Shop Online Now!

Benford Tools presents the... "BarbMaster I" Product Line:

The BM-1000i (The Irwin Pusher)

"TOTAL PORTABILITY" for Only... $149.95

This tool will handle those less-aggressive barbed fittings, like that of Parker brand Push-Lok^®, and other, similar, pliable low-pressure hose applications where barbed fittings are used and has a range of 1/4" I.D. up to and including 5/8" I.D.

However, this tool does not have enough pushing force for those more-aggressive barbed fittings greater than 1/2" I.D. This tool will install most every other brand of barbed fitting on the market, up to and including 5/8" I.D.

Note: When using this tool for 5/8" fittings one will need some "average-to-moderate" forearm/hand griping strength. For weaker individuals or those who are installing lots of 5/8" fittings, it is recommended that you go with the Jorgensen platform.

For 3/4" fittings, as well as Swagelok^®and those more aggressively-styled barbed fittings we offer a more powerful pusher mechanism that address those needs. Look below for a picture of the BM-1000j.

The BM-1000j (The Jorgensen Pusher)

This tool has 40% MORE pushing POWER than the BM-1000i. For fittings with aggressive barbs, like that of Swagelok^® brand fittings, this is the tool of choice. This tool will handle those more-aggressive barbed fittings from 1/4" I.D. up to and including 3/4" I.D.

Get "MORE POWER" for Only $174.95

For use on fittings with "aggressive barbs," like that of Swagelok^® brand fittings and/or for individuals with weaker forearms, this would be the tool of choice. The range of sizes for this tool are from 1/4" I.D. hose/fittings up to and including 3/4"I.D. hose/fitting applications, regardless of what brand one is using.

Before we get into the operation of the tool we first need to provide the reader with a definition of the various parts:

Most of this should be intuitively obvious to the most casual observer but if not, here's a functional description of what each part does:

The Locking Lever - Secures the hose in place. Also, this part has an "elliptical foot," (i.e. the harder one pushes the hose to the left, the more vertical locking pressure is generated and applied to the hose.) There are two directions the Locking Lever can move/rotate. To lock the hose into place (as shown per these examples), simply rotate the Lever in a clockwise direction until the hose is firmly pressed against the platform. To unlock the hose after the fitting has been installed, simply rotate the Lever in a counter-clockwise direction and it will release the hose/fitting assembly.

The Mounting Platform and Ergo Wing - Provides a place to secure the hose during the fitting insertion process. In addition, this Ergonomic Wing provides a means for reducing and/or eliminating the hose buckling issue. For hose placement, there is a "V-trough" running down the middle of the platform, at the back of the tool and the full length of the Ergonomic Wing.

The Travel Bar - The part that connects the Pusher Mechanism to the Hose-Mounting platform. Left/forward movement inserts the fitting, and right/backward movement unloads the tool and releases pressure off the fitting/hose assembly.

The Pusher Mechanism - A hand-powered pusher that operates by friction. This mechanism operates in a similar fashion to that of a caulking gun. When one squeezes the pump handle the friction dawgs inside and the Pusher Mechanism grabs onto the Travel Bar and produces forward movement. Once in contact with the fitting, it will produce substantial pressure onto the face/end of the fitting.

The Release Trigger - There is a release mechanism on each tool for unloading the hose assembly once the fitting has been installed. The "i/Irwin's" Release Trigger is located forward of the Pusher Mechanism and is easily activated with a gentle squeeze of the index finger.

The "j/Jorgensen" release mechanism is located inside of the Pusher Mechanism's handle, as previously shown above under the naming of parts. Simply squeeze this release trigger with whichever finger is most comfortable and this will unload the tool.

Regardless of the tool model you are using, once the Release Trigger has been activated, simply slide the Pusher Mechanism to the right (as shown in these examples) and this will unload the tool.

Note: On both models there is either a Spring-Pin or a Solid-Pin located at the end of the Travel-Bar opposite the mounting platform. This pin keeps the Pusher Mechanism from sliding off the end of the Travel-Bar. It is HIGHLY recommended that one NEVER remove the Pusher Mechanism from the Travel-Bar, especially for the "j" (Jorgensen) models, as it can be very difficult to reinstall, unless of course, you have been properly trained.

Hose/Fitting Assembly 101

Before we get to the actual assembly procedure, let's cover some basic concepts.

No. 1 - It is highly recommended that one LUBRICATE the fitting before inserting it into the hose. The most commonly used lubricant is oil. For cleaner applications one should use a mild mixture of liquid soap and water. However, for clean room or particle-sensitive environments, IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) is the preferred lubricant. If you are in the field and do not have access to a viable lubricant, one could use WD-40, light motor oil, or one could even spit on the fitting...okay, we don't recommend the use of spit; however, using spit is better than using nothing at all. And yes, spitting on the fitting when no lubricant is available, well, that is the "approved" Redneck procedure! Okay, you can laugh out loud now!

Of course, all this depends upon how "clean" your fluid transfer system needs to be after the fitting has been installed, which is entirely the responsibility of the user.

For dispensing a soap and water solution, one can use a variety of dispensers but the Menda^® brand Tech-Pump, as shown below, is perfect for applying a soapy solution to the barbs of a fitting. At this time "Benford" does not carry the Menda pumps; however, you may purchase the Menda pumps via their website www.mouser.com/mendapump.

No. 2 - ALL rubber-based industrial hoses have a "natural" curve to them when manufactured because they are immediately wound/coiled onto a hose reel. Please see the pictures below for an example of this inherent feature and how NOT to place the hose onto the platform of the tool:

Note: Any time one compresses an industrial hose under an elliptical locking-foot; this is what happens when the natural curve is not placed in a downward-facing direction. Can you say, "Major Upward Kinking?" Not to say the tool will not insert the fitting when used like this, but why make the task more difficult than it has to be?

No. 3 - Hose Dynamics...

There are THREE distinct factors that affect the insertion of a "barbed fitting" into the end of an industrial hose:

a) Buckling of the hose: When installing a fitting into most hoses the hose has a tendency to buckle upwards in a "U" shaped fashion. As you will see later, this is where the Ergonomic Wing comes into play because it will take care of this challenge.

b) Compression of the hose: When installing a hose fitting into the end of a hose, the hose will compress. To counteract this aspect, one needs to place the end of the hose PAST the end of the ergonomic wing. The smaller the hose, the more buckling and compression one will experience.

c) The fitting "Wiggle" factor: When installing a fitting into the end of a hose it will sometimes wiggle and wind up in a cock-eyed position. This is usually caused by our good friend, Mr. Murphy, who does not want that fitting to be installed... or it was simply misaligned from the start. If this happens, simply release the pressure from the Pusher Mechanism and realign the fitting parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool and start over. Or, one could use their thumb and/or index finger to realign the fitting on the fly, without releasing the Pusher Mechanism's pressure.

Okay, now that the basics have been covered, let's install a fitting...

STEP 1 - Place the hose onto the mounting platform and secure it by rotating the Locking Lever in the clockwise direction. Remember to keep the inside curve facing in a downward direction and to extend the end of the hose past the end of the ergonomic wing (1.5" to 2", depending upon your hose size) in order to allow for hose compression.

STEP 2 - With your left hand wrapped around the hose AND the Ergonomic Wing, partially insert the fitting into the end of the hose with your right hand. Be sure to pull the Pusher Mechanism back far enough out of the way in order to allow enough room for your right hand to start the fitting into the end of the hose. If it's more comfortable for you, you might want to do this partial fitting insertion with the hose out of the tool.

If you are left-handed, simply reverse this procedure. And yes, this tool was designed for right-handed people but if it's too much of a challenge to operate the tool in this fashion simply turn it around to accommodate whatever is comfortable for you. And yes, if we get enough of a demand for left-handed tools in the future, "Benford" just might invest in the tooling to cover this need as well.

STEP 3 - Place one hand around the hose and Ergonomic Wing and grip it firmly. Place your other hand around the Pusher Mechanism's handle and begin pumping/squeezing the forward/power generating moveable part of the handle.

STEP 4 - Stop pumping the pusher mechanism once the fitting has been completely installed.

If your fitting has a stop-collar, the hose should butt up against this collar. To test it, see it you can rotate the collar with your fingers. If the collar is snug and does not easily rotate, you are good to go. If the collar is loose, repeat the above process until the hose has been inserted far enough onto the barb portion of the fitting and it is seated against the collar.

If you run out of room, (i.e. the fitting and/or the fitting's stop-collar starts coming into contact with the end of the Ergo Wing, before it is completely installed), simply unload the tool and reposition the hose to allow ample room for hose compression.

The first time one uses this tool the fitting may go right in with little effort, or maybe not! For example, when testing this product we had a 105 Lb. female experience zero challenges with a 3/8" hose/fitting combination...but on the other end of the spectrum, a U.S. Marine didn't seem to have the wherewithal to make it work. Some people are mechanically inclined and others are not. It may take several practice runs before you get the hang of using this tool and master this new technique. And just like anything else that's new, "Practice makes better;... because nobody is perfect!"

A "FOUR STAR" Note:

For smaller hoses, like 1/4" ID, one might experience copious amounts of wiggling, buckling, and compression. We tried to source a viable Velcro Strap to aid in securing the hose to the platform; however, it seems that the Velcro vendors have yet to figure out how to secure a 3M sticky back to the end of a strap. So, if this happens and you have lots of smaller hose/fittings to install, well, one could resort to the use of duck tape or better yet, those Velcro bundle ties might be what you are looking for. We conducted testing along these lines but have yet to find a robust and viable solution. If somebody out there stumbles across a viable cost-effective solution for this challenge we would like to hear from you, and would reward you accordingly. And yes, as mentioned in the patent one could attach an additional clamp onto the Ergonomic Wing. For now, we are following the "KISS" (Keep It Simple Stupid) method because we honestly feel that this issue will not be a major challenge for most users.