Dimpling and soldering a 1/2" NPT coupler in a stainless homebrew kettle / pot
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- This is how I put fittings in my homebrew kettles, HLT and MLT. It's easier than welding, cheap to get started (cost me less than $20 in flux and solder from Ebay) and really works a treat. Anyone can do this. If you don't have a MAPP tank, a regular propane tank will work as well.
Flux is Harris Stay-Clean. Solder is Harris Stay-Brite 4% silver-bearing.
Parts list for the dimpling tool - note the tapered adapter may need to be opened slightly to fit over the 5/8" bolt (just a few thousandths of an inch). If you don't have a Dremel or other tool to do this, you may want a 9/16" bolt instead:
5/8"-11 x 4 1/2" bolt
5/8" washer
3/4" to 1/2" stainless steel butt-weld pipe fitting (McMaster-Carr p/n 45605K711)
1" stainless socket weld low pressure coupling (McMaster-Carr p/n 4335T64)
1/2" washer (drilled to 5/8" with the step bit)
5/8" washer
5/8"-11 nut
Close-up photo of the dimpling tool:
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Contact me at info@manskirtbrewing.com.
Great looking joint. Really admire the attention to detail and the process of dimpling the thin sheet metal.
Was looking for a stainless steel soldering tutorial for an unrelated project, this is what I needed to see. Thank you.
This video is amazing. You do the project in one take, filled with information, and the crafting of the video itself is concise.
Great video with extremely clear instruction and a nice use of overdubbing so you can concentrate on the task at hand when filming. Cheers.
Great video thanks for posting. Great job for a final great product - nice instruction. No one yelling at me....awesome 🐒
I guess I'm getting ready to do this to my keg, should be fun, and make drain it after boiling easier.
Cheers
Thanks so much for this video, very well done. I was on the fence about soldering vs weldless, and I like this so much more than the weldless.
5/8" bolt.... with 5/16" nuts? at 3:10, you misspoke what size socket you used.
AWESOME tutorial, very well explained, and a VERY NICE solder joint.
How many MM or Inches smaller do you like to cut the hole?
First, props to you , Joe. .... this is an amazingly creative way to make a secure connection to a stainless pot or keg. The dimpling does appear to offer significant strength improvement over any other soldering technique.
I'd appreciate your assistance in figuring out how to upsize this a bit to create a hole and dimple to fit the ID of a 1 1/2" stainless ferrule which I want to solder onto the outside of the keg. That way, my element heater hole can also be a drain or rinse port.
I'll try
I tried it out. The reducer does pass into the 1" coupler and it makes a nice dimple. But the 1/2" coupler bottoms out when it hits the stop inside the 1" coupler. I used a short (half coupling) so it was OK, but it would be a problem trying to pull a full length coupling through. BTW, if you use half couplings be aware there is a front and a back. I didn't realize that until mine was soldered in.
Today we did a few test dimples on a piece of scrap 20 gauge steel. On the first run, our final dimple hole diameter was about 1/8" too large for our couplers we bought. I measured the diameter of the couplers with a caliper, then found the point on the butt weld reducer that was the same diameter and drew a line with a sharpie. When we did the dimples, we stopped just before the coupler was pulled through to that mark, then backed it off. We then used the dimple kit to pull the coupler into place and finish the last tiny bit (about 1/32nd). Ended up with an amazingly tight fit. If anyone else runs into the same situation on their test dimples (maybe do a test on the lid), then I advise you do what we did.
Hey Joe, used this method for soldering three bulkheads. Worked great, even with with first try being a little too big to be a pressed fit. THANKS!!!
Joe- Thanks for sharing. I've followed your procedure with great success. Let me share with the others that if you dimple too much, back hammer the hole closed a bit until it grips the coupling.
Thanks Joe... would have loved to see your completed kegs...
This is the beast how to video out there. After watching once I was able to make several of these
Very nice. Thanks for the parts list.
You did a great job, the only thing I would do is not to acid the joint till the fitting is but in the right place as the acid will flow through the joint. If you are worried you could always tin the fitting and pot. I would use a small brush to apply the acid to the joint so as not to drop it where you do not want it. Acid has a bad reaction on tools and work causing rust .
Joe, excellent production here. One criticism is that you weren't wearing safety glasses during the drilling. I also wouldn't hurt to wear a half face respirator with carbon carts on it during the soldering either, but I like the mention about good ventilation.
Great video! I would chop those fittings in half before soldering in. They won't stick out as far and you get twice as many!
*****
Why not? I'm doing this now, and am thinking a half coupler would be ideal for a connection like the one in your video ... port at the bottom center of the HLT for zero dead space. Can't think of a reason you'd want to thread something on the inside of the connection. For a boil kettle, I see a need for internal parts, though.
Brilliant. Thank you.
Would be a good idea for those thinking of doing this kind of work to secure the item you intend on drilling with clamps and using 2 hands on the drill. The torque can be difficult if the bit gets caught.
nice vid. having experience blacksmithing and metalworking though, i'd strongly recommend not wearing those gloves when soldering! if anything hot lands on the rubber glove, that rubber will melt into your skin and cause a nasty burn. just my two cents.
Some lessons you gotta learn the hard way.
1:58.
Now that have a nice clean hole and I'm done playing with it?
Great instructional, I appreciate the attention to detail.
Can anyone speak to the strength of a silver soldered joint? Trying to determine where in the spectrum solder falls between bulkheads and welds. Old video I know.
It is surprisingly strong and durable. I don't have any engineering data, but I am still using the tanks I silver soldered 10 years ago in my commercial brewery today.
So pretty man. That was awesome.
Excellent! Thanks for the video, helped me a lot.
Great job and very professional thanks for sharing with us...
Most important information on the grade of solder and flux used has been withheld. Or did I miss it.
Good video you actually show what and how to do this unlike most who gloss over however I have a couple of questions for you, where do you get your dimpling tool? I have a set of electricians knock out tools but it doesn't contain any dimpling dies, next what flux and solder do you use? next do you have to dimple the pot or can this be done without? I have a TIG welder but this seems a better option for low pressure thin walled vessels
Hi Joe. This looks almost to good to be true :)
Any info on durability of these joints?
I now use my soldered kettles at my commercial brewery as a pilot system. Over 10 years, and still zero issues.
@@ManSkirtBrew
Last couple of years I am "obsessing" with creating efficient central heating burner, At one point came to this nasty point where it was impossible to joint main unit and condenser with tig welding cause there was no enough space. Soldering seems to be solution, but I was afraid that solder joint might leak after some time.
its open source btw.
drive.google.com/file/d/1DVeUTNyhpt2nRQbdLb1ZUZR5FXO1qtwT/view?usp=sharing
drive.google.com/file/d/14yyns9K3_ToVm_jd7_LFmrY7p9LO1efQ/view?usp=sharing
Hey, Joe. Just curious what you're actually making here?
I need to solder a modified SS sink oppose to mig welding it because the latter will warp the 16 gauge sink...so soldering looks like the way to go. But I'm wondering how strong is it.
Aside from the above, and though we use lead solder in our water lines is it safe to use on container being used for beer?
+Joe Fisher
Thanks Joe for your timely reply. I really appreciate it. Yes, I lost sight that we now have lead free solder. I will eventually be soldering the modified sink and I'll see if I can make a video of it. Again, thanks- also for spending the time to make the video to share with others. It makes the world a better place
Hello, Thank you very much for the video. Could you please elaborate on the specification of the solder you have used here? I am asking this because many solder fillers have lead I have heard that its harmful
awesom vid. dude!
Joe curious if between making this video and now, have you experienced any cracking or weakening of the solder joints from many heating and cooling cycles? If I can have my kettles welded would that be a better option? Thank you for your extremely informative brewing videos.
Very informative. Thank you.
Hey Joe, have you tried this on the sidewalls of any kettles/kegs. Just wondering if it's possible on a surface that isn't flat. Love the videos...keep up the good work!
you cannot put that on the stove, the solder will melt,what was that for? nicely done,i'll say...
@@plumber1227128 Sure ,that would be better, but he did not silver solder it; -- the way i see it, if he soldered it with a simple gas flame, the stove flame will also melt that solder; but then again, i read here that it won't see those kind of temps.
@@plumber1227128 you're right,the water inside will definitely lower the temps a great deal, good point.
1. 1 1/2" to 1" stainless steel Butt-weld Reducing Coupling (McMaster-Carr p/n 45605K725)
2. 1 1/2" stainless low -pressure socket-weld coupling (McMaster-Carr p/n 4335T66)
3. I can't tell from the VIDEO how the washers around the COUPLER work exactly so I don't how they should be upsized.
I'd really appreciate your advice.
Hey there! I put up a couple of vids that are just simple Bills of Material for anyone that wants to make this device and source it from one place. I used the McMaster-Carr parts to put it together. There's one for the 1/2" coupler dimple maker at th-cam.com/video/ziUO5mdIA8c/w-d-xo.html and for those who need to add 3/4 inch couplers they can use the 3/4" Bill of Materials at th-cam.com/video/ZNcTFBct5aM/w-d-xo.html. I set them up as vids that play for 30 seconds, so anyone who needs to can just pause the video and write down the numbers. This is by no means the cheapest way to do this, but if you can't get into town to get parts, it might be the quickest. I used FINE thread bolts instead of course because I felt they gave me a little more control over the depth of the coupler in the last step. Anyway, great job on the vid!
continued ..
I am guessing that, in my application, the ferrule would fit over and around the hole and dimple. I don't know if you can control the size creation of the hole and dimple accurately enough to fit the ferrule inside the hole and dimple from the outside of the keg. The SilverSolder won't fill gaps so the pieces have to be snug as your method achieves.
The ID of the 1 1/2" ferrule appears to be 1 11/32". T
Can you take a swag at a way to adapt your method for this ferrule install?
I threw on a subscribe just for this video alone.
Much appreciated!
Your my hero dude !!!
i know nothing of beer making but.......cool
what temps can this type of solder handle, im looking to fix a chimney to pizza oven, and have map gas but wonder if it will handle the heat? any advice would be great thanks. (i can weld, but dont have SS welding gear, and thought this might be simpler)
Brazing is probably a better option for a chimney, it is a higher temperature soldering process.
This work well on rounded surfaces like the side of a pot? I suspect that cranking down on it would start to flatten the curved surface.
Joe, how close to the weld at the bottom of a keg can you get and still pull a dimple? two of my kegs were already drilled to solder nipples when I found this technique? What would be the recommended distance? Thanks
Where did you find the reducer and receiving fittings for the 'dimpling' step? Our local hardware stores & big boxes do not carry these.
Joe, one more question...I have stay-silv flux...I know it's a higher temp flux... do think I can use that with stay brite #8 solder?
Thanks!
. great job ! what solder have you used ? and also i wonder what kind of solder is the best to solder SS with copper ?
how you guys removing the heat coloration of the stainless steel after soldering?
Sweet.
Great video, what type of solder did you use
Really nice video thanks for sharing:)
I would like to try this, but a welder told me, that stainless ain't stainless anymore when it has been heated. Have you had any problems with rust after the soldering job?
Thanks
Jens
All stainless pots that are manufactured are stainless steel, but there is different grades for different uses. Stainless steel when welded does change at the welding joint area. It is the heat zone that is changed not the stainless it self as if in any weld you change the heated joint area.
I'm going to try brass fitting to stainless steel pot. Do you anticipate any problems there? Thanks.
I have no idea why I’m watching this or why it’s in my recommendations 9 years after.
I just can't believe I made that 9 years ago.
Skip to 11:00 the rest is how to make a hole?
I have two 1.5 or 1 1/2 inch holes in my keg was trying to use kettle elements but never got them water tight. would this answer my prayers?
my couplers are all 15/16" od. Where did you get your couplers to fit so snug? The 3/4" butt weld od is 1 1/16", much looser then your video.
Step bits do not give nice clean holes. They leave a curve on the back side. Like a bullet went through the vessel
where do you get the threaded coupling that get's soldered to the pot? just curious if they sell those on mcmaster also
joe, couldn't you just use a 1/2 inch bolt?
Is it "sodder" or "soLder" that you use?
Joe, any ideas for drilling a 3.5" hole in the same exact container/material?
***** Cool, thanks!
Hey Joe I just seen your video and it was great thanks for that. I had a question on your dimple puller, what is the exact trade name for that tool? and/or where did you find it? I'm trying to google this thing with no luck finding all sorts of other tools. Your response would be great! Thanks in advance.
+Joe Fisher Awesome. totally missed that thanks man.
+Danny C. Dimple Dies
+Saul Blade thank you sir but since then i have already gone out and made one of these tools. I also have a local shop here in central cali i used to work for that deals with nothing but stainless and sanitary applications for creameries, i was able to find the parts i needed. Thanks again guys!! Boff of you!
Just curious, but have you tried this on a beer keg?
So you think a regular propane torch will do it? Debating whether to spend for the MAPP one
***** MAPP gas doesn't exist anymore. You're buying a MAPP substitute (MAPP-Pro) which is only marginally hotter than propane. Wikipedia has more details.
is this safe for use with food and drinks considering that you used Harris Stay Clean?
I read that it is a strong flux and it contains hydrochloric acid, zinc chloride and ammonium chloride?
I also plan to use the same flux IF it is safe to use for food-related applications.
Wash well with hot water and detergent. If you are worried about acid residue you can add some bicarbonate of soda solution and if it fizzes it is neutralising the acid.
what is the composition of the flux? thx
i have a welded SS pot with only the outside welded and the inside has started to pit for whatever reason?
i had a friend weld the inside of one but now it was warped around the area :( he kept blowing through the outside trying to weld the inside and hes welded for 20+ years. maybe the material is just too thin idk.
do you think i could just use this method to solder the inside inlet?
+Joe Fisher thanks for the insight..hope the brewery is going well would love to see a brewday on it!
👍👍👍👍👍👍😊
The 1" coupler on McMaster has a stop in the middle that won't let the 1/2" coupler or reducer fit through. Did you drill this out or get one without a stop? Part diagram: bit.ly\WEHqJA
I like "hi mom"...u are using pots from poor mom?
Hi
Done. Did you receive my email?
nice job, shame it's being used for the production of neurotoxins
DRILL SPEEDING KILLS TOOLS=BY GOD
Really slow, go straight to 11 minutes,,,
Please ALWAYS wear eye protection!!!! Leather gloves, no sleeves when drilling, clamp metal down when drilling and ear plugs! Habits acquired doing routine "small jobs" tend to follow when moving up to larger machines. Eye protection skin protection when soldering and a way to get fumes away from face, too. Oh, great, breathing Acetone fumes...Your liver and brain really like that! I couldn't finish watching...ugh"