1/4" BSP fittings
have screwed in and sealed.
Normally with air tool stuff, the female threads are straight, and the male
threads are tapered, but I can't actually remember seeing any tool
catalogues that mention that.

from Mark Rand

> JG wrote

> >I recently bought a small compressor which has (appaently) 1/4" BSP
> >fittings - I haven't measured them, just accepted what is in the
> >manual (There is no mention of BSPT).
> >
> >No details were available there but there was a 'contact us' form so I
> >sent them the same question. This is their response:-
> >
> >"I am sorry that you were not able to get the appropriate answer from our
> >online reseller.
> >
> >To answer your question, they are ¼” NPT (Euro/US) couplers but all the
> >threads are in fact BSPT as is all our air tool range."
> >
> >Can anyone turn this into a definitive statement with regard to the
> >thread on the fittings they make? Or correct my misunderstanding with
> >respect to Air Tool fittings?

Thanks for the speedy responses. I didn't expect anything until at least
tomorrow.


> 1/4" BSP is 19tpi and 1/4" NPT is 18tpi, the diameters are about 20thou
> different.

That is precisely why I am looking for a definitive statement from the
manufacturer. The answer he came back with tells me that he is not the
manufacturer at all (as you suggest - probably Chinese) and he has no
idea that there is any difference. First he says they are 1/4" NPT and
then contradicts that statement by saying they are BSPT.

> If the tools have adaptors fitted, then they could support both
> threads by removing the adaptor, or not.

That is something I hadn't considered - there are various connectors
in the kit which may just be there to cover this problem.

> All of the tools I've got so far,
> over here, have been 1/4BSP even when of obviously Chinese origin.

> None of that is very helpful :-( If the tools look to be a sufficient
> bargain, then get them and assume that you may have to get 1/4"NPT to
> PCL whip
> hoses if they don't have 1/4"BSP fittings.

They're on a B.I.N. @ £9.49 + £2.99 Postage so it's not a fortune - I
would have expected anyone selling this type of equipment to know what
he was doing though - another dream shattered )

I will not be using this equipment on a regular daily basis to earn a
living so I'm not looking to buy the best there is to las me a
professional lifetime. Now I have a compressor (bought to drive a sand
blasting cabinet) it simply makes sence to use it to blow swarf out of
oily holes to save me getting a face-full.

JG

"JG" <jg@crescentcomputing.co.uk> wrote in message
news:313030303331393046A3DDED17@crescentcomputing. co.uk...
>I recently bought a small compressor which has (appaently) 1/4" BSP
> fittings - I haven't measured them, just accepted what is in the
> manual (There is no mention of BSPT).
>
> To compliment this I am now looking for various accessories - Simply
> blow gun, Tyre inflater etc.
>
> Looking on eBay I see quite a few '18 piece' and '21 piece' sets and
> none of them specify what thread the fittings are. I've sent mesages to
> four different sellers and none came back with any answer until I sent a
> 'sort of' snotty message detailing a sentence from his eBay Shop text
> where he said that he was a caring and conscientious seller and asking
> for at least a 'Sod Off - I don't know'. To which he simply replied
> '??????????????'.
>
> Eventually we did get into a conversation and he appologized for not
> knowing what I was talking about (My question was simply are the
> fittings NPT or BSP) and giving me details of the manufactureres web
> site.
>
> No details were available there but there was a 'contact us' form so I
> sent them the same question. This is their response:-
>
> "I am sorry that you were not able to get the appropriate answer from our
> online reseller.
>
> To answer your question, they are ¼" NPT (Euro/US) couplers but all the
> threads are in fact BSPT as is all our air tool range."
>
> Can anyone turn this into a definitive statement with regard to the
> thread on the fittings they make? Or correct my misunderstanding with
> respect to Air Tool fittings?
>
Every air tool I have bought (and that's quite a few, both cheapies and
proper tools) has had a 1/4 bsp female thread.

On 23 Jul, 00:46, "SimonJ" <m...@mine.net> wrote:
> Every air tool I have bought (and that's quite a few, both cheapies and
> proper tools) has had a 1/4 bsp female thread.
The only different threads on my air tools is die grinders with 1/8
bsp[or was that NPT}
and 1/4 NPT on some spray guns.

On 22 Jul, 22:45, JG <j...@crescentcomputing.co.uk> wrote:
> I recently bought a small compressor which has (appaently) 1/4" BSP
> fittings - I haven't measured them, just accepted what is in the
> manual (There is no mention of BSPT).
>
> To compliment this I am now looking for various accessories - Simply
> blow gun, Tyre inflater etc.
>
> Looking on eBay I see quite a few '18 piece' and '21 piece' sets and
> none of them specify what thread the fittings are. I've sent mesages to
> four different sellers and none came back with any answer until I sent a
> 'sort of' snotty message detailing a sentence from his eBay Shop text
> where he said that he was a caring and conscientious seller and asking
> for at least a 'Sod Off - I don't know'. To which he simply replied
> '??????????????'.
>
> Eventually we did get into a conversation and he appologized for not
> knowing what I was talking about (My question was simply are the
> fittings NPT or BSP) and giving me details of the manufactureres web
> site.
>
> No details were available there but there was a 'contact us' form so I
> sent them the same question. This is their response:-
>
> "I am sorry that you were not able to get the appropriate answer from our
> online reseller.
>
> To answer your question, they are ¼" NPT (Euro/US) couplers but all the
> threads are in fact BSPT as is all our air tool range."
>
> Can anyone turn this into a definitive statement with regard to the
> thread on the fittings they make? Or correct my misunderstanding with
> respect to Air Tool fittings?
>
> TIA.
>
> JG

If you're in the UK, have you had a look in the 'Machine Mart'
catalogue, they do a huge range of air tools, pipes fiting and stuff
for 1/4" BSP. I've had stuff from there before and its all been fine!
OK its all imports (but isn't most everything these days? - including
the 'quality' badged stuff you pay a premium for!)
Tracy Tools down in Devon will sell you tapping drill & taps for a
very modest price if you feel adventurous.

Regards
Mike