Horse Newbie 7,069 #1 Posted September 7, 2022 (edited) I put this here because I saw discussion in a different thread about cheap hose reel headaches and thought I’d share my solution with you all… After being frustrated and fed up with plastic hose reels that fell apart, broke, turned over, and just did not work well I decided I would try to build my “dream hose reel.” Now I did start out by going to Lowes and buying the best reel they had… a cast aluminum one I believe it is. Then I sent my welder buddy a drawing with dimensions and a description of what I was wanting. I had already built one using treated lumber but the post split and it did not “swivel” so that I could roll/ unroll hose 360 degrees. He welded two cross bars 1 x 1/4 x what length they needed to be, on a piece of square tubing ( 2 or 2.25 x 1/4 inch wall ). He cut it to the length needed to give me my desired height of the reel. He then cut a piece of round pipe ( probably 1.5 inch SCH 40 ) for the vertical square tubing to slide down over. I concreted the round pipe into the ground. He used a golf ball as a bearing that sits on top of the round pipe as a bearing and it allows for easy swiveling of the reel in any direction. He also fabbed up a locking lever out of a bolt and nut, the nut being welded to the back of the reel support piece. Now I can grab the end of the hose and go and it unreels smoothly without catching on the side of the reel without me having to “whip” it to free the hose. Also I can lock the swivel down in whatever direction the hose is stretched out and reel it back in with ease. I REALLY LIKE IT after fussing for years over cheap hose reels… Here are some pics so you can build your own if you’re tired of wrazzlin’ garden hoses… Edited September 7, 2022 by Horse Newbie 3 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,838 #2 Posted September 7, 2022 Great idea Tim! I happened to find 17 golf balls last night waiting for the group in front of us… maybe I should build me 17 hose reels! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,197 #3 Posted September 7, 2022 10 hours ago, Horse Newbie said: used a golf ball as a bearing that sits on top of the round pipe as a bearing Ingenuity at its best, Greasy Pete will probably stop by with son lubrication recommendations. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,545 #4 Posted September 7, 2022 Nice! Your hoses are way luckier than mine… I’m way cheaper… The ground is always there, right under the faucet. Never moves, rusts or breaks… No matter how long the hose, it always fits…Won’t need any lubricant, paint, or maintenance… my hoses all know where and how to lay there… trained them well… 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ineedanother 1,369 #5 Posted September 8, 2022 That's pretty good. I like the swivel and wonder how that golf ball will hold up. It sure looks better than mine I have the same cast aluminum reel on the front of my house and would like to change the hose but it's corroded on. Note to all...a little anti-seize goes a long way and I wish I had put a bit on the hose connection. Here is mine that I upgraded the other day. Just a recycled reel from a cheap (actually just about worthless) hose reel cart. Unbolted the reel from the cart and mounted it to some 2" aluminum tubing, a 50# bag of concrete and I think I'm good for a while but I'll cap the posts when I find them in stock again (typical aluminum railing caps). The finished pic is poor I know, but it's dark here in NC right now... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EB-80/8inPA 1,641 #6 Posted September 8, 2022 So I’m guessing some sort of plastic container was recycled for the concrete form. I was thinking a section of gallon milk jug but that can’t be right. Litter pail? I give up. Please do tell! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Newbie 7,069 #7 Posted September 8, 2022 1 hour ago, EB-80/8inPA said: So I’m guessing some sort of plastic container was recycled for the concrete form. I was thinking a section of gallon milk jug but that can’t be right. Litter pail? I give up. Please do tell! Yes it was a recycled plastic container. I don’t think it was a milk jug, but I did use the same type plastic… easily cut away after the concrete set up… Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
