Newest Threads

its02003 · 08-21-2008, 12:58 AM

Testing the waters to see if anyone is interested in a sight glass.

I am going to try and build my own for my setup and McMaster gives pretty good bulk discounts on items.

I don't mind putting them together, as long as people are willing to pay for the materials and shipping....the savings with the bulk purchasing will be enough to me.

If you think you might be interested, PM me and I will get a price sheet together.

its02003 · 08-21-2008, 06:54 PM

Here is a price list with links/part numbers (some are bulk pricing, some are subject to bulk discounts I haven't solidified with suppliers yet):

1 x 1/2" NPT Stainless Nipple: Here is $1.72 per

1 x 1/2" NPT Stainless Female Tee: Here is $3.68 per

1 x 1/2" NPT Stainless Coupling: Here is $2.76 per

McMaster Parts:

1 x 5220K78 1/2" NPT - 1/2"" tubing compression fitting (Brass) $3.14 (Volume)

8585K12 per foot is $1.17, this will depend on the vessel I am making the sight glass for

9396K286 are o rings that will be divided up into each order and a surcharge applied for each.... $.50 cents per o-ring will probably be it at an average of 4 per order.

Parts I need help with:

Stainless Eye-bolts (McMaster is just plain too 'spensive for these)
1/4" tubing - 1/2" NPT compression fitting

So, without those two, I see the total coming to about 20 bucks plus shipping (2-3 bucks per glass) which still puts the total at less than the one that Williams is selling. I plan on taking constructive criticism, suggestions, and sites where some of these things can be found cheaper.

Other parts will be added on a case-by-case basis and I am still trying to figure them out. If you want a sight glass with no tee at the joint, it will all be less expensive, but I am trying to work out a good/cheap choice for a brass compression fitting that allows a thermometer to be fit into the open end of the tee. The inspiration behind this whole thing is coming from Here.

CrookedChris · 08-21-2008, 08:39 PM

Looks good but that tube's only good to 200 deg F. Fine for a HLT but no good for the kettle. 3723K15 is glass but a whopping $8.65 for 16" when bought in volume (the Williams glass is 15"). Could also eliminate the coupler if you know someone who can weld the nipple to the HLT/kettle.

I think the whole thing could be done for cheaper if you go with smaller fittings. The Williams part says to drill a 3/8" hole for the nipple which implies 1/8" NPT fittings or smaller.

jds · 08-21-2008, 09:39 PM

Just FYI, here's a location for Pyrex tubing in 48" lengths. Minimum order is $50, so you'd need to find some people to go in with.

http://www.quartz.com/pyrex.html

its02003 · 08-22-2008, 12:39 AM

Awesome, there we have our supply for the pyrex.

Now I need cooperation from people to request them so I can get these bulk discounts.

RiverSwillBeer · 08-22-2008, 12:44 AM

Id be interested if I knew about what it would look like and about how much money we're talking.

its02003 · 08-22-2008, 12:50 AM

Check my post above.

It lays out the cost and gives a link to the williamsbrewing website. The one it links to is pretty much a carbon copy of what I am making.

I am still looking for an inexpensive source for SS Eye bolts to stabilize the glass too.

Since we are apparently going to turn the path towards pyrex, I am going to work on some sort of shrouding for the tube to protect it from breaking.

**Bobby_M** · 08-22-2008, 01:26 AM

I sold quite a few kits using pyrex and it's much more likely that you're going to break them than not. I know a couple people still using them without a shroud but I bet the numbers are systematically dwindling. A cheap and easy shroud, if you're using both stainless eyebolt and compression fitting is to have some small profile stainless bars tack welded on each side of the glass spanned between the compression nut and eyebolt. Probably not DIY for most. I made one using a slotted sanke dip tube, but that was also a PITA.

If you're still want the pyrex, keep in mind that cutting the tubing is pretty easy in that you have to scribe it with a tubing cutter and snap it but you also have to flame polish the end to keep it from nicking and cracking. I'd find a supplier that will make the cuts and do the polishing. It will be about $7 per glass for a quality piece.

its02003 · 08-26-2008, 12:35 AM

I have done the math out and figured that I will use slightly smaller fittings since a sight glass doesn't really need to have a huge capacity anyways.

I plan on using 1/4" fittings and a 3/8" tube.

I am ordering the parts tonight and hope to have them for the weekend so I can put some prototypes together.

This is a completely weldless design. As of right now, each item will come with a SS tee at the bottom and a plug at the end of the tee. If you want a compression fitting instead so you can use a stem thermometer, PM me and I will put the correct size in there and adjust the cost a few bucks. The sight glass will be plastic. Here is where majority will rule. Since I have reduced the size of the fittings by so much, the sightglass material is open to change. I have narrowed it down to two choices.

#1: 3/8" OD Poly Tubing with 1/16" walls which gives the inner part of the sight glass 1/4" to fill up with.

#2: 3/8" OD Poly Tubing with 1/8" walls which will give the liquid 1/8" of space to fill up but will be MUCH thicker.

The tubing should be fine (even though it is listed as 200 degree stuff) in a boil kettle since the wort in the tubing will not be boiling...it will be away from all of that.

I plan on placing an order for both tubes when I place the order tonight and boiling each one when I have them to see how well they hold up to the abuse....(If anyone has done this and knows the result...please chime in and save me the hassle.)

As it stands, each one should run about $18 plus shipping (I will choose the cheapest method to get it to you unless otherwise specified.) That price will be subject to adjustment depending on the "options" you choose to include.

Again, I plan to order these supplies tonight and have some prototypes built for the weekend. I am just going to wait a little while for people to respond to this thread and give some ideas.

CrookedChris · 08-26-2008, 01:21 PM

Sounds great. Good point about the 200 deg F limit being fine given the location of the sight tube outside of the boil. I'm stoked to see the prototypes. I'll probably get two if they look good.