Do-it-yourself rolling of brake pipes. Do-it-yourself flaring of brake pipes, pros and cons. Flaring and its details

flaring brake pipes- This is a procedure that may be required at any time by someone who has his own car. Of course, the implementation of this and any other operation related to the maintenance and repair of cars vehicle, you can always trust qualified service station specialists, but many motorists go the other way and try to do everything with their own hands. Each car owner has the right to decide for himself who to trust the maintenance of his vehicle, but many of these issues can be resolved on their own.

It is not difficult to learn how to flare tubes yourself

Functions of brake pipes

Brake pipes are an essential element brake system any car that is responsible for stopping it at the right time. To understand the importance of such tubes for the operation of the brake system as a whole, one should at least superficially become familiar with the principle of its operation.

So, the process of stopping the car, for which the braking system is activated, consists of the following steps.

• If necessary, reduce the speed of the car or stop it completely, the driver presses the brake pedal.
• The master cylinder piston associated with the pedal is activated and begins to act on brake fluid.
• Under high pressure, communicated by the piston of the main cylinder, the liquid begins to flow through the tubes and hoses into the cylinders of each wheel, already acting on their pistons.
• Under fluid pressure, the pistons act on the brake pads, which are pressed against brake discs, stopping the rotation of the wheels.

Scheme of the brake system of the car

Obviously, brake pipes play a crucial role in the operation of the entire brake system, and if they break, it completely fails. That is why the repair of these elements, which includes the flaring of brake pipes, should be approached with all responsibility.

When is it necessary to flare brake pipes?

Through the brake pipes, as mentioned above, high-pressure brake fluid is supplied to all elements of the system. When the capacity of such tubes deteriorates, the entire system begins to work inefficiently, which leads, in particular, to a significant increase in the braking distance. The fact that the elements of the brake system, including the tubes, require diagnostics (and, possibly, repair) may be indicated by the following characteristic features:

• appearance extraneous sounds and pulsating movements when you press the brake pedal;
• free movement brake pedal when pressed;
• leakage of brake fluid, which leads to a decrease in pressure and, accordingly, to inefficient braking and intensive wear brake pads;
• driving the car to the side when braking (this situation, although an indirect sign, can also indicate that the brake pipes need to be repaired).

Old brake pipes in a terrible state should be replaced urgently, even if there are no leaks.

However, the main sign that the brake pipes do not fully perform their functions and require flaring is an increase in braking distance. The most common causes of deterioration in the performance of brake pipes are:

• violations in the design of the hexagonal heads with which such tubes are equipped;
• deterioration in quality and reliability threaded connections, ingress of litter or coked liquid into them.

Such malfunctions, negatively affecting the technical condition of individual elements of the brake system, significantly reduce the efficiency of its operation. That is why experts and automakers recommend diagnosing it every six months. If you are tied to mileage, then you need to perform such a procedure every 50,000 km of run, and replace rubber tubes, regardless of their technical condition it is necessary every 125 thousand kilometers of the vehicle.

Technology features

Car repair, no matter what it is connected with, rarely causes pleasant emotions in a car enthusiast. This is also explained by the fact that such an event, as a rule, involves certain financial costs. Meanwhile, if we talk about a situation in which it is necessary to expand the brake pipes, the cost of such a procedure can be minimized if you do it yourself.

So, in order to flare the brake pipes with your own hands, you need not only to study in detail the theoretical information on this issue and watch the corresponding video, but also to purchase a special device. The brake pipe flaring kit, which can be purchased fairly inexpensively at many automotive stores, includes the following tools and fixtures:

• pipe cutter;
• fitting used as a connector;
• ticks.

The flaring kit usually includes a clamp for various tube sizes

Using such a simple set, to which you need to add a drill (to chamfer the ends of the pipes), as well as gasoline, which is needed as a lubricant, you can not only do your own flaring with high quality, but also save a decent amount of money that would have to be paid to specialists service stations.

When replacing the tube with a new one, first make a copy according to the model of the old one

Immediately before the flaring procedure with the brake tube, the following steps must be performed.

1. The tube is unscrewed from the brake cylinder or caliper with a tool or manually.
2. With help visual inspection determine the presence of damage on the surface of the tube. If they are close to its edge, then the tube can be restored, if not, then it must be replaced with a new one.
3. Using a tool such as a pipe cutter, a damaged area is cut off from the edge of the tube and the cut edge is treated with gasoline.
4. The cut end of the tube is clamped with tongs and a chamfer is removed in its inner part using a drill with a drill of the appropriate diameter.
5. The section of the inner surface of the tube, where the chamfer was removed, is cleaned of chips. After that, the end of the tube is inserted into the fitting, which acts as a connector.

Carefully shorten the tube with a special cutter

After all the above steps have been completed, the tube must be expanded, for which it is best to use a special machine. Flaring performed using such a machine is carried out according to the following algorithm.

1. The end of the tube to be flared is inserted into the clamping hole of the machine. In this case, the part of the tube protruding from the clamping mechanism of the machine should be approximately 5 mm.
2. With the help of a special punch, which is equipped with such a machine, the end of the tube is flared.
3. If it is necessary to flare the second end of the tube, the entire procedure described above is performed in the same sequence.

We squeeze the die with a press, visually monitoring the formation of the fungus, and we get a high-quality crimped tube

As a result of flaring using such a device, with the rules and intricacies of which it is best to familiarize yourself with the video, the end of the brake tube becomes neatly expanded. The use of a special machine allows you to adjust the parameters of such an expansion, because for the brake systems used on cars different brands, they can be very different. As a rule, in special kits, with the help of which you can flare the brake pipes with your own hands, there is also a pattern that allows you to control the result of the technological operation.

Unfolding the end of the tube with a special knife located on the back of the cutter

Thus, it is not difficult to flare the pipes used in the brake system of a car if you use special tools and fixtures for this. By performing such flaring with your own hands, you not only save money, but also completely control the process of performing a technological operation, the performance of your vehicle depends on the results of which. In such cases, you should always remember that the car mechanic does not do the work for himself, and therefore treats it accordingly. To not worry about the results self repair your vehicle, you must follow a few simple recommendations:

• strict adherence to instructions, which can also be a video;
• use for flaring only high-quality tools, fixtures and Supplies;
• strict control at all stages of the implementation of repair activities.

met-all.org

Flaring of brake pipes

The brake system of a car is the backbone of safety and needs professional maintenance. After all, driving safety depends on it. Today we will tell you about the most terrible breakdowns of the brake system, we will describe in detail what flaring of brake pipes is, why it is needed and with what tools it is produced.

Brake system malfunctions

Almost all drivers know that the brake system of a car consists of a control drive, distribution systems and executive (working bodies). All parts of the brake system are connected by brake pipes (pipes). These tubes carry pressurized brake fluid. In the process of pressing the brake pedal, the pressure on the TJ increases and it acts on the working body of the system, which locks the wheel and stops the vehicle completely.

During the operation of the brake system, the following malfunctions may occur:

• Violation of the tightness of the brake pipes and pistons, in which the fluid is under pressure.
• Mechanical failure of working bodies. This includes all kinds of jamming of brake cylinders, etc.
• Violation of the free play of the pedal. Such a malfunction makes the driver uncomfortable when operating the car.

In this article, we will focus on the first malfunction - a violation of the tightness of the connection of brake pipes with working mechanisms.

The brake fluid of a car contains an acid in its composition, which adversely affects thin-sheet metal products. In addition, constant exposure to the environment can cause corrosion on metal parts. In this regard, the joints of the brake pipes with the working parts of the system may corrode and begin to release from the braking system special liquid. The other side of the problem is the appearance of air in the system. This phenomenon reduces the pressure inside the brakes and contributes to the deterioration of the braking properties of the car.

To save money on buying new brake pipes, drivers go to remanufacturing the old pipe, which is very successful. This process got the name - flaring.

Flaring brake pipes with kit and tool

Flaring is any deformation or change in the shape of the tube, which is subsequently attached to a special product that connects the tube to the working body of the system.

This concept also applies to the braking system of the car. To make flaring, you need to have a special flaring kit. It includes a set of tools such as a cutting device, a deforming device and a set of tools for cutting threads on the brake pipe.

To carry out flaring, it is necessary to install the car on viewing hole or overpass and immobilize. Brake fluid is drained from the reservoir and master cylinder. After carrying out all the activities, it is recommended to replace it with a new one, so as not to climb again under the car in the future. Unscrew the fitting of the damaged brake tube from its seat, and then remove it from the tube itself.

Cut off the damaged section of the line, about 5 centimeters. To cut the pipe, you need to install it in a special fixture and walk the blade around the entire circumference. After that, the cut end of the pipe is processed to get rid of irregularities that can disrupt the shape of the pipe, and hence its tightness of the connection.

After that, fix the end of the pipe in a special device and insert a rolling fungus into it. A threaded shaft is placed on top of the fungus, which is mounted on another fixing device. Turning the lever changes the shape of the cut part of the pipe. Then, depending on the presence or absence of a thread, it is cut on the pipe. In most cases, all brake lines are made without it.

Install the new end of the tube into the fixture and tighten the fixture nut. Before installing a new tube, it is necessary to clean the sealed part from grease. To do this, it is enough to treat it with acetone or gasoline. After all these measures, the fitting is installed in its place, brake fluid is poured into the system, it is pumped and after that the car can be operated again.

Video - How and how to flare brake pipe tips

This completes the flaring of the brake pipes. As you can see, this is not a complicated procedure and almost any motorist who will have a flaring kit and other garage equipment on hand will be able to handle it.

VipWash.ru

Do-it-yourself flaring of brake pipes, process description

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In what cases is it possible to flare brake pipes with your own hands, and is it possible to do such things at all?

We answer immediately: such amateur performance is undesirable.

It is temporarily permissible only in emergency, force majeure cases, subject to a number of rules.

1. The car owner must thoroughly mentally imagine how the brake system works on his car.
2. He must have experience of such flaring, and not be taken for it for the first time.
3. A special factory-made tool must be available; it is not recommended to use various kinds of homemade products.

There are two options for flaring brake pipes:

• flaring in the form of a cone;
• in the form of a fungus.

The usual material for making tubes is copper, less often steel. What are the reasons for their damage?

1. Careless driving. Sometimes the owner of the car himself simply tears them up on obstacles.
2. Improper operation (bends, kinks, incorrect fixation, constriction, etc.).
3. Various kinds of chemicals and salt and other reagents with which our services generously sprinkle the roadbed in winter. Corrosion over time is guaranteed.

• With sudden braking, the foot on the brake pedal clearly captures the characteristic pulsations, a creak is heard.
• The braking distance lengthens for no reason.
• When braking, the car "leads" in one direction.
• The pedal travel becomes unusual (sometimes freer).
• Drums get hot or pads wear unevenly.
• Fluid leakage is visually visible.

In all these cases, you need to drive the car into a pit and carefully check the brake system. Perhaps there is a need for an emergency operation to resuscitate the system. What do we understand by flaring? The process of deforming the material of the end of a tube into a desired configuration. How to do it in real life?

Practical flaring of brake pipes with your own hands

First of all, you need a special flaring machine. Preferably factory made. Its kit includes:

• the machine itself;
• pipe cutter;
• interchangeable stamps:
• special bracket.

The algorithm for expanding the brake tube is as follows

1. The node is dismantled.
2. The cutter removes the defective area.
3. The working area is degreased (you can use gasoline).
4. The tube itself is fixed with pliers so that its length of about 50 mm is free.
5. A small chamfer is removed from the inside.
6. The fitting is put on.
7. The cut tube is inserted into the machine and flaring is carried out.

You can watch the whole process in this video:

Next, you should assemble the entire system, fill in the brake fluid, pump it, test it. Special attention- leaks. In conclusion, it is worth adding: if it is possible to entrust this operation to specialists, it is better to stop at this option. With your own hands, it is necessary to start expanding the brake pipes only as a last resort.

autotuningg.ru

Do-it-yourself flaring of the brake pipe

When performing work on tuning the brake system, it simply does not work out to do with just replacing the discs. brake drums. It is possible to carry out a full-fledged modernization of the automotive braking system only by starting with the replacement of the pipeline on the hydraulic brake drive and completing the process with the installation of disk mechanisms. Before you start such work as flaring a brake pipe with your own hands, you need to prepare the appropriate tool. Let's deal with the situation.

Manufacturers vehicles movement at the moment, in order to increase the economic effect and reduce the cost of the car, steel brake pipes are being installed. Although more recently, the equipment of the hydraulic drive of the brake system was carried out using copper tubes, which have the properties of increased corrosion resistance, in contrast to analogues made of iron, and due to this, prolonging the overhaul run of the machine. When tuning an automotive braking system, copper tubes are usually installed in the hydraulic drive bigger size, which automatically requires the replacement of all existing connecting nodes in the pipeline.

The most painstaking moment in the modernization process is the cutting of blanks, as well as the expansion of tubes. In the latter procedure, it is necessary to use a special tool to greatly facilitate the operation of tuning the brakes. Such a device has a pipe cutter, with the help of which they cut off the tube installed in the hydraulic drive. It is absolutely not difficult to work with the device and most car owners can handle it. The whole process consists in degreasing the surface of the tube with acetone, after which the workpiece is securely clamped in the device with a small segment of 5 millimeters remaining on top of the grip. Next, the end of the tube must be processed using a flaring mechanism. After that, the copper tube with a successfully flared end is released from the grip and two metal fittings are put on it. The next step will be a similar flaring in the device of the second end of the newly clamped tube. After completing all of the above, the copper tube can be installed in the required place for the hydraulic drive of the automotive braking system. We hope that self-flaring of the brake pipe will not cause you any difficulties.

flaring copper tubes, also called rolling, is a technological operation, the essence of which is to deform their walls in the right direction. The need for such an operation arises in cases where it is necessary to make a tight and reliable connection of copper tubes with various devices and devices or to dock them together.

Tubes made of copper are quite common today, and in cases where their connection must be detachable, flaring is indispensable. For flaring pipes made of copper, it can be used as special equipment, mass-produced, and a set of simple tools, which, subject to all technological recommendations, also allows you to perform such a process with high quality.

Execution features

Flaring of tubing made of copper may be required if:

• the cut end of the tube must be given the required configuration;
• the end of the product must be prepared for its connection using a coupling (in this case, using flaring, they adjust such geometric parameters of the tube as the inner diameter, bending angle, etc.);
• it is necessary to prepare the ends of the copper tubes for their connection by soldering.

To qualitatively flare a copper tube using special tools and fixtures, you must perform the following steps.

• The end of the tube, the connection of which must be made, is carefully cleaned.
• A special sleeve is put on the stripped end.
• Using a special tool or fixture, the end of the tube is flared until the angle of its expansion is 45 °.
• After the end of the procedure, the end of the product is removed from the device. You can then start connecting right away.

If you have never performed such a technological operation before and for the first time you are going to flare with your own hands, then you should cut off the tube with a certain length margin (2–2.5 cm), which will allow you to flare it again in case of failure, cutting off the defective section.

If copper is necessary in order to connect it by soldering, then the sequence of actions for implementing such a procedure will look like this.

• The surface of the end of the tube to be flared is thoroughly cleaned (it is best to use a special brush for this).
• Using a special device, the end of the copper tube is expanded to such an extent that it is possible to insert the end of another tube into it and at the same time maintain a gap of 0.124 mm between the connected elements. Naturally, this requires the use of a measuring tool.
• On the inner surface of the pipe section, which is already flared, a flux is applied in a uniform layer, which is necessary in order to ensure the formation of a reliable and tight connection.
• The end of the second connection element is inserted into the flared part to a depth equal to the diameter of the pipe.
• Using a gas burner, an electric soldering iron or a blowtorch, the place of the future connection is heated until the moment when the solder begins to melt.
• Molten solder fills all the gaps between the edges of the copper pipes being connected, as a result of which a reliable and tight connection is formed.

After the connection of two copper pipes is formed, they must be laid on a horizontal surface and allowed to cool completely. Only after the junction has completely cooled down, the resulting structure can be operated.

Tools and fixtures

In order to flare tubes made of copper with your own hands, special tools are used. Such devices can have both manual and electric drive. They are used for the installation of air conditioning, water supply and heating systems. Tools equipped with an electric drive often combine several functions: with their help, you can not only expand the copper tube, but also bend it to the required angle.

Any device used to expand tubes made of copper works on the principle of plastic deformation, so it is very important that it cope with such a process as carefully as possible, without violating the uniformity of the material structure, maintaining the uniformity of the wall thickness of the products, as well as the smoothness of their internal surfaces.

Scheme of correct flaring and examples of incorrectly performed operation

To qualitatively perform flaring of copper pipes (even if you do it yourself for the first time), you can use one of the following devices.

This is a cone-shaped blank made of a harder metal alloy than copper. The advantages of such a device are low price and ease of use. Meanwhile, its use may be accompanied by breaks in the walls of the copper product, which gives a low quality of flaring.

The main working body of this device is a hard alloy roller, which, rolling along the edge of the copper tube, gives the latter the required configuration. The use of a mechanical expander makes it possible to perform uniform deformation of the processed section of the tube, to form walls of the same thickness at its end with high quality of their inner surface.

Electrically driven flare

Such a device with a whole set of interchangeable nozzles, having all the advantages of a mechanical tool, allows you to flare copper tubes with higher productivity and less labor. Perhaps the only drawback of an electric flaring machine is its rather high price.

Such a manual device, working on the principle of a lever mechanism, allows you to flare the end of the tube in one movement. Having a simple design, such a device also has a number of significant drawbacks, the most significant of which is the inability to control the wall thickness of the workpiece. Thus, the use of an expander, which is most often chosen by those who do the flaring with their own hands, does not guarantee a high-quality result.

Flaring a copper tube, given the high plasticity of its material, is not difficult. However, in order to achieve high quality performance of such a technological operation, one should use only specialized tool. Performing flaring using the simplest devices, which include blanks and expanders, can be accompanied by a number of negative consequences.

• The walls of the tubes, if they are of small thickness, will jam.
• Breaks may occur in the walls of the tubes that will be affected by such an instrument.
• In this case, it is practically impossible to achieve a uniform thickness of the tube walls, which will ultimately affect the reliability of the joint being formed.

Meanwhile, the use of devices specifically designed to perform flaring has the following advantages.

• Due to the gradual (performed step by step for each pass of the tool rollers) deformation of the pipe walls, the occurrence of ruptures in it is practically excluded.
• Uniformity of the wall thickness of the copper tube is achieved, even if initially given parameter was not uniform.
• The inner surface of the tube after flaring becomes perfectly smooth and even.

The use of a special device, in addition, allows you to quickly and efficiently flare the end of the tube, even for those who have never performed such a procedure with their own hands.

In the arsenal of a car owner who is used to repairing his car on his own, in addition to the standard set of tools, which includes various screwdrivers, wrenches, mounts, a jack, etc., there should be some special devices that allow you to most effectively perform certain repair work. In this article, I would like to discuss the issue of expanding pipes, or rather, pay attention to the device with which this process is carried out, especially since many motorists consider it a very useful tool.

1. What is tube flaring?

Tube flaring is technological process(operation), the essence of which is to deform a certain section of the part in order to increase its diameter (if the diameter decreases, then the process is called "rolling"). This procedure is carried out in order to obtain a tight and durable connection of two pipes, or a tube sheet - a collector. IN automotive world, the concept of "flaring" is usually associated with brake pipes that have to be repaired due to severe wear or leakage.

The whole process of expanding is divided into three main stages: the first involves the choice of a gap between the pipe and the tube sheet; on the second, an operation is carried out to jointly deform the pipe and tube sheet; and the third (final) is responsible for removing the load from the inner surface of the pipe.

During the stage of joint deformation, the metal of the pipe mainly passes into the zone of plastic deformation, and the metal of the tube sheet - into the zone of elastic deformations. In order to achieve this result, the rule to be followed is that the hardness of the material of the grid must exceed the hardness of the material from which the tube is made, so that, after the expansion process is completed, the tube sheet will be able to “grapple” the pipe.

As a result, a press connection is obtained, the tightness and strength of which is ensured by the contact pressure that is formed between the outer surface of the pipe and the surface of the opening of the grid (or the second pipe). In some cases, when connecting pipes to tube sheets, welding is used together with flaring, calling such connections combined.

In everyday life, flaring is used when it is necessary to fix pipes in boilers, oil coolers, condensers, steam generators and some other types of heat exchange devices. For the full implementation of the flaring procedure, in addition to the machine itself, with which the work is performed, you must also have an electric, pneumatic or hydraulic drive with the ability to control. The presence of such a drive will ensure the proper quality of the connections.

2. The principle of operation of the device for expanding tubes

To date, the industry produces a large number of a wide variety of pipes and small tubes used to operate various devices and mechanisms. Details, which are based on a hollow round profile of a constant section, are made of cast iron, iron, stainless steel and non-ferrous metals, plastics, metal-plastic, rubber and other materials.

In addition, different products are used in different household and industrial conditions. For example, for heating or plumbing, for sewerage or exhaust gas passage, for wells or passage technical fluids. The diameter of produced pipes can vary from a few millimeters to several meters, and a large number of different equipment and tools are used for their processing.: starting from flaring machines and ending with bending devices and machines for processing the edges of parts.

A device (tool) for expanding tubes (it doesn’t matter if they are copper, brake, or any other) makes it possible to quickly create the required bell-shaped profile. As a rule, at the beginning of the flaring process, the tube is cut off with a pipe cutter, after which a fixing nut is put on it and with the help of a flare, by rotating the screw, the cone creates a similar profile on the tube.

In other words, the extension cross section by increasing the diameter of the tube, it makes it possible to create a small socket at its end. It is he who is the primary condition that ensures the implementation of fitting-free connections of different elements. Having obtained the required expansion, you can insert a smaller diameter tube into the socket and securely fix it at the junction.

It is probably worth mentioning the principle of operation of the rolling tool, because it is often necessary to reduce the diameter of the pipe by narrowing the cross section so that it can easily enter the socket. Special pliers are a professional device that allows high-quality rolling of pipes, and in order for processing to require less physical effort, it is necessary to choose models with a long handle.

Basically, these tools are intended for working with copper products. Although copper is an expensive material, in some cases it has significant advantages over others.

3. Choosing a tube flaring tool

Due to the huge variety of various tools and materials, choosing the right tube flaring tool can be very difficult. First of all, when selecting, one should have sufficient information about the parameters and characteristics of the systems for which they will be used, and the tool itself can be used both to create accurate flanges on brass, copper, steel and aluminum pipes, and to expand or draw them.

Expanders of copper tubes are produced not only by well-known companies specializing in tools of various kinds, but also by little-known manufacturers that have been on the market not so long ago. Can pick up simple models, consisting of a pair of galvanized plates and a bolt equipped with a cone at the end, or you can purchase a whole professional set, which includes several dozen individual elements made of chrome vanadium alloy.

Such kits, in addition to convenient packaging, presented in the form of a case with a lodgement for each individual element of the brake pipe flaring device itself, can also be supplemented with a pipe cutter for chamfering, a pair of clamping bars with different holes (often, they have a stamped size value) and flaring nozzles . Depending on the model chosen, pipe flares can create both a standard cone (at an angle of 450) and some other types of cone, such as a double seal cone.

Before purchasing a flaring tool, you need to have the following information:

- the value of the diameter of the pipe (tube);

Data on the depth of flaring;

The presence of welding seams;

Characteristics of the material from which the part is made.

The standard flaring tool allows for the production of conventional simple 45° flanges, in tubes with a wall thickness of 1 mm. Light weight and small dimensions make it possible to use this device in the flaring of vehicle and cooling system connections.

Performing the procedure using a tool with a ratchet mechanism requires minimal physical effort from the master, and the output is smooth and even sockets. The flaring cone, made of hardened steel, is mounted eccentrically in needle bearings and rotates until a uniform plastic deformation of the metal is achieved. This ensures a completely homogeneous state of the socket walls, without any enveloping.

Flaring and expanding pipes with a compact flaring tool (as the corresponding device is called) makes it possible to obtain a special thread without damaging the material, and the clamping lips, thanks to multiple grips, allow you to quickly and reliably fix the tool, preventing the product from slipping. If you additionally apply metric and inch markings to the matrix, this will greatly facilitate the work with pipes from different manufacturers. The special shape of the nozzle of a separate tool makes it possible to use the flaring tool both in work with long pipelines and pipes with a wall thickness of less than one millimeter.

The connection of fragments and parts of copper pipelines requires knowledge of certain nuances of the technology, which relate to both the soldering itself or threaded fastening with fittings, and preparatory work. One of the most difficult and responsible actions is the expansion of copper tubes. The essence of the process is that the inner diameter of one of the contact tubes must be increased, "adjusted" to the outer diameter of the other.

When fastening with threaded fittings, an increased clamping area is created and the conical chamfer fits tightly on the end of the adjacent section of the pipeline and the connection is sealed due to mechanical compression. In the case of soldering, the space between the conical outer part of the contact and the inner cylindrical part is filled with solder.

How a copper pipe is soldered using standard fittings is shown in the video, with a flared pipe the technology is the same and the connection is no less strong and tight. When properly flared, the end of the tube should look something like this:

To prepare the pipe for soldering or threading, a special tool for expanding copper pipes is required. It is called differently - roller, flaring, rolling. But the essence of this does not change - subjected to mechanical stress, the tube is deformed according to the pattern and, while maintaining the wall thickness and circular cross section, forms a cone. The slope of the inner walls of the cone is up to 74 0 . For connections using a union nut, pipe processing must be carried out in accordance with GOST 13954-74 or as close as possible to its requirements. If you use commercially manufactured rolling tools and adhere to all the requirements of the technology, you should get a result corresponding to the scheme:

The ratio of the diameters of the pipe body and the maximum allowable outer diameter of the cone D and D are given in the table (for standard sizes copper pipe).

The flaring for copper pipes is produced with nozzles of various sizes, which meet the requirements of standards for both soldering and union nuts. When buying imported instruments, especially those of Asian origin, it is imperative to check the conformity of matrices and cones so that their sizes do not deviate from those accepted by us.

Types of expanders

A cone expander is a pipe expander that acts by direct pressure of the cone bushing on the pipe. It is very easy to use and quite convenient to use directly on the site. It won't take up much space in a fitter's or plumber's suitcase. Tool weight no more than 0.5-0.6 kg. The figure shows circuit diagram flaring tool, by which you can understand how to deform a copper tube of small diameter in the right direction.

1 - block for clamping the pipe;

2 - bracket with guide;

3 - screw clamp;

4 - conical punch (replaceable).

Such a flare tool for standard copper water pipes can work with diameters up to 10 mm. The tool is used in the assembly of air conditioning, heating, condensate drainage and water supply systems.

For large diameters, a certain force will be required, increasing almost exponentially, which can lead to damage to the tube wall, especially if it is of uneven thickness. A feature of the copper water pipe is some inaccuracies in the diameter and wall thickness along the contour.

With strong pressure, unforeseen difficulties may arise in the form of cracks, burrs and bumps on the rolled surface, which is an obvious marriage and such pipes cannot be used - sealing may be lost immediately after the fluid is put into the system or some time after the start of operation. The requirements for the state of the flared surface are regulated by GOST 28941.12-91 or specifications created on its basis.

• A - chips;
• B - cracks;
• B - uneven edges.

Eccentric flare

The flaring of standard copper tubes is better and is characterized by the absence of defects if an eccentric flaring tool is used, the center of the cone of which is somewhat offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the pipe. It seems to roll on the wall of the tube, gradually shifting down and pressing it against the wall of the template, which is included in the tool kit and simultaneously performs the role of both a calibrator and a pipe clamp.

How a factory-made cone flare works is demonstrated by a roller. The diagram of the eccentric tool is shown below:

How to choose a flaring tool

When buying a flaring tool, there are a number of factors to consider that may affect the result of the work and the possibility of using the tool in specific circumstances. The main parameters are:

• pipe material;
• die hole diameter;
• the height of the pipe protrusion above the clamp cut;
• the distance between the centers of adjacent holes in the base;
• the outer diameter of the pipes with which you will have to work;
• tube wall thickness;
• flaring depth;
• type of pipe (welded, seamless, etc.)

For professional use, it is best to buy a professional tool.
It is, as a rule, manufactured according to a certain standard and meets all the requirements of GOST. The set certainly has a die with holes of the most popular sizes, the cone is perfectly adjusted and made of the best grades of steel.

For domestic use, the choice of a tool must also be approached with all seriousness - it is almost impossible to make a high-quality preparation of a pipe for a connection with a cheap tool. But there are no such high requirements as for a professional tool. Enough dies for 2-3 diameters and a cone made of simple polished steel. It costs much less and is quite suitable for periodic use.

How does the flaring of copper tubes with their own hands dismantles the video. Of the additional tools you will need a pipe cutter and an edge aligner (reamer). It is necessary to align the pipe in diameter in order to achieve a perfect circle contour - when cutting a copper pipe, due to its softness and plasticity, it is often deformed and this negatively affects the quality of rolling.

It is necessary to install the tube in the clamp in such a way that the upper edge protrudes 2–4 mm above the cut of the template. Only with such an installation can the maximum quality of the inner surface of the cone be achieved.

The article is for informational purposes only and represents general information on the process of rolling copper pipes. If you have your own experience in this area or even tools made by yourself - share it with the readers of our site. Our goal is to cover all aspects of metalworking as objectively and comprehensively as possible. We look forward to your questions and additions.