Flaring tool

[P10crew]

I've been tooling up on all of the goodies to do brake, fuel and steam lines on our hot rods. I first purchased US made Rigid precision 37 and 45 double tooling but much to my chagrin the #%}€!| tubes slipped in both tools while flaring. Sent both of them back and after much research on the Earls turret tools I found that K tool is the MFG of the Earls tooling as well as several others. It arrived this morning and I did 7 single and doubles on all of the different tube material including .028 wall stainless. Absolutely flawless flares and ZERO slipping of any kind, centered perfectly.
The tool looks and feels very robust and a half decent case.

That's about as close as I can focus.

Made in 🇹🇼 sorry shame shame

 

[P10crew]

5/16 and 3/16 benders coming shortly to complete the set.

Now the move is on to build a kick €#% 6 mandrel tube straightener out of this junk.

 

[exranger06]

I have the same tool (Eastwood brand). Overall it works well and I'm happy with it, but I've found that the line tends to slip a little in the tool, resulting in a bad flare. I have to REALLY tighten the die down to make sure there's no slipping. This happens when I use Ni-Copp line, which is the only kind of brake line I use anymore.

 

[Scuder]

Originally Posted by P10crew
Now the move is on to build a kick €#% 6 mandrel tube straightener out of this junk.

I'll be interested to see that. Good luck, and please post pictures of the result.

 

[Traction]

Very nice tools. I've had good luck with my Ridgid flare tools, but probably wouldn't do stainless well. For bending 3/16 line around objects, and tight bends my tube bending pliers made by Lisle works perfect for me.

 

[P10crew]

Normally when a flare tool starts to slip you can set the 2 die halves on a piece of sand paper on a flat surface and take a couple thou off to tighten it up some.

These dies are real tight as the tube will stick in the die after it's clamped in. I'm sure they will loosen up over time and when they do I'll just take a few thou off each half.

Scuder..... will do.

Traction..... I'll snag me a pair.

 

[Trav]

Looks like a decent tool that will get the job done.

 

[Traction]

I don't know how many flares I had to make for this project, and none leaked. This was coming out of 2 master cylinders to 2 brake pressure gauges, an adjustable prop valve for the rear brakes, and a hydraulic park lock for the front brakes.

 

[P10crew]

Very nice looking work there traction.
Dirt car?

 

[Traction]

Originally Posted by P10crew
Very nice looking work there traction.
Dirt car?

Actually it is a built from scratch, street legal tribute stock car, to all of the local Camaro's that ran at all of the dirt tracks all over the state of Iowa, years ago

.

 

[P10crew]

Wow that is cool! Brings back memories fo sho!
I wondered why you would have a front park lock on a dirt burner.
Thanks for posting.

 

[Traction]

Not trying to jump your thread, but the hydraulic park lock I use for a parking brake. Plus it works good for burnouts, and donuts. It would be fun to get it on a dirt track even as a pace car, but I would never get it clean again. Here is the whole story of how I spent 18 years to build a complete drivable car from a pile of steel tubing and parts.

https://bangshift.com/bangshiftapex...unique-homebuilt-corner-burning-monster/

 

[P10crew]

Awesome story and awesome job. Thanks for posting!

 

[jhellwig]

Originally Posted by P10crew

5/16 and 3/16 benders coming shortly to complete the set.



I didn't know that they had 5/16 and 3/16 of those benders. What sizes are the ones in the pic? I do lots of stainless at work and have Swagelok benders. I have used the old rigid benders with the solid shoe and was intrigued buy those Swagelok knockoffs they are making now.


What are "steam" lines on a vehicle?