Flaring Tube Hardware - Video

Daniel Fairly Knives

Daniel Fairly Knives

Full Time Knifemaker
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Here's a quick video of some stainless steel tube hardware being flared. This makes for a strong mechanical fastener which looks great and can function as a lanyard tube.

Flaring the tube is a little tricky at first, I recommend trying it on a piece of scale material until you get it down. Try to keep the knife level and pay attention to everything you are doing, it is easy to slip up and ruin your scales. I like to move the knife a bit after each flare to help keep everything even. (flare both sides first) I also gradually move the metal in a few steps, if you try to flare it in one shot it will be uneven.

I hope this helps someone out!

[video=youtube_share;k048jII7h3U]http://youtu.be/k048jII7h3U[/video]
 
fast14riot said:
Cool vid, is that DJ Shadow playin in the background?


-Xander
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DJ Shadow's Entroducing has to be in my top 10 or 20 all time favorite albums!

I was streaming a British dubstep station, I feel like Ali G listening to that stuff... shout out to my massive! :D

tedinatl said:
Cool video, thanks for sharing!
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Thanks for watching!

I had my flarer rig for a while before I really used it because I had never seen it done and really screwed up the first few. I hope this takes the intimidation factor out of it.
 
You forgot to plug it in! :D
Does the base plate matter? I drilled a hole right in the plate that came with the press did you find that to be unstable? And thanks for another great tip video!
 
RabidTurkey said:
You forgot to plug it in! :D
Does the base plate matter? I drilled a hole right in the plate that came with the press did you find that to be unstable? And thanks for another great tip video!
Click to expand...

Thanks! That one works on solar. :D


I broke the original base plate in half flaring a tube. It was well below freezing temps when it broke but you should have seen the grain of the steel, it was like rocks!

I had a small piece of .36" thick 5160 laying around so I used that for the replacement plate, I have been meaning to heat treat it but I haven't seen it budge yet.
 
Dumb Question Incoming....you normally wait until the scales are shaped correct? This one is just an example?
 
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TooQuiet said:
Dumb Question Incoming....you normally wait until the scal are shaped correct? This one is just an example?
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Great question!

I like to shape both sides flat and parallel to around 400 grit, this ensures a smooth edge on the flared tube as any scratch is literally enlarged when the tube is stretched.

The flat and parallel sides also help to get a good straight evenly flared tube, if the scales were completely shaped I'd have a harder time getting the flare right.
 
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