# Fit A Valve/tap To Your Brew Pot?



## red ghost (27/6/11)

I would love to see it, ok not real exciting but I just would like to see what has been done before I have a go..

cheers


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## bignath (27/6/11)

red ghost said:


> I would love to see it, ok not real exciting but I just would like to see what has been done before I have a go..
> 
> cheers




1. Buy a tap.
2. Drill hole.
3. Go back to hardware store because you (I) forgot to buy the "all thread", flange nuts, and washers.
4. Install tap. 
5. Have a beer.

Only really problem is if your kettle is stainless, in which case you need to use a step drill bit, or use a masonry bit and file the rest out to size after you destroy your cheap step drill bit because your drill doesn't have some kind of speed control.
Use lots of lube. Might as well put some on the drill bit too... :blink: 

Easy peasy bosom squeezy...

ps. under no circumstances think that a spade bit or a hole saw bit will work. Trust me, it wont....


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## Siborg (27/6/11)

Big Nath said:


> 1. Buy a tap.
> 2. Drill hole.
> 3. Go back to hardware store because you (I) forgot to buy the "all thread", flange nuts, and washers.
> 4. Install tap.
> ...


+1 for a step drill and plenty of WD-40. See if you know someone you can borrow one off, cause they're expensive. I've done mine and haven't put it all together. I'll probably put it together later this week and post some pics if you like.


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## spudfarmerboy (27/6/11)

.
ps. under no circumstances think that a spade bit or a hole saw bit will work. Trust me, it wont....


I have used a 22mm hole saw to drill all the holes in my 3V system. A good quality metal hole saw drills through a stainless keg easy.


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## Yob (27/6/11)

just got all the parts except the step drill on the weekend to do just this, hadnt got round to looking up a thread yet..

step drill was $26 at the green shed for the step drill.. 

I got this load, 

2x washers (on ya Si I was all over it) depending on the size you go I found the washers from out of a hose to tap attachment the best 'looking' size.
2.Nuts to suit double ended thread
double ended thread fits into valve and pot sealed by above (I hope)
fits into tap 
fits into hose
spray end for sparge water

I reckon it will be a pearler... and can easily reuse the parts when I can get a bigger better pot bit fro $20 or less for a replacement it is worth the experiment.

I probably didnt need as many parts as well... just the bloody tap may have worked <_< 

nicely timed question mate!! and nice tip re the WD40 Si

:icon_cheers:


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## bignath (27/6/11)

spudfarmerboy said:


> .
> ps. under no circumstances think that a spade bit or a hole saw bit will work. Trust me, it wont....
> 
> 
> I have used a 22mm hole saw to drill all the holes in my 3V system. A good quality metal hole saw drills through a stainless keg easy.




Yeah, but i'm a dickhead sometimes with building shit. And very clearly went for the cheapest option on the drill bit front.
My hole saw wouldn't go through a 5lt Heineken keg let alone my 3 x 50lt (insert beer name here) kegs.

Come to think of it, my step drill bit was a piece of crap too. Had a decent masonry bit though (approx. 12mm) and it punched through much better than anything else i had. From there it was really easy with a file to just stretch out the hole bit by bit (pun intended) until i got the most snuggest of snug fits on my vessels. No leaks at all.


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## petesbrew (27/6/11)

spudfarmerboy said:


> .
> ps. under no circumstances think that a spade bit or a hole saw bit will work. Trust me, it wont....
> 
> 
> I have used a 22mm hole saw to drill all the holes in my 3V system. A good quality metal hole saw drills through a stainless keg easy.


Yep, A bad quality one doesn't.

Still, it gave me a reason to buy a nice round file. That finished the job.


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## adryargument (27/6/11)

Hit it with a 1/4 inch drill piece, then 1/2 inch.
Go buy a 1/2 inch grinding stone and work it in circles till it's the right size.

My $5 grinding stone lasted 7 * 21mm holes in 45 / 98 liter kettles.

Cheapass step drill piece struggled to do 2, and died on the third.


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## Feldon (27/6/11)

For my money the safest and easiest way to put a hole in a SS pot is with a tool called a Q Max punch.




You just drill a small pilot hole with a ordinary drill bit of a size to fit the central screw (doesn't have to be a neat hole because you are going to remove the surounding metal). 

(Tip: don't have the curvature of the pot rolling towards you when drilling the pilot hole or the bit might glance off into your groin - ouch. Have the curvature running east-west so the bit will skate off sideways if it slips).

You then attach the two other components of the Q Max - a die and a punch (cutter) - to the screw and tighten the screw with a allen key (usually not supplied with the Q Max). Makes a beautifully clean, burr-free hole. 

A 7/8 inch Q Max punch will make a suitable hole for 1/2 inch pipe that is threaded on the outside (or threaded nipple as it is called).

Cost of the Q Max punch is about $50 if bought online in Australia (or so it seems), but half that if bought from various UK ebay sellers and shipped by air mail (just search the web using 'Q Max ebay' as the search term and you'll find them).


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## kelbygreen (27/6/11)

why didnt you get a brass ball valve iamozziyob?? bunnings have them and the stuff you got looks like all bunnings stuff so wouldnt be hard plus they have 1/2 threaded rod you can get about 3 kettles out of or 2 esky taps. I got snug washers to fit my esky to make a better surface area but need a rubber washer between the front esky and washer, one between the esky and washer inside and then one between the washer and nut on the inside and a bit of thread tape. got stuff rated at 150deg here so used that


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## Yob (28/6/11)

kelbygreen said:


> why didnt you get a brass ball valve iamozziyob??



ummm.. wide eyes shut and not enough research? :unsure: 

dunno mate just went into plumbing and came out with that lot... didnt really know what I was looking for but trying to think my way through what I would need and what would work I guess..

This is kind of a prelude to me getting a 'much' bigger pot down the line and I guess like all experiments it's the process and what you learn from it to do better next time... 

the red handelled part I thoight was a ball valve type thingie which threads to the tap... I guess after the hour standing there and picking up 100 different pieces of plumbing I ended up just grabbing what I thought I'd need to get the job done..

he he he... tinkering if fun though and if when it works Im gunna be so chuffed, Im trying to eliminate the 'manual' siphon I currently have to do which has always had me a little paranoid.

Yob


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## QldKev (28/6/11)

iamozziyob said:


> just got all the parts except the step drill on the weekend to do just this, hadnt got round to looking up a thread yet..
> 
> step drill was $26 at the green shed for the step drill..
> 
> ...



Bit of feedback

Those garden taps use a rubber seal, I would not use them for hot wort.
That clear hose goes really soft with the hot wort and I found after a couple of uses left a taste in the beer
I had issues with those rubber seal leaking, I ended up using the proper ones from Ross
If you go to a plumbing shop you can get a flanged nut which is heaps better at sealing than the normal nuts.

Hope this helps

QldKev


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## scooter_59 (28/6/11)

iamozziyob said:


> ummm.. wide eyes shut and not enough research? :unsure:
> 
> dunno mate just went into plumbing and came out with that lot... didnt really know what I was looking for but trying to think my way through what I would need and what would work I guess..
> 
> ...




Go to Swan hardware in Kilsyth they have the ball valve that you need for half the price of the big green shed . They also have the reinforced tubing that you can buy by the metre , also you will need some allthread which is basically a tube with thread all the way along . Buy the flanged nuts for they have basically a washer moulded to the back of the nut for want of a better explanation .


Cheers
Leachim


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## glaab (28/6/11)

I'd buy one of these fittings https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdeta...tAbsolutePage=1
and a stainless ball valve, the problem with all thread and nuts/ washers is it can leak along the thread even though the washers seal from the sides if that makes sense. if you dont wanna spring for the ss stuff i have a spare fitting you can have if you send me a SSA postpak, it's got the flange nut soldered on to prevent the aforementioned poorly described leak. cheers


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## ekul (28/6/11)

I used to use that same kind of hose for siphoning, besides it being absolutely terrible for this, i found it left a ever so slight aroma in the beer, so something plastic must have been getting in there. I bought a silicon siphon from ross and this fixed my problem. Fixed it so well that i haven't even bothered to fit a tap yet! I just fit the siphon with a big bulldog clip (an integral part of my brewery!) give it a suck and hey presto... full cubes! If i was transferring cool wort i wouldn't be using my mouth btw...


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