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Are these flares okay?

HeliCooper

Well Known Member
I'm working on the fuel lines for the fuselage and although my flares do not have cracks or splits they have what I would describe as flaking or light scoring. I used a couple drops of oil on the flaring tool and deburred the tube before flaring. Some photos are linked below. Everything else on the flare I believe looks great but not having the inside look polished smoothed has me a little concerned.

http://imgur.com/a/FR945

Thanks,

Jim
 
or - did you flare after a tubing cut and not ream the end? They seemed to go better for me with compete removal of the tubing cutter deformation. As usual, YMMV.

Congratulations is in order for experimenting, looking, evaluating and asking. You are almost there.
 
Okay so I took apart the flaring tool and polished the end. I am getting good flares at times but others are still having flaking/scoring. I have tried to use a scotchbrite pad on the cone in between flares, cleaning and wiping down and reoiling every time. I still ended up getting this flare on the end of tube.

XpPGLO6.jpg


You can see a spot where there is that scoring.

I am not reaming the tube end but I am using a countersink bit by hand to deburr the inside edge.

Are these inadequate? If this is going to leak I am going to have to order tubing again.
 
I wonder if you are maybe just going just a bit too far with the process? Try, on some scraps to see what it looks like if you do not do that last turn or so.
 
I checked my flares and they are consistently .470" which is about dead in the middle of that chart. I am using a Parker rolo flare tool and I stop turning the tool as soon as the pressure changes. Just for kicks I completely under flared a piece and was getting the same flaking and scoring. The flaking seems to be happening at the juncture of the flare and unflared tubing on the inside. I'm pretty baffled.
 
Try a dab of grease instead of oil. Also make sure there is no debris in the tube or on the cone, or an inside ridge left after de-burring.
 
I checked my flares and they are consistently .470" which is about dead in the middle of that chart. I am using a Parker rolo flare tool and I stop turning the tool as soon as the pressure changes. Just for kicks I completely under flared a piece and was getting the same flaking and scoring. The flaking seems to be happening at the juncture of the flare and unflared tubing on the inside. I'm pretty baffled.

Be absolutely sure that there are no burrs on the ID that are getting "involved" in the process. I have the roloflare and did not have to polish the cone, but did have to be very sure there were no internal burrs. A countersink was not sufficient for me.

Just for grins. Take a short tube and square off the end with a belt sander and then deburr with scotchbrite. Over do it to eliminate this possibility.

Yes, order more tubing, a lot more.
 
Last edited:
I'm wondering if you got some bad/defective tubing. It almost looks like the aluminum is breaking down. Are you seeing any bits of aluminum falling out when you remove the tool?

-Marc
 
Yes, That is the flaking I'm talking about. The first picture shows a flare immediately after removing from the tool. The next series shows exactly what I was working with. The tube after deburring on a soft 3m scotchbrite wheel and using a countersink cutter to deburr the inside edge, the cone on the flaring tool, the tube in the flaring tool immediately after backing the cone out, and the final outcome of that flare. Not pictured is I used two drops of light oil on the cone before flaring.

http://imgur.com/a/99mtG

Bill,

I really went to town with the 3m wheel and deburred it well. I've tried a countersink cutter, drill bit, tiny 3m cone on a dremel, and standard deburring tool. All with similar results.
 
One note regarding technique. After you have turned your cone to form the flare....do not reverse the cone. Simply loosen wing nut clamps and remove tool. This greatly improved my flares.
 
If using the Parker Rolo tool the cone is fluted and when you reverse direction it finishes the flare. The first partial rotation when reversing does not pull away from the flare because the nut in the tool slips until it catches then the cone pulls away. The tool is designed to be reversed.
 
Ryobi

I have the Ryobi. Same procedure. Rotate back and forth to polish the flare.
I also square the end first with a flat block and 400 after cleaning up the burrs.
 
If using the Parker Rolo tool the cone is fluted and when you reverse direction it finishes the flare. The first partial rotation when reversing does not pull away from the flare because the nut in the tool slips until it catches then the cone pulls away. The tool is designed to be reversed.

I agree.
The tool is intended to be reversed to finish the forming process.
 
I went and talked with Mike at Cleaveland Tool (thanks Mike) and he was equally baffled. After getting home I decided to try some different techniques. I think I have finally found what works best for the parker rotoflare. When forming the flare it is best to use it like a tap/die set. I would go in a half turn then out, then in a whole turn then out, etc until the flare was finished. It has been leaving nice clean polished flares. My only guess is that by not backing out and rounding out the flare the tube is getting too deformed between the flutes. By rounding it out every half turn it can't get too deformed. Anyway thanks for the help and suggestions.
 
I do the same. Back off a couple times and be really careful to stop without putting too much pressure on the final turn. I found the type of lube makes a difference. I use brake fluid. The red stuff....
 
Those look rough and might not seal... I always clean the flaring tool after each flare and the put oil on it just before I make another flare.
 
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