Topic: Cutting Braided AN Hose

[Ben L]

If you've ever had to do this, you will appreciate this fiendishly simple yet effective way of doing this, from Earl's, one of the leading AN hose and fitting purveyors:

http://www.anplumbing.com/installation.html

[DragonSolGXP]

Gee, this makes me want to replace all my lines with braided steel and those nice metal fittings.

[Critterman]

I have seen it also cut by wrapping it in electrical tape and cutting in the middle of the tape

[phantomsounddj]

Cman has it right.  Cutting hose like that can compromise the hose by flattening the ends and may not function properly in the fitting.  If I got caught cutting AN or MS hose that way by the Feds I'd be in deep $hit.  Looked like pretty thin wall hose anyway.  Would not be that easy on high pressure hose.

[Sol Asylum]

I agree with Phantom.  If I ever got caught by the FAA or even my shop boss I would have been in deep kimchi (as per one of my instructors at A&P school used to say)  I have always just wrapped tape around where I needed to cut the tube and then used a cutoff wheel on a die grinder.  Hacking through Teflon tube is just asking for problems.

[Chemist]

I agree with Phantom.  If I ever got caught by the FAA or even my shop boss I would have been in deep kimchi (as per one of my instructors at A&P school used to say)  I have always just wrapped tape around where I needed to cut the tube and then used a cutoff wheel on a die grinder.  Hacking through Teflon tube is just asking for problems.

My experience with vacuum lines in the lab leads me to give a strong "amen" to Phantom and Sol Asylum. Way too easy to waste way too much line/hosing with the wrong tools/techniques.

[Ben L]

All right already.  It just appealed to my "smash stuff with a big hammer" instincts.  Duly chastened. . . .

[lil goat]

I agree with Phantom.  If I ever got caught by the FAA or even my shop boss I would have been in deep kimchi (as per one of my instructors at A&P school used to say)  I have always just wrapped tape around where I needed to cut the tube and then used a cutoff wheel on a die grinder.  Hacking through Teflon tube is just asking for problems.

Have you ever smelled deep kimchi. OMG it smells worse than deep crap AND PEOPLE EAT IT!

[duckSol]

Stoopid plumbers, figures
Un frikin believable 
At least kimchi don't smell like queef 

[Carbon Sky]

Don't feel that bad.  Personally, I think this method should work just fine for the lines that DO NOT have the teflon inner sleeve.  The slight crushing effect from cutting this way won't cause any issues with the rubber and the stainless braid.

However, the crushing could DEFINITELY crack or cause some other issue with the relatively rigid teflon inner lining.

All right already.  It just appealed to my "smash stuff with a big hammer" instincts.  Duly chastened. . . .

[Mac]

Ok its, if you are a redneck....
I hate to say this but I have cut these as such Lined or unlined and have never had issue with the fittings. I had a 12 year old set that when it did give it was down line of any fitting and allways ends as weeping line through the braided, unless you monkey any fittings.
Use a real sharp chis and a softer metal block and think Ginsew.


other reasons as well is contamination from cutting, where as this way it is a fast pinch/cut. Use a drift to expand the Teflon shape if needed to start over the male end of fitting, once this draw together , no way that will effect the connection. i have seen more guys cut and frey the ends.  If you have some real old linned stuff might be to brittel to recut this way?

[Ben L]

So there.  Sure, its a little bit Whiskey Tango, but, hey, who around here isn't?

I promise never to use this method on any FAA-certified aircraft.