Hot Rods Brake flaring tool

X 2 on this tool. if you get a chance to use one you'll be sold on it. 10 times faster with better flares

 

I just bought the $200 one from inline tube. I have the mastercool hyd. one also. I bought the inline tube one because it is a lot faster than trying to hold onto all the peices for the mastercool one. I can make flares really quick with the new one and in the shop time is money.

 

I've got an old manual flaring tool that I got off the Snap-On truck sometime in the late 70's 'n it's worked great 'cept one the wing nuts on the clamp thingy broke some time in the 90's- I replaced it with a nut. It worked better that way.

I bought the Master Cool hydraulic flaring tool about 8-10 years ago when it first came out- It can't be beat if you're making a line underneath the car. It also makes modern GM n' Ford quick disconnect flares for fuel filters n' such. Edited to add: Like cshades sez above, it can be a bit "fiddly" at times.

The Missus bought me the Eastwood flaring tool for Christmas a few years ago after I raved about using my buddy's on a side job at his shop. It can't be beat for bench work.

They all work well and have their place. I'll prolly cop the new AN dies for the Eastwood machine when they go on sale.

 

Yep, I'm wanting the AN dies and will order some as soon as I find them at a decent price. I do a lot of AN flares and the tools I am currently using leave a lot of marks on the tube, plus it is a slow process.

 

It depends on how many flare jobs you do. I bought a cheap $40 flaring kit at NAPA and did 2 whole cars and some side jobs with it. No problems whatsoever.

For $200, that flaring tool should come with a happy ending.

 

I think Specialty tools are on a per case basis, especially when relatively cheap and easy alternatives are available. I have a 99% success rate on the standard flair with an older than me SK kit. The secret is a good tool. It also depends on how many flares a guy needs to make a week. I'll guess there's an average of 25 on a car including fuel lines and power steering lines. How many cars you building a week ? How many brake lines do you fix a week? Fuel line stubs and PS stubs are available at every parts store at about 15.00. How many of those do you need a week?

As far as I know as of yet, that master cool tool does not do the transmission line line type quick disconnect flare. There isn't a cheap alternative available for those so I would own one just for that because I see a lot of trans lines and they ain't cheap.

 

That's the one I use too.

The extra $160 buys some nice stuff for the wife.

 

I have both the $200 one and several $40 ones, and I'm here to tell you I'm not going back! I don't have that much to spend on tools, that's for sure. So, I have to pick carefully where to spend my tool money. This is one investment I think was a good one. However, I do not have stock in the company that makes them and I do not sell them, so I don't care much about attempting to talk anyone else into buying one. If you like have you have, use it. If you are looking for something better, then I think they are a good investment.

 

....which in turn should be worth a happy ending....

 

You married guys crack me up

 

Even in Europe, we are happy with it!

 

All you guys that are saying you bought "one of those" need to be more specific. Did you buy the Mastercool, the Eastwood, or what?

People are referencing multiple tools on this thread and I am trying to get good feedback on each!

 

From left to right:
Matercool, Eastwood, conventional/ancient Snap-On


Mastercool works well "in/under" the car, but sometimes is a bit awkward.
Eastwood kicks *** on the bench, in a vise. Impossible to use anyplace else.
A note on both of the above: If you've pre-bent your line prior to flaring (after you slid a tube nut on) you need about 2" inches of line for the mandrels to clamp the line before ya' can flare it.
Old reliable is, well, old and reliable, but hard on hands and wrists if you're old. It only needs about 3/4"of line to clamp before flaring. Note the broken wing nut thingy. One of these days I'll warranty exchange it.

 

Same tool as eastwood.

 

Those tools are impressive.... And I love to collect tools................. If I did this for a living (and I don't) I'd by a couple of the baddest flair tools I could find. No questions asked.
I struggled with one of the cheap junkers that came my way but not worth the h***le! Couldn't seem to get a good flair most of the time.
Now I cut and bend my lines and take them down to my pals at NAPA and they do the bend for a couple bucks... Works great every time...

 

Mine is a SUR&R FT351. Same tool as Eastwood, several of the different brand names are the same unit that is made by SUR&R. I both it though a different source so it was a little cheaper priced.

 

I have the MASTERCOOL set and I have used it effortlessly on Stainless lines. It's an amazing tool and makes
PERFECT flares every time.