Brake pipe flaring tool

[grim_d]

Evening,

I bought the below pipe flaring tool on a recommendation from PPC magazine, this one is sealey branded () but it is exactly the same as the frosts or laser tools version, I snapped it up for £27.

It forms decent flares and is easy to use but the jaws on the vice parts don't quite meet when the pipe is clamped and leave a set of ears on the pipe after flaring, I know copper is soft and will deform when the nut is tightened but I'm worried about inconsistent clamping due to these "ears".

Other than that It seems a good tool for the price, a bit of flex in the tool when forming the flares but it only needs to do pipework for one car and then it will barely get used.

Thoughts?

 

[hotrodder]

Not surprised, my experience of brake pipe flaring tools is that there's Sykes Pickavant type/style and then everything else. That quality carries a hefty premium though

All of the DIY priced types i've experienced will marr things where they clamp it, usually by design with (shudder) serrated jaws and sometimes 'extrude' a burr due to clamp misalignment/sharp parting edges on the jaws. The weak point is usually right up by the flare i.e. any gouges/marring that close to the flare makes a great stress riser, especially with copper which is vastly inferior to cuni and outlawed for brake lines in several countries- that last bit usually opens

Post a pic that shows the deformation, most of the DIY types produce acceptable flares with a little marring where the tube was clamped but from your description i'm thinking i might have backed/exchanged it as faulty

 

[Jim Davey]

+1 for the Sykes Pickavant tool, I've used the cheapo ones and its 50/50 on whether or not it will make a serviceable flare, not good enough odds on safety related systems as far as I'm concerned.

 

[grim_d]

The third picture shows the deformation, it created little ears where is pushes the copper out of the gap in the jaws.

And I am going to be using cupro-nickel pipe, just practising on some copper tube that is lying around.

The biggest problem with sykes pickavant as you say is the hefty premium, it's only for 1 car and the odd mot fail of friends/family.

 

[the snooper]

we cant see any pictures

 

[grim_d]

Damn, working on this end, even if I log out, hosted on the forums photo albums.

I might just get one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brake-Pip...tem232a6ce9c6&clk_rvr_id=513005230772&afsrc=1

and return or keep the sealey for doing basic swages on my 1/4 and 5/16 fuel line.

 

[the snooper]

they have appeared now

 

[hotrodder]

If it's consistantly doing that then back it!

 

[seanc]

ive also got a sykesp flaremaster 2. far superior to any other tool ive tryed but it was around £100

 

[Pete M]

Please don't make your pipes with that tool, it doesn't even look square to the pipe

Send it back and buy a sykes, how much is being safe on the road worth ? for you and other road users

Peter

 

[steveo3002]

i use this one

made in uk too !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncMRlomyqTs

pretty much fool proof to use and perfect flares everytime , no nasty teeth marks in the pipes or crooked ends

theyre about £35 on ebay

can get a pic of a end if you like..will be doing some today

 

[Fazerruss]

Its the same old story, the old English stuff is the best and the modern foreign stuff is poor.

 

[steveo3002]

i wouldnt let that flare anywhere near a car mate ..those things just crush the end into shape rather than form it

 

[Wedg1e]

I've had one of those for several years, there is something of an art to getting a good flare out of it - and yes it often leaves the little 'ears' but they will dress off.
Can't say I have ever had a leak, rupture or MOT fail from the results though.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I have the same as you, but in blue, not sure of brand, its old though. doesn't give the issues you have shown in the pics, but it does occasionally split the pipe when flaring, not sure if this is down to the tool or the material though.

only used it on 3 cars and then it went back in the tool box, but it did the job

 

[grim_d]

That settles that then, I have contacted the seller in regards to a refund. I should bloody well know better than to buy anything with a sealey name on it, utter rubbish every time.

I normally steer well clear of the Chinese stuff but only bought it on a recommendation from PPC magazine, certainly won't be doing that again. They acctually rated these type of tools over the Sykes flaremaster II

i use this one

made in uk too !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncMRlomyqTs

pretty much fool proof to use and perfect flares everytime , no nasty teeth marks in the pipes or crooked ends

theyre about £35 on ebay

can get a pic of a end if you like..will be doing some today

Thanks, already bought one last night after I made the thread, looks really good.

If only it had popped up in my searches last time.

It is a shame it only does 3/16 though as I have 1/4 and 5/16 fuel pipe to make too and I wanted to put a bit of a swage on the end to stop the hoses popping off under pressure.

 

[steveo3002]

on another note..think thats copper pipe you have there?

have a search online , its frowned upon by alot of people as it can work harden and crack

what they say is best is cunifer , beal.org.uk sell for about the same price you pay for copper and its fit and forget

 

[grim_d]

It is copper, just for practising as it's not as expensive as the ~100ft of cupro nickel that was just delivered to me

 

[steveo3002]

ah fair enough...thought id mention it

another couple of points...use a nice tube cutter not a hacksaw , that way you get a dead square cut

and spend some time deburring the end inside and out ..then a dab of fluid on the end for flaring

 

[grim_d]

Yup have a couple of tube cutters and associated files for deburring.

Thanks for the advice.