Firehose Racks in progress

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Thought I would post some pics of the Firehose rack I am working on. I have this design and another in mind hopefully be able to sell some to local fire departments. They should be able to hold approx. 2000 ft. of 2.5" ID firehose. made from 2x2 tubing. Once I finish welding it out and getting the casters mounted I will paint it (fire engine red of course). Post more pics when finished.
Reply:Looks good.  Appears they'll hold either 50 or 100 footers?MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Do you work for the FD??
Reply:It holds 50ft rolls of hose, either 1.5", 1.75", 2.5" or LDH (large diameter hose) 4", 5", or 6". They are designed arund the 1.5-2.5 attack line style hose. I also have a design for a hose drying rack and some other style racks and carriers for FD and EMS use.I done work for a FD, I work for an EMS service but got my start in Emergency Service in FD. I am going out on a limb and investing some money to build these racks in hopes that I can sell them and maybe get some orders. I can build them at a better than competitve price than the FD suppliers.
Reply:Great job, don't forget drying racks also. I hated washing hose and gear after a fire. The sound of five inch hitting the ground is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.I carry guns because cops are too heavy. .. ..-.   -.-- --- ..-   - .... .. -. -.-   .... .- .-. -..   . -. --- ..- --. ....   -.-- --- ..-   -.-. .- -.   ..-. .. --. ..- .-. .   .- -. -.-- - .... .. -. --.   --- ..- -
Reply:Sorry somehow I missed your second post.I carry guns because cops are too heavy. .. ..-.   -.-- --- ..-   - .... .. -. -.-   .... .- .-. -..   . -. --- ..- --. ....   -.-- --- ..-   -.-. .- -.   ..-. .. --. ..- .-. .   .- -. -.-- - .... .. -. --.   --- ..- -
Reply:Originally Posted by captdave2612Great job, don't forget drying racks also. I hated washing hose and gear after a fire. The sound of five inch hitting the ground is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
Reply:Originally Posted by captdave2612Great job, don't forget drying racks also. I hated washing hose and gear after a fire. The sound of five inch hitting the ground is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
Reply:6" LDH id the largest hose I have ever dealt with. We had 1000 ft. on all three engines. One of the engines from an out station accidentilly laid off all 1000 ft. on the side of the highway due to be incorrectly secured (not secured at all). Chief wasnt very happy and we had to help wash and inspesct all of it and reload spare hose in its place. That crew didnt live that one down for a while.
Reply:Hmmm... I need to build some of these for snowmaking hoses.
Reply:I saw an aerial platform do a 55mph 5" hose deployment that literally tore the floor off the platform by the time it was over.  Driver never knew it happened.Easy to understand why NFPA 1901 mandated full hosebed covers a few years ago.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Yep, when things happen at hwy speed it normally goes bad quick. Here is a few more things I have built with Emergency services in mind. O2 bottle rack, Spine board rack, and a set of doors for a ballistic research company that a friend owns.
Reply:Umm.... any word on why they lynched Kermit? jrw159
Reply:Inappropriate activity with Miss Piggy.
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55Then you'd run the other way if you ever saw the 7-1/4" and 12" we use. Good seeing you again Dave.
Reply:Looks nice.  Your discussion about LDH made me think of another project for you.  LDH rollers or rolling tables to help reload hose.  There's not a fire chief out there that doesn't worry about worker's comp issues from LDH.
Reply:I have been thinking about those to. One thing at a time. I need to finish and sell these and maybe get a few orders to start designing and fabing more stuff out of pocket.
Reply:30 years on the job so I figure I am qualified to say this: "Nice job, man..."(Retired) Professional firefighter, amateur everything else I try to do...Oh yeah:  Go Big Red!   (You know: one of the 12 members of the Big 10 cuz we left the 10 members of the Big 12...)
Reply:Thanks. I have the other design rack on the table now. Its shorter in height and length but a little wider and two 48" rows side by side for a total of four rows, instead of three 60" rows in a vertical stack. I will post picks when I have it assembled enough to tell what it is. Hopefully be able to get them both completed in a few weeks and get them to a local FD for a photo shoot with them loaded with hose and next to a shiny new BRT.
Reply:On the job as well, Do you think you could incorporate a hose roller on one end of the rack, that would be ****. not a roller table, a roller that actually rolls the hose? Might put you over the top as a selling feature."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Rookies are for rolling hose.  I have thought of making a hose roller of some type but thats yet to come. I am trying to get the racks finished and maybe make a few other racks for some bottle or spine boards. I have a limited amount of cash that I can invest into this right now so one thing at a time. My pockets are getting thin as it is. Need to sell some first to get up more working capital.
Reply:I especially like your idea to get the finished project over to a department and loaded for picts. "In use" picts always helps to "sell" the product to others. Many times you can have a lousy design, but if your marketing picts are great, the product will sell. Unfortunately today too many people in purchasing buy the sizzle and not the steak. Having a sharp looking product with a bit of bling to it, with good "in use" picts will go a long ways to helping the product sell itself. When you do sell a few, be sure and ask if you can't take some addition picts of the new items in use to add to the collection along with some captions about which department is using your products.We used to have picts of a few "signature customers", whose jobs sold more work than you can possibly imagine, even if the later customers didn't go with all the options. In a couple of cases we "upgraded" those projects at no extra charge, simply to get the picts to help sell other projects.Good luck. I know just how hard it is to try to build something to sell with a limited bankroll..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I'm curious. How is the rack used?Is hose coiled in round rolls and then the coiled rolls rest in the rack on edge, like the typical tire rack? Then what, coiled rolls load out onto trucks?Good Luck
Reply:The department that I will use for my photos is a Vol. FD. I am very good friends with the Chief. When I was telling about my project he was very interested and said as soon as they are ready get them over there and we will load them down and get pics. They may get rack donated in the future or atleast for material costs to be able to use their facility for photo ops and feedback. I am sure they have no problem testing out a product.
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepI'm curious. How is the rack used?Is hose coiled in round rolls and then the coiled rolls rest in the rack on edge, like the typical tire rack? Then what, coiled rolls load out onto trucks?Good LuckDenrep, here is a rack that is loaded with hose. Its just a pic I found on a search dont know where it is or who made it but it answers your question as to the use.
Reply:So coiled hose is stored something like this?Edit - Ooops we cross-posted. Looking at #26, I've  got it now.ThanksLast edited by denrep; 03-23-2012 at 09:21 AM.
Reply:Okay.So what I'm thinking about is how are dimensions decided so that dense storage is balanced with easy access?Of course only a reel with a diameter smaller than the opening between double-horizontal and single-horizontal will drop through the opening. However, once a smaller reel drops through the opening it's circumference  would of course extend bellow the double-horizontal, to rest on the single-horizontal below. Then... with a small reel resting on the single-horizontal, the opening below it would be effectively reduced in size  and a large diameter reel can't be stored/retrieved there, because it won't pass through the opening without moving the reel above it.You've probably thought this all through, but I wonder if possibly one or more of the horizontals should be adjustable, so that a department can adjust to suit to their own mix of reel diameters? Or maybe the double-horizontals could be offset from level, and crowded back, and the single-horizontal eliminated?Good LuckLast edited by denrep; 03-23-2012 at 09:56 AM.
Reply:I am not sure that I follow. Most hose rolls are about the same diameter with in a few inches. The hose stacks in from the side with the two outer rails supporting the sides of the roll and the bottom rail supporting the bottom of the roll. Even if you have 100ft. rolls they can be rolled in a fashion where they will have about the same outter diameter as a 50 ft. roll.
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepOkay.So what I'm thinking about is how are dimensions decided so that dense storage is balanced with easy access?Of course only a reel with a diameter smaller than the opening between double-horizontal and single-horizontal will drop through the opening. However, once a smaller reel drops through the opening it's circumference  would of course extend bellow the double-horizontal, to rest on the single-horizontal below. Then... with a small reel resting on the single-horizontal, the opening below it would be effectively reduced in size  and a large diameter reel can't be stored/retrieved there, because it won't pass through the opening without moving the reel above it.You've probably thought this all through, but I wonder if possibly one or more of the horizontals should be adjustable, so that a department can adjust to suit to their own mix of reel diameters? Or maybe the double-horizontals could be offset from level, and crowded back, and the single-horizontal eliminated?Good Luck
Reply:Originally Posted by houseoffireHuh?  I think you are confused as to how the racks work!  Look at #26 closely that is the only way the hose is stacked on the racks.
Reply:In post 26 you can see that most of the rolls are pretty closed to the same size. They have some extra rolls stacked flat on top of the lower tier of rolls. They just run out of room to stack them vertically. When I started putting a design together I went to a fire station and took measurments  of a home built rack and took measurments of a bunch of rolls of hose. The outside diameter of all the rolls of hose, whether it be 1.5" or 2.5" were with in 3 in. ranging from 22-25 in. I made the rack with enough free space between the tiers to easily get out the largest diameter with several inches to spare. The reason that the lower support bar is important is that when a hose gets damaged or bursts it can be repaired. When repaired you lose length so when rolled you lose diameter. The lower bar maintains support for these rolls. Also the bars contact the hose in a small contact point which allows the most free airflow around the hose to keep them dry in storage.
Reply:Got it.If it's good enough for the folks who're buying ‘em and using ‘em, that's all that matters.Although I did some mental head scratching on this today, and it dawned on me that just the one change of moving one side the double-tube slightly further from the upright than the other side,  would move the centered single-tube away from the high point of the reels - while still catching the smaller reels. But again, if making the top easier to reach, or maximizing storage doesn't matter, then it's no big deal.Good Luck
Reply:I appreciate any input and welcome it. Sometimes other folks see things I might not. I will always say thank you for information and help even if I dont use it.
Reply:Arghhh. Welding the rack sides on the second hose rack which will have two parallel rows for a total of four tiers. Two on each side. Got all four individual racks on it welded up and looking good. I figured out that I made the racks 4" to wide. After some cussing I cut all four of the racks (8 pieces). Now cut 2" off each one of them grind off the old weld and fit them all back up and reweld them. 2-3 hours extra work to get back to where I was at. Thats the way it goes when you dont pay attention. Bad thing is I had the first rack sitting there to get measurements off of.