bit of a long story but i bought a brake flaring kit from autobarn for $70 and it was the worst tool ive ever owned, i tried about 30 40 times to get a good double flare and the thing just didnt work despite reading numerous forum how to's and youtube vids. so i took the piece of sh*t back.

I am now wating on a $720 unit from super stop that actually designed to work. I figure no one else is stupid enough to spend $720 for a brake flaring tool. Anyway so it gets its moneys worth of use and to save everyone else having to deal with the sh*t small ones they sell at autobarn etc people are welcome to come around and use my one for free, or ill make up sections of line for you for cheap. However you will have to come to it, im not to keen on lending somthing that cost so much

Oh and for anyone else who is struggling with little common ones here are some steps that help them to work.

1. make sure you de burr the inside of your line after you have cut it.
2. It is said that the pipe cutters that you normally get with the kit work harden the pipe and prevent a good flare so try avoid these however if you do use them then file the face of the pipe to remove this work hardened bit
3. make sure the end of the pipe is square obviously otherwise the die wont work properly
4. you can make a 45 degree radius on the outside edge of a cut. this aparently makes it work better
5. use a drop of fluid to lubricate the die. some have suggested silicon grease that is brake friendly some have suggested brake fluid and some just use oil and clean the line well afterward (oil + some grease will chew up the rubber seals in the brake system)
6. Make sure the line is square out of the clamp otherwise it crushes over to one side. ( some units havent been drilled properly so make sure the clamp has been drilled straight)
7. have some luck on your side i think the problem with my kit was the dies were not machined appropriately i took the unit down to super stop the guy looked at the die and goes "there is no way in hell you will get that to make a double flare" and from what i have read some people are having problems with expensive ones and some people get cheapies and they just seem to work.

obviously non of the above worked for me so if you get stuck like i did then you can come and use the one i got. once i have a lathe and mill ill try and make a few more and sell them

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My garage:
180b sedan daily (needs some TLC)
180B sss (under restoration)
180b Wagon daily
http://ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f= ... 9&start=30

Nice one,
Woah $720 bucks, what brand are you getting?
Ridgid and Rothernberger double flare tools are pretty sweet. I use them for instrumentation (stainless) and refrigeration (copper) tube work.
Best Tip I can give anyone for successful tube work, when cutting your tube with your tube cutters, don't keep turning & driving the cutting wheel all the way in untill it cuts through the wall of the pipe.

You want to be cutting/scoring the tube wall approx. 3/4 the way through then "snapping the tube off". As your cutting the tube it will get a point that "feels" easier/softer. Stop, remove the tube cutter and snap it off. Practice & more practice.
The rolled burr created inside the tube end from the cutting wheel is greatly reduced. If you have to debur too much you will take too much metal from the inside if the tube reducing/feathering the wall thickness causing it to split when you flare it.
Another tip, some tube cutters have grooved rollers, the groove is there for cutting off flares. The flare runs in the groove enabling you to cut it just behind it.
Getting good flares can be a bastard. Practice geting a nice clean "snapped" tube end and with a quick de-bur your cheapo flarer tool should work ok...
Hope this helps.
Ben