Review on Malco FT500 Block Type Flaring by Doug Bundy

It's been a long time since I've made flares and I've had to make 24 flares for a 5 unit mini split AC splitter that needed to be pressurized to 550 psi . The Malco tool did the job for me. The die holds the tube in place - this requires a hard final twist. The widening of the cone gives the tube's bell a beautiful shine. I put a drop of oil on the cone and carefully tightened and loosened half a turn at a time. The instructions give the approximate number of turns, but it depends on the size of the pipe - it's easier to tighten all the way. The resistance when this is done is considerable. I've also used it in tight spaces - the design allows for flexibility in positioning the tool if you can line up a few inches with the end of the conical torque tube. A possible downside for some is the lack of height measurement - the number of tubes that protrude above the matrix. Different applications require different covers. In my case it was from 0 to 1/64 inch so I just made sure there was a tiny bit of tubing going over the nozzle. All in all a great tool.