flaring aluminum hard lines – cracking
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Crawdad
- Posts: 127
- Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2015 4:12 pm
flaring aluminum hard lines – cracking
I'm seeing cracks in the flare. I greased the mandrel on the flare tool, and went fairly slow. Anybody have any tips on how to avoid this? These are fuel lines and will be running through the tunnel.
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Ol'fogasaurus
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Re: flaring aluminum hard lines – cracking
http://www.flight-mechanic.com/rigid-fl ... e-flaring/
Maybe some of this will help; I have had good and bad results in flaring tubing but there are two paragraphs here dealing with certain types of flaring tool to use with certain materials as this might be part of what trouble you are having. At the bottom are some additional URLs that might help.
Lee
Maybe some of this will help; I have had good and bad results in flaring tubing but there are two paragraphs here dealing with certain types of flaring tool to use with certain materials as this might be part of what trouble you are having. At the bottom are some additional URLs that might help.
Lee
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Crawdad
- Posts: 127
- Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2015 4:12 pm
Re: flaring aluminum hard lines – cracking
Much thanks, Lee.
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Bad Bob
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:47 pm
Re: flaring aluminum hard lines – cracking
Did the cracks appear after flaring or after attaching to a fitting? Do you know what alloy the tubing is? Softening the material may help.
And, although the edges of the tube didn’t crack, radius those edges! I use a countersink on the inside and a deburring wheel on the outside.
And, although the edges of the tube didn’t crack, radius those edges! I use a countersink on the inside and a deburring wheel on the outside.
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fastbacktom
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:53 pm
Re: flaring aluminum hard lines – cracking
It sounds like the material might be to hard... The Moroso aluminum hardline I've used is pretty malleable.
You could try annealing the ends before flaring: Using an ox-acetalelne torch, adjust the flame super rich, putting out soot. Drag the flame over the area to be annealed, so the soot sticks to the metal. Readjust the torch closer to neutral, but on the rich side. Warm the aluminum slow and carefully (as to not over heat it), until the soot gently burns off. Now the tube is soft, fully annealed, and shouldn't crack. This also works with street sign aluminum, which is typically 6061 hardened to T6. You anneal it before making a 90 bend, and eliminate cracks at your bends.
You could try annealing the ends before flaring: Using an ox-acetalelne torch, adjust the flame super rich, putting out soot. Drag the flame over the area to be annealed, so the soot sticks to the metal. Readjust the torch closer to neutral, but on the rich side. Warm the aluminum slow and carefully (as to not over heat it), until the soot gently burns off. Now the tube is soft, fully annealed, and shouldn't crack. This also works with street sign aluminum, which is typically 6061 hardened to T6. You anneal it before making a 90 bend, and eliminate cracks at your bends.
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Ol'fogasaurus
- Posts: 17756
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:17 pm
Re: flaring aluminum hard lines – cracking
Good post!fastbacktom wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2019 5:14 am It sounds like the material might be to hard... The Moroso aluminum hardline I've used is pretty malleable.
You could try annealing the ends before flaring: Using an ox-acetalelne torch, adjust the flame super rich, putting out soot. Drag the flame over the area to be annealed, so the soot sticks to the metal. Readjust the torch closer to neutral, but on the rich side. Warm the aluminum slow and carefully (as to not over heat it), until the soot gently burns off. Now the tube is soft, fully annealed, and shouldn't crack. This also works with street sign aluminum, which is typically 6061 hardened to T6. You anneal it before making a 90 bend, and eliminate cracks at your bends.
Lee