Soldering Stainless steel

[DustBow]

Greenlee punch - score on Ebay

 

[NewBrewB]

Important tip, people:

If you build a keg tool. Be sure you tighten the NUT SIDE, not the bolt side.... I'm sure somewhere in the 26 pages of this thread, this was mentioned and I missed it but I'm posting anyway. If you tighten the bolt, the threads will get destroyed and you will find yourself inventing new ways of leveraging torque to pull it back out again. Then, you'll have to order a new bolt/nut and wait for shipping, to try again.

Thanks for listening.

Edit: speaking of...if anyone knows a good place to buy a 9/16 bolt and nut please pm me (no, hd and lowes dont have that size)

 

[lschiavo]

Fastenal nearby?

Maybe use the Schwartz?

 

[fork]

You could try ace hardware, true value, or tractor supply. If the threads stripped out you are really stressing th bolt, maybe the fit is too tight. Also try and get a grade 8 bolt or grade 5 at least and put some grease on the threads.

 

[NewBrewB]

Thanks for the suggestions on where I can buy a replacement locally.

The real problem is that I was turning the bolt, so the threads got messed up by grating against the washers. The torque was to get the nut back off so I didnt have an unuseable keg. All good now--just wanted to warn others to turn the nut side.

 

[Huaco]

My suggestion is to use grade 8 bolt and nut and STILL put some lube on those threads!

 

[allclene]

I baught my bolts at ace and I actually baught the bolt called for here and the next shorter size. I find it easier to press the coupler in with the long one and make the demple with the shorter one due to threads on the bolt being shorter than the ones people order. It works pretty good.

 

[NewBrewB]

I just soldered my last coupling into place.... a half-coupling for my temp probe. Unfortunately, I didn't test-fit it so I didn't realize that only one side works. With a 50/50 chance of getting it right, I soldered it in backwards.

What do I do now?

Toying with a few ideas, including using my step-bit to drill out the inner edge of the coupler from the outside, hoping that I can get the probe threads to line up (and that the act of drilling will not torque my solder too much). Also considering blasting it with the torch and then banging it with a hammer until it comes loose, sanding it all down, and re-soldering it in place. A last idea is screwing a stainless steel plug into the coupler from the inside and making a new hole for the temp probe, but then I'm going to be short a coupler. Help!

Arrgghh.. Why don't you guys live next door to me to help protect me from myself!??!

 

[starman]

I just soldered my last coupling into place.... a half-coupling for my temp probe. Unfortunately, I didn't test-fit it so I didn't realize that only one side works. With a 50/50 chance of getting it right, I soldered it in backwards.

What do I do now?

Toying with a few ideas, including using my step-bit to drill out the inner edge of the coupler from the outside, hoping that I can get the probe threads to line up (and that the act of drilling will not torque my solder too much). Also considering blasting it with the torch and then banging it with a hammer until it comes loose, sanding it all down, and re-soldering it in place. A last idea is screwing a stainless steel plug into the coupler from the inside and making a new hole for the temp probe, but then I'm going to be short a coupler. Help!

Arrgghh.. Why don't you guys live next door to me to help protect me from myself!??!

Torch it, smack it, clean it up & start over. RDW

 

[NewBrewB]

torched it
smacked it (about 35 times)
cleaned it up
pulled it back in place
TESTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS NOT BACKWARDS
soldered!

Thanks Starman!

 

[slakwhere]

i like to put a big, black X on the outside (threaded) edge of the half couplings to make sure i get them in the right orientation. glad to hear you got it sorted.

 

[CoalCracker]

I don't know if it was asked elsewhere as I can't read through all the pages but I tried to get a good idea of what was going on.

I am going to be doing this with tri clovers. The outside diameter is 1.5" and it looks like a 1 3/8 inch hole would work perfectly. Are people finding that leaving a 1/8in relief between the initial hole and the OD of their coupling is ideal? I would like enough of a shoulder for the solder to fill in and not so much that I split the stainless.

 

[jimmayhugh]

I don't know if it was asked elsewhere as I can't read through all the pages but I tried to get a good idea of what was going on.

I am going to be doing this with tri clovers. The outside diameter is 1.5" and it looks like a 1 3/8 inch hole would work perfectly. Are people finding that leaving a 1/8in relief between the initial hole and the OD of their coupling is ideal? I would like enough of a shoulder for the solder to fill in and not so much that I split the stainless.

Should be close, I used a 13/16" greenlee punch for 1" tri-clovers for my keggle, and it worked just fine.

 

[ohararp]

For the 1.5" tc's I recommend 1.25" and the dimpling tool. 1 3/16 would be even better.

 

[CoalCracker]

I did one hole last night. I used a step bit and drilled to 1 3/8 then used the dimpling tool. I did it right on the ridge of the barrel and it didn't quite go like planned. I have about a 1/16" gap on one side i'm hoping the solder will fill in. I can also probably get a block of wood and whack it with a hammer to see if I can close it a bit. I'm hoping the rest of the holes go a bit smoother. Took me about 2 hours to get this one right...

 

[fork]

I would think you could knock in the area that has a gap with a ball peen hammer or hammer something like wood.

 

[CoalCracker]

Yea that's what I'm thinking too.

Has anyone thought of using a bottle jack on blocks? This may not work for everyone but I have a 42g Barrel. Thinking of putting a piece of wood or tow in the barrel, place the bottle jack, then pump it up to the point of the hole, place another block of wood, then the reducer and start pumping. Seems like it would work great.

 

[krazydave]

I would just hit it with a hammer. I accidentally pulled my tool through a bit too far on one of my couplers and the coupler would just fall through. A few quick taps with a hammer and it was all good again.

 

[AllanMar]

Does anyone have any idea if you could make a dimple for a tangential inlet this way? Would have to modify the tool so it would pull out on an angle rather then straight out of course.

Anyone have any thoughts if this might work, or if the keg might deform in some way? I'm assuming if you made a regular dimple you wouldn't be able to simply hammer the coupler over that much?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Does anyone have any idea if you could make a dimple for a tangential inlet this way? Would have to modify the tool so it would pull out on an angle rather then straight out of course.

Anyone have any thoughts if this might work, or if the keg might deform in some way? I'm assuming if you made a regular dimple you wouldn't be able to simply hammer the coupler over that much?

I'm sure it could be done w/ the right tooling. It does get complicated fast as the hole would be more oval than round, but someone or something shaped and welded the keg and that is far beyond a simple fitting.

 

[OMJ]

Anyone done with with 2" triclamp ferules? If so what size hole did you use and what size fittings did you use to make the hole.

 

[StainlessBrewing]

Anyone done with with 2" triclamp ferules? If so what size hole did you use and what size fittings did you use to make the hole.

You could try a 2"OD concentric reducer or a 1-1/2 Pipe size reducer that has an OD of about 1.90. The pipe size concentric reducer would definitely be cheaper than the tube conc.

 

[Squeeky]

Ok I apologize, but I'm looking to purchase punches for my new automated setup. I've used a step bit in the past but will likely be using thin walled kettles and feel a punch would be preferred.

I know that a 1/2" Greenlee punch makes 7/8" hole which works for the 1/2" couplings. My issue comes to the size hole for the 1" half coupling, I've read reference to habor freight punches, but I can't determine if that is for weldless use or dimpling/coupling. What would be the Greenlee model number for 1/2" and 1" coupling dimples. It would be great to have these, as well as usable solder/flux in first page.

Squeeky

 

[cgherrington3]

Everbody has a different take on this, so I thought I throw out mine.

I'm way to cheap to buy anything, so I built a dimple maker out of 2 sockets and bolt.

Drilled a 1/2" hole with a step bit, pulled the dimple, and ran 3/4 ridged copper pipe through and soldered.

Attach fitting of your choice to pipe.

13mm kobalt 1/2 drive socket makes the dimple

24mm socket, bolt, washers, nut yada yada yada

don't pull it all the way through it will be too loose

 

[estricklin]

If you don't mind like to stick my two cents in.

I have used silver solder for several years, some for fittings on stainless steel gas tanks, and a few custom fittings for brewers. There are several good brands myself I like sta-brite solder and acid.

For a tool I have found that a large very large Iron the one I have a present is 150 watt. I found better control and less of change of overheating like with a torch.

Just my two cents

Swagman

I love sta-brite, used a lot of Sta-Brite #8 in HVAC.

 

[CoalCracker]

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...ver+bearing+solder&storeId=10051#.UIrE7mfheCc

Would this stuff work? They have it at my local TSC.

 

[wilserbrewer]

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...ver+bearing+solder&storeId=10051#.UIrE7mfheCc

Would this stuff work? They have it at my local TSC.

Not what you want...use stay brite 8

 

[cgherrington3]

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...ver+bearing+solder&storeId=10051#.UIrE7mfheCc

Would this stuff work? They have it at my local TSC.

I'm picking this up at the depot today. I'll let you know how it works. $10 Harris Stay-Brite kit (p/n SBSKPOP). Includes 1/2 oz Stay-Clean liquid Flux and and 1/2 oz 4% silver solder.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...10053&langId=-1&keyword=sbskpop&storeId=10051

EDIT: NOT IN STOCK IN LOCAL STORE

 

[latencymachine]

I finally got around to soldering the "welding spud" I bought a while back from Brewhardware.com on to my HLT. It was a lot easier to do than I thought and seems to be very strong. I should have done it months ago instead of putting off.

I used the Harris Staybrite kit mentioned many times here -- bought it off ebay. This solder performed fantastic using just a propane torch (with a left-over camping bottle). To make the hole I used TiN drill bits and my collection of Harbor Freight step bits, finishing with the big 'n.

I wound the solder around the boss several times and rested the spud onto the pot with the hole up. Then I heated it from the top as well as a little from the bottom. The solder melted and wicked great. It wet perfect on the inside wall and formed a real nice looking fillet seal around the boss. On the outside, the fillet mostly formed around the spud but left some gaps on the edge where the tank wall curves away from the spud. I even pounded the tank a bit during preparation but I guess it could have used some more. If I did it again I'd wind the solder the full width of the flange. Nevertheless the joint was liquid tight and strong enough to hold up to some moderate wrenching torque.

I'm using this for a digital probe thermometer in my HLT in conjunction with this other fitting rig from BrewHardware.com. I'm real happy with the result.

I also noticed that with a 1/2" male NPT fitting installed on the outside, you can still get another 1/2" male NPT fitting to thread on the inside. You don't get a lot of threads/turns but it seems like it would be enough for a pickup tube.

These spuds are definitely the way to go. I'll be ordering more now for sure. I say to heck with couplers and weldless kits. I do have the McMaster fitting rig for the 'dimpling tool' too but never used it since the couplers I ended up with were too big OD. I probably won't ever use it and just stick with the spuds.

 

[Huaco]

^^^^^
I just ordered the compression fitting and Thermometer to make this setup for my chilled wort output! Should deliver tomorrow actually! BobbyM is the man! He is still playing catch up from Hurricane Sandy and still got my order to me in time for brew day on Saturday!

I am using the hose barb setup on mine because I had one laying around. My only thought is that I may need to put a ball valve on the out-flow to slightly restrict wort flow to ensure the thermometer probe is in contact with chilled wort. Or, I could just slightly squeeze the silicone tube and achieve the same thing I guess...