non-copper wort chiller
 

I know copper is prefered for wort chillers. Is there something i can use to substitute that isn't as costly without putting a batch at risk?

well.. copper is preferred because it draws out the heat best.. if you can find a cheaper heat-cunductable metal, go for it.. but copper is the best out there..

How about I sell you my old one really cheap? You're not going to find aluminum or stainless tubing for less than copper as far as I know. If you're interested, let me know your town/zip and I'll quote you a price.

Copper also has anti-bacterial properties that make it safer to shoot beer through than other metals. SO it's not just better for temperature reasons, it is safer.

If you were hoping to use something cheap like PVC, plastics won't work at all.

You don't need all the wter to make your wort. You can make your wort with half the needed water. All you have to do is freeze the other half and add it to your wort when hot it will cool it much faster then copper and it is viritually free.

Adrian is right assuming you are still brewing on malt extract. Since I know you have a converted keg kettle, it sounds like you're trying to progress to all grain (AG) at which time doing a partial boil is impossible.

Note; make sure you sanitize whatever sealed container you freeze your water in if you try the ice addition trick.

would only boiling half and then adding the water from the freezer after have any effect on the outcome of the beer? Seems like all the flavors wouldn't mesh as well. I might be thinking about it in an odd way.

Many people brew this way. You have to adjust the bittering to compensate for the higher gravity of the boil, but it works.

You could do it and as David said, you'll have to increase the hops to compensate, but if you've made the jump to a keggle, why chince on the important things. Yes, the copper will probably run you about $40 or $50 depending on what you want to build, but it's the best material to use and you will be much happier with it. I'd skip brewing a batch or two and put that money towards the copper. If you know anyone in construction, you could always ask them to keep a lookout for you. My neighbor got me 50 feet of 3/8 copper and it cost me a case of beer and a Saturday to wire up his basement. Where there's a will, there's a beer.