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stevea1210 · 02-20-2009, 01:57 AM

I just got a weldless kettle fitting for my 60 qt aluminum pot. I already have the step bits, and know to drill slow and with lubricant. What I'm not sure is how low to drill.

I would prefer to do this without a pick up tube, but don't know what level of dead space it would leave without one.

How low have you guys gone with a pot drilling?

Pete08 · 02-20-2009, 03:22 AM

Go as low as you can, just make sure you have enough vertical wall on the inside for your SS washer. And, actually it is best to drill fast with aluminum, at least with regular bits ( you want to drill with speeds less than 700 rpm with steel). Check out a pneumatic drill designed for AL, they spin at 2,600-6,000 rpm.

**BargainFittings** · 02-20-2009, 01:11 PM

Use a sharpie for marking (alcohol will remove the marks)

To get the fitting all the way to the bottom, put your washer inside the pot and hold it so the washer is close to the bottom and still flat against the wall.

Make a mark inside the bottom of the hole of the washer and then measure from the lip of the pot down to the mark.

Make a mark on the outside of the kettle from the lip down to the same measurement.

This will the be the bottom of the hole for the nipple. Hold the nipple with the mark on the bottom and trace around the nipple to get the hole you will drill.

Mark the center of the hole, use a center punch on the mark, and drill your hole.

stevea1210 · 02-21-2009, 12:32 AM

Thanks guys. great answers. Going to drill it out tomorrow.