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I have a pipe spreader tool, that I've used when fitting exhausts.

It wasn't expensive and has proved cheap, in the bad sense.

It has eight metal bars that slide into the pipe, with a special hexagonal 'nut' with sloped faces at each end. These are compressed by a ordinary nuts so that the bars expand and spread the pipe.

It looks exactly like these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/381114591806?chn=ps&adgroupid=43005137722&rlsatarget=pla-324398889724&abcId=1058866&adtype=pla&merchantid=7255584&poi=&googleloc=1006854&device=c&campaignid=797783973&crdt=0

The last time I used it, one of the hexagonal 'nuts' cracked! In several places, so cheap in a bad way.

 

The crack faces were granular, and when I drilled out the crack ends it worked like cast iron, producing powder, rather than swarf.

I also ground out the cracks, so that I could weld it all up again.

But the heat of welding made the special nut catch fire!

 

There was more flame than could be explained if the special nut was painted, which it wasn't , anyway.

Is this some sintered iron, made granular so that it can carry oil, like an OiIite bearing?

To lubricated the bars sliding on the special nut, under great pressure?

 

That's really of academic interest. Can anyone recommend a pipe spreader that isn't made of flaming iron? And can do the job?

The one in the link from "Kraftmann Tools" is twice what I paid, but looks exactly the same.

There are hydraulic versions available but at ten times the cost.

 

John

Edited by john.r.davies
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It's poor quality metal made to look like good quality steel. I bought a Wilkinson Sword garden fork which looked good quality but one of the prongs snapped in half, and looking at the break it was made of a cheapo cast material, probably from guess where!

 

Kevin

Edited by boxofbits
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Hi Kevin,

the country AKA 'guess where' is capable of some very high quality in all fields.

 

Sadly the cheap spec was the problem and that came from closer to home.

 

We are all too tied up with cheap to make quality products. When will the producers learn.

 

Roger

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John, for the princely sum of £9.99 in October 2014 I purchased a 'medium' exhaust expander from www.abtoolsonline.com The invoice shows the Item SKU was AT710. This handles diameters from 40 to 60mm, a sufficient range for me, and it has proved its worth on three occasions already. I have had no issues with it and it is a hefty piece of kit with a real quality feel.

 

Tim

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Tim, thank you for that! ABS Tools prices have gone up a bit, no doubt as the pound has gone down since Brexit (12% on that night, 19% since on previous - do the Brexiteers not hear this vote of no confidence?), and their product is said to be "vanadium steel". What I have is no doubt toffee from the low end of China's industry, as Roger says.

 

I've found another solution to the problem I needed it for, so it's gone back in the box, and then back to the infill in came from.

 

John

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