Sabco parts ruined !!!

[Gabe]

So I took the plunge about a month ago and bought their false bottom and siphon set up, actually 2 of them, anyway, I go to put the siphon into my mashtun and it threads in properly to my coupling but I realize it wont go in far enough for the other piece and tri clover to fit togeather properly. So I take it out to see whats blocking it, and it's extremely hard to get out. Once it's out I realize the threads are no longer I had a pro welder build my tun and am now wondering if the heat from the coupling instalation had warped the coupling threads. This SUCKS. So now I am out of a brand new mashtun, $$$ for the Sabco parts, and my strike water is 145 degrees and climbing!!!! Any recomendations? I will propably run a thread reamer through my coupling and try to build the threads back and make a clean path . But whose to say the siphon will thread anymore? Took me this long to use this stuff because I am going AG and today was the Virgin Voyage. Any Macguivers out there??

 

[kladue]

Sounds like you are a victim of galled stainless steel fittings, but it usally looks worse than it is. You will need a 1/2" pipe tap for the coupling and a 1/2"NPT thread chaser for the fitting. This should cleanup the remaining threads and make it possible to reassmble the parts. Before threading stainless connections you should use a tapping oil like rapid-tap or a similar product. When the threads are good as you can make them, take a file and carefully touchup the sharp peak of the threads on the fitting. Look for the gray colored teflon tape with nickel metal filler to wrap the fitting with 2 layers of tape, and put a couple drops of vegetable oil in the coupling for lubrication and tighten slowly. In the future use a couple drops of cooking oil on the fittings as trying to assemble stainless pipe fittings dry will sometimes have the threads lockup and tear.

 

[Blktre]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, expecially on your maiden voyage. But i think you answered your own question. Run the reamer thru your female threads and you can clean up your male threads too. Relax, your hi end gear will be able to be saved. Keep us informed!

 

[Gabe]

Cheers guy's thanks for the info. Yeah I am sitting here wishing I had done thing's a little different an pre tapped these. The threads are completly ripped off the Sabco piece so I don't know if im SOL. Will tap these and my coupling on my boil kettle tommaro so I don't ruin that 1. I'll keep my fingers crossed that this works. So far this equip has put a bitter taste in my mouth, but it's the way it goes with all new gear I suppose.