Stainless Steel 15 gallon pot....should i drill into it for valve?

[fat x nub]

So i finally have my stainless steel 15 gallon pot and now im thinking, "****...im not going to be able to lift this and all the water and dump it into the mash tun." So im thinking about attaching a valve but must say I am a bit nervouse. The pot was very expensive but i want to do it. Is it really as easy as it sounds? Drill a hole in it with a 7/8'' drill bit and stick the valve in and seal it? Im getting the Weld-B-Gone basic conversion kit. Thanks

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

you will want to get a titanium step drill bit and use cutting oil

 

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

you will want to get a titanium step drill bit and use cutting oil

I'm drilling into my new brew kettle next week when it comes in the mail. Is there a certain kind of oil to use that doesn't affect wort or does it all wipe/rinse clean?

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

I'm drilling into my new brew kettle next week when it comes in the mail. Is there a certain kind of oil to use that doesn't affect wort or does it all wipe/rinse clean?

it will all rinse out. You will want to clean the kettle so well to get rid of all the metal shavings and particles that there is no chance of any oil staying behind

 

[fat x nub]

you will want to get a titanium step drill bit and use cutting oil

aight thanks

 

[RockfordWhite]

you could get a welder to put a coupler on it, he probably knows more of what he is doing then you do...

 

[bigben]

I cut a hole in my keg with a 3/4" hole saw and use PAM for oil. Works like a charm.

 

[AnOldUR]

I cut a hole in my keg with a 3/4" hole saw and use PAM for oil. Works like a charm.

Any vegetable oil will work. It will smoke, but only has to lubricate.

+1 on using a ¾” diameter drill. The actual hole needed is around .812, but you might be better off going small in case it grabs or your drill cuts an egg shape or big. Use a Dremel tool with a barrel sander to open it up to the exact size you need.

 

[its02003]

What does everyone recommend for a step bit? I looked on amazon the other day and saw single bits for 25-30 bucks. For that much, I might as well pay someone to do it!

 

[Brew-Happy]

Got to Harbor Freight

Harbor Freight Tools

$16 or less. Seems like a great tool to have on hand anyway.

 

[its02003]

Just ordered the 16 dollar set... thanks for the info!

 

[kmlavoy]

You don't need a step bit though. You can get one of those bits that has a pilot bit, with a saw like circular bit on the outside. I got mine at ACE for, like, $6.

I was freaked about cutting into my pot. I marked my spot with masking tape (it also helps keep the bit in place when you first start), used canola oil, forgot the safety glasses (I got lucky), and it took all of 3 seconds. It was totally no big deal.

Oh, and drill the hole slightly smaller than you need. Take a file and enlarge the hole after cutting to the size you need. It's easy to make the hole slightly bigger. Impossible to make it smaller.

 

[MNBugeater]

If you already bought your step bit I may be a little late on this option.

But here is an alternative.

I found a metal stamping place in my area. They have machines that do this extrememly slick and easy. And with mine anyway, I went in with a 6 pack and said, could you punch a .812 hole in this. "Sure, thing"

They drop it in some fancy machine, stamped out the exact size I hole i requested. Done. Kettles, lids, you name it.

 

[keithd]

Geez, for $25 I got 5 step-bits from Harbor Freight, the biggest can drill a 1-3/8" hole.

And why pay that much for tools when you can pay someone to do it? *ACK*

Out! Out vile demon from the DIY section! It's the Do It Yourself Projects section, isn't it??

I mean, if you don't have some kind of a tool fetish or really enjoy smashing your fingers just to say "I did it! It cost 1.5x as much as just paying for it, but dangit, *I* did it!", then I'm of the feeling that this isn't your most comfortable crowd, eh?
-keith

 

[DanPoch]

I found a metal stamping place in my area. They have machines that do this extrememly slick and easy.

Ah-ha. My wifes cousin owns a shop with a CNC machine. He may be able to drill out a couple on holes in my SS pot.

Thanks for the suggestion

 

[lazybean]

When drilling SS go as slow as you can, high RPM= high heat= broken drill bits.

Since you will be removing the bluck head to clean it, do your self a favor and take the time to clean the edge of the hole. a round file works best but sand paper will do. You dont want a sharp edge cutting you or cutting into your o-ring

 

[leboeuf]

There are other options if you don't want to drill it. You could always siphon out of it or use an aspirator. I have used a siphon hose to handle my wort to fermenter transfer for years.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have an outlet tube on my cooler HLT to drain into the MT. Lately though, I have been using a 1 gal. rubbermaid pitcher to just simply scoop out the sparge water and ladle to the mash tun. I know it sounds crude, but flowing through the tubing seems to take a long time....at least a few minutes, maybe more...with the pitcher, I can transfer a few gallons of sparge water in about fifteen seconds...Denny did it this way...hah.

KISS

 

[Sawdustguy]

What does everyone recommend for a step bit? I looked on amazon the other day and saw single bits for 25-30 bucks. For that much, I might as well pay someone to do it!

Buy a Unibit. Beware of the cheap imitation step drills that dull the first time you use them.

 

[Bobby_M]

For the few times most people will ever buy a step bit, the harbor freight deal can't be beat.

 

[rgray58]

Sorry for the resurrection. I was looking at step bits in HD, Lowes, and Northern Tool and $40 or so was too high. Drove down to my local Harbor Freight and saw the step bits located here.

I hadn't read this particular thread and was real nervous that I would royally screw up the side of my keg with one of these. I even asked a few guys shopping in the store plus an employee and all thought that these "titanium nitrite COATED" (emphasis mine) would probably not work on stainless. But by the looks of this thread, this may not be true. Can anyone verify that these particular bits WILL work on stainless? I was thinking of just going with the lowest cost at $6.99 for a 3/4" hole and widen out as needed with a Dremel. Thanks.

 

[Catt22]

IMO, a hole saw is the best way to go. Buy a good one at Home Depot or Lowes. You will need to buy the arbor and the actual cutting part, but the arbors will fit a range of sizes. This is a nice tool to have in your arsenal and you will probably only spend about $20 for it. Not a big deal. The step drills will work, but the hole saw will work better if it's a decent quality one.

 

[JuanMoore]

The harbor freight step bits are of pretty low quality, but they will work fine for drilling a keg. If you will use it a lot, get a good quality step bit. If not, get the HF and just make sure you go SLOW and use some sort of lubricant. If you go too fast it will dull the bit severely and temper (harden) the part you're trying to cut, which will make it mush more difficult.

 

[Peligro28]

Make sure you use a titanium step bit and cutting oil. Drill a pilot hole first. It is really, really easy. bargainfittings.com has good weldless ball valves.

 

[NiteOwlBrewing]

Also, I found a center punch to be handy if you're concerned about exactly where your hole ends up (not sure of a better way to make that statement). Some of the step bits, hole saws and even pilot hole bits dance the wrong way when you're not expecting it.

 

[Catt22]

Also, I found a center punch to be handy if you're concerned about exactly where your hole ends up (not sure of a better way to make that statement). Some of the step bits, hole saws and even pilot hole bits dance the wrong way when you're not expecting it.

That's the correct way to make that statement. A center punch it is. It's also good practice to drill a small hole where you center punch it. Just use something around a 1/8" drill bit for this. You can then easily run the hole saw pilot bit through that small hole or the nose of the step bit.

 

[kappclark]

I have an outlet tube on my cooler HLT to drain into the MT. Lately though, I have been using a 1 gal. rubbermaid pitcher to just simply scoop out the sparge water and ladle to the mash tun. I know it sounds crude, but flowing through the tubing seems to take a long time....at least a few minutes, maybe more...with the pitcher, I can transfer a few gallons of sparge water in about fifteen seconds...Denny did it this way...hah.

KISS

+! on the pitcher ... 2 rubbermaid coolers. The HLT has no valves but I get the strike water transferred quickly..