Regulator Belt Clip

[Bob Heine]

Based on advise given on this site I bought a diaphragm-style air regulator to manage the pressure at the gun. Problem is the regulator is big and bulky and I want to use it with my new Iwata LPH80 gun. I bought the gun so I can paint in confined areas so I can't have a lot of stuff attached to the gun. If I put it on the gun with the usual plugs and connectors and attaching it all to the hose reel, I have a detail gun that has a brass baton attached.

I use a BreatheCool supplied fresh-air system that has a long hose that attaches to a clip on a belt and a quick coupler on a short hose to the full face mask. I want the spray gun hose to hook up in a similar way. Unfortunately the small diaphragm style regulator has no handy mounting points so I decided to make a holder from some scrap 1/8” aluminum plate. I abandoned a telephone jack cover plate project and the piece looked just right for my regulator belt clip.

This is a perfect job for the Grizzly vise-brake I bought a few months ago (http://www.grizzly.com/products/4-Vise-Brake/H3243?utm_campaign=zPage).

A couple of bends on the big piece of aluminum.

A couple of holes using a step-drill bit (hole for the female side is a little bigger.

Bent the leftover piece of aluminum, drilled three 1/8" holes: two holes in the long side and one hole on the short side (drilled the short side last). Used a couple of #6 nuts for spacers and pop riveted the piece to the back. I had originally planned to use a tape measure belt clip but it just didn’t look sturdy enough. I had also planned to rivet both ends of the clip to form a belt loop but decided I needed to be able to remove the regulator without undoing a belt.

Made the final bend with the vise to capture the two threaded ends. A quick connect coupler on the top side and a plug on the other and it was done.

I have a four-foot 1/2" Flexzilla snubber (whip?) screwed directly to the gun (no quick connect) and a V-Series plug to the quick connect on the regulator on my belt. It keeps the hose out of my way and keeps a lot of weight off my hand.

It took me about an hour to make but I think it’s going to work well, especially when I’m lying on my back and spraying the frame overhead (frame is sitting on jackstands with the car body raised six inches with allthread). The tiny gun should be able to reach inside the tighter spaces.

 

[rustover]

That's a great idea. I really like the iwata lph80

 

[Outlaw]

150% improvement getting all that hardware away from the gun. Nice job Bob!

 

[anotheridiot]

just be careful, I hear more states are considering baggy pants half way pass the ass a felony. Belt should be mandatory in some states .

http://theuspatriot.com/2014/04/09/...t-illegal-to-get-caught-with-your-pants-down/

 

[Bob Heine]

That's a great idea. I really like the iwata lph80

Thanks rustover. Not having that regulator flapping around is great. I'm really looking forward to using the LPH80. Found a new one on eBay for $160 with the cup and decided it was worth it, based on my experience with the big Iwata.

 

[Bob Heine]

150% improvement getting all that hardware away from the gun. Nice job Bob!

I appreciate that Outlaw. I put cheap HF whips on all my air tools a few years ago and I like having less stuff near my hand when I'm using them.

 

[Bob Heine]

just be careful, I hear more states are considering baggy pants half way pass the ass a felony. Belt should be mandatory in some states .

AI, living in Florida I try to be careful and never leave the house in outfits like that one. I used to have three kinds of clothes: work, leisure and grunge. Work meant white shirt, tie and 3-piece suit. Leisure meant jeans and Hawaiian shirts. Grunge meant stained and worn jeans and shirts from the thrift stores ($2.00 jeans and $0.25 shirts). Boca Raton is a snooty town so I usually get dressed up to work in the yard (don't want to be mistaken for an illegal immigrant):