Hoses: Cover And Mod - Argh!

[lazria]

'Ello! First off I'd like to show off my BF's new hose cover I made him. He's got this nice light green set-up and the hose was a black washable type - just didn't match right. So, a trip to the fabric store scored me some "sale" fabric (in green & red - i want a matching hose too). I had to hand stich mine, since I lack the machine - took almost 4 hours, but it's nice.



Now, for my hookah, the hose that was sent with it was cheap plastic wrapped wire monster. AND... it had a hole in it! ^*@$#) But, since I've been reading thru the board, I figured why not mod the hose and make my own.

A quick trip to the LFS (local fish store - petstore) scored me some Non-Kink black 1/2" hosing, thick and study - plus fully washable (normally used for canister filter lines). Came home, stripped apart old hose to get head the wooden head & end - stripped off roping & fuzzy sweatband thing - soaked the new hosing in hot water to soften it up. Slipped it over the end - applied alittle hotgule to secure and re-apply the decorative stuff and ta-da! New washable hose!



But now, I have an issue with the hose! I can't seem to draw thur it! It's so hard, you barely get any smoke - I pulled it off and put on my old hose (yellow thing) and it drew fine, so it wasn't my hookah itself. I'm at a loss, I'm not sure why it won't behave & work. It's about 5 feet long (hose only, not including head & end) my BF thinks it's too long - any suggestions?

Here's a close up of the hose

Edited March 14, 2007 by lazria

[sambookamax]

Well, first question would be...

Do you know the Inner Diameter? It should be about 3/8"
... any smaller than that and it could reduce the draw on the hose

and second...

Would you make me one of those hose covers!???

[Johnny_D]

Nice work Lazria!

I have been after some hose to replace my mya with. Can you tell me what the hose you have used is?
I know you refered to it as fishing supplies?

I take it the hose is used to carry water normally?

Thanks

JD

[sambookamax]

Johnny, I have used 3/8 ID of some plastic tubing bought at the hardware store for like .18 cents a foot, great stuff, clear, and easy to wash! When I am smokiing alone, I have one without any ends on it, and just use that, and wash it after every smoke, it is GREAT! (for smoking alone, when style doesn't matter)

[Johnny_D]

Johnny, I have used 3/8 ID of some plastic tubing bought at the hardware store for like .18 cents a foot, great stuff, clear, and easy to wash! When I am smokiing alone, I have one without any ends on it, and just use that, and wash it after every smoke, it is GREAT! (for smoking alone, when style doesn't matter)

Thanks Sam!

Problem that i have found is that i cannot locate anything similar in the UK.

The only pipe i found that even came close was so damn thick you could have used to pipe liquid
molten steel! And it was so stiff it would have brought the hookah down, coals as well.

So if their is something in the home aquatics world that i can use then i might have more luck.

Being in the UK Blows monkeys

JD

[lazria]

Try some online petstores - it wasn't as cheap as sam's, it ran me about 1.49 per foot - but I loved the look and feel - it's a very HEAVY hose. It's used for pulling water into the filter and then back into a fish tank. Inside DIA is about 3/8" - 1/2" I know they sold it as 1/2" hosing - but with the outside spiral, it's hard to measure and it's have to take it apart to re-measure (which we are about to do anyways).

I would make you a cover, but that was ALOT of work - 4 hours hand stiching elastic... not my piece of cake. I'll think about it - you'll have to tell me what colour ya want, I'll have to see if they still have any in that fabric. And length of hose...

[azcoyote]

Try some online petstores - it wasn't as cheap as sam's, it ran me about 1.49 per foot - but I loved the look and feel - it's a very HEAVY hose. It's used for pulling water into the filter and then back into a fish tank. Inside DIA is about 3/8" - 1/2" I know they sold it as 1/2" hosing - but with the outside spiral, it's hard to measure and it's have to take it apart to re-measure (which we are about to do anyways).

I would make you a cover, but that was ALOT of work - 4 hours hand stiching elastic... not my piece of cake. I'll think about it - you'll have to tell me what colour ya want, I'll have to see if they still have any in that fabric. And length of hose...

God that sounds like a lot of work. With a sewing machine it should take about 20 minutes to cut and sew the cover. There are some pics of mine in another thread in this section. I have sold some to forum members.

[lazria]

God that sounds like a lot of work. With a sewing machine it should take about 20 minutes to cut and sew the cover. There are some pics of mine in another thread in this section. I have sold some to forum members.

Yes, but that implies I HAVE a sowing machine, which I don't. Thus it took me forever to hand stitch the silly thing. Trust me, I'm waiting till I can borrow one before I make my cover. Edited March 15, 2007 by lazria

[[LB]]

submerge the hose in water, plug the end and try and blow through. Bubbles will emerge from a spot if there are holes, i do the same thing with bike tires to check for wholes in the tubing. If there are no holes (i bet there are near the ends of the hose where the smoke can get through the fabric) then i am at a loss, good luck!

[lazria]

submerge the hose in water, plug the end and try and blow through. Bubbles will emerge from a spot if there are holes, i do the same thing with bike tires to check for wholes in the tubing. If there are no holes (i bet there are near the ends of the hose where the smoke can get through the fabric) then i am at a loss, good luck!

That was the first thing I tried. No bubbles. My BF thinks the hose end tips are the issue. The holes are very small, considering the size of the end pieces. I think I may trim them up and re-stick them on. Plus, I may cut 5-10" off the length - it's almost a foot longer than our washable hose.