Trick to get hoses connected to torch barb.
 

Is there a trick to connecting hoses?
I was gifted a Cheetah for a birthday (been working on a midrange for about 10 years). I’m having a tough time getting the hoses fully on the barb. Can anyone share a tip? Much thanks in advance!

I just worked mine up on my Bobcat as far as I could with vice grips, then tightened circle clamps on them. I think I finally got them to within 1/4" of the end. I always have to cut them off if I am switching hoses. They are tough.

I assume you have wetted the brass with tiniest amount of a soap solution.
The stuff used for looking for leaks is perfect.
It's like 3 drops of dish soap to a cup or two of water.

Failing that a hair dryer used to warm the hose ends a little might help.

Don't use a screw or a flat bladed screw driver to stretch the hose but a phillips head might work to stretch it out enough to get it on the barb.

Of course it goes without saying that the barb needs to be in the ball park of the inner size of the hose.
Nothing quite like trying to fit a 3/8th barb into a 1/4 inch hose.
It looks like it will almost work but the odds are better you will lose more than a little skin trying to learn that lesson.

BTDT.

Spit. Just a bit on the barb, go around with your finger. It's slippery enough and no additives.

:lol: Yup, spit works well - as long as you haven't been eating anything lately.

It's one of the things art conservators use to clean sensitive items because it has natural enzymes that break down dirt. So mamas around the world had it right for centuries when they used it to clean smudges on kids ;)

It has fallen out of use for now because of CV19 risk however. But for hooking up hoses water w/o soap works too.

dj

I dip the end of the hose in hot water for a few minutes before pushing it on.

What Moira says. I was a Draft beer Tech for Budweiser and did a lot of hose installs. Just put the end of the hose in hot water a min or two cworjs perfectly