DIY 1/2 inch wort chiller questions

[josh250]

Hello everyone. I am trying to build a wort chiller based off of this turtorial on youtube.

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I purchased a 35' home made 1/2 " copper wort chiller off of craigslist but it came with no fittings. It seems like the person didnt do too good of a job bending the copper. I plan to stretch out the copper because its not as uniform as id like it to be, then re-coil it around a corny keg. I want to use brass elbows and barbed garden hose fittings to complete the job just like in the video.

Im really confused about the parts list.....

It states that i should use 3/8 elbows....

Are these elbows going to go on the inside of the tubing? That seems a bit odd.

Second The garden hose barb fitting should go over the 1/2" pipe. It lists a 5/8 barb. Is this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-5-8-in-x-3-4-in-Lead-Free-Brass-Barb-x-MGH-Adapter-LFA-491/203468397#specifications the correct one? Im confused because it also says 3/4 in the home depot description.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

I haven't watched the youtube video. For a 1/2 inch coil (assuming this is an immersion chiller) the easiest way is to use silicon hose - it pushes straight on to both ends of the copper tube with no leaks!

If you want fittings for a garden hose, you want a fitting that is 1/2inch compression on one end and 3/4 inch male thread on the other. It looks like this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brass-Co...ing_Agriculture_Equipment&hash=item19ede8ff3b

but should be easy to find at the local hardware store. Hose fittings screw straight on to 3/4 inch male threads (well, they do in Australia.....hopefully yours are the same).

I'd also suggest 'realigning' the coil rather than stretching it out first. Find something cylindrical with about the diameter you want for your coil. Put it inside the coil and work your way around working the copper to the shape of the cylinder. Assuming the copper is soft (annealed) it should conform quite easily.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

If it's coiled already, it will be "work hardened" to a degree.

It will work harden some more when you straighten it.

I wouldn't try to straighten then re-coil it.