Contractor Thread vs. Standard Thread

We carry several different nozzle couplings on our site. From aluminum to nylon; standard coupling to threaded quick coupling; contractor to standard thread, we have you covered. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s dive into Contractor thread vs. Standard thread.

What we’ve got for threading

Always make sure your nozzle and your nozzle coupling match threads when placing your order. We have 1-1/4″ thread, which is considered “standard” thread, and the 50mm Contractor thread nozzles discussed in the video. We also carry 3/4″ threads for those smaller units and blast cabinets.

Contractor Thread vs. Standard Thread

So for Contractor Thread vs. Standard Thread, we wouldn’t say one is better than the other necessarily. Obviously for 1-1/4″ thread to be worthy of the term Standard, it is definitely more popular than the contractor thread. When you buy an abrasive blaster from Empire, Schmidt, Dustless Blasting, Marco, and others, the first nozzle that comes with that machine is going to be 1-1/4″. That’s why it’s standard! Clemco does offer the 50mm as standard and to it’s credit, we here at Blue Dog Blasting like to use the contractor thread. There’s less chance of cross threading or mangling up the threads because they are so big and it just threads so easy. When blasting with finer medias, you can get that media stuck in the 1-1/4″ threads where you really never have that issue with the contractor. Conversely, there are some nozzles out there that are hard to find in contractor thread.

What’s the difference?

The difference between the Contractor thread and the standard thread is quite visible. Like we said in the video, your standard 1-1/4″ thread looks like a machine screw. It has very fine threads which are N.P.S.M (National Pipe Straight Mechanical). It looks like this:

The contractor thread is 50mm. Sometimes also called 2 inch threads; This is more like a wood screw. There’s a lot of room between the threads and they look much bigger.