O rings vs loctite on cocker barbs?

[SR_matt]

I feel like I have seen this talked about before but am coming up dry with searches on google.

Does anyone use o rings on barbs for the pneumatics or is the general consensus just to loctite them to seal them up?

If using o rings what are the right sizes/duro/material for it?

On paper o rings seem like they are a simpler and more easily serviceable choice but at the same time it may be looking for a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

[DarkApollo]

I just use loctite. Never had a barb leak unlike with the orings

[superman]

loctite is the way to go.

[Drcemento]

use a blue Loctite or Loctite 545 which is a thread sealant so you can get it off again without trouble.

[Toestr]

Smart Parts/GOG used a #10-32 barb with an oring for the VASA on the Vibe/SP1/eNMEy variants. I think it had a groove cut out in the barb for the oring (which had a smaller cross section than any standard Imperial oring) and a recessed sealing surface on the VASA. Not viable for something like a cocker 3 way where the barbs would be way too close together.

[Trbo323]

Bob long uses.... Well they are more like washers over o rings. But hey, they work

I've used both loc tight and Teflon tape (separately, not at the same time)

The tape is a little harder to get in place but has less of a risk of shearing the barb when trying to remove it.

Even still, you stand a better chance of shearing the barbs on install over removal

Both work. Choose what you want. I wouldn't want to add an o ring, that will mean less thread engagement and there's already not much

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

[RuleOfSines]

Unless it is milled with an o-ring recess, loctite or the expensive flat seals like Clippard uses (11761-5-PKG (clippard.com)). An o-ring on a surface that isn't milled with a groove will typically just squeeze out. I just loctite everything, do note that if you haven't used it much, you should wait for it to cure before airing the marker up again.

[Magmoormaster]

You guys loctite your barbs?!? No wonder they keep breaking when I try to pull them off.

you don’t need to loctite them. Unless the threads are in rough shape, they’ll usually seal just by tightening them down.

[autococker04]

Seriously. I’ve just been twisting them in the whole time. If they leak, a little more twist.

[DarkApollo]

The only time I have ever broken a barb is when... doing the 'if it is leaking, tighten it more' method. That only works when there is a seat at the bottom of the barb hole to seal against.

[SR_matt]

Yeah I have even been cringing a bit at blue loctite when people talk about it for the small threads hence why I am asking. I probably will stick with purple or even just VC3.

[OpusX]

Vibra-tite purple (11150) is super soft low torque stuff but seals up threads like teflon tape. I use it for barbs and they can still be backed out easily.

[SR_matt]

Ok yeah I was leaning to staying with purple for most things on my build other than maybe the 3 way to front block, maybe the back block on the pump arm, and possible the ASA screw. Even blue feels a little strong for how small some of those threads are.

I will have to see if the vibra-tite purple is any different than the loctite branded purple I picked up but assume it’s at least very close. I did get their VC3 as well to try on the hammer lug and maybe some other screws that I know will have to come off at some point or another.

[latches109]

Recently I started to use the blue loctite stick. It has been much easier to work with than the liquid especially for barbs. And you don’t have to worry about accidentally putting too much cleaning it up, etc.

https://a.co/d/5qg6cbO