I've been tinkering with a tube flaring devise for my rat rod build, but turns out it's helped my chapparal as well...it's pretty simple to make if you know someone with a lathe.


This is for 1/8" aluminum tubing with a 45 degree flare on the end. The cut off is 5/8" long and can be shortened to flare less from lack of metal to flare. A 45 degree cut in the die @ .050 deep yields a decent flaring area width, and the stamp is a .220 drill rod turned down @ 45 degrees with a .550 long by .090 round guide pin on the end to keep it centered. Works nice!

Bob,

First off, beautiful #66!

Second, would a plumber's flare kit work the same or similar? I ask as they are readily avaliable at the "tool" stores and access to a machinist may not be available. I don't recall how small a tube diameter the plumber's flare will go, so this may be moot.

Mike

Not really...the plumber's flare has to clamp onto the tube, leaving marks...using a jig like mine has a drilled hole depth to stop and/or hold the tube leaving no marks.
The next jig I hope to make will have an adjustable depth via a bolt for long or short tubes.

Great Idea Bob i have a miniature Lathe myself so i will be making this tool for shore.

There ya go...an idea for you on the design....make a die out of 1/2" or so bar stock, drill the hole for the tubing to the longest depth you'd ever use, drill and tap the other end for a bolt, turn down the tip of the bolt to fit the ID of the die and then you can use the bolt to determin the depth of the tubing you'd use by screwing it in or out. Cut the working end @ 45 degress, I cut it about .050 deep, give that about a .025 or .030 radius blend for a rounded transition. Then grab a drill rod larger than what you'd flare with{more than the 45 degree cut width}, cut down the end to alittle less than the ID of the tubing{so it won't stick but still centers the tube enough}, cut the 45 and don't worry about the radius there since the 45 cut will be doing all the work and viola. There's really more thought process than work here for the piece.

Ahhhh the joy of having a Sherline Mill and Lathe at home, I can make all the tools I need!!!

Matt! So glad you volunteered! I would love to have one of these made up for 1/16th and 1/8th inch tubing. Oh, adjustable please.

LOL...too funny....we need a volunteer.....you'll do!