Flare Kit (for tubing)

[johnsonic]

Hi!

Since y'all were so helpful in helping my find a compressor & learned a bunch I wouldn't have known otherwise, am wondering if anyone has recommendations on a quality flare kit? Would want it to be versatile (Fuel, brake lines, general household stuff, home brewing)... and under $150.

Not sure what questions to ask or what to look for since last time I made a flare was in trade school 25 years ago!

It's one of those things that would have been useful in the last year & don't want to buy a cheapo for just one use, then need to buy something else later.

Thanks all!

[jeepdan]

I put up with a couple of cheapy flaring tools like the ones that you will find at an AutoZone or similar stores for a long time. Simply because I didn't need one that often.

But, during the M715 restoration, I bought the flaring tool from Eastwood @$160 to make all of the fuel, vacuum, and brake lines and couldn't have been more happier with that purchase. Saved an awful lot of aggravation.

https://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html?SRCCODE=PLA00010&msclkid=1059c33abc0c1a32a3d99e57a718890b

[rang-a-stang]

I have both the standard cheapie HF flaring set:

https://www.harborfreight.com/Double-Tube-Flaring-Tool-Kit-62814.html

and a cheapie inline set for one size:
Like this one, but got it cheap on Amazon I think

My thoughts: The HF kit is barely adequate. I have done steel and aluminum with it, as well as the new green brake line stuff. It works OK. I would not say I "recommend it" but really it doesn't, outright "suck". About 85% of my flares come out really nice. If I could afford the good Eastwood one, I would be all over it. Someday I will get it because I have never heard a bad thing about it (other than cost). Even the guys on Roadkill sing it's praises. Buy the best, cry once.

The in line one is super convenient for fixing a line on a car but it works pretty well. it does not meet the minimum requirements you set in your original post.

[Kaiserjeeps]

I have the eastwood unit Jeepdan posted above. I have never had a flare that looked questionable. Every flare is perfect, it is easy to use, it also makes bubble flares for clamp on rubber tubing connections, it is not a million bucks, the flares look exactly like machine done flares on the store bought tubing. It makes a complete double flare in seconds, You absolutely cannot go wrong with that unit.

[johnsonic]

Sounds like it's worth going $30 over budget for the Eastwood. Thing sounds mint!

Thanks errrbody!