Hi everyone I am in the process of making up some brake lines for my 60 El camino for the first time. I came across this neat old flaring tool in great condition the only problem I do not know how far out the brake line needs to stick out past the die the kit is complete apart from instruction manual. There is no gauge or anything i can see that indicates how far tube needs to extend past die. I got an old brake line and guessed the distance the flare came out good but want to be accurate. If anyone can help I would appreciate it, I am thinking of using copper nickel lines and will need to use 1/4" and 3/16" diameter lines. Is it a good idea to lightly chamfer inside and outside of tube and dip it in brake fluid before flaring? Any other other tips for flaring lines?
I've used a few flaring tools over the years. I can't recall one where the end of the tube isn't sighted flush with the end of the die. The tool pictured look to me like it'll only produce single flares though, but I could be wrong. Sounds like you've mastered the operation already. Chris
That don't look like double flare to me , but I have never seen one made like yours. My double flare old cornwell starts about 1/8 out for start of first push.
Here an image of one that I flogged of the net Looks like a Meco, used one years ago . Was a quality aussie brand when we used to manufacture stuff. Just cant remember exactly how. Will do a double flair The dies don't have a rebate on the bottom of them do they?
Clean the end of the tube baking shure it’s flat Debur the inside of the tube A little brake fluid makes the flaring job easier On a regular flaring tool the line would stick out of the holding fixture 1/2 the thickness of the die. Make sure you have the fitting in the line before flaring This is how you set the line up in a “ regular “ flaring tool This is what you flair should look like
I have always found making flares hit or miss. I recently talked the owner of the collection of cars I maintain into purchasing the two hundred dollar flaring tool from Eastwood. It's awesome, makes a perfect double flare every time in less than a minute. It's certainly a tool that far exceeds its expectations.
First thing is to do some figuring out if you can do a double flair with it. Second is to practice a bit until you feel you have got a good handle on doing it right most every time. The flair should look like what Vanenplas showed in that the end you fold in to make the double flair should reach but not go past the bottom of the fair. Have a sharp cutting wheel on your tube cutter so you get a good clean cut without compressing the tube by cranking the cutter down too much. That is a mistake a lot of guys make and don't realize it. Debur the tube in and out before you flair it. Eastwood sells a nice deburring tool but a plumbing or hvac supply house should have decent ones locally. Last but not least remember to put the tube nut on the tube and in the correct direction before you make the flair.
I always had the line even with the first step on die do debur inside for sure worked for me over 40 years and 7-8 hundred double flares your results may vary
That depends on the diameter of the tube. A double flare kit has a part that you insert into the tube and you use the step on that piece to set the tube in the vice part
One other thing I learned years ago, was NOT to crank the cone down, but to back off on it when you're just about ready to torque on it in forming the final flare. Install the line and do the final tightening of the fitting and let that do the forming. Never had a leak doing it that way, as well as following the suggestions given above.
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