Ok, I'm really stupid. My neighbor and I are making up braided steel lines for his 302. How the f do you cut the line and slip the fitting over it. We tried electrical tape first, then cutting it, that didn't work. Then we tried trimming the little loose ends with a dremel, that ain't cutting it either. Help, please. Jay
sounds like you just aren't using the right thing to cut it. use a high speed cutting wheel off a air grinder.... eletrical tape really won't do anything methinks. just deburr it and then put your fittings on.... what are you trying to cut it with?
Use a cut off saw with package tape but don't melt the tape or you can buy one of these tools but they are pricey. www.koultools.com
I use a hammer and a great big sharp chisel. You need to cut it with one good hard whack, it'll shear everything off nice and tidy. A high speed cutoff wheel works well too. Since the electrical tape isn't working for you, try some heat shring tubing. It tends to hold together better than tape does.
Whenever i've used braided line i've always used the tape AND cut it with a cut off wheel like was mentioned above. Sometime's i've had to actually take the fresh cut hose to the grinder to gently smooth the stainless strands to help it slip into the fitting. If you do that, make sure to blow through the hose to clear any particles that may have gotten in there though.. And just about every one i've done gave me a hard time going into the fitting.
Sixgunner; We used a turn of 1" masking tape around the place you want cut,use fine cutoff wheel and cut it squarely ,no wavy,wiggly cuts.Peel off the remaining tape,use a liquid lube(oil base) on the rubber inner hose,a dab of lube on the end of the fitting where it enters the hose.Carefully work the braided end of the hose into the fitting,using a circular motion.The hose should bottom out,twist it back about a 1/16".Screw in the rest of the fitting into the threaded end leaving about .050 clearance.Make sure your fitting is securely mounted in a aluminum faced vise,it makes for a better job.We had a special cutoff blade for cutting the steel braid,no teeth,just a solid blade,worked like a damn.
Try taking a piece of duck tape about 1 1/2" wide and about 12" to 20" long. wrap it as tight as you can around the hose. than cut the hose with a high speed cutt off wheel or even a fine blade hack saw will work. cut staight and slow toward the end of the cut. It worked for me and we used to build a lot of dry sump lines for the race car. Dont forget to flush the line with clean solvent be for installing!! other wise that could make abig mess out of things in a hurry.
by the way, when using a high speed cutter wheel, i'd but the hose in a vise with just enough torque to hold it, don't just hold the hose with your hands and use a air grinder cut off wheel, you might loose a finger.
I just did alot of this on DeathsDoorStep, I used 1'' 1/2 masking tape, wrapped tight around with mark to be cut in the center...and cut with a chop saw,clean all particles from inside of tube being used, unwrap tape carefully, lube up, push fitting over end of the line, then place in a vise w/ soft jaws or anything as not to mark up the fitting, screw on other part of the fitting and tighten.................would not call it gold chainer.....but bulletproof and done once....................Littleman.........I also put tape in the open end of the wrench when tighting so not to mark up the fitting.....
When i did it the tape held it all nice but as soon as the tape came off it opened WIDE. it took lots of squeezing and twisting and poked fingers.
Use masking tape wrapped tight & put the fitting over the line *before* you remove the tape. ;^D I also use a die grinder with a cutoff wheel. (holding it in my hand & never cut a finger - but I'm damn good... ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver" Every day of my life forces me to add to the list of people that can KISS MY ASS!
Thanks for the responses, the learning curve was... well, you know... we finally figgeredit out. You guys rock. Jay
Lots of good advice here. I'll just add that the smaller the line the more difficult it is. #4 is a bitch, #6 is ok, #8 is pleasant and #10 is easy. That's assuming all the lines had a rubber hose inside. The Teflon hose braided lines are another bitch entirely. It helps on the smaller lines to use a small - 1/8" or so - flat blade screwdriver to help tuck the errant pieces of braid in. Seems like with #4, no matter how well its cut and smoothed, a piece or several of the braid wires stick out. Note as well that the Earls instructions do not call for the fittings to be bottomed out one against the other. About a 1/16" gap between fitting hexes is what you want. Clamp the braided line securely in place as well. Adel clamps work well for this. The stainless braid makes a great slow speed saw. Leave a piece to rub against some sheet metal or aluminum goodie and it won't be long until you have a nice groove worn in....
I slip a deep well socket over the female portion of the fitting and use that for a handle/finger guard, makes it a lot easier to get the fitting on the hose.