Instrumentation Fitting & Valve Video Library: Installation, Gauging & Selection
Ferrule installation videos show, step by step, how a fitting's ferrule (or pair of ferrules) gets assembled, pulled up, and inspected so it swages onto the tube and forms a grip and a seal. This library brings together Crestflo's demonstrations for tube fittings, ferrules, and valve setup, covering installation, gauging, and the works. Each one comes with a written step table and a transcript alongside it. Read the full method next to the walkthrough, or just skim the steps if that's all you need. Every demonstration follows the manufacturer's own qualified make-up method, using compression tube fittings tested to ASTM F1387, and covers both imperial and metric sizes.
Here, a ferrule means a fluid-system compression ferrule, the metal sleeve that grips and seals tubing inside a tube fitting, not an electrical wire-end ferrule, and a compression fitting means an instrumentation stainless or alloy tube fitting, not a copper plumbing fitting.
Also Known As: Tube Fitting Installation, Gauging & Assembly Videos
Installers, panel fabricators, and specifiers describe these demonstrations in a lot of different ways. The same content gets searched as a tube fitting installation video, a ferrule installation video (how to install a ferrule), a compression fitting installation video, and a "how to install compression fitting" walkthrough with step-by-step instructions. People also look for it as a tube fitting assembly or make-up video (how to assemble tube fittings), a how-to, tutorial, instructional, or training video, a tech clip, or a pull-up by turns or hand-tight-then-wrench demonstration. The inspection walkthrough turns up as a gap-gauge, gap-inspection, pull-up inspection, gaging, or gauging video, and the reassembly clip shows up as a re-make or reconnection demonstration. On the valve side, folks search the same operations as a needle valve installation video, a ball valve installation video, and a manifold mounting or panel-mount video. Some go looking for the same steps on YouTube, or want an installation PDF or catalog instead, either way, the written step tables here serve as the on-page companion. Underneath all the naming, the mechanics stay the same: bottom the tube, finger-tight, counted turns, gauge. That holds across single-ferrule and double-ferrule designs, and across 316/316L, duplex, 6-Moly, nickel-alloy, and titanium tube.
Video Library Map: Installation, Gauging, Valve Setup & Selection
| Demonstration | What it covers | Products shown | Written step guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tube fitting installation | Bottom, finger-tight, mark, 1-1/4-turn pull-up | Tube fittings, single & double ferrules | Ferrule installation & gauging procedure |
| Gauging & re-make | Gap-gauge no-go check, remaking a joint | Nut-and-ferrule sets | Gauging & remake steps |
| Valve & manifold setup | Needle, ball & manifold mounting and adjustment | Needle valves, ball valves, manifolds | How to specify fittings & valves |
| Selection overview | Choosing fitting, alloy & thread | Full instrumentation range | Material selection by service |
Each written step guide below serves as the extractable, transcript-level companion to the demonstration. Need a walkthrough of the exact fitting, valve, or size you're installing? Talk to an engineer, and we'll point you to the right demonstration and written procedure.
How to Install a Tube Fitting: Video Walkthrough & Step Table
Crestflo's demo walks through the standard published method for a two-ferrule instrumentation compression fitting: seat the tube fully in the body, finger-tighten the nut, scribe a witness mark, then pull up 1-1/4 turns past finger-tight for 1/4" (6 mm) tube and larger, or 3/4 turn for 3/16" (5 mm) and smaller. These fittings get made up by counted turns of the nut rather than a torque value, so the ferrule advances the same amount every time no matter how much friction is in the threads. The figures come from the applicable standard make-up method, and they can be adjusted for the fitting series.
| Step | Action | Detail | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prepare the tube | Cut square, deburr the ID and OD, wipe clean | Ovalised or burred cut spoils the seal |
| 2 | Bottom the tube | Seat the tube fully on the body shoulder | Not bottoming, the top cause of leaks |
| 3 | Finger-tighten the nut | Hand-tight onto the body | Starting the count before finger-tight |
| 4 | Mark the nut | Scribe a witness mark (for example, 6 o'clock) | Skipping the mark loses the turn count |
| 5 | Pull up by turns | 1-1/4 turns (1/4" / 6 mm and larger); 3/4 turn (3/16" / 5 mm and smaller) | Torquing to a value instead of counting turns |
| 6 | Gauge the joint | Confirm pull-up with a gap inspection gauge | Accepting an under-pulled-up joint |
For the full written method and the size-by-size pull-up table, see the full written ferrule installation and gauging procedure. The demonstration covers stainless and alloy tube fittings, single and double ferrules, nut-and-ferrule sets, and metric tube fittings, the full range Crestflo works with.
How to Gauge & Re-Make a Connection: Gap-Gauge Video & Pass/Fail Table
The gauging demonstration covers two things: how to check a freshly installed fitting with a gap inspection gauge, and how to re-make a joint that's already been swaged. The gap gauge itself is a no-go check on the space between the nut and body. If the gauge won't enter, pull-up is sufficient. If it does enter, the joint hasn't been pulled up enough and needs more turns. Note that the gauge only confirms initial installation; remakes are set by returning the nut to its previously marked position instead.
| Gauge result | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Gauge will not enter the gap | Sufficiently pulled up | Accept the joint |
| Gauge enters the gap | Insufficient pull-up | Tighten further, then re-gauge |
| Fitting is a remake | Gauge not applicable | Return the nut to its marked position and snug slightly |
Because a two-ferrule design leaves the swaged ferrules permanently on the tube, you reuse that tube-and-ferrule assembly on every remake instead of fitting fresh ferrules. Reinsert to the prior position, advance past the mark, and snug it down. If a joint still leaks after a correct remake, see why a tube fitting leaks after install.
Needle, Ball Valve & Manifold Setup Videos
Instrumentation valves and manifolds get mounted and connected in the demonstrations, which cover tube-fitting or threaded ends, panel-mounting, and packing adjustment per the valve's product documentation. Each valve is made up according to its end-connection method: the same counted-turn approach for tube-fitting ends, correct thread engagement for NPT and BSP ends. Packing adjustment and mounting torque depend on the specific valve series, and both can be tailored to requirement.
Valve demonstrations apply to Crestflo instrumentation needle valves, instrumentation ball valves, and 2-valve, 3-valve, and 5-valve manifolds. Crestflo designs and tests these instrumentation valves and manifolds against the applicable standards: ASME B16.34 and the relevant API series, including API 598 seat leak testing. Every manifold undergoes 100% seat and shell leak testing.
Choosing the Right Fitting, Material & Thread: Selection Overview
Selecting the fitting, alloy, and thread happens before installation, and this library points to the guides that own those decisions rather than teaching them here. For the overall spec, use how to specify fittings and valves. For the metallurgy, pick an alloy by service or run the material / alloy selector. To pin down your thread, whether NPT, BSPP, or metric, use the thread identification guide alongside the thread identifier.
Ferrule designs are worth comparing side by side. Single vs double ferrule explained lays out the basics. Single vs double vs ferrule-less widens the comparison, and hardened vs non-hardened ferrules covers that distinction specifically. Once your part list is set, head to the part number configurator and build it.
Do Crestflo Fittings Install Like Swagelok®? Interchange & Method
Crestflo compression fittings match the dimensions of the leading brands and go in with the same 1-1/4-turn method, backed by ASTM F1387 performance qualification. If you already work with another brand, the make-up and gauging steps you've learned carry over without adjustment.
| What the demonstration shows | Standard or basis |
|---|---|
| 1-1/4-turn pull-up make-up (fittings) | ASTM F1387 performance qualification |
| Gap-gauge no-go inspection | Standard tube-fitting make-up verification |
| Imperial and metric sizes, up to 2" (50 mm) OD | Standard OD tables; customizable to requirement |
| Valve setup and leak test | ASME B16.34 / API 598 |
Swagelok® is a trademark of Swagelok Company, and Parker A-Lok® / CPI™ belong to Parker Hannifin. Crestflo has no affiliation with either, and no authorization or endorsement from them.
If you currently run Parker A-Lok®, CPI™, Yor-Lok, or another twin-ferrule brand, the same 1-1/4-turn make-up still applies. The method transfers as-is. Part equivalence lives on the cross-reference pages: the Parker A-Lok cross-reference, the Parker CPI cross-reference, and the master tube fitting interchange chart.
Need to match a part you already use? Request your Swagelok® interchange cross-reference, or start a tube fitting cross-reference with our engineering team. And if mixing hardware between brands has crossed your mind, read up on the risks of mixing fitting brands first.
Standards & Proof: ASTM F1387, Testing & Traceability
Crestflo compression tube fittings meet ASTM F1387, the performance standard for mechanically attached fittings, which sets the rules for dimensional interchange as well as make-up and gauging behavior. To back this up, the fittings go through pull-out testing, hydraulic proof, burst and impulse, vibration and flexure fatigue, and thermal cycling. Instrumentation valves and manifolds follow a different path: they're built and tested to ASME B16.34 and the relevant API series, not F1387, since F1387 governs compression fittings specifically. Every part carries a heat-number mark for full traceability. EN 10204 3.1 material test certificates come standard, and 3.2 is available on request. Crestflo holds ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 certification, along with PED.
Learn more about ASTM F1387 performance qualification and about material test certificates and heat-number traceability.
Written Guides, Training & How to Order
Video is one way in, but the definitive step-by-step lives in the written guides. Read the full written ferrule installation and gauging procedure for size-by-size pull-up detail. Enroll in the tube fitting installation training program for structured instruction, and pull the instrumentation catalog for reference. Datasheets and CAD are available to customers on request. To match tube OD and wall, see choosing tube OD and wall thickness; for size systems, check metric vs imperial tube fittings. Crestflo maintains all of these as living resources for anyone installing or specifying tube fittings.
| Attribute | Options |
|---|---|
| Products demonstrated | Tube fittings, single & double ferrules, needle & ball valves, manifolds |
| Method shown | Bottom, finger-tight, mark, 1-1/4-turn pull-up, gap-gauge check |
| Size range | Up to 2" (50 mm) OD; imperial and metric |
| Materials | 316/316L, 904L, Duplex 2205, Super Duplex 2507, 254 SMO, AL-6XN, Alloy 20, Inconel, Incoloy, Monel, Hastelloy, Titanium Gr2 |
| Standards | Fittings to ASTM F1387; valves to ASME B16.34 / API; NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 materials |
| Traceability | Heat-number marked; EN 10204 3.1 MTC standard, 3.2 on request |
Availability: standard items ship from stock; specials are made to order, running 6–8 weeks for delivery. Origin: Indian origin, with US or European melt available on request and full material traceability behind it.
After you watch, move on to the next parts: request a quote, request a free sample, or talk to a Crestflo engineer.
Why Crestflo for Instrumentation Installation
Crestflo is the instrumentation division of a four-decade-old export house recognized by the Government of India, with an established Middle-East delivery track record. Engineering and quality depth sit behind a focused, US-serving instrumentation brand. The demonstrations show the manufacturer's own qualified method, not a reseller's: fittings qualified to ASTM F1387, single and double-ferrule designs with hardened and non-hardened ferrules to requirement, imperial and metric sizing up to 2" OD, and heat-number traceability with an MTC on every part. US buyers get engineered drop-in replacement, small MOQ and private-label options, and a lead time of 6-8 weeks. We Engineer Confidence.
Talk to us: sales@crestflousa.com · +1 346 594 9005 (Houston, TX).
Frequently Asked Questions: Tube Fitting & Valve Installation Videos
How do you install a Crestflo tube fitting?
Bottom the tube fully in the fitting body, finger-tighten the nut, then scribe a witness mark. Pull up 1-1/4 turns past finger-tight for 1/4" (6 mm) tube and larger; for 3/16" (5 mm) and smaller, 3/4 turn is enough. The ferrules swage onto the tube's outside diameter, gripping it and sealing the joint. Check the step table above, and the full written procedure, for details.
Is there a torque spec instead of turns?
No. Crestflo compression fittings get made up by counted turns of the nut from finger-tight, not to a torque value. Counted turns give a repeatable ferrule advance no matter the thread friction, so grip and seal stay consistent from joint to joint. That's the ASTM F1387-qualified method.
How do I know the fitting is tight enough?
Use a gap inspection gauge after pull-up. This is a no-go check on the gap between the nut and body: if the gauge won't enter, pull-up is sufficient and the joint passes. If it does enter, tighten further and re-gauge. The gauge is meant for initial installation, not remakes.
Can I re-make (reassemble) a tube fitting?
Yes. Once you swage the ferrules, they stay on the tube for good, so you're reusing that same tube-and-ferrule assembly. To remake it, reinsert the assembly and thread the nut down to the position you marked earlier, where you'll feel the ferrules re-seat, then give it a slight extra turn to snug it. No gap gauge on remakes.
Do Crestflo fittings install the same way as Swagelok®?
Yes, they're dimensional-interchange and install by the same 1-1/4-turn method, backed by ASTM F1387. Swagelok® is a trademark of Swagelok Company; Crestflo isn't affiliated with or endorsed by it. Want matching parts? Ask our engineering team for your Swagelok® cross-reference.
How do I install a needle or ball valve?
Make up the valve to its end connection: use the counted-turn tube-fitting method for tube ends, or get correct thread engagement for NPT and BSP ends. Then panel-mount it and adjust the packing according to the valve's product documentation. Every Crestflo instrumentation valve is built and tested to ASME B16.34 and the applicable API standards.
What sizes and materials do the videos apply to?
Up to 2" (50 mm) OD, imperial and metric, in 316/316L, 904L, duplex and super-duplex, 254 SMO, AL-6XN, Alloy 20, nickel alloys, and Titanium Grade 2, available in single or double-ferrule, hardened or non-hardened designs. Harder alloy tube usually needs a hardened ferrule.
Where is the written step-by-step, not just video?
In the ferrule installation and gauging guide, the one holding the size-by-size pull-up detail, and in the downloadable catalog. The step tables here work as the transcript-level companions to each demonstration.
Do you offer installer training?
Yes, the training program offers structured tube-fitting installation training that goes beyond the demonstrations. It's built for teams that want hands-on instruction and consistent make-up quality across a crew.
Can I mix Crestflo ferrules with another brand's body?
Not recommended. Fit and seal both depend on matched ferrule and body geometry, so mixing brands can compromise the joint. Check the guidance on mixing fitting brands, and instead request a cross-reference to move the whole part over.
Related Guides & Resources
- Full written ferrule installation & gauging procedure
- Tube fitting installation training program
- Why a tube fitting leaks after install
- Single vs double ferrule explained · hardened vs non-hardened ferrules
- Choosing tube OD and wall thickness · metric vs imperial tube fittings
- ASTM F1387 performance qualification · US origin & TAA compliance
- All instrumentation resources · stainless & alloy tube fittings