A couple things about these fittings -- especially if you're doing braided hose.
#1 Get the aluminum "jaws" for your vise. They're designed to hold the fitting while you fight with the hose etc.
#2 Get yourself a way to cut this hose... CLEANLY
#3 Put the fitting in the jaws you bought for your vise - and insert the hose with pressure and a twisting motion. I stick the hose end in the jaws so that it's parallel with the ground so I can push and twist at the same time. Do this - with a cleanly cut hose end and it goes right in super easy.
#4 Did I mention to get yourself a way to cut this hose - CLEANLY
#5 LUBE the hose (inside not outside) with silicone spray or similar BEFORE you put the fitting on. The rubber hose will really grab your fitting and cause you to strip out the aluminum threads before you fully bottom out the threads.
#6 Use some anti-seize on the threads of the fitting or you will gall the threads and strip them - especially if you fail on #5
#7 Did I mention to get yourself a way to cut this hose - CLEANLY
#8 Use aluminum wrenches... I use the gear drive box ends when possible to build the hose... then aluminum wrenches to attach it.
#9 When
attaching the hose to whatever you're trying to plumb -- it is the SEAT that needs to fit well... not the tightness of the thread. The leaks will be because the conical seats didn't seat -- not because you haven't got the threads torqued to 900 pounds <laughing> ... When I'm installing these - I sneak up on the tightness by (after anti seizing the male thread just a dab 'll do ya) tighten - losen - tighten a bit more - losen - tighten to final. They DO not need to be tightened to 8 zillion foot pounds of torque!
If you can't manage to find a clean way to cut this crap --- at least invest in some more plastic crap from Kool Tools.... that will help you get the hose installed in the first piece... when you have a ragged edge.
Personally -- after having made about 10 zillion of these types of hoses -- I hate the stuff - but can make up a hose in about 10 seconds whether it's the PTFE type or rubber with SS braiding... but I have a special saw that is mounted and has a hose holder etc to make the cuts with -- and this gives me a super nice end to start with, making the rest of the process SOOOOOOOO much easier! XRP sells the blades and the saw holder etc for this but it's not worth buying if you're only going to do one car and a couple fuel lines.