4/10/2010

My confidence was shaken in a Husky Air Scout small air compressor I had bought a few years ago when my youngest son attempted to take a hose fitting off the compressor end and the entire end piece came off in his hand. I was happy that the machine was not pressurized because I was highly concerned that the fitting would have been a missile with a 90 psi pressure pushing it.

I visualized either someone getting hurt very seriously or killed from the failed fitting because the machine says it can go up to 135 psi.

When I worked in industry my specialty was industrial hose failure analysis. I wrote, “Systematic Techniques of Hose Failure Mode Analysis” in 1991 for the Society of Automotive Engineers International, so I wanted to look into the compressor fitting failure. Once I got the compressor disassembled, I was highly concerned because it was a metal failure and not just a bolt coming off.

I called the number 877-888-3872 on the compressor to report my finding. I gave the lady my model number 41004. I asked if there was a recall on this machine. She said no. I also shared that I was concerned that someone might get hurt with this equipment. This lady informed me that my compressor was out of warrantee. Since I had loss confidence in the materials in which the compressor was made, I was not interested in ordering a replacement air manifold.

I went to my local Home Depot to see what replacement I might buy because I like a small air compressor for jobs within the house and pumping tires and I also have a heavy duty one for outside jobs. Then, I concluded that I needed to buy whatever replacement from Sears because they have never given me grief in the past if some product is not right.

My compressor has “The Toughest Name In Tools” on it. Therefore, I am still upset with the Husky name on my substandard product for it suggests that this name is an oxymoron. Are Husky products made of questionable materials that could maim and kill unsuspecting owners?