wort chiller

[eagle83]

So i was going to try to save some money by making my own wort chiller. I started to go to Lowe's and pick up some copper, but called my stepdad first to see if he had some laying around by chance. Well he pretty much had exactly what I needed. It's some type of chiller seems to be made of stainless steel. He found it at my dad's house. My dad was a chemist, and always tinkering with stuff so there is no telling what he was using it for. It's dirty, but I can clean it up. It's a little big for the pot I'm using now (I need to get a bigger pot for one thing, but gotta take it slow do to finances) but I'm sure I can tinker with it and make in more compact. I thought about just disconnected one coil, putting one in wort and one in ice.
My question is is there anything I should be concerned with? If I scrub it down and boil it in a pot of water should it be fine, or should I just go find some copper coil and make one just to be safe. It'd be nice to same the money to get the copper, but if there is something you guys see wrong with using this I don't want to take any chances.
I know how much you guys like pictures so I snapped a few. Can't figure out how to upload them though cause I can't get tinypic to work and it asks for a hyperlink.

 

[likwidbliss]

I might spend the money knowing that the chiller is rather safe. Chemistry is an impressive career, but did he use it the cool silver nitrate? Did he use it to cool ferric cyanide? Could it have been used for ethylene glycol cooling? These questions may go unanswered.

I made my wort chiller for $25, need to get some fittings but no big deal. Works like a champ too.

 

[eagle83]

This is it. Sorry the picture is huge.

 

[mitch171]

Well you don't need to worry about what he ran through it so that is a good thing. I would hit the outside with every kind of cleaner you have. It is SS so you should, as far as I know which isn't far, be able to clean it to the point or it not mattering what it was used for. Maybe some kind of acid cleaner would strip any residue that could be left from whatever.

 

[LarryC]

There are a ton of other factors but here's one to think about

Thermal conductivity (higher numbers mean more heat transfer)
Copper 400
Stainless 17

(Data from Engineering Tool Box .com)

 

[mitch171]

ah ya copper would actually make a better chiller. Use it for a jockey box. Of course then you would have to worry about what was run through it.

 

[sfrice80]

Just make your own. I made my own for $25 as well and it works great and fits my kitchen sink faucet amazingly well!

 

[Sardoman]

People have different attitudes about health and safety. I am a Biochemist, and the same is true in the lab as it is at home. Personally, I would never use something that was used for unknown purposes in the lab for preparing anything meant for consumption. The health and safety of myself, my friends, and my family is too important to risk, especially when it is a risk so easily avoided. If $$$ is a problem, an ice bath in the sink isn't so bad.
Food for thought.