Brake pipes

[kenmorton]

What is the best material for brake pipes?
Is it steel, copper, alloy or stainless?
And is it best to use the larger or smaller diameter?
And while I'm at it who makes the best fittings and braided hose for the flexible bits?
Ta.

[grahambell]

Don't bother with steel because it rusts. All the brake pipes I've made have been Kunifer, a copper nickel alloy which is easy to work, doesn't corrode and is easy to obtain in rolls that provide more than enough for the average car.

As most commonly available end fittings are for 3/16" pipe you might as well keep things simple and stick with that.

Regarding braided flexibles, Earls and Goodridge are probably market leaders.

[GavinPearson]

The stuff to buy is 90% Copper 10% nickel kunifer. It is darker than pure copper and harder. Automec are a very good supplier of the stuff, you can either buy the tools & parts, or they can just make you a kit of pipes.