flaring aluminum pipe for rod holders

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Does anyone make a machine or tool, or even a homemade tool for flaring the end of aluminum pipe/tube to flare it like fishing rod holders are flared?
Reply:I've seen it done on a press with a home made tapered mandrel.  Some one here posted up doing this for exhaust tube IIRC.Probably not too tough if you have a lathe..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Pound a large stainless ball, or cone shaped piece into the end after heating a bit ?oil it before pounding to prevent galling & sticking. Or, what if you used a pipe clamp with a wedge shaped piece in the end?Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:I wish a had a lathe. I'll have to see if I can find someone local who can make something like that for me and then I can stick it on the shop press and try it like that
Reply:What diameter are you looking for? A fishing rod holder is too large for a normal plumber's flaring tool but the idea is the same. Search for flaring tool. Basically it drives a cone mandrel into the end of the tube. WeldingMachine's ball bearing method would work also. Most flares and tapers on large tubes are spun. Whether spun or mandrel formed the key is to anneal the end prior to working. Most aluminum tube is hard around T6 and is too hard to form without cracking that's why you anneal it. Some tube can be purchased in an annealed state. Heat and let cool. Unlike steel... do not quench. If the tube is large enough... you can also hammer form it. Basically make a wood block with the shape you want and carefully use a hammer to shape it. Not a production method but for a few it can be a life saver. Once again... annealed is a must.Here's a slick video that shows a guy annealing aluminum and using soap at a temperature indicator.[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxhdFsrzSmY[/ame]Last edited by forhire; 12-27-2012 at 02:59 PM.
Reply:Yes I figured mabey I could heat up the end with my torch and then use a shop press and press a cone into the end of it mabey it might flare. Ive got to find someone local with a lathe though
Reply:Too much clean up with the soap.  I just "soot" the metal with a candle flame or with a sooty acetylene flame and then heat the aluminum until the carbon burns off.  The anneal-able alloys of aluminum require about 400 degrees F to anneal.  Allow the metal to still air cool before working.My favorite torch for annealing is my Horrible Fright "weed burner" (propane/air).RogerOld, Tired, and GRUMPYSalesman will call, Batteries not included, Assembly is required, and FREE ADVICE IS WORTH EXACTLY WHAT YOU PAY FOR IT!Dial Arc 250HFThunderbolt 225 AC/DCAssorted A/O torches
Reply:what about a muffler shop, they can probably flare it in about 2 seconds. they also sale a manual flaring tool at autozones/oreillys/advanced auto and so on..tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:I don't think the muffler flaring tools are correct for this situation. Since the flare I'm looking for is like what you see on a trumpet. The ones used for mufflers just expand the whole area I belive. I would be using an acetylene torch.
Reply:Originally Posted by joseph_zlnskI don't think the muffler flaring tools are correct for this situation. Since the flare I'm looking for is like what you see on a trumpet. The ones used for mufflers just expand the whole area I belive. I would be using an acetylene torch.
Reply:Made many out of PVC,SS and alum. Think flareing tool.Take a piece of 4"x4" wood,( oak or other hard wood) drill, bore out to OD of tube,sand,file or grind the taper you want,split it in half.Then make a plug to fit inside of the tube with the same taper on the end.put the tube inside of the 4"x4" clamp in a vice or c-clamp,put the plug in the tube and tap away with a hammer or mallet.Look at the store made ones most are thin walled tubing. not pipe.
Reply:header collector flare would give you a shape close to a bugle mouth, depending if the exhaust shop has the die, most probably would..  you would probably want to heat the aluminum and let it cool a bit before flaring it.. If you want to tig the flare on, you can buy aluminum transitions but they arent exactly what I would call cheap..http://www.racepartsolutions.com/products.asp?cat=190tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:I noticed they are all mostly thin walled aluminum. Unfourtunetly I'm not sure who supplies that, here in Florida we have t&c metals there is just about one in every major city in Florida. Unfourtunetly my local t&c doesn't carry 2 inch round tube or pipe aluminum any thinner than 1/8 inch. They are the only aluminum supplier that I know of at all any where near me
Reply:If you can't find anyone locally who stocks it or that will sell small qty you might try online. Not the cheapest, especially with shipping, but handy when all you need is a small piece. It's also great for researching common sizes so when you call your local vendor you know exactly what you want and what substitutions are acceptable.You can check a few other online vendors::http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-al...tubing/=ks5jz3http://www.onlinemetals.com/http://www.speedmetals.com/http://www.metalsdepot.com/http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/
Reply:Two suggestions for press tools:A trailer ball of the right diameter might work in a press.  For smaller tube, you could cut the ball off of one that has a nice tapered/flared base.Get a trashed CAT 50 end mill holder from a machine shop.  As long as the taper isn't scored you're good to go."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:+1 on making your own out of hardwood.Kevin / Machine_Punk from The Aerodrome Studio - Lincoln PowerMIG 210 MP - Meco N Midget w/custom welding station - Vintage Victor 100Current Projects: The Aerodrome Studio
Reply:Oldendum that a great idea just the one I was looking for. I'll have to try to make something up along those lines. The wood idea is great, I keep thinking though that when I heat the aluminum up and t touches the wood that it is going to char up but I guess no big deal since wood is cheep. As far as the aluminum goes, last year I was buying 2 inch tubing with a 1/16 wall thickness but since there wasn't many other people buying it they decided they didn't want to continue to carry it at my local location. I am in Pensacola the main branch is in Tampa.like once a week the truck comes from Tampa to all the t&c metal places to restock what they have sold. My local branch however does not want to restock the 1/16, I guess I could try to see who stocks it in mobile. T&c sells whole sticks at a time nothing less.
Reply:Another source of a big round ball would be the ones used in implement lift arms on farm tractors.  Pretty cheap at a tractor supply place."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:I've flared some tube by using a big chrome socket in the shop press.   I've also used a home made taper and an exhaust machine.My name's not Jim....