Homemade Fire Hoses?


Raincoat2

Raincoat2

Well-Known Member
Anyone ever tried to make your own hoses for firehouses and firetrucks? I've seen a white metal one by SeaPort that MBKlein sells (currently out of stock anyway), but it doesn't look all that realistic to me. So just wondering what materials one could use to make a few coiled hoses or even rolled-out ones.
 
For hoses, I use the insulated solid copper wire that I strip out of the stiff telephone cables - old school tech, you know the stuff before wireless that's still used in landlines. It can be formed into any shape and holds that shape well. For fire hoses, I might use a concrete or buff colored paint.

Willie
 
I have heard that solder works really well for this. You pick the size(s) you need to replicate the hose you're looking for. It bends easily, holds the shape you bend it to, and can easily be smashed/flattened to represent a hose that isn't under pressure.

The only catch is how tricky it would be to paint. I haven't tried it, so I'm not sure, but a bit of experimenting should determine if it will work for you.
 
I've used solder and it works great. The most realistic looking hose I've seen. Not used it for anything as big as a fire hose, however. I wanted black hose and just brushed some black model paint on it. It's pretty forgiving. The flexing is really nice on smaller hoses, don't know about fire house size.

Solder is a cheap product to experiment with.
 
Everyone - Thanks! Great - I like the solder idea and I have plenty of it. I'll try flattening it and painting. Probably have to buy a model hose coupling, or maybe I can try forming it from the solder. Anyway, I'll try a few things with solder. Willie's idea of using copper telephone cable might be worth a try, too - if I can find some.
 
Johnny: I'll use some .032 solder for a coiled hose or two on the load docks of my background buildings. Maybe paint them red or flat black??? I make them and paint them when I have the paint out for another project. The solder maybe out of scale, but the larger size will help the hoses stand out and be noticed.

Fast easy project.

Greg
 
Greg@mnrr said:
Johnny: I'll use some .032 solder for a coiled hose or two on the load docks of my background buildings. Maybe paint them red or flat black??? I make them and paint them when I have the paint out for another project. The solder maybe out of scale, but the larger size will help the hoses stand out and be noticed.

Fast easy project.

Greg
Click to expand...

Yep - sounds easy enough (or deceptively easy?). I'll post a photo of mine, if they turn out okay.
 
I was thinking maybe fine shrink tube folded like a fire hose and heated to hold the shape?
Might work for larger scales?
 
"fine shrink tube" is insulation wrap "tube" for wiring and is slipped over the area where two or more wires were joined and insulates the bare wires. Heat is applied to the tube and the tube actually shrinks in size over the wire(s) and is then securely held in place.

Many different sizes of shrink tubing.

Greg

th
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Greg@mnrr said:
"fine shrink tube" is insulation wrap "tube" for wiring and is slipped over the area where two or more wires were joined and insulates the bare wires. Heat is applied to the tube and the tube actually shrinks in size over the wire(s) and is then securely held in place.

Many different sizes of shrink tubing.

Greg

th
Click to expand...


Greg - Thanks for the clarification. I've never used shrink tubing, I guess - I've always used wire nuts to connect and protect multiple bare wires, so wasn't familiar with the term. Might give this a try and compare with solder and see which looks best.
 
Heat shrink tubing comes in a lot of sizes, probably available at your LHS. It is used to insulate soldered wire connections. It has a negative thermal coefficient...it shrinks dramatically in diameter when heat is applied. If you find the right size, it will bend easily when NO heat is applied. Folded back and forth and pressed flat and painted white or some similar color, it could look like 2-1/2" dia. fire hose laying in the bed of a pumper fire truck. I suppose you could insert some solder inside to hold its shape, but that might be redundant.
 
I've purchased a lot of shrink tube on eBay cheap. I think it would work well for what you are trying to do and I bet it would be able to be painted as well.

Dave
 
Dave, Trailrider, Greg, others - - I've tried the solder approach. Used very high gauge. i.e., thin solder (26 or 24 gauge, I forget which), coiled it, shaped the outer end so it looks something like a hose coupling, painted the coil as close to canvas color as I could, left the coupling end silver - voila (which is French for voila) - looks pretty good. I'll run by my LHS and see if he has any shrink tubing and buy just a small amount and try it. I'll compare with the look of the solder and see which I like best. Will try to post a photo when I've done the shrink tube. Thanks everyone for the suggestions and comments.
 
deanej said:
I've used solder and it works great. The most realistic looking hose I've seen. Not used it for anything as big as a fire hose, however. I wanted black hose and just brushed some black model paint on it. It's pretty forgiving. The flexing is really nice on smaller hoses, don't know about fire house size.

Solder is a cheap product to experiment with.
Click to expand...
Thanks to you and everyone else on the great ideas I have been wondering what to do I fabricated a hose drying rack outside of my fire station and need to drape hoses over this
 
Marv said:
Thanks to you and everyone else on the great ideas I have been wondering what to do I fabricated a hose drying rack outside of my fire station and need to drape hoses over this
Click to expand...

Marv - can you post a photo of your hose drying rack? I'd like to see how it came out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top