Flare tool?

[GregWeld]

Of course now I'm waiting for Mark (Bent Fab) to jump in here and kick my booty about making such a "complete" statement like the above....

SS is too brittle to make the double bend like that... when you make your first flare - the metal "work hardens" - and if you were to try to bend it again to make the double - it'll just crack... That's why when you see all these beautiful brake lines and fuel line in SS -- you'll see all AN fittings (37*).

A good source for supplies etc is BENT FAB -- he'll hook you up with stuff you need for the job. He has a website.

[GregWeld]

I'll add to my statement - before someone does jump in here and takes my head off.

Yes - you can double flare SS... I know this.... but the "average guy" with average tools --- will most likely end up with an unmitigated disaster. You really have to have the correct tubing (annealed) and you really have to have good tools - and skills - and de-burring etc etc. It's just a whole lot more effort and just isn't "necessary" when you can just do a simple (relatively) 37* AN...

So my "advice" - worth exactly what you paid for it - is to just stick with 37* stuff and use adaptors where you have to mate to a inverted flare.

[Sti_Guy]

I don't gIve up that easy Ive come a very long way on my build, more then ive ever posted so I'm going to try at least, I'm willing to drop 3-400$ into making mistakes, and tools etc before i go the route of just going with the std AN flare. It all takes practice I know so i need to get the right tools and get to work.

[GregWeld]

Might discuss this and or "buy" some help from Bill over at Street Wize...

He's a great guy - and specializes in electric and lines..

I just had him here at the shed helping to wire the '55 I'm working on. Made the job far faster and easier than me doing it by myself! Was worth twice what he charged me.


PS -- Glad to see you are willing to "invest" in the hobby... that's what I've always done... I figure tools are nothing but an investment in my fun - and I'd far prefer to do it myself - just because I like to learn and the pride of having "done that"...

[Sti_Guy]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Might discuss this and or "buy" some help from Bill over at Street Wize...

He's a great guy - and specializes in electric and lines..

I just had him here at the shed helping to wire the '55 I'm working on. Made the job far faster and easier than me doing it by myself! Was worth twice what he charged me.


PS -- Glad to see you are willing to "invest" in the hobby... that's what I've always done... I figure tools are nothing but an investment in my fun - and I'd far prefer to do it myself - just because I like to learn and the pride of having "done that"...

Can you PM me his contact info, im intrested in the help for sure.

[GregWeld]

PM sent

[DRJDVM's '69]

I was thinking about getting the Mastercool one... I'd be interested in some comments from the "experts"

[Blown353]

I use a Mastercool hydraulic kit frequently... works great! I love that kit.

I've made dozens of successful double flares in annealed stainless brake lines too; I can only think of one that didn't come out as planned. The trick is do NOT use a rotary (pipe) cutter or cutoff wheel as they will work harden the stainless at the cut area leading to the flare cracking. I only cut with a saw and use a file for "fine tuning" the squareness afterwards and either a small round file or a drill bit (by hand) to lightly chamfer the ID. Then, flare as usual. My experience has been that stainless is much more "picky" compared to standard steel brake lines when it comes to the squareness of the cut and proper chamfering prior to performing the flaring operation.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by DRJDVM's '69

I was thinking about getting the Mastercool one... I'd be interested in some comments from the "experts"

Ned,

I almost didn't respond because you wanted to hear from "the experts"... so I DO NOT QUALIFY..

Personally -- I L O V E mine.... it makes killer flares - and or GM push to connect - metric bubble flares etc. AND because of the way it's set up - you can do repairs etc "on car"...

The one thing I will say -- DO NOT try a GM push connect on STAINLESS... It just doesn't want to work well on that.

A poster in this thread said he didn't like his - too many "parts" - but in my opinion that's just something that goes away with use.

I do 37* AN with a Ridgid tool -- not the MasterCool.

[Sti_Guy]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Ned,

I do 37* AN with a Ridgid tool -- not the Master Cool.

So i need to borrow the master cool unit then for the double flare and try that it sounds like. Then come up with a better way to cut the tube. 3/16 is so small to cut I'm going to have to build a jig or something and use a hack saw. Or maybe my air saw? I have limited ways of cutting so I need to get creative.