Flaring brake lines

I'm attempting to make some brake lines from scratch. My problem is with the double flaring tool. Whenever I try to make the 1st part of the double flare, it pushes the brake line through the tool instead of flaring it. I've got it clamped down in a bench vise as tight as I can get it, and it still doesn't hold the brake line. It's not the cheapest tool either, it's made by klein, I think I payed about 50 bucks for it at NAPA.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is it the tool, or is there something I should be doing differently? It does a great job of making single flares, but that doesn't do me much good for the brake lines.

 

I do have it in the right slot. My tool is just like you describe. I snapped off the bolt for the wing nut closest to the tubing by tightening it too much, and that is the end that I put in the vise. I clamp that end first, and then tighten the wing nut opposite it, the one farther away from the tubing.

I'll go try it with a different manufacturers brake lines real quick and see how it works.

 

In my flaring tool the little ridges that grip the tubing are directional. If I put tool on the tubing the wrong way it does just what you're describing. Try flipping it over...worth a shot anyway

 

Ok, I went out and played with it a bit more after reading this here. Steve got it, I wasn't really using the mechanical advantage. I loosened the wing nut farthest from the tubing, but not enough. I loosened it as far as I could allowing the opposite side to tighten more first, then tightened it all up, and it held the tubing way tighter. It's not the same as a factory double flare, but I think it looks like it's supposed to now.

 

I doubt this will completely solve your problem but lightly oiling the swedge helps to move things along $.02

 

Another tip is to deburr the inside well. If you get cracks in the line, its from not being deburred well. Slater

 

Oh, how I wish I had someone to remind me to put the fitting on before I flared a line.

No matter how many times I do it, if I am doing any more than five at a time one of them has to be reworked.

 

My tools gripper grooves wore out/or didn't work anymore and I took my tool back to Carquest and they got me a new one (same brand). Funny thing, the 5/16th hole on the old one was in the middle and I felt it was not crimping it well enough, the new one has the 5/16th hole at the end and using the cinch the opposite end first then the tube end I get quite a hold and all of my flares have been text book.
Joe