Stainless welder in the Boston area?

Just bought a keg to convert into a keggle. Any recommendations on a Boston area (preferably South Shore) stainless welder to weld on a coupler and take care of a couple other stainless welds?

Can't wait to get my new equipment up and running and start AG brewing!

Thanks.




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Why not try Bobby's solder in fittings as an alternative to welding?

shellej said:

Why not try Bobby's solder in fittings as an alternative to welding?

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Haven't heard of them. Is there a link or a thread to check out?

shellej said:

Why not try Bobby's solder in fittings as an alternative to welding?

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I found some info on those fittings. I think I might try them instead of welding. The only down side is that it will be tricky to install a pick-up tube on my ball valve. I had planned on using a longer male couple so that I could add a ball valve on the outside of the keggle and a pickup tube on the inside. Hmm...

Soldering nipples is likely to be a royal pita at best, and a total nightmare of a fail at worst. Instead, dimple the port and solder in a full coupling, then use close nipples to attach a ball valve on the outside and a compression fitting with your dip tube on the inside...

Cheers!

day_trippr said:

Soldering nipples is likely to be a royal pita at best, and a total nightmare of a fail at worst. Instead, dimple the port and solder in a full coupling, then use close nipples to attach a ball valve on the outside and a compression fitting with your dip tube on the inside...

Cheers!

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Thanks for the reply, day_trippr. How could I solder (vs. weld) a full coupling? With my experience soldering I don't see how that would hold. And do you have a link to the compression fitting I could use on the inside?

There is a truly epic sticky thread on silver soldering fittings to kettles and keggles in the DYI forum; here is just one example that shows stellar results.

Basically you drill or punch a slightly undersized hole in the wall, then use a tool to form a "dimpled" circumference in the hole that then barely accepts the coupler. This "dimpled" area provides a well to hold a ring of solder, which provides greater surface contact around the coupler than a "flat" hole provides.

If you poke around that thread you'll find the whole methodology along with which solders, fluxes and fittings have worked out well for others. The results can be inspirational. And I think Bobby_M carries the dip tubes and compression fittings that will fit standard 1/2" SS couplers...

Cheers!

A word of advice is that many sanitary welders refuse to work on kegs unless a client can show a bill of sale from the brewery or leasing company that owned the keg. The sanity welder who welded the coupling into my latest stockpot-based kettle build will not modify a Sanke keg under any circumstance. He does a lot of work for local craft breweries; therefore, he knows about the keg theft problem.

day_trippr said:

There is a truly epic sticky thread on silver soldering fittings to kettles and keggles in the DYI forum; here is just one example that shows stellar results.

Click to expand...

Thanks, day_trippr. I've spent some time over the past couple of days reading through that thread. Crazy long but full of good info.