Hose Adapter Generator
Type the size of each end in mm or inches, say whether it goes inside a hose or over a pipe or port, and pick a straight reducer or a 30 to 90 degree elbow. Add barbs, a stepped cone or a stop ring, cut the preview open to check the wall, then download a printable STL.
How to make a hose adapter to 3D print
- 1
Measure both ends
With calipers, measure the inside of each hose, or the outside of each pipe, tool port or nozzle. Nominal sizes on labels often differ from the real part.
- 2
Set each end
Pick how each end fits: inside a hose, over a pipe or port, barbed, or a stepped cone for a range of sizes. Type its diameter in mm or inches and set the length and wall.
- 3
Join them
Choose a straight cone between the ends or a 30, 45, 60 or 90 degree elbow, and add a stop ring if the hose should not slide past it. Cut the preview open to see the wall.
- 4
Download and print
Save the STL. It already stands upright on its bigger end. Print a short test ring first if the fit is tight, then adjust the clearance or the size by a few tenths of a mm.
The four kinds of end
Each end of the adapter can be a different kind, so one part can join a hose to a tool port, two hoses of different sizes, or tubing to a pipe.
| Goes inside a hose | A plain sleeve that slides into the hose. Type the hose inside diameter; that is the outside of the sleeve at its tip. A small taper (0.5-1 degree) makes it wedge in tighter as you push. |
|---|---|
| Goes over a pipe or port | A socket that slides over a pipe, nozzle or a tool dust port. Type the outside diameter of the part it goes over; the clearance (0.2 mm by default) is added to the hole. Many dust ports are slightly tapered: measure near the tip and at the base and use the taper to match. |
| Barbed | A shank with sawtooth rings for flexible tubing: the ramps let the hose slide on and the sharp backs stop it pulling off. Type the tubing inside diameter, the number of barbs and their height. Use a hose clamp on top for anything under pressure. |
| Stepped cone | A row of steps from a smallest to a largest diameter, for when the exact hose size is unknown or one part must fit several hoses. Cut it off at the step that fits, or push the hose onto the step it stops at. |
The settings
| Units | mm or inches for diameters and lengths. Inch sizes can be typed as decimals (1.25) or fractions (1-1/4 or 1 1/4), and any field takes "mm" or " at the end to override the unit. 1 in = 25.4 mm exactly. Wall, clearance and barb height are always in mm. |
|---|---|
| Length | How far each end goes into or over its hose or pipe. 20-30 mm suits most vacuum and dust hoses; barbs need room for every ring. |
| Wall | Thickness of the tube wall in mm. 2-2.4 mm is a good start for parts that get pushed and pulled; the tool warns under about 1.6 mm. Bigger adapters can take 3 mm or more. |
| Taper | 0 to 2 degrees. Inside ends get bigger towards the middle, over ends get smaller, so the fit tightens as you push. |
| Clearance | Extra room added to the hole of an over-fit end. Start at 0.2 mm; use more if your printer prints holes small, or less (even below 0) for a tight press fit. |
| Lead-in chamfer | A small bevel at the tip of plain ends so they start into the hose or over the pipe easily. At most half the wall. |
| Middle | A straight cone of a set length between the ends, or an elbow of 30, 45, 60 or 90 degrees. The bend radius is measured to the centre line of the tube. |
| Stop ring | A collar at the root of an end that stops the hose or pipe sliding too far, and gives a clamp something to push against. Its underside is a 45 degree slope, so it prints without supports. |
Common hose sizes
These are the nominal sizes hoses and fittings are sold under, and the tool can fill them in for you. Real parts often measure a little differently, so check yours with calipers before you print.
| 1-1/4" (31.75 mm) | Small vacuum hoses and their accessories. |
|---|---|
| 1-1/2" (38.1 mm) | A common size of vacuum hose and accessory. |
| 1-7/8" (47.6 mm) | Vacuum hoses and accessories. |
| 2-1/4" (57.15 mm) | A common vacuum accessory fitting size. |
| 2-1/2" (63.5 mm) | Large shop vacuum hoses (measure: they are often a little smaller). |
| 4" (101.6 mm) | Dust collector hoses and fittings. |
| 27, 36 and 50 mm | Dust extractor hoses sized in metric, named by their inside diameter. |
| 5/8" (15.9 mm) | A common garden hose inside diameter, for barbed fittings. |
| 12 mm (12/16) | Aquarium tubing with a 12 mm inside and 16 mm outside diameter. |
Sources: ToolGuyd: vacuum hose size comparison · Becky Stern: 3D printed dust port adapter · PrintPal: 3D printing design guide (walls, overhangs)
Need a part that is not a round adapter?
Describe it and get a printable STL with AI: a bracket, a clip, a nozzle or a holder for your hose. Or turn a photo of the part into a 3D model. The AI generators use credits; this adapter generator does not.