Finally setting up my "brewery" -- some questions though

so i live in an apartment in new york, so i'm a little tight on room (and very envious of those with patios, porches, garages, yard, brew huts, etc).

Anyway, I just finished my heatstick, got 10 gallon pot, drilled some holes, attached a spigot, bazooka tube, sight glass and thermo, but I have some minor questions, and being you guys are usually full of decent advice, here goes.

1. when i was drilling the holes i went a little too fast and saw smoke a few times. i was using spray pam as my lube (sadly no way to use water; was doing this in the "office") and it smelled like burning pam (you know college cafeterias). i take it this isn't going to harm the pot (other than making it a little hard to drill).

2. i've got slow leaks. i've got rubber gaskets (weldless sight glass and conversion kit from bargain fittings), but there is still decent dripping. should i use some teflon tape around the threads? how much? ok to use inside the kettle or just on the outside?

3. i've got about 1 1/2 gallons of water left over in the kettle after it drained. this is the lowest i could get the spigot. i take it to get any more out i'm gonna need some sort of pick-up tube? to compensate until i make that, should i (using beersmith), say that i've 1.5 gallons lost due to trub?

now i just gotta finish my stir plate and i'll be in business!

thanks everyone!

I am re-ordering your questions to make a point...

tkone said:

1. when i was drilling the holes i went a little too fast and saw smoke a few times. i was using spray pam as my lube (sadly no way to use water; was doing this in the "office") and it smelled like burning pam (you know college cafeterias). i take it this isn't going to harm the pot (other than making it a little hard to drill).

Click to expand...

The pot should be fine.

tkone said:

3. i've got about 1 1/2 gallons of water left over in the kettle after it drained. this is the lowest i could get the spigot. i take it to get any more out i'm gonna need some sort of pick-up tube? to compensate until i make that, should i (using beersmith), say that i've 1.5 gallons lost due to trub?

Click to expand...

That's quite a lot of lost wort! I would add a pick-up of some sort or you'll be brewing 6.5 gallon batches just to get 5 gallons in the carboy.

tkone said:

2. i've got slow leaks. i've got rubber gaskets (weldless sight glass and conversion kit from bargain fittings), but there is still decent dripping. should i use some teflon tape around the threads? how much? ok to use inside the kettle or just on the outside?

Click to expand...

How much leaks out? If it's just a trickle I would not worry. If you are willing to leave 6 quarts of wort in your kettle's deadspace, do you really need to attack a slow leak around the fittings?

i'm already looking how to fabricate a dip tube -- 1 1/2 gallons is a lot to leave behind, both in terms of wort and money.

it's a decent drip. i would say i probably lost maybe over a 1/2 cup in 15 minutes.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to put the teflon tape on there.

I think the stuff is rated for temps up to like 500 degrees, so there shouldn't be any issues with using it anywhere you want to use it.

awesome. thanks for the info. and as far as a dip tube goes just realized i had a 1/2 stainless elbow. that and a chore boy and forget about the bazooka. i should have maybe a cup of wort left in the pot after draining this way.

hooray beer!