What pipe can be expanded?

Soft copper. Each product page lists the head sizes supplied, within a 12-28 mm range.

Does the pipe need annealing before flaring?

On hard copper, annealing the end prevents splitting. Soft copper generally does not need it.

When is a T-drill set worth it?

When an outlet is needed from an existing main: one brazed joint instead of a tee fitting and two.

Can grooving replace welding?

A grooved joint made with couplings and gaskets to the relevant standard is an accepted alternative to welding, and it is faster to assemble and demountable.

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Pipe End Forming Tools

Tools that prepare the end of a pipe for its joint: expander heads that open copper pipe by one size, flaring sets that form the 45° cone for a compression fitting, an electric T-drill set that raises an outlet on a running main, and a roll grooving machine for coupled joints.

Expanding and flaring: two different joints

An expander opens the end of the pipe by one size so that a second pipe of the same diameter slides in and is brazed without a socket. The saving is not only the fitting: every socket is two brazed joints, while an expanded end is one.

A flaring tool opens the end into a 45° cone instead. That cone is the sealing face of a flare joint, which gives a solder-free, demountable connection on refrigeration and gas lines.

T-drilling and roll grooving

A T-drill set pierces a running main and pulls the collar up into an outlet that can be brazed directly. The tee fitting and two of its joints disappear: fewer connections on the line, fewer places to leak.

A roll grooving machine cold-forms a coupling groove at the pipe end. Grooved joints replace welding on fire lines and large bore pipework: assembly is fast and the line stays demountable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What pipe can be expanded?
Soft copper. Each product page lists the head sizes supplied, within a 12-28 mm range.
Does the pipe need annealing before flaring?
On hard copper, annealing the end prevents splitting. Soft copper generally does not need it.
When is a T-drill set worth it?
When an outlet is needed from an existing main: one brazed joint instead of a tee fitting and two.
Can grooving replace welding?
A grooved joint made with couplings and gaskets to the relevant standard is an accepted alternative to welding, and it is faster to assemble and demountable.