Any Thoughts on double flaring 3/8" line?

My "stone age" Lisle flaring set works on 3/8" steel tubing. I use my band saw to cut to length and file to square and de-bur. I also use a General tapered hand reamer to de-bur the I.D.

Gary

 

I'm still using the same flaring kit my dad used for decades before me, and he's been dead over 30 yrs. now. I use the copper colored easy bend steel tubing, and after cutting the lines with my tubing cutter I have a deburring cutter I put in my battery drive drill, and I bevel the end of the tubing. It flares easily, and makes nice clean ends. Never had any leaks, or issues flaring since I started using the easy bend tubing.

 

Maybe check a local hose shop, fab it up bring to to them for a quote to flair the ends My experience with hose shops is they are very accommodating and reasonable. At least mine are. I love those guys

 

I’d suggest an Eastwood flaring tool or similar unit. Also makes bulb ends. One of the best tools I’ve every bought.

 

I use Rigid brand tools, deburr with counter sink turned by hand, file inside and out to get rid of any sharp edges and lube with light oil.

 

I bought a Mastercool Hydraulic flaring tool. It was expensive, $400 from my Mac Tool Guy, but it’s worth every penny. This tool makes perfect, factory flares every time. I have an old Lisle manual flaring tool. It works ok, but the quality of the flare directly depends on how good the chamfer is on the end of the tubing. Most of the time, there is enough room for proper chamfering, but this tool does away with that.

 

Have one.

It is all that! Now the only bad flares that I do are the ones where I forget to put the tube nut on!

Does 1/2" steel without fuss.

 

Snap on kit , over 40 yrs old and still works great . 3/8 and everything. My strength on the other hand has diminished and takes a little more time . I recently picked up a second snap on set at a garage sale for $25 and jumped on it . One for the shop and one for the house .

 

How bout a picture of the double flare "jig" you are using ?

 

He posted that 12 years ago, and has not been on since 2014. I doubt you’re gonna get a picture of anything.

 

Thanks Gimpy, I’m glad I’m not the only one that does that!!

 

Why do people pull up old threads like this? Seems like having to search for it in the first place would give them a clue that it might not be current...........

 

some people complaint about asking the same question over and over without searching. other people complain about digging up old posts instead of making new ones.

 

Maybe I am a dinosaur, but back in 1973 I bought an Imperial Eastman double flaring tool and Imperial Eastman tube benders from 3/16 up to 1/2 inch. Once I mastered the flaring tool, things have worked out fairly well. I just completed fabbing up pressure and return lines for a fuel injection conversion on my OT El Camino. It took some time but went well. I bought the best on the Market at the time and have never regretted the purchase. I have a Rigid flaring tool for 37° AN style flares and it also performs well. I have often looked and thought about the new hydraulic flaring equipment but cost and the fact that my current equipment does the job well have kept me using it until now.

 

I haven't used steel lines for a while, have been using NiCopp (Nickel Copper), I really like that stuff. Very easy to bend and flare, and apparently will last a long time.

 

I've been using my trusty Snap-on double flare kit for years but lately I seem to have had more offset and just plain ugly flares than usual so I'm seriously thinking about stepping up. I have 3, maybe 4 cars that I will be doing brake line work on, so I don't want to spend the $$ on some lifetime commercial rig.
I'm eyeballing the Eastwood cam-type tool but I see that the K Tool version is somewhat less expensive. Does anyone have experience with K Tool products? Are they the supplier of the tools for Eastwood or are they both from the same offshore source?

 

That is what I own and I have made 3/8 SS and double flared it. I oil the die and use a breaker bar on the handle for extra leverage. That way the pull is smooth and steady. I never cut the line with a tubing cutter as it work hardens the metal. I use my bench mounted, fine tooth band saw or a thin cutoff wheel, then file flat, ream the outside and inside with a Eastwood tool prior to flaring.