# DIY wort chiller joints



## roastinrich (10/3/14)

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are on soldered joints being submerged in the boiling wort. I used silver solder on the elbow at the bottom and an expanded joint half way up. Is there any chance of lead contamination and should I have used stainless compression fittings instead?


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## pk.sax (10/3/14)

There is a thing called lead free silver solder out in the shops you know... It's called plumbing solder. Even bunnings keep it.


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## Camo6 (10/3/14)

My soldered elbow on my IC has done countless brews without fail. As long as you got a good clean join and don't flex it you should be right.

Buy like PF says, definitely use the plumbers solder.


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## Burt de Ernie (10/3/14)

If you used "silver solder" i.e. not soft solder then to the best of my knowledge silver solder has not lead. It is made up of silver, copper and zinc.

What did you use to braze it with? oxy acetylene or mapp gas??


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## roastinrich (11/3/14)

Burt de Ernie said:


> If you used "silver solder" i.e. not soft solder then to the best of my knowledge silver solder has not lead. It is made up of silver, copper and zinc.
> 
> What did you use to braze it with? oxy acetylene or mapp gas??


I used Oxy acetylene Burt. My old man is a retired gas fitter so he had heaps of gear lying around begging to be used. The solder wasn't soft so it doesn't feel like it has lead in but I couldn't be sure. It's like 25 years old. My next challenge is to make a 3/4 stainless wort chiller with 15% silver - silver solder. Bending it round a corny will be a challenge. will have to heat it first I'm sure. Anyone tried?


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## Mardoo (11/3/14)

There's definitely a stainless chiller build thread on here. I just can't find it using the app's search function. IIRC bending around a corny wasn't possible, but have a read of it to be sure.


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## spog (11/3/14)

You would be better off wrapping/ bending the copper around something solid like an off cut of a timber post that is of the required diameter


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## djar007 (11/3/14)

Pretty sure the one on here made up a pipe bending jig. Best way to get uniform bends.


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## Ducatiboy stu (11/3/14)

Some silver solder does contain cadmium, well the older stuff did


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## pk.sax (11/3/14)

Beware of trying to bend thin wall stainless pipe. Ends in tears. Use thicker gauge, while harder it will be less tears when you 'don't' kink it.


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## roastinrich (11/3/14)

I gave it a try this arvo by heating and bending the 3/8 around some 75mm steel tube. Not kinky so far ( the tube that is) Gonna get creative with a different design and make up a bending jig. Bit of work to do but fingers crossed it will be worth it.


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## roastinrich (21/3/14)

After a lot of swearing and a few modifications I have finished my first ( and last) stainless IC. Not pretty - but does the job and no stirring required.


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## Mardoo (21/3/14)

Niiiiiiiice! Well done!


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## MartinOC (21/3/14)

Watch it! Ducati-Stu will be after you with a big stick for having something so pretty, nice & orderly..

Nice job, BTW!


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## TidalPete (21/3/14)

Really nice work there but are all those right-angled bends slowing down the flow of your cooling water?
Not so bad if you're using water from your bore or tank (recirculating)?
And to stay on-topic silver solder is lead-free.  
Just checked my '70's roll of Comweld 965 food-grade solder & flux. Still going strong would you believe it? --- http://www.cigweld.com.au/product/rods-wires/comweld-965-solder/


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## Ducatiboy stu (21/3/14)

Looks nice. I want one


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## roastinrich (22/3/14)

Yeah water flow is a bit slower but it saves me standing there stirring. I just pump through ice water from sink full of frozen ice cream containers then recirculating it after a bit. 

What do a gynaecologist and a pizza delivery boy have in common?

They can both smell it, but can't eat it.


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