Oops...

Hey all. I have been in the process of changing over to electric. Marcus is building my control panel for me and I've been preparing all of the keggles. Well, today I had one more hole to punch in my HLT for a "water in" ball valve. It is about 2" from the top of the keggle. I had a hard time with my step bit and it took quite a while to get the pilot hole drilled into the pot. I was a bit flummoxed by the problem with the drill bit drunk, and grabbed the wrong greenlee punch. I grabbed the 1-1/4" instead of the 13/16"... So, needless to say, I now have a large hole in the upper portion of my HLT. Here's the question: Does anybody have a solution for plugging that hole in a weldless format? I saw this on Grainger http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/Cap-1LRX8?Pid=search and thought I could find some 1" or 1-1/4" pipe (do they make a 1" or 1-1/4" close pipe nipples?) and I already have the silicone gaskets that I purchased for the heating elements (which were 1-3/16" ID), so I would have to get another stainless nut, which was 1" for the heating elements. Are my sizes all out of wack here...? I'm thinking that since my punch makes 1-1/4" holes, and the element is 1" NPT, that I might only need to get the 1" stuff and not the 1-1/4"?
Sorry for rambling, but I feel like I'm in a pickle here.

Silver Solder some SS washers on there to plug the hole?

flatten out what you punched out, have it welded back in... perfect size, near the top of the kettle so waaay easier than the bottom of the keg

Except I used a greenlee punch and it has a 1/2" pilot hole drilled in it. A friend suggested a 1" or 1-1/4" threaded ss bolt and a couple of washers with a nut. I can use one of my silicone gaskets if needed.

I am not understanding, you want a 13/16 hole, you have a 1-1/4 and the piece of metal that came out of it has a a 1/2" hole. Have the stainless plug welded back in, punch to 13/16, or grind or step bit back out to 13/16... Me thinks you are overcomplicating it

In order to punch the accidental 1-1/4" hole out, I had to drill a 1/2" pilot hole with the step bit. The piece of metal is bent all to hell from the punch. I already punched a 13/16" hole somewhere else at the top of the keggle. So, I am left with a 1-1/4" hole in the top of my keggle to plug. Plus, I know not a single welder, except for my Dad who is 450 mi. away (and had just been here for a visit two days before the accidental punching...).

Plug, Washer, Kettle Wall, O-ring (if you can find silicon use it),lock ring, done.

get one of these until you can have it welded up.. http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/SHAW-PLUGS-Mechanical-Expansion-Plug-6VFN2

Got it taken care of at the Hardware for $3.47:rockin:

Sweet deal, what did you use?

The hardware guy just picked out a 1-1/2" long ss bolt that had a rounded head that was slightly larger than the hole was (1-1/2"?), a couple of stainless washers (one on the inside and one on the outside) that were much larger than the hole is, some rubber washers (same size as the ss ones), and a stainless nut for on the inside.