welding

[grubb]

Took my kegs to a welder and asked him weld some SS couplings for me. He said that he could not weld SS to an aluminum kegs. Has anyone else ran into this problem and how did they get around this.

 

[onthekeg]

Do you really have aluminum kegs? Are they real light?

 

[BendBrewer]

Buy a SS pot. You need to weld like metals.

Or go with weldless fittings. That's what I did.

And yeah, where did you get aluminum kegs?

 

[phidelt1499]

Yeah, if you're 100% they're aluminum, then weldless might be your best bet. I haven't come across aluminum couplings.

 

[grubb]

they are normal kegs that i got from a friend that owns a bar. I am not sure what they are. I thought they were steel but not sure.

 

[BendBrewer]

Yeah, commercial kegs are SS.

Take it somewhere else.

 

[grubb]

thanks

 

[grubb]

is there any special equipment needed. What type of welding is everyone doing, what type of gas is being used, etc.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Yeah, if your welder can't identify SS by looking at it/hefting it, maybe you should go somewhere else?

That being said, TIG with 100% Argon would be the commonly preferred method. If you're sure you're going electric, you can solder the fittings in and the joints will still be plenty strong/beautiful.

 

[clay9_24]

Yep, TIG your fittings in,

DE TIG at 75A, 24pulse per second, 50% pulse on time, 20A background, 100% argon at about 15cfm flow rate. But then again what do I know.

That is just what I like to use. Watch out because you can overheat with that much current/duty cycle.

MAKE SURE YOU BACK-PURGE.

 

[h22lude]

Yep, TIG your fittings in,

DE TIG at 75A, 24pulse per second, 50% pulse on time, 20A background, 100% argon at about 15cfm flow rate. But then again what do I know.

That is just what I like to use. Watch out because you can overheat with that much current/duty cycle.

MAKE SURE YOU BACK-PURGE.

I was thinking about learning how to weld...not anymore. My god that sounds confusing lol

 

[Mellman]

well there's learning to weld...and learning to weld sanitary fittings for brewing. Welding on an exhaust pipe for your car is something completely different from welding something that needs to be sanitary so you don't create a home for bugs

 

[dmfa200]

Yeah, if you're 100% they're aluminum, then weldless might be your best bet. I haven't come across aluminum couplings.

Here you go...
http://www.mcmaster.com/#aluminum-pipe-fittings-and-pipe/=c92zkc

If your kegs happen to be Aluminum they can be made into bk's, mlt's, hlt's with fittings in Aluminum. The trick is finding the right welder to do the job right. Finding a good welder is like winning a raffle. Chances are your gonna lose.
Skilled trades are dying, so good luck.

 

[h22lude]

well there's learning to weld...and learning to weld sanitary fittings for brewing. Welding on an exhaust pipe for your car is something completely different from welding something that needs to be sanitary so you don't create a home for bugs

I was looking just to learn how to weld for a brewing bench but I would also need sanitary welds on my keggles. Man this gets more confusing the more I know. I'll just bring my projects to a welding shop.

 

[clay9_24]

Well I hope that I didn't scare you away from welding. TIG welding is very easy. However, figuring out the correct settings is a completely different game. I just saved you an entire evening by telling you what my machine is currently set at.

I wouldn't say that I am a great welder compared to most, but I love doing it and that is all that matters to me.

 

[h22lude]

Well I hope that I didn't scare you away from welding. TIG welding is very easy. However, figuring out the correct settings is a completely different game. I just saved you an entire evening by telling you what my machine is currently set at.

I wouldn't say that I am a great welder compared to most, but I love doing it and that is all that matters to me.

No I will still probably learn just not right now. It does sound fun

 

[Mellman]

I would say go ahead and learn to weld now on your bench - there's no way it'd be 'bad' enough such that the thing would not be useable, it just may not look pretty. and frankly...who cares, paint it building a bench is a GREAT way to start learning to weld. No better time than now! Then you can take your kegs to get sanitary welded...no problem.

 

[h22lude]

I would say go ahead and learn to weld now on your bench - there's no way it'd be 'bad' enough such that the thing would not be useable, it just may not look pretty. and frankly...who cares, paint it building a bench is a GREAT way to start learning to weld. No better time than now! Then you can take your kegs to get sanitary welded...no problem.

You think tig or mig? Will any weld shop be able to do sanitary welding

 

[Mellman]

TIG is great, MIG is cheaper. For most of your needs you'll likely be fine with MIG, it just comes down to what you're going to be welding other than your steel brewstand...

 

[h22lude]

TIG is great, MIG is cheaper. For most of your needs you'll likely be fine with MIG, it just comes down to what you're going to be welding other than your steel brewstand...

I would probably just be welding brew stands and welding stuff to the brew stand. Nothing real fancy. Welding copper to copper can be down with a torch (I think ) so nothing crazy there

 

[ratfarmer]

See if a refrigerator magnet will stick to your keg. A buddy of mine kept telling me that my kegs were aluminum so we made a bet. I grabbed a hard drive magnet off of my kegerator and tossed it onto the side of the keg where it stuck! I won the bet!

 

[rockytoptim]

See if a refrigerator magnet will stick to your keg. A buddy of mine kept telling me that my kegs were aluminum so we made a bet. I grabbed a hard drive magnet off of my kegerator and tossed it onto the side of the keg where it stuck! I won the bet!

Most stainless steel isn't magnetic. I didn't think kegs were made of magnetic stainless.

 

[clay9_24]

You think tig or mig? Will any weld shop be able to do sanitary welding

Not at all.

Finding a welder that can do stainless might not be hard, finding one that can and does often weld food processing equipment will be extremely tough.

 

[grubb]

what is the difference between food process equipment welding and regular welding.

 

[dmfa200]

what is the difference between food process equipment welding and regular welding.

Basically food processing equipment is welded with little to no weld penetration on the inside of the equipment that food will be in contact with, and with smooth transitions between the welds and the equipment or piping being joined.
The goal is to eliminate any protrusions or crevices that would allow food or bacteria from collecting in the equipment.
It also allows the equipment to be cleaned easier.

It's much easier to put too much weld in the root of a welded joint than to control precisely the amount needed to produce a flush weld with little to no penetration.

 

[GreatWetNorth]

Basically food processing equipment is welded with little to no weld penetration on the inside of the equipment that food will be in contact with, and with smooth transitions between the welds and the equipment or piping being joined.
The goal is to eliminate any protrusions or crevices that would allow food or bacteria from collecting in the equipment.
It also allows the equipment to be cleaned easier.

It's much easier to put too much weld in the root of a welded joint than to control precisely the amount needed to produce a flush weld with little to no penetration.

I don't mean to nitpick, but I have one small issue with this. I agree with everything else, but I wouldn't exactly say that you want "little to no weld penetration on the inside of the equipment". For me, penetration is on the inside of the joint, not the surface of the weld, and you always want adequate penetration. You definitely don't want any undercut or ugly, lumpy welds, as those would leave the protrusions and crevices that you mentioned. I guess I just would have phrased that first sentence a little differently.

And as for learning to weld and doing sanitary welds, none of it is rocket surgery, but it does take practice, as well as knowing and following certain procedures. Whether it's MIG, TIG or Stick (or even oxy-acetalene), you have to know the proper techniques, then take the time to actually perform them. And because there's a physical skill involved, everyone will learn at a different pace, and some guys might be better at one process than another. Give it a try, stick with it for a little while and see where you end up.

In my mind, the difference between sanitary welding and regular welding is not necessarily even in the welding itself; it's it the preparation and the procedure. Expanding on what clay said, you could probably even find a muffler shop that will TIG stainless for you but they probably won't be set up for back-purging, the work area probably won't be terribly clean and they'll be used to welding to a different standard than what you're looking for. Call some welding shops and listen not just to what they say, but how they say it. If a guy is willing to listen to what you have to say, and talks about things like cleanliness, tight fit-up and back-purging, he might be worth a try. On the other hand, if you talk to a guy and he comes across as stand-offish and doesn't want to listen to you and seems like he knows everything, you may want to pass.

 

[grubb]

thanks for the advice

 

[h22lude]

I don't mean to nitpick, but I have one small issue with this. I agree with everything else, but I wouldn't exactly say that you want "little to no weld penetration on the inside of the equipment". For me, penetration is on the inside of the joint, not the surface of the weld, and you always want adequate penetration. You definitely don't want any undercut or ugly, lumpy welds, as those would leave the protrusions and crevices that you mentioned. I guess I just would have phrased that first sentence a little differently.

And as for learning to weld and doing sanitary welds, none of it is rocket surgery, but it does take practice, as well as knowing and following certain procedures. Whether it's MIG, TIG or Stick (or even oxy-acetalene), you have to know the proper techniques, then take the time to actually perform them. And because there's a physical skill involved, everyone will learn at a different pace, and some guys might be better at one process than another. Give it a try, stick with it for a little while and see where you end up.

In my mind, the difference between sanitary welding and regular welding is not necessarily even in the welding itself; it's it the preparation and the procedure. Expanding on what clay said, you could probably even find a muffler shop that will TIG stainless for you but they probably won't be set up for back-purging, the work area probably won't be terribly clean and they'll be used to welding to a different standard than what you're looking for. Call some welding shops and listen not just to what they say, but how they say it. If a guy is willing to listen to what you have to say, and talks about things like cleanliness, tight fit-up and back-purging, he might be worth a try. On the other hand, if you talk to a guy and he comes across as stand-offish and doesn't want to listen to you and seems like he knows everything, you may want to pass.

That's an excellent way of putting it. A lot of people don't listen to how people say things. First of all, without knowing about sanitary welding I would never have known. Secondly, its good to have some terms to listen for to know the welder might have a better idea of sanitary welding over another place.

 

[dmfa200]

I don't mean to nitpick, but I have one small issue with this. I agree with everything else, but I wouldn't exactly say that you want "little to no weld penetration on the inside of the equipment". For me, penetration is on the inside of the joint, not the surface of the weld, and you always want adequate penetration.

Possibly wording that differently may have eliminated any confusion.

When I say little to no, what is meant is that the root of the weld should be flush with the inside of the walls, or very minimal weld protrusion.

I guess I assumed being a welder for so long that people understood my explanation. My bad.

If a guy is willing to listen to what you have to say, and talks about things like cleanliness, tight fit-up and back-purging, he might be worth a try. On the other hand, if you talk to a guy and he comes across as stand-offish and doesn't want to listen to you and seems like he knows everything, you may want to pass.

I totally agree with the above statement.
A lot of welders think they know more than they actually do.
If you run into one of those characters, turn around and leave.

And by the way GreatWetNorth, don't you know it's wrong to correct your elders?

 

[clay9_24]

here is a weld i did practicing with some new welding fixtures. i havent cleaned the weld with anything yet in this picture. there is absolutely zero weld showing on the inside. you cannot even feel the seam with your finger, silky smooth.

i was proud of it till i showed it to my welder friend. What looks perfect to the eye looks horrid under microsope. He said it would never pass inspection but it was a good start.