How to Flare & Tap

After flaring, tighten the flare fitting in place with a crescent wrench.

Flexible copper pipe is joined together with flare fittings that require no soldering. However, prior to installing the fitting, you must flare the end of the copper pipe. This requires using a flaring clamp and yoke. They generally come together in a flaring kit. Tapping is the process of installing a female thread onto the walls of a previously drilled hole. The tapping tool looks like a drill bit with threads around its shank at one end. Flaring and tapping are simple processes, and are not time-consuming.

Things You'll Need

• Flare fitting
• Flexible copper pipe
• Flaring clamp
• Yoke
• Crescent wrench
• Drill gun and bit
• Cutting oil and brush
• Rag

Instructions

Flaring Copper Pipe

1. Unscrew the nut from the end of the flare fitting, then slide it onto the end of the copper pipe, pushing it along six inches or more.

2. Open the wing nuts by hand. The nuts are on each end of the flaring clamp. Push the end of the copper pipe into the correct-size hole along the center of the clamp, making the end of the pipe flush with the side of the clamp. The clamp has several different size holes to fit various size pipes. Tighten the wing nuts on each end of the clamp.

3. Slide the ends of the yoke over the end of the flaring clamp, then position the yoke's flaring cone in the end of the copper pipe. Turn the yoke's handle clockwise to tighten the cone to the pipe end, flaring it outwards. Stop tightening when you can't turn the handle any more.

4. Turn the yoke's handle counterclockwise to remove it from the pipe end. Unscrew the clamp's wing nuts to remove it from the pipe.

5. Position the flare fitting against the flared pipe end, then screw the fitting's nut onto the fitting. Tighten the nut to the fitting with a crescent wrench.

Tapping A Thread.

1. Drill into the material's surface with a drill gun and correct-size bit. Drill the hole to the correct depth.

2. Brush cutting oil around the threads on the sides of the tap.

3. Position the end of the tap manually into the entrance of the drilled hole.

4. Press down on the tap, and turn it one 1/2 clockwise turn. Turn the tap slightly backwards, to remove shavings from the tap's threads. Make another clockwise 1/2 turn before turning the tap slightly backwards again. Repeat this process until the tap reaches the end of the hole.

5. Turn the tap backwards to remove it from the drilled hole. Wipe off all cutting oil and shavings from around the hole entrance, as well as the tap's thread. Use a rag.

Tips & Warnings

• Taps also generally come in various sizes, in kits.

References

• Copper.org: Flared Joints
• A Woodworker's Bench Notes: Thread Cutting