Soldering Stainless steel

[jfkriege]

I tried out the element on a 1" NPT coupler and the element would not thread in properly.

 

[pickles]

The difference is one is tapered the other is straight. Heating elements have straight threads.

 

[willynilly]

I tried out the element on a 1" NPT coupler and the element would not thread in properly.

Odd... I have two elements mounted with them and they run all day long with no leaks, regardless of the thread issue. It is just a standard 1" SS coupler.

When people build RIMS heaters, they are threading the heating elements into NPT reducers arent they? I know I did

 

[Fletch]

I used an NPT reducer for what amounted to a RIMS heater (used it for preheating water overnight, before I switched to NG with automaitc furnace valves). The element would not screw all the way in, didn't come close to having the gasket mate up. I just used several wraps of teflon tape to make sure it didn't leak. When I was getting the parts, I already knew the element had NPS threads, so I tried screwing it into several reducers, and there was a fair amount of variation between them, but it wouldn't thread all the way in on any of them.

Sorry for the mini-jack, just thought it might save somebody a headache to know up front.

 

[Ranger9913]

After 3 days and trying various configurations with no luck, and always having a small leak. I purchased flux rated for stainless and soldered my 1" nut on the outside of the kettle and just like that it seals up perfectly. I wish I read this thread more carefully about a week ago. This honestly took me less than 5 mins.

 

[AiredAle]

For those interested in my effort to form a tapered lip on a hole, and thread it, please see the new thread (no pun intended) I started tonight in this section of the forum. It's title is "Forming threaded lipped holes in kettles. I attached some pictures too.

 

[GreenMonti]

For those interested in my effort to form a tapered lip on a hole, and thread it, please see the new thread (no pun intended) I started tonight in this section of the forum. It's title is "Forming threaded lipped holes in kettles. I attached some pictures too.

Link,
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/forming-threaded-lipped-holes-kettles-169639/

 

[NinjaJoe]

Has anyone found the Stay brite #8 and needed solder at a big box store?

Only thing I have left to get my electric Brutus 20 up and running is a ground point on my kettle, and I don't think any welding shops are open today.

 

[seanmichaleen]

Has anyone found the Stay brite #8 and needed solder at a big box store?

Only thing I have left to get my electric Brutus 20 up and running is a ground point on my kettle, and I don't think any welding shops are open today.

I haven't seen it at Lowes or Home Depot.

But I've seen it online at hobby stores that specialize in RC cars, boats, and airplanes. There's a chain of stores called HobbyTown USA that might have a small kit with Stay-Brite 8 and Stay Clean.

If any plumbing/HVAC stores around you are open today, they would be a good bet too.

 

[pickles]

Menards has liquid flux. Not the Stay Brite 8 solder though. I would use standard plumbing solder instead.

 

[NinjaJoe]

Menards has liquid flux. Not the Stay Brite 8 solder though. I would use standard plumbing solder instead.

Thank you both for the info. Here is the solder I have, should it work?

I'll hit up Menards here in a few for the liquid flux.

Thanks again!

 

[pickles]

Not sure all I have with me is iPhone and the link doesn't support mobile. But basic lead-free plumbing solder will work just fine. The liquid flux menards carries is by Oatey and it's in a white bottle.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

I tried this quickly today and it didn't go all that well. The flux (Harris stay-clean liquid) seemed to burn off quickly and leave me with a mess that the solder (Oatey safe flo silver solder) wanted nothing to do with. I was trying to solder a 1/2" SS coupler, close nipple, and washer together for a bulkhead.
I am assuming that I overheated it and that I need to heat everything up much more gently to avoid burning off the flux.
I practiced a bit on some 1/4" SS bolts, nuts, and washers and had much better luck, but I feel that that's not quite the same as soldering the much bigger parts which, given their price, are not cheap to practice on...
Can anyone elaborate on their technique with regard to how you apply heat when soldering?

 

[klyph]

I tried this quickly today and it didn't go all that well. The flux (Harris stay-clean liquid) seemed to burn off quickly and leave me with a mess that the solder (Oatey safe flo silver solder) wanted nothing to do with. I was trying to solder a 1/2" SS coupler, close nipple, and washer together for a bulkhead.
I am assuming that I overheated it and that I need to heat everything up much more gently to avoid burning off the flux.
I practiced a bit on some 1/4" SS bolts, nuts, and washers and had much better luck, but I feel that that's not quite the same as soldering the much bigger parts which, given their price, are not cheap to practice on...
Can anyone elaborate on their technique with regard to how you apply heat when soldering?

What kind of torch are you using?

When I solder, I apply the heat gently and move the torch over the whole solder area, stopping frequently to touch the solder to the part to check if it's hot enough to melt it. once the part is hot enough to melt the solder, I do a couple more passes with the torch, then push the solder around the joint quickly and evenly. YMMV

 

[Funkenjaeger]

What kind of torch are you using?

A handheld MAPP/propane blowtorch. I first tried with MAPP which may have contributed to the overheating.

I'd be interested in a video of someone successfully soldering SS with a blowtorch. The video with the jeweler's torch is neat, but it doesn't seem to work the same with a bigger torch.

 

[chicagojimmyjames]

I soldered 3/4" stainless steel couplings onto the sides of a few kegs with a regular propane blowtorch. (Didn't make a video, though.) I also did one coupling with OA.

Actually, this one with the oxyacetylene was the one that I did first. It was the best of the three in terms of speed and no discoloration of the surrounding metal, but I had a tiny wave created in the keg wall by the heat. In the end it worked out fine but I didn't want that happening again.... That's why I switched to the propane for the next to kegs -- thought I could control the heat better. (I'm a beginner welder. I'm sure someone else couldn't have handled it without any issues...)

And to answer your question about how to do it:

With less heat it was easier to see the stages that the flux goes through... going from gel to liquid, drying out and going cloudy, bubbling a little and then going clear again... and that's when you know the metal is hot enough. I'm not sure if that advice of "heat the metal, not the flux" worked for me. I'm pretty sure I heated the metal around the weld first, but in the end everything gets hit with the flame. You just don't want the flame to push the flux out of the joint, that's all. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.)

So for my first time ever handling an OA torch, I think I got lucky. I will say this: with a propane torch, the process takes a bit longer, and you get a LOT more discoloration that you have to sand off.

I didn't have any of the acidic solutions that are recommended for cleaning the flux off the weld area, so I lots of strong vinegar on an old rag. I used that wet rag to cool the metal. (Watch out for the vapors and don't burn your hand) The hot metal was cleaned really quickly. When I did the same to a cold keg there was little to no cleaning power.

I'll post some pictures if I remember...

 

[chicagojimmyjames]

Here's a coupling that I brazed on to the side of my keg. Oops. No, here it isn't. No image uploading privileges for me...

Anyway, the important part of my message is this:

I mounted the coupling on the surface of the keg instead of making the hole a little larger and setting it partly inside. I was worried that I might have to take it off and try again, which is why I opted for being on the outside. Now that it's done, I realize that it worked so well that I wish I had gone right through. FYI.

If anybody is dying for pics, I could email some out. The finished product is as professional as any TIG job.

Now with the good weather, I'm looking forward to brewing 10 gallon batches. Cheers.

 

[Great_Neck_Brewer]

subscribed

 

[BrewBeemer]

Cutting a step into the coupling OD so it's just flush inside the keg at the 9 and 3 position then dress down the the 6 and 12 positions flush to the keg radius. Stepped would also about double the soldered surface area for strength plus no pocket for the nasties to collect.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

I had more success this time. I tried to do it a bit more like that video with the jeweler's torch, rather than the way I'm used to soldering copper pipes (where I heat the whole joint before applying solder, so it flows fully on contact)

I first sanded, fluxed, and then tinned the washer in each case. For the female coupling, I then sanded and fluxed the fitting. I spent a little while going over everything to heat it up, keeping the torch moving the whole time. When it got to the point where the flux looked like it was about to start burning off, I went with focused heat and melted blobs of solder around the edges. Then more flux, then kept swirling the flame around until the solder flowed more and more and finally wetted the whole thing.

By that point I had WAY too much solder on everything, which was fixed with ample heat and a wet rag.

The other fitting (with the pipe nipple) was more of a hassle, since the solder loves to run down the threads.

Click images for larger versions...



I'd love to hear some tips about how to get just a small amount of solder on there in the first place. I feel like the flux burns off before I can get the whole joint up to temperature to try to get solder to flow throughout the joint all at once.

 

[pickles]

I used liquid flux that came in a squirt bottle. I did pretty much what you described, but on the last few tries I tinned one side of the joint then "tack" soldered the fitting on. I kept heating and squirted it with flux and the joint flowed with no extra solder being added. It worked really well on my RIMS vessel.

 

[Mose]

Safety Question:

I noticed at the begining of this thread BargainFittings said he needed to get a new insert for his respirator rated for this type of soldering.

I'm reading a few different types of flux and solder now being used. What safety gear are people using? I have a normal respirator from Lowes with the disk like inserts on both sides.

I just want to make sure before I dive in, which I certainly will thanks to everyone on this thread, I'm not killing the few and weak brain cells I have left.

Thanks

 

[Grimster]

Safety Question:

I noticed at the begining of this thread BargainFittings said he needed to get a new insert for his respirator rated for this type of soldering.

I'm reading a few different types of flux and solder now being used. What safety gear are people using? I have a normal respirator from Lowes with the disk like inserts on both sides.

I just want to make sure before I dive in, which I certainly will thanks to everyone on this thread, I'm not killing the few and weak brain cells I have left.

Thanks

I just did mine outside on the porch with my back to the wind. Hopefully that was ok

 

[Bobby_M]

I just hold my breath the whole time.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

I used a similar respirator, worked outside, and used a fan.

Read the MSDS and draw your own conclusion, but it didn't worry me enough to seek out more extravagant PPE.

 

[jfkriege]

Wear safety glasses and closed toe shoes at a minimum. I do my work outside, and if there is no breeze I will use a small fan. Should be fine.

 

[pickles]

Did mine outside. Note that most particulate filters don't offer protection against mists and vapors. If it says P100 it isn't doing any good for the vapors.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Wear safety glasses

yeah, they DO make a big deal of eye exposure in the warning label/MSDS. It is hydrochloric acid, after all, and you are boiling/vaporizing it...

 

[jeffmeh]

Very interesting stuff. Any suggestions on whether (and how) this could be done effectively with a 1/2 inch coupling, with nothing protruding into the interior, for a bottom, dead-center kettle drain? I'm wondering whether the vertical configuration and the weight of the plumbing fittings would push the limits of the solder strength, and whether I would be better off with a weld.

I do not weld, but I suspect that I could solder effectively as long as I were not graded on beauty.

 

[chicagojimmyjames]

The weight won't be a problem, but the danger might be having a long pipe extending downwards that could torque the connection when you open and close the valve.

I say... try it. You'll turn the keg upside down when you work on it, so that makes it easy to add extra solder. Keep the drain as short as possible, or support it from below.

Test before filling with hot wort. : ) Let us know how it goes!