Any ideas for cutting a cooler WITHOUT a hole saw?

[slayer021175666]

Need to put a 3 inch face thermometer in my 10 gallon Rubbermaid mash tun but, I don't have a 3 inch hole saw. It's the Bayou Classic theremometer.
Any ideas, guys?

 

[Gruel]

Soldering iron? Hot poker? (It takes a bit of effort to melt through a relatively clean hole, but it can be done.)
If the thermometer has a three inch face, that doesn't mean the stem is three inches diameter, does it? Actually, sounds quite unlikely.

 

[day_trippr]

How about a link to this thermometer before something crazy happens
I have "Brewmometers" on my kettles that may well be 3" faces (they're pretty large) but iirc they use a 1/2" bulkhead...

Cheers!

 

[Deadalus]

How about a link to this thermometer before something crazy happens
I have "Brewmometers" on my kettles that may well be 3" faces (they're pretty large) but iirc they use a 1/2" bulkhead...

Cheers!

...or smaller on some. I have 2 Blichmanns thermometers that use a smaller hole than for a 1/2" NPT.

Definitely don't cut a 3" hole yet!

 

[1HW]

How about a link to this thermometer before something crazy happens
I have "Brewmometers" on my kettles that may well be 3" faces (they're pretty large) but iirc they use a 1/2" bulkhead...

Cheers!

Agreed. A 3" bulkhead seems pretty aggressive for a thermometer probe.

 

[garzlok]

Is this what you’re trying to accomplish?

 

[slayer021175666]

I guess I should have explained myself a little better. The 3in hole is just on the outside of the cooler for the gauge face to sit in. You cut a smaller hole through the inner plastic wall for the shank to go through.

 

[slayer021175666]

Yes, Garzlok.

 

[1HW]

A drywall cutter would probably do the trick, as would a dremel, or perhaps a router. All more expensive than a 3" hole saw if you don't have these on hand or can borrow from a friend.

 

[IslandLizard]

The best way would be when you can retract (pull out) the thermometer most of the way, so you can stir easier, and without hitting the probe each time.
Then after closing the tun, push it all the way in to obtain readings toward the center of the mash.

 

[garzlok]

Allrighty! How I did mine...Once i determined my positioning, I placed the thermometer face on the cooler and outlined the face. I then used my smallest drill bit and made tiny holes along the outline. (making sure only to go through the outer shell). Once I had my holes, I took a box cutter, and connected the dots until I went through the plastic and had the hole sized so I could recess the thermometer.

It's pretty easy, the tricky part is removing insulation. You want to remove enough that the thermometer and bulkhead sit nicely, but you don't want to remove so much, that you can lose more heat than necessary.

Mine is in a fixed position. It is true, I must be careful not to stir and hit the probe. However, since I started underletting my strike water, I never have to vigorously stir, and the temp probe being fixed is a non-issue.

 

[IslandLizard]

All more expensive than a 3" hole saw if you don't have these on hand or can borrow from a friend.

IIRC, a $10, 12-piece hole saw set from HF includes a 3". But you still get a 1/4" hole from the pilot bit.
Not sure how well the 1/4" pilot bit tracks inside the thin plastic inner wall either. And how you're gonna close that.

 

[SanPancho]

trace the circle with sharpie. draw a cross in the circle to mark the center. stab it with sharp knife. cut along the cross lines until you almost reach the outer circle. open it up by peeling the wedges out, then get a pair of cutting dikes and snip out the area bit by bit. probably cant use scissors as they'd be too long and tear up the insulation.

pain in the ass and wont look so nice unless you spend time to clean up the edge of the circle. but it will work without a 3" hole saw.

 

[IslandLizard]

unless you spend time to clean up the edge of the circle

Use a dremel tool with a sanding drum then sandpaper on a round stick, etc. The more attention you pay to detail the nicer it can look.

 

[SanPancho]

Use a dremel tool with a sanding drum then sandpaper on a round stick, etc. The more attention you pay to detail the nicer it can look.

If he had a dremel I dont think hed be asking for the advice.

although if he does have one- it’ll cut and polish.

 

[passedpawn]

$10 on amazon?

Or, just heat the whole thermometer up to about 200F in your oven, remove with an oven mitt and SHOVE it into the side of the cooler Might just work. Or total loss of both cooler and thermometer - crystal ball is cloudy.

 

[FromZwolle]

$10 on amazon?

Or, just heat the whole thermometer up to about 200F in your oven, remove with an oven mitt and SHOVE it into the side of the cooler Might just work. Or total loss of both cooler and thermometer - crystal ball is cloudy.

This has my vote.

Instead of the thermometer, use something of the same size and deform the plastic with heat so that it creates an indent that will fit the thermometer face. That way, the foam inside the wall will remain mostly undisturbed, ideally meaning less chance of leaking wort or whatever in around the edges.

 

[day_trippr]

lol! You guyz are crazy - the odds of that approach being successful are roughly 1:∞

Cheers!

 

[passedpawn]

lol! You guyz are crazy - the odds of that approach being successful are roughly 1:∞

Cheers!

 

[bracconiere]

buy one of those fancy inbirds, with the remote probe, and drill a whole in the lid for the probe to go through, nice and digital and everything.....

i'm pretty sure they have a model with a waterproof probe.....

 

[IslandLizard]

i'm pretty sure they have a model with a waterproof probe.....

Waterproof and a food grade cable that can withstand at least 180F. The junction between the cable and the stainless probe housing is critical, it must be 100% watertight. You could probably put some food grade (aquarium) silicone around that area for all security.

 

[bracconiere]

i was thinking something like this....

https://www.amazon.com/Thermostat-I...hermometer+submersible&qid=1602210381&sr=8-15
could even adapt it to a recirculation system.....but it'd just be a thermometer till then.....

 

[slayer021175666]

All good ideas. The one about deforming the outside shell to the thermometer really sounded good. I just don't think the foam inside would allow a guy to push the outer plastic wall inward enough. It's actually some pretty dense stuff.

 

[kh54s10]

IMO, the fewer holes the better. I use a Lavatools instant read digital cooking thermometer. Measure the mash and close the tun for an hour. Every once in a blue moon I would open to stir at a half hour. Almost always hit my numbers pretty closely.

 

[lump42]

I use a Thermoworks Chefalarm thermometer with their Pro-Series Waterproof needle probe. No need to drill extra holes into my MT or kettle. I can just drop the probe into the mash and push it to the center of the mash. The cord is pliable enough to close the lid on my square cooler MT. Then I just move the probe over to my boil kettle to give a warning when the temps getting close to boil and when it's chilled. It's a lot hard to knock out of calibration than a dial thermometer.