Tube flaring bit - GIF

**Altair** · Aug 17, 2020, 09:51 PM

Tube flaring bit.

Previously:

Tube flaring pliers - photo
Tube straightener - GIF
Copper tubing bender - GIF
Pipe flange spreading tool - GIF

**mwmkravchenko** · Aug 18, 2020, 08:12 PM

I think I will be making this! Thanks.

**metric_taper** · Aug 18, 2020, 08:28 PM

I looked at a set of them last year, pricey. Seems easy enough to make from tool steel and then harden. Also saw a youtube video of a HVAC tech that drilled a hole in the side of a suction manifold, and used this tool to make a raised surface, in this case he was installing a thermostatic expansion valve reference pressure tube, on a large system. This produced a stronger hole to braze the tube into.

**mlochala** · Aug 19, 2020, 07:35 AM

I wonder if this would work on EMT electrical conduit. I will be making one of these as well.

**metric_taper** · Aug 19, 2020, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by mlochala

I wonder if this would work on EMT electrical conduit. I will be making one of these as well.

I don't think so, as you need a soft drawn copper for this to work, i.e. it will not work in hard drawn copper. In steel, it will spin and make heat. The other issue is the EMT connectors provide ground bonding between pieces, if you were to swage them, you would have to braze the pieces, and the zinc oxide that is part of the galvanized plating is not good to breath in.

**mwmkravchenko** · Aug 20, 2020, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by metric_taper

I don't think so, as you need a soft drawn copper for this to work, i.e. it will not work in hard drawn copper. In steel, it will spin and make heat. The other issue is the EMT connectors provide ground bonding between pieces, if you were to swage them, you would have to braze the pieces, and the zinc oxide that is part of the galvanized plating is not good to breath in.

You can soften hard drawn copper by heating it up red hot and cooling it in water. I do it quite often when I am running pipes in weird places.

**katy** · Aug 23, 2020, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by mwmkravchenko

You can soften hard drawn copper by heating it up red hot and cooling it in water. I do it quite often when I am running pipes in weird places.

You can also soften hard drawn copper by heating it up red hot and just letting it air cool.

**mwmkravchenko** · Aug 23, 2020, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by katy

You can also soften hard drawn copper by heating it up red hot and just letting it air cool.

Yep. I have done that in a pinch when I have all the house water off during a renovation. You make a bit of a mess when you burn off all the varnish or whatever the coating on the copper is. But it is indeed soft. Lets you do some interesting bends when you are in weird to work in areas.

I looked at the video above. He is missing the round part near the end of the swaging tool to keep everything concentric. The swage has to be pretty near the diameter of a 5/8ths inch bolt.

**mklotz** · Aug 19, 2020, 08:07 AM

In the video it appears that the pipe is handheld while being flared. I wonder if that is true? Seems as if the tool would generate a fierce torque on the tube.

**Jon** · Aug 20, 2020, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by mklotz

In the video it appears that the pipe is handheld while being flared. I wonder if that is true? Seems as if the tool would generate a fierce torque on the tube.

Here's a guy making one, with a good dose of questionable handheld work:

Anyone ever try tying flies "held in hand"? It's much more challenging without a vise; somewhat of a dying art among old fly fishermen. This reminds me of that. But instead of a dying art, just dangerous.