I actually really dig bending and flaring hard lines...most people I know HATE it.
This is one of those times when high quality tools make ALL the difference. While the tool I'm about to recommend is Snap-on, it's actually very affordable. They have a tubing flare kit, with cut-off wheel, for just under $135. When I bought the kit $15 years ago, it was $100. It has a high-quality tubing cutter that is worth its weight in gold, and there are instructions on the inside of the lid that, if followed, will get you a perfect flare every time.
To this basic kit, add a cheap set of "needle files." I got a set of cheap ones out of a 99-cent bin at the gas station or something. You want one small flat-file to dress the edges, and one small needle file to de-burr the inside of the tubing. Nothing aggressive, just enough to clean up the edge after using the cut-off wheel.
Actually bending the lines is another place where high-quality makes a big difference. I've used them all, and the best tubing benders are made by Rigid. They have long handles for good leverage, and they make a nice, tight bend up to 180-degrees. Really looks professional when you're done. I have only one size though...these benders are $65 new, and they're for specific sizes of line. You'll need 1/4 and 3/8-inch for your resto, up to 1/2 for hot rod fuel lines.
In place of tha good Rigid benders, Snap On carries an economy "blue point" 3-size bender that I've had forever. It'll do a 90-degree bend. The radius isn't real tight either, but like I said, I've had mine for years and it gets the job done. And other than the Rigid, it's the only one I will use...and I've tried a ton of different kinds. I've also tried different makes of the 3-in-1 kind, and the quality of them is bad. They'll break while bending the line. The Snap-on/Blue Point is the one to have.
Finally, flare-nut wrenches. Craftsman sells two sets: a 4-wrench set, and a 5-wrench "Professional" fully polished set. Again, I have both, because some times you have to have a wrench on both sides of a joint. I think the Pro set was $35, and the standard was $20 a few years ago.
You will NOT need any kind of pipe thread tape, teflon tape or anything else; flare fittings seal by seating the flared tubing end on a brass nipple inside the fitting. The flare and the nipple are held together by the screw threads; those threads are only for clamping, they do NOT seal. Any leaks will go between the fitting and the tubing, not between threads on fittings. If you have a leak, back off the fitting, then snug it up/back it off/snug it up/etc. a few times. It'll re-seat the flare on the nipple.
You could end up spending about $200 in tools for this job, but I PROMISE that with these tools, you'll actually enjoy the job of bending and fitting hard lines. They really do make all the difference.
Brad
