Custom machined stainless fittings

[hummed46]

Hey all, long time reader but first post.

If there were someone on the forum that could manufacture custom stainless fittings and parts using CAD software and a CNC machine, would that be something anyone was interested in? Candidly I'm thinking of buying a mill for another project and was looking for ways to keep it busy while I got up and running. I know most of this stuff you can just buy at the local brewer's supply or through some well-known online supply houses located in the central US...but was wondering if anyone thinks there might be a market for custom machined parts and fittings? Not trying to get flagged as a vendor, just looking for thoughts on feasibility. I see so much work going overseas to asia and I'm looking for any opportunity to do my part to produce something in the United States again.

 

[Broken Crow]

Here's one: There are those of us who prefer to use a filter such as the Hop Stopper or a homemade job (Like I do), but the Hop Stopper is no longer available. I made my own over-sized 'pillow' filter for my keggle.. mostly because owing to the deep concaved bottom, I had to put the diptube in the middle. My big bugaboo is that I had to sew a 'neck' to go aroung the diptube and roll an o-ring like a rubber band over it to hold it on. I could use a silicone grommet, but those are both hard to find and difficult to clean around.
Do you think you could design and make a small SS 'grommet' with a friction-fit o-ring to 'snap' into a hole in SS mesh?

 

[hummed46]

Here's one: There are those of us who prefer to use a filter such as the Hop Stopper or a homemade job (Like I do), but the Hop Stopper is no longer available. I made my own over-sized 'pillow' filter for my keggle.. mostly because owing to the deep concaved bottom, I had to put the diptube in the middle. My big bugaboo is that I had to sew a 'neck' to go aroung the diptube and roll an o-ring like a rubber band over it to hold it on. I could use a silicone grommet, but those are both hard to find and difficult to clean around.
Do you think you could design and make a small SS 'grommet' with a friction-fit o-ring to 'snap' into a hole in SS mesh?

I dont see why I couldnt...can you share a photo of your setup and the piece youre working with now?

 

[Broken Crow]

What I have now is specific to my keggle... I'm slowly upgrading to a 'proper' kettle, but here it is anyway:

What I would like to find is an alternative to a silicone grommet such as on the Hop Stopper;

Maybe some kind of snap-together flange with a friction-fit to go over the diptube?
Not a challenge.... just wondering if someone contrive a practical way of doing it.