My double flaring tool has dun pissed me right the F off. I wanted to get a decent one, supposedly better then HF, so I bought this OTC kit. Looks nice and shiny, I have had many OTC tools in the past that were good shop quality tools.
Right off the bat it barely clamps down tight enough to keep 3/16 line from sliding out of the bars. So I crank it down good and snug and the pin holding the bar snaps! Luckily I have some small round bar here that I cut down and its a perfect fit, cool, keep moving on. On the fourth flare the nipple on the die that centers it in the line gets stuck and cant get it out. What the F. Tried shooting compressed air in the other end, tried fishing some welding rod through there to tap it out... nothin. Ended up cutting the end off...
So now I got a die with no centering nipple. I figure what the heck Ill try flaring a scrap piece and see what happens. It still works, found I just have to carefully chamfer a little more of the inner edge of brake line for it to center correctly but it works, its centered, flare looks good, I can still use it. Cool. Go to finish my lines and the goddamn die cracked. What the F. I swear theres a leprechaun hiding in the shop somewhere just to piss me off. Clamped it in the vice, welded it and ground it flat on the belt grinder. Still works. Tightened it down a few times in a spare union fitting to massage out any imperfections and it looks good.
So my '3 hr project' turned into an all day ordeal fighting a goddamn flaring tool.
Right off the bat it barely clamps down tight enough to keep 3/16 line from sliding out of the bars. So I crank it down good and snug and the pin holding the bar snaps! Luckily I have some small round bar here that I cut down and its a perfect fit, cool, keep moving on. On the fourth flare the nipple on the die that centers it in the line gets stuck and cant get it out. What the F. Tried shooting compressed air in the other end, tried fishing some welding rod through there to tap it out... nothin. Ended up cutting the end off...
So now I got a die with no centering nipple. I figure what the heck Ill try flaring a scrap piece and see what happens. It still works, found I just have to carefully chamfer a little more of the inner edge of brake line for it to center correctly but it works, its centered, flare looks good, I can still use it. Cool. Go to finish my lines and the goddamn die cracked. What the F. I swear theres a leprechaun hiding in the shop somewhere just to piss me off. Clamped it in the vice, welded it and ground it flat on the belt grinder. Still works. Tightened it down a few times in a spare union fitting to massage out any imperfections and it looks good.
So my '3 hr project' turned into an all day ordeal fighting a goddamn flaring tool.