What is the difference between a piping flare and a tubing flare?

Flared ends tend to have a conical shape. The most popular flaring tool for copper tubing is the bar-type tool. It has include multiple bits to accommodate different pipe or tube sizes. Tubing and piping flares are not interchangeable. Tubing flares have a 45-degree angle while piping flares have a 37-degree angle.

How do you flare a copper pipe end?

Creating that flared end is accomplished by using a special tool. Pro Tip: Flaring is typically only done with malleable metal tubing like soft/annealed copper and aluminum. In situations where only hard copper pipe is available, you can still flare the pipe ends, but they will need to be annealed first.

Can You flare a hard copper pipe?

Pro Tip: Flaring is typically only done with malleable metal tubing like soft/annealed copper and aluminum. In situations where only hard copper pipe is available, you can still flare the pipe ends, but they will need to be annealed first. Annealing hard copper pipe is a fairly advanced skill; if you aren't comfortable with it, leave it to a pro.