Tips for making cheaper kettle inlet

[nexy_sm]

Hi all guys,

I would like to pump my mash tun a little bit, as well as my kettle by installing some inlets for recirculation and for whirlpooling. What I find available in Europe is kind of expensive. Do you have any tips on how to make this for example at home:

Especially this threaded fitting. Does anybody know how was the pipe attached to the thread?

Cheers and thanks

 

[brewslinger]

The thing with trying to save money this way is you will end up spending more on the tools and mistakes than you might save.

That being said:

1. threading a piece of pipe of the appropriate diameter or using a nipple
2. drilling out the mating end to allow the tubing to fit inside snuggly
3. screwing a 1/2" NPT lock nut on to the threaded portion backwards
4. silver solder the pieces together
5. drill hole in kettle
6. put piece through from the inside
7. screw nut on from the outside and tighten

 

[nexy_sm]

The thing with trying to save money this way is you will end up spending more on the tools and mistakes than you might save.

I have already experienced that, but the price for this is very high in my opinion, so high that i would rather pay even more to make it myself.

 

[MaxStout]

Have you looked into getting that part from a US supplier, like Brew Hardware? I would think that even with int'l shipping it would still be far cheaper and simpler than trying to fabricate one yourself.

 

[BeardedBrews]

\specially this threaded fitting. Does anybody know how was the pipe attached to the thread?

Cheers and thanks

https://www.northernbrewer.com/isoflow-single-piece-bulkhead

You can use a close nipple, two nuts, two o-rings, and a bunch of teflon tape to create the bulkhead. Then bend a piece of pipe with an OD that matches the nipple ID. I personally would consider stainless steel and silver solder the pipe into the nipple before I got started, but you could also move to a slightly smaller OD pipe and put a few o-rings onto that to match the ID of the nipple

Through all of this you are going to wish that you'd bought a proper bulkhead since every fitting you add on is going to try to twist your teflon tape loose at the bulkhead and cause you grief.

I included the link to the Northern Brewer one which has one nut permanently incorporated into the nipple. That means that you don't have to use teflon tape to seal the threads on the inside, and it gives you a nice strong point to wrench on when you're tightening it down.

The best option would be like @MaxStout suggested and call BrewHardware.com and get a quote for shipping.

 

[Konadog]

wrong thread