Soldering Stainless steel

[Sounds]

Here's a couple I've done. Turned out great, used PVC coupler, washers, and bolts from stuff I had laying around. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003RWTYPA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 This is actually slightly too big, so i just put a pvc spacer inside the coupler to stop it from going all the way through.

The coupler under the lip required a modified PVC coupler as well, just need to notch it to fit over the lip(so it still sits flat against the pot)

Used http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015H6JYS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 for solder/flux. Enough solder to cover 6-7 1/2" coupler fittings.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

I searched but apparently my search term was too common....

What size reducer should I use to pula hole for a1/4" npt coupler (for my sight glass).

 

[lorglath]

What do you do to clean everything before your first run? I used flux to clean up most of the discoloration then soapy water... any other steps I should consider?

 

[Huaco]

What do you do to clean everything before your first run? I used flux to clean up most of the discoloration then soapy water... any other steps I should consider?

Barkeeper's Friend

 

[BSD_Glass]

I'm doing some kettle work for a friend. He bought some of the Jarhill super cheap pots off of ebay.

Anyway, I soldered in a single full 1/2" coupling for a ball valve, that went fine. In doing a leak test, the handle rivets were STEADILY leaking through to outside the pot. I used Stay Clean liquid flux and Stay brite silver solder as I have done many times.

I figured I would just solder the rivets in, easy peasy, right? So I did that, and got great looking solder patches, cleaned everything up with flux, alcohol, baking soda then barkeepers friend. Let it dry and leak checked it again. I filled it with cold water.

a half hour later, the areas all over the solder around the rivets and fitting is "gassing" (some bubbles rising but not many) off some white stuff that is slowly falling down the side of the pot. It is like wispy white clouds in the clear, cold water the kettle is filled with.

Any idea what is going on? I have soldered probably 20 fittings with this flux and solder before and I have never had this happen. Help.

Thanks in advance.

I can try to get a picture but it might be tricky shooting into water in my dark basement...

BSD

BSD

 

[BSD_Glass]

Here is what I could get for pictures.

Thanks in advance.

I want it to stop so he can use his new mash tun.

BSD

 

[wilserbrewer]

Just a wild guess, might the handles / rivets be chrome plated steel and not stainless? Might it just be trace amounts of BKF, that is whiteish AFAIK. Perhaps try cleaning the area with PBW, detergent, or Oxiclean, and check again??? Very strange?

 

[disney7]

Just wanted to thank everyone who has added their knowledge and experience to this thread.

Thanks to that, my test joint was perfect except I needed to pull the coupler down a little further.

My next joint was a coupler I pulled halfway through the keggle. Valve goes on the outside and a dip tube on the inside.

 

[BSD_Glass]

So I think I am dealing with plated steel rivets now partially encased by silver solder. I ran it through a night of oxyclean and had large whitish deposits on the rivet heads when I drained it out in the morning. One of the rivets was showing rust. The deposits removed from the rivets with minimal scrubbing with a scrubby sponge.

So.........

Would you solder them into a lake of solder so they are no longer exposed to the inside of the pot?

Would you remove the solder, drill them out, re rivet with stainless rivets and resolder to seal them up?

Hand the pot back and say "good luck with that!"?

Something else?

Any suggestions or opinions are welcome! Thanks in advance.

BSD

 

[wilserbrewer]

I guess it depends on how good a friend he is...haha.

If the rivets stood up to a night in oxiclean, then they might be just fine for years where they are only occasionally barely exposed to a mash for an hour and stored dry...

Sometimes if it aint broke don't fool with it!

I did think of pooling some solder over the rivets, if it is not too much work, and he is a good friend, and if you have the time, solder, and gas....???

"Good luck with that!"

 

[BSD_Glass]

So I pooled solder over the exposed rivet heads and that appears to have solved my problem! When I work on the next pot in line, also a Jarhill, I'm just gonna replace the rivets before I do anything else to the pot.

Thanks for your advice, guys! I hope somebody learns something from my travails.

BSD

 

[bigtex52]

It is probably traces of residual flux leaching out. The white clouds you are seeing are precipitating mineral salts from the reaction of the acid flux with your alkaline water.

 

[BSD_Glass]

probably true. It is for sure better with the rivets (which were rusting) covered by silver solder though. The second pot of water didn't precipitate anything out at all.

Cheers.

BSD

 

[wilserbrewer]

I hope somebody learns something from my travails.

BSD

Yep, $19 Chinese Jarhill kettles are not as good as Blichmanns, but at the price point they work pretty darn good.
A pot for every man. Tell your friend he "owes you"
Nice work

 

[diS]

Anyone use this solder?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/33087930290...l?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=330879302909&_rdc=1

Composition:
SILVER 50%
COPPER: 20%
ZINC: 28%
NICKEL: 2%

Is this safe for use @brewing?

 

[P-J]

Anyone use this solder?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/33087930290...l?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=330879302909&_rdc=1

Composition:
SILVER 50%
COPPER: 20%
ZINC: 28%
NICKEL: 2%

Is this safe for use @brewing?

MELT POINT : 1220 F
FLOW POINT: 1305 F

You will need a high temp torch to work with it.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I would think the link below would be easier to use, only a propane torch needed...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/11000-SBSK-...255?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2586768157

 

[403Brewer]

Has anyone else used the "socket style" puller successfully? I can't get kobalt sockets here and I'm just wondering what the OD would be...compared to the OD of my coupler (the standard 1/2 NPT coupler everyone uses) it is way smaller and looks like I'd have to use quite a bit of force to get the coupler through after the dimple is made...is it standard to have to pull pretty hard with the coupler once the dimple is made? I can't find anywhere in Canada I can find that reducer easily or without paying $20-30 bucks.

EDIT: I got impatient and did it anyways, my dimple came through a bit crooked, the bottom portion barely dimpled at all (I think due to the curvature of the bottom of my keg maybe??). Anyways any thoughts on what to do next? I tried putting a torch on the keg to heat it up and manually bend it but no dice, think I'll have to get it glowing to do that and I don't really want to. Can I just find a way to work the coupling through and then hammer it into a neutral position when its about half through the pot? Realize this is pretty crude and the soldering may not turn out nice and neat in the end like a lot of the examples on here. Thanks!

 

[diS]

MELT POINT : 1220 F
FLOW POINT: 1305 F

You will need a high temp torch to work with it.

You think I couldn't do it with standard propane torch as this one:?

I would think the link below would be easier to use, only a propane torch needed...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/11000-SBSK-...255?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2586768157

Unfortunately they don't ship outside USA/Canada.

 

[wilserbrewer]

You think I couldn't do it with standard propane torch as this one:?

Unfortunately they don't ship outside USA/Canada.

No, as stated you will need a high temp torch, I believe that material is for brazing, not soldering. The melt point of the solder most are using is only around 500 f, big big difference than 1200.

 

[Sounds]

I'd think a propane torch could handle that, might take a while. Propane is common for brazing. Max flame heat for propane is ~1900 on air. A Map Pro(or similar) torch would be better though, and handy to have around anyways. Either way, you need to be careful with stainless around brazing temps as you can pull chromium out(making it not stainless).

Also, try other sellers for the Harris Stay Brite, like Amazon

 

[pickles]

A propane torch may melt that but when you add in a the affect of a huge heatsink like a kettle I doubt it will keep up. I've tried the Stay-silv 56 with MAPP gas to no avail.

 

[Sounds]

Gauge of the pot comes into play here too

 

[pickles]

Has anyone found a cheaper alternative for brazing than Safety-Silv 56. The ebay link above looks a bit scetchy and I dont see any reviews. I realize that the price of silver plays a big role in the price.

 

[diS]

Guy from local hardware store told me that he can order different types of silver based brazing alloy, depending on silver percentage: 5%, 20%, 30%, 34%... 45%, 55% all cadmium free.

http://www.stella-welding.com/en/category/products/

Which one is best suitable for our needs and what else is important besides %Ag?
Also, on what to pay attention when buying flux?
agghh... so much questions...

 

[pickles]

I believe we want to stay in the higher range of Ag %. Harris recommends there 56% content for food service/stainless steel, but no mention of those uses with the 45% stuff; both are cadmium free.

 

[pickles]

If you're brazing I'd go with the Harris Stay-Silv Black Hi temp flux, you can get 1lb for under $10. It'll last you a lifetime.

 

[Sounds]

Some good info the following links

http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixB-3.html
http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue2.6/palmer.html

EDIT: also good info on all brazing alloys http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_brazing_alloys

 

[DallasW]

Just picking up the parts to attempt to install a 2" TC ferrule into my kettles. I was just wondering what everyone else has used?

I'm planning on using this for my dimple tool:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EHGE3W/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This for my flux/solder:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015H6JYS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

What I'm wondering is what tool should I use to cut the initial hole, and what size to get? Knockout punches in that size range look like they're about $120, which seems silly to spend on something I'm going to use 1-2 times. Any thoughts?

 

[wbarber69]

What do u need a 2" TC for?