QUESTION - Stainless Steel tubing for Jockey Box

[brewzofo1]

I have 3/8" Stainless Steel tubing coil for a jockey box I will be constructing.
My question is "What is the easiest way to coil it (like copper tubing coiled for wort chiller) so it will fit inside the ice chest?" With the copper tubing it was easy to coil as I used a round canister. And the copper tubing is easier to bend.
Thank you.

 

[franksnbeans89]

I just built one a few months back, using 3/8" stainless. Probably the most difficult task I have taken on. I wrapped the tubing around my corny keg, but it didn't go easy. All said and done it worked out great and was worth it.

 

[JJonesee]

I did the same as franksnbeans for my IC. Its tough. Take your time.

You could make it easier by finding a post sticking out of the ground and walking the tubing around, keeping tension. (Like at a gas station, or car wash.. About 3 feet out of the ground, and very solid.)

Its ugly, but it works well. (10 gal batch, 212 to 60F in 15 min)

 

[giraffeman]

check out this link
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/50-foot-1-2-inch-ss-coil-300138/
I know it's more about 1/2 in but should be helpful
Stainless Steel is nothing like copper tube its a pain in the @55!

 

[audger]

the best thing to use would be a 3-roller tubing bender. i made one recently out of some mild steel and a few bolts... that one is set up with 1/2" pullys, but its the same idea for 3/8". by rolling the tubing thru the pullys a few times, you gradually and evenly reduce the diameter each pass thru. the sides of the pully are high enough to support the tube and keep it from kinking.

it makes a nice looking coil... (thats a 6" diameter coil, 0.020"-walled, 1/2" stainless btw)

 

[JJonesee]

I would use a 3 roller on anything thin wall. My 3/8" was 0.049 wall. (Hence my 150' IC)

Sweet roller by the way - that makes that 1/2" thin wall tubing more attractive.

 

[cosmatics]

Thats an awesome looking bending jig! Can you provide more construction details?

 

[audger]

Thats an awesome looking bending jig! Can you provide more construction details?

i used this writeup as a rough guide, and also used the pulleys he referenced from amazon, although they no longer sell them by the piece, you have to buy a 5-pack... whatever i have two extra.

http://home.comcast.net/~bkerby/DIYTubingBender.pdf

mine is really just quickly cobbled together. if i were to do it again i would rework the tightening mechanism and probably put a hand crank on it. after coiling 25 feet of tubing from 30" diameter down to 6" diameter, you build some arm muscles.

cost probably $50-60, which includes $35 for the pullys. all i used was an angle grinder, drill, and two wrenches.

 

[cosmatics]

Thank you that is a excellent DIY write up. I look forward to drying to do this.

 

[audger]

if you are making one for 3/8" OD tubing, you can probably find the pullys at home depot or something. i couldnt find any 1/2" pullys that had the high side wall so i had to order them.

the high sides are important because they support the tubing to keep it from collapsing. something like this would work (and actually home depot sells that), while something like this would not because the sides are too low.

edit: lowes does some tricky redirects so the first picture doesnt work... copy and past this into the URL bar to see an example of what WOULD work...
http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/038613/038613199811xl.jpg