DIY on-car flaring tool
Moderator: RichardW
- CitroenCrazy
- (Donor 2020)
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DIY on-car flaring tool
My Xantia disgraced itself by bursting one of the high pressure pipes that runs from front to back.
Access is pretty terrible at both ends, so I decided the only way I was going to get the car mobile again was to replace just the rusty section. In theory, this should be straightforward; cut the affected section out, flare the pipe on each side and use a pair of in-line connectors to splice in a new section.
In practice, this gave me a problem because I only have a bench-mounted flaring tool, which I bought from Pleiades about 25 years ago.
I know people have managed to use this type of tool on the car, but being cam-operated, it's really not designed for that type of application. I was quite prepared to buy a new flaring tool, intended for use on the vehicle. BeePro in Germany make a very nice example, but with shipping to the UK, it's over £350.
I couldn't find anything else at a price I was prepared to pay, so I decided to try making my own, using the punches and dies from the Pleiades tool I already have.
Hopefully this will inspire someone else to do the same and also spawn suggestions for improvement.
I found a nice chunky piece of U channel in my reclaimed metal stock, so that became the body, and I made the other parts to fit around that.
The new tool had to be screw-operated, and flaring steel pipe needs quite a bit of force, so I threaded a piece of bar M20 x 1.0 pitch
This is the kit of parts about 2/3 of the way through the build
This is the main part of the tool, just about complete. (The punch and dies in the picture are DIN style, not Citroen)
The first attempt at flaring a piece of steel pipe was a bit disappointing
I'd diverged from my original plan a little, deciding to use the later style of screw-in punches, as this would make it easier to incorporate an extraction mechanism.
What I didn't realise until late in the process is that the new punch is narrower than the original one and a very loose fit in the dies, hence the lop-sided flare.
(Original Pleiades punch on the left, new style on the right)
So, I made a sleeve to bring the diameter back to the same as the original punch
This is a close up of the punch holder, showing how it fits over the compression screw. The idea is that the punch is pulled back as the screw is unwound.
The completed tool, with a quick coat of spray paint
In use today
The result
At the risk of sounding smug, I was pretty chuffed with the result
Access is pretty terrible at both ends, so I decided the only way I was going to get the car mobile again was to replace just the rusty section. In theory, this should be straightforward; cut the affected section out, flare the pipe on each side and use a pair of in-line connectors to splice in a new section.
In practice, this gave me a problem because I only have a bench-mounted flaring tool, which I bought from Pleiades about 25 years ago.
I know people have managed to use this type of tool on the car, but being cam-operated, it's really not designed for that type of application. I was quite prepared to buy a new flaring tool, intended for use on the vehicle. BeePro in Germany make a very nice example, but with shipping to the UK, it's over £350.
I couldn't find anything else at a price I was prepared to pay, so I decided to try making my own, using the punches and dies from the Pleiades tool I already have.
Hopefully this will inspire someone else to do the same and also spawn suggestions for improvement.
I found a nice chunky piece of U channel in my reclaimed metal stock, so that became the body, and I made the other parts to fit around that.
The new tool had to be screw-operated, and flaring steel pipe needs quite a bit of force, so I threaded a piece of bar M20 x 1.0 pitch
This is the kit of parts about 2/3 of the way through the build
This is the main part of the tool, just about complete. (The punch and dies in the picture are DIN style, not Citroen)
The first attempt at flaring a piece of steel pipe was a bit disappointing
I'd diverged from my original plan a little, deciding to use the later style of screw-in punches, as this would make it easier to incorporate an extraction mechanism.
What I didn't realise until late in the process is that the new punch is narrower than the original one and a very loose fit in the dies, hence the lop-sided flare.
(Original Pleiades punch on the left, new style on the right)
So, I made a sleeve to bring the diameter back to the same as the original punch
This is a close up of the punch holder, showing how it fits over the compression screw. The idea is that the punch is pulled back as the screw is unwound.
The completed tool, with a quick coat of spray paint
In use today
The result
At the risk of sounding smug, I was pretty chuffed with the result
Last edited by CitroenCrazy on 27 Sep 2020, 21:41, edited 2 times in total.
- Paul-R
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
Frankly, you've every right to feel smug. That's a fabulous bit of kit you've created.CitroenCrazy wrote: ↑27 Sep 2020, 19:29At the risk of sounding smug, I was pretty chuffed with the result
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
Top work CitroenCrazy well done. I have put a link to your post on the Toolbag Tales, Homemade and improvised tools thread
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- mickthemaverick
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
Brilliant piece of work. Now I know where to come if I get rusty pipes!!
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
Superb work. I feel sure I'll be needing to make something like that at some point.
Chris
- CitroenCrazy
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
Ahhh, thanks guys. Blushes.........
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
The Chinese will have copies on sale soon.
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
You mean they haven't already?
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
Absolutely first class Most excellent
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
I made one back in the 70’s, copy of one I hired, but handheld, made a pipe bender too.
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
That’s absolutely superb work Andrew.
Do you happen to have any design drawings for the tool please?
I feel it might be an investment getting one made sooner rather than later! I foresee work on my Xantiae coming thick and fast...
Do you happen to have any design drawings for the tool please?
I feel it might be an investment getting one made sooner rather than later! I foresee work on my Xantiae coming thick and fast...
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Re: DIY on-car flaring tool
That is very well done hats off to you sir.