Another source for B3 stainless QD's?

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I have been looking for a supplier that can get me these disconnects in SS at a decent price. I did locate a supplier that had the threaded versions cheap, but they are also back ordered for a long time. I can not promise anything, but I will do everything I can to get you guys some SS disconnects at a reasonable price.

Ed
 
I have placed quite a few orders with B3. I have only had two problems. One order was shipped to my house when my family advised it to be shipped to their house. I got to see all my x-mas gifts early. No real biggie. Another order came with a broken kettle lid. they shipped a new one that day.

Although some feel that this out of stock issue is a deal breaker I believe that with today's current economic condition it is very difficult to hold excess inventory in a company. It seems like they need to change the way they manage inventory but I like their products and I have not felt "screwed" yet so I will keep buying from them when needed.

Also, let's face it people. We are dealing with a company full of drunks. ;) What do you expect?

Just my experiences though...
 
F#$(!*!#*#

This sucks! I've purchased the other half of the disconnects just because I know if I wait, they'll probably be sold out by the time the others come in. Sheesh.

Is there a waiting list we can get on? Anyone know?

Kal
 
Well, I don't know why they have to be SS. The brass QD's at McM-C are relatively cheap (~$11.50 per set, shipped). Unless you're worried about aesthetics, brass will do. If you're paranoid about possible trace surface lead, just give them a quick bath in hydro peroxide and vinegar. See JP's How to Brew for a full how-to.
 
I don't like the extra work around connecting/disconnecting tri-clover fittings. Sanitation is quicker/easier/more reliable due to the design, but I certainly won't be doing any sort of crazy sanitation with my QD's so it's a lost feature on me. Breweries use tri-clover because they need the large pipe diameter and the 100% sanitation guarantee (no groves or other places that nasties can hide). The extra work to them is not an issue. The people there work 8+ hours/day making beer.

I like the quick one-handed snap-in/snap-out of the QD's. But that's just my preference. I know some people have gotten really good at doing tri-clover's one handed reasonably quickly.

I do like the like of tri-clovers a lot better however. I'll give you that.

My SS March pumps are already here too... if I was to go with clover fittings I should have spent the extra few bucks for the clover fittings. ;)
7115.jpg


Kal
 
Yeah, I messed with Dude's tri-clovers at the first CVBD, and while they're cool to look at, it seems like way too much of a PITA (and way too much $$) to me.
 
Evan! said:
Yeah, I messed with Dude's tri-clovers at the first CVBD, and while they're cool to look at, it seems like way too much of a PITA (and way too much $$) to me.
Click to expand...

hmmm..... that's good to hear. Generally the only people who have responded about Tri-clamps were people who had them and loved them, or those who had never used them.
 
I'm of the opinion that there's way too much stuff out there that will really help make the process better, more streamlined, easier, more consistent, and possibly produce better beer...and given my lack of unlimited funds, I will not spend $$ on something that doesn't do any of those things. Tri-clovers are one of the things that simply don't benefit me in any way.
 
Not to stir the pot of stink up more than it already has been stirred, I live within 20 miles of B3 so no shipping costs only a little road trip. (they don't let me out of my cage enough). Around 3 weeks ago I went with a friend to show him the B3 store plus he drove. He purchased two male/female SS QD's right on the spot. Two hours before this purchase we both did the lookie lookie drooling over shiny equipmentthing then only 45 seconds total time for the ss QD's find and purchase.
I second or tenth the replies about this no way to run a business especially with trying to get respect from customers that will later become loyal repeat customers. Expanding a business is one thing, to lie and not give you a straight up delivery date is bad business practice. I can not blame other members with moving on to other brewing equipment suppliers. I will do the same thing even if it's out of state, hell the added shipping is a wash vs the sales tax. We just got it increased by 1% more and it is at 8.75% already.
Someone dropped the ball on this one as the manufactures have high production machines already set up to do these run of parts. If I were that machine shop I would have that ss rod stock on order and feeding the machines ASAP. I have worked in parts production machine shops in my past life. Best comes to those that wait, hang in there.
 
I know SS is the "cool" thing... but $8 for a pair of brass QDs at McMaster Carr is pretty hard to pass up.
 
Yeah after getting screwed on those QD's I doubt i'll ever be ordering from them again.

The brass are nice and cheap but I just can't get past the surface lead part. I mean yeah i'm sure it's small amounts but damn I drink a good bit of beer. I don't want to be getting coloring books for my 40th b-day.
 
jcdillin said:
Yeah after getting screwed on those QD's I doubt i'll ever be ordering from them again.

The brass are nice and cheap but I just can't get past the surface lead part. I mean yeah i'm sure it's small amounts but damn I drink a good bit of beer. I don't want to be getting coloring books for my 40th b-day.
Click to expand...

Um, just pickle them...
 
kal said:
I don't like the extra work around connecting/disconnecting tri-clover fittings. Sanitation is quicker/easier/more reliable due to the design, but I certainly won't be doing any sort of crazy sanitation with my QD's so it's a lost feature on me. Breweries use tri-clover because they need the large pipe diameter and the 100% sanitation guarantee (no groves or other places that nasties can hide). The extra work to them is not an issue. The people there work 8+ hours/day making beer.

I like the quick one-handed snap-in/snap-out of the QD's. But that's just my preference. I know some people have gotten really good at doing tri-clover's one handed reasonably quickly.

I do like the like of tri-clovers a lot better however. I'll give you that.

My SS March pumps are already here too... if I was to go with clover fittings I should have spent the extra few bucks for the clover fittings. ;)
7115.jpg


Kal
Click to expand...

I love the tri clovers also but I only have them after the boil. SS QD are used throughout prior.
 
Is B3 economically healthy? It seems like they do not have inventory on way more things than usual. Just a naging feeling like they are selling off inventory. Or maybe their suppliers are going belly up on them.
 
jcdillin said:
Yeah after getting screwed on those QD's I doubt i'll ever be ordering from them again.

The brass are nice and cheap but I just can't get past the surface lead part. I mean yeah i'm sure it's small amounts but damn I drink a good bit of beer. I don't want to be getting coloring books for my 40th b-day.
Click to expand...

From How to Brew:

Cleaning Brass
Some brewers use brass fittings in conjunction with their wort chillers or other brewing equipment and are concerned about the lead that is present in brass alloys. A solution of two parts white vinegar to one part hydrogen peroxide (common 3% solution) will remove tarnish and surface lead from brass parts when they are soaked for 5 minutes or less at room temperature. The brass will turn a buttery yellow color as it is cleaned. If the solution starts to turn green and the brass darkens, then the parts have been soaking too long and the copper in the brass is beginning to dissolve, exposing more lead. The solution has become contaminated and the part should be re-cleaned in a fresh solution.
Click to expand...
 
I am not going to specualte on thier current stability, but these sorts of practices could defiantely cause financial health problems with them if they persist.

The HB community is pretty close, word travels fast.
 
Aluminum pots cause Alzheimers too...

Do you smoke?
Drink? (obviously)
Eat red meat?
Spend much time in the sun?
Drive a car?

You have a lot more to worry about, but you don't.
 
The Pol said:
Aluminum pots cause Alzheimers too...

Do you smoke?
Drink? (obviously)
Eat red meat?
Spend much time in the sun?
Drive a car?

You have a lot more to worry about, but you don't.
Click to expand...

Hence why I don't use any aluminum for anything food related at home. Only stainless or cast iron.

Nope
I would hope so or i'm in the wrong forums :cross:
I don't eat that crap that comes from feedlots only grassfed just like humans have been eating since we could kill it
Haha I wish, only sun I see is the florescent kind :)
Actually I prefer to walk and ride my bike whenever I have a chance.


So ayes I do worry about it and take every chance I can to reduce my families and I exposure to that stuff.
 
jcdillin said:
Oh yeah I have read it many times, but i'm still not convinced that it's a cure all.
Click to expand...

Hey, you do what you want, but there are plenty of things out there that are going to kill you first. And I'd like to think that if brass fittings were causing health problems, we'd have heard something about it by now. But, eh, to each his own.
 
Stainless is used in industry due to it's strength and the fact that it's easily sanitized with caustic cleaners (brass isn't as resilient). For home use it's probably not a big deal but I'm going 100% stainless anyway.

Kal
 
I ended up ordering the female SS QD's with the 1/2" male NPT threading on them and then simply adding a 1/2" female NPT to 1/2" barb fitting on them. Given the recent price increase of fittings we're talking about here, it only works out to $2-3 more per QD set and then you get more to grab on to to as well.

Just a heads up. No need to wait if you don't mind spending the extra $2-3 per QD set and want to order stainless QD's from B3. Still much cheaper than anywhere else for stainless QD's.

Kal
 
Actually, those QD's should be coming down in price. Those were our first orders and we had no idea what the demand would be. As for lying to customers, the date got pushed back from the manufacturer - that is not something that we can control. Sometimes it seems like people think we are just out to screw everyone over that we can. We try hard, sometimes things get out of control and we do our best to remedy the situation. I'm sorry if anyone feels slighted, that is something we never shoot for. And yes, we are fine financially, I'll just put that rumor to rest before it gets too far. But just because we are, does not mean that our suppliers are. Everyone is limiting stock these days, so our lead times have been blown away as we wait and wait for certain things to arrive to fill orders. It stinks for sure, but hey, we are always implementing new processes to better communication between phone staff, the web, and our customers.
 
Great to hear from you Jason!

I don't feel like you guys are out to get anyone. That doesn't make any sense. I think you guys have a great website and a great selection of products. It is understandable that being a growing company in a time when your suppliers may be contracting must be difficult. I will continue to purchase things from you as I always have because your response to me has always been good.

On the other side, I can understand some people's frustration with your lead times and inventory system. I am glad to hear you are updating the system to be real time and hope that remedies all these problems.

I can imagine your demand for these QD's is huge. You are the only ones selling them anywhere near to affordable.
 
Oh don;t get me wrong - I 100% feel the pain we cause at times. I love getting new things in stock and I hate it when we are out of things. I put up all the items for the Deal of the Day, and it bugs me not to be able to put up some really cool stuff.

Thanks for the positive note, it's good to hear that we do something right :) I just heard our bottled beer supplier is the latest one to be reducing their inventory on hand. Man, no more Orval on hand ...

Honestly, we never thought people would buy 20 at a time, so we projected having them in hand for awhile longer. They were slow to take off, and then suddenly there was a run on them, which jacked us even more. Oh well, they are on order now, anyway.
 

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