50 foot 1/2 inch SS coil

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Bobby_M said:
I have a similar bender and I get buckling with .028, nevermind .020. It's a 3" radius mandrel. What's your secret?
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No secret really. What bender are you using? If it's not the bender you're using it could be the tubing manufacturer. Sometimes the tube itself is just not as rigid or made as well as others. I've had problems threading sch80 smls SS pipe which you would think would be easier than because of the heavy wall thickness but the threads would just chip or chunk out. Tried a different brand...no problems. Welded and seamless may make a difference to. Possibly where the weld is located when you're bending it.
 
StainlessBrewing said:
If it's not the bender you're using it could be the tubing manufacturer.
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so just to be clear though, you have actually used the bender on the 304 .020 stainless tubing from grainger that people have been buying (referenced through out the thread). Sounds like Bobby is saying he has tried it with little success (albeit with a different bender and different tubing).
 
Just wanted to say thanks to V Twin. I built your jig and it worked great. Recoiled my stainless steel coil to fit my keggle.

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CidahMastah said:
so just to be clear though, you have actually used the bender on the 304 .020 stainless tubing from grainger that people have been buying (referenced through out the thread). Sounds like Bobby is saying he has tried it with little success (albeit with a different bender and different tubing).
Click to expand...

That's correct. I would bend a piece if I had one in stock but it's not as common and more expensive because of that. .035 is standard. It also depends if you're bending straight or coiled tubing (beverage line) which is typically softer for bending applications without kinking. A picture below shows the most prone spot that I can imagine where the kink might occur. A small indent in the tube is common but has never been as far as kinking or collapsing. After that circled spot, there really is no room for the tube to do anything other than stretch because of the dies. This is all just from experience with what I've had.
img0678wm.jpg

By zjosey at 2012-04-20
 
StainlessBrewing said:
That's correct. I would bend a piece if I had one in stock but it's not as common and more expensive because of that. .035 is standard. It also depends if you're bending straight or coiled tubing (beverage line) which is typically softer for bending applications without kinking. A picture below shows the most prone spot that I can imagine where the kink might occur. A small indent in the tube is common but has never been as far as kinking or collapsing. After that circled spot, there really is no room for the tube to do anything other than stretch because of the dies. This is all just from experience with what I've had.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. You say the .035 is more common and less expensive - I haven't seen roles of .035 for less than .020. I of course am referring to coiled tubing.
 
going to attempt to install my 25ft herms coil today. it is 304 stainless steel from nybrewsupply that was coiled to approximately 10 inches in diameter. should i install the coil with the zip ties on or should i remove the zip ties and all the coil to expand before i start drilling hoes? I'm not sure if once the coil is installed with zip ties and then i cut them off if the fittings are strong enough to keep the coil in place or if the coil would expand. I'm worried about expansion as i don't want the coil to put pressure on my heating element.. i did remove the zip ties to see what would happen and the coil almost doubled in height then i immediately zip tied it back together. E-Herms build. any help would be appreciated. thanks all :mug:
 
You'll be fine to cut them now. It will expand very little. Do you have couplers welded or are you going weldless?


S-
 
weldless. compression fitting to 90 elbow to bulkhead. when i previously undid the zip ties it almost doubled in height. anyway to compress it? put a few weights on the top?
 
mine looks like that when its zip tied. when unzipped it looks like about an inch of space between each of the coils. how do i get mine like that?
 
Oh. There isn't a way to compress it after it has been rolled. The compression fittings will hold it though.
 
Compress the coils with some bailing or tie wire or something that can stand high heat and toss it in the oven at high broil, cleaning cycle, or campfire out back...something with really high heat but try not to turn it black if you do direct flame. [/QUOTE]

Fair warning, stainless steel loses its stainless properties if it gets too hot. I know this is an issue when welding, but I don't know at what temperature it becomes a problem. I'd guess, though, that any heat high enough to anneal it would likely be hot enough to ruin it.
 
DoctorMemory said:
Fair warning, stainless steel loses its stainless properties if it gets too hot. I know this is an issue when welding, but I don't know at what temperature it becomes a problem. I'd guess, though, that any heat high enough to anneal it would likely be hot enough to ruin it.
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You're right but I think your'e talking REALLY hot. Here's a great video that talks about what the heat will do to it at 1:20 and what welding and getting it too hot does to it at 5:35.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hello,

I am following the guide V-Twin created and made myself a jig to coil my stainless steel. So far I have had moderate success. I have coiled down the diameter 2-3 inches so far, but I can't get it smaller.

The issue is I can't seem to find the right balance between too tight (where I can't move the coil through) or too loose (coil moves through without going tighter).

I have noticed that the nylon locknut grates against the middle pulley when I have everything tightened down, anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent that?

My only other thought is that my pulleys are maybe too deep? They are the 1/2" rope pulleys suggested in the guide. I have spent a couple of nights thinking about this, it has become an obsession. So far the coil is in good shape so I haven't totally effed it up yet.

Thanks for any assistance.

-Matt
 
My coil is a little less than fifty feet without zip ties it is taller than the keggle by quite a bit and if I take off the zip ties even connected to the compression fittings the side thats not connected to anything will "boing!" bow way out.

I am trying to find a local source for stainless steel wire to replace the zip ties.
 
MattR said:
Hello,

I am following the guide V-Twin created and made myself a jig to coil my stainless steel. So far I have had moderate success. I have coiled down the diameter 2-3 inches so far, but I can't get it smaller.

The issue is I can't seem to find the right balance between too tight (where I can't move the coil through) or too loose (coil moves through without going tighter).

I have noticed that the nylon locknut grates against the middle pulley when I have everything tightened down, anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent that?

My only other thought is that my pulleys are maybe too deep? They are the 1/2" rope pulleys suggested in the guide. I have spent a couple of nights thinking about this, it has become an obsession. So far the coil is in good shape so I haven't totally effed it up yet.

Thanks for any assistance.

-Matt
Click to expand...

The double nuts should prevent the nylon locknut from hitting the pulley. Reset and then retightem the double nuts.

Finding that sweets pot between too tight and too loose is tough. Also double check that all pulleys are on the same plane as if one is even slightly out of line make the whole operation of getting the coil through difficult.

Finally I found that it shrunk slowly at first but then it only took me a couple of passes to get to my 15.5" diameter target once I got past those first few inches of shrinkage.

Good luck..
 
I have done this with a v twin inspired coiler i made. I wish stainless brewing was around before i put everything together. spend the few extra bucks and save yourself a ton of hassle. that said i have done done any business with stainless brewing yet.
 
adivito said:
I have done this with a v twin inspired coiler i made. I wish stainless brewing was around before i put everything together. spend the few extra bucks and save yourself a ton of hassle. that said i have done done any business with stainless brewing yet.
Click to expand...

Tell ya at those price and qualty I am thinking up a couple projects like this..

just get a 10" and a 12" 50' coil from SB and make it with only two pipes in place of the four. That is dutchovens DIY chiller

IMAG0395.jpg
 

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