Tri-Clad Kettle Bottom Construction?

[disney7]

Does anyone know how the tri-clad (stainless-aluminum-stainless) kettle bottoms are usually constructed? Are they bonded together with something or just sandwiched?

I ask because I want to silver solder a bottom drain into my electric HLT. It is my old boil kettle (Megapot 1.2). I'm wondering if I take a hole saw to it, if I will be able to extract the outer stainless layer and the inner aluminum layer, leaving the inside stainless layer intact, so I can then dimple and silver solder a fitting into the inside layer. If they'll come apart easily I should have it made. If they're seriously bonded somehow, I might not be able to separate them.

Any ideas?

- Dave Disney

 

[microbusbrewery]

How about trading with someone that has a single ply pot?

 

[wilserbrewer]

My guess is that they are well bonded.

 

[disney7]

Your guess was right.

I cut through the first layer and was able to peel the stainless off easily. Then I cut through the aluminum layer and stopped when I got to the inner stainless layer (the kettle bottom). At that point, the thick aluminum layer wouldn't pop up or peel off.

I kept fooling with it and cutting a little more, thinking that I wasn't all the way through the aluminum layer and eventually made the inner stainless thin enough that I popped an edge through when prying on the aluminum disc.

So, I went ahead and cut through all the way. Fortunately I have a hole exactly two inches in diameter and it is nice and clean. I think a 2" tri-clover weldable ferrule will fit in there tightly and hopefully I can silver solder it on both stainless surfaces and have a nice bottom drain.

 

[disney7]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1454881318.118061.jpg

 

[rshortt]

I'm thinking about doing the exact same thing. Did you solder the TC ferrule in ok?

 

[disney7]

No, I couldn't get it to solder properly. I've done a ton of silver soldering with single wall vessels and had no issues, but on the tri-clad bottom, the aluminum inner layer kept drawing off all the heat... I could never maintain enough heat, even with a MAP torch, to get the solder to flow properly.

I ended up taking it to a local business that does a lot of welding for stainless vessels and had it tig-welded on the inside and out. Cost $30 if I recall.

 

[robguthner]

No, I couldn't get it to solder properly. I've done a ton of silver soldering with single wall vessels and had no issues, but on the tri-clad bottom, the aluminum inner layer kept drawing off all the heat... I could never maintain enough heat, even with a MAP torch, to get the solder to flow properly.

I ended up taking it to a local business that does a lot of welding for stainless vessels and had it tig-welded on the inside and out. Cost $30 if I recall.

I know its been a while since you got your port welded on. im looking to do the same thing do you happen to remember the guy shop you had weld it i want to give them a buzz. my welding buddy is not sure about the settings they used to do tri-clad

 

[disney7]

It was these guys:

http://www.bubbasbarrels.com/

 

[robguthner]

It was these guys:

http://www.bubbasbarrels.com/

Thank you