OccupantRJ
Well-known member
If you have ever needed or wanted to attach two pieces of metal tubing together for a project, but did not want or need to have to use a fitting, then these tools I made will do the job for you.
The metal is cold rolled steel in hex form, except the larger one, which I machined into a hex shape, since I had none the proper size. The tubing is clamped into a standard flaring tool frame and left protruding about an inch or more. A torch is used to heat the tubing end a bit to soften it up, then the appropriate swager is driven into the end of the tubing. The hex allows one to twist the swager back out by allowing a grip in a vise, or with a wrench while pulling with your hand. Afterwards, soft solder, silver solder, epoxy, or tig is used to fasten the tubes together, depending on the intended use.
Various sizes of tubing will allow you to adapt up or down in size using these, ie. 3/8 swaged to 1/2, then a piece of 1/2 swaged to 5/8, would adapt the 3/8 to 5/8 inches, without thinning the wall excessively. Not something you're gonna use often, but do they expand your abilities, pun intended.
Of course, being me, the requisite rack had to be made to hold the tools. It really did.
The metal is cold rolled steel in hex form, except the larger one, which I machined into a hex shape, since I had none the proper size. The tubing is clamped into a standard flaring tool frame and left protruding about an inch or more. A torch is used to heat the tubing end a bit to soften it up, then the appropriate swager is driven into the end of the tubing. The hex allows one to twist the swager back out by allowing a grip in a vise, or with a wrench while pulling with your hand. Afterwards, soft solder, silver solder, epoxy, or tig is used to fasten the tubes together, depending on the intended use.
Various sizes of tubing will allow you to adapt up or down in size using these, ie. 3/8 swaged to 1/2, then a piece of 1/2 swaged to 5/8, would adapt the 3/8 to 5/8 inches, without thinning the wall excessively. Not something you're gonna use often, but do they expand your abilities, pun intended.
Of course, being me, the requisite rack had to be made to hold the tools. It really did.Attachments
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