Kettel hole punches

[Bbowzky1]

Love the Q-max sheet metal punches.

22.5mm punch, knocked out 4 holes in under 5 or so minutes. Not even any work hardening (not including the time to measure off etc)

Such a great investment.

 

[Meddo]

Love the Q-max sheet metal punches.

22.5mm punch, knocked out 4 holes in under 5 or so minutes. Not even any work hardening (not including the time to measure off etc)

Such a great investment.

Where's that float switch from mate? Kinda on the to do list for my rig too.

 

[Bbowzky1]

Where's that float switch from mate? Kinda on the to do list for my rig too.

Just a cheaply off ebay. 2 for 35bucks. Wanted to check fitments, etc before going all out. These ones open at about 30-40 degrees, but electrically dont close again till about only 5 or 10.

Still will protect those elements.

These are the ones I bought. And here's a ebay seller with a few.
They took me ages to find but if you google horizontal ss float switch and search lots you'll find some.

 

[DunAthad]

Thanks for the write up on these punches @Bbowzky1 , great information and fills me with confidence about drilling my own kettle

Can I ask about the 22.5mm punch.... were the fittings to be installed 1/2" BSP?

The reason I ask is that I bought a ball valve that suggests a 22.5mm hole *but* my Google/YouTube research has people using a 21mm q-max punch.... How is the fit with the 22.5mm? Would the 21mm be too tight or do you feel the 22.5mm is just right?

I like the idea of an o-ring sealing "mostly" against the kettle wall and worry about it squishing into the gap that could potentially be created by using a punch that was slightly too big....

Many thanks

 

[Bbowzky1]

Thanks for the write up on these punches @Bbowzky1 , great information and fills me with confidence about drilling my own kettle

Can I ask about the 22.5mm punch.... were the fittings to be installed 1/2" BSP?

The reason I ask is that I bought a ball valve that suggests a 22.5mm hole *but* my Google/YouTube research has people using a 21mm q-max punch.... How is the fit with the 22.5mm? Would the 21mm be too tight or do you feel the 22.5mm is just right?

I like the idea of an o-ring sealing "mostly" against the kettle wall and worry about it squishing into the gap that could potentially be created by using a punch that was slightly too big....

Many thanks

I think 22.5mm is a little big. I did 22.5mm as the nano brewery kettel come stock with 22.5mm so wanted to keep everything the same.

As for sealing, thus far, everything has sealed well, though I have a but of different fittings on my ball valves. (Cheeky peak quick seal valves)

 

[DunAthad]

I think 22.5mm is a little big. I did 22.5mm as the nano brewery kettel come stock with 22.5mm so wanted to keep everything the same.

As for sealing, thus far, everything has sealed well, though I have a but of different fittings on my ball valves. (Cheeky peak quick seal valves)

Thanks mate, funnily enough, it's a regular Cheeky Peak Nano Brewery 3 piece ball valve I'll be fitting! Picked it up off eBay a while back with a site wide 15% discount....

It's the description on the eBay listing that states 22.5mm but I think I'll try a 21mm q-max punch for a slightly smaller hole.

The only thing I'm not really keen on with the Cheeky Peak bulkhead is that its round and smooth ~ nothing to latch a spanner on to get the last "tweak" when you're tightening.... yours will be different though but I'm hoping hand tight will be good enough (hence my concerns about sealing)

Thanks again

 

[Bbowzky1]

Thanks mate, funnily enough, it's a regular Cheeky Peak Nano Brewery 3 piece ball valve I'll be fitting! Picked it up off eBay a while back with a site wide 15% discount....

It's the description on the eBay listing that states 22.5mm but I think I'll try a 21mm q-max punch for a slightly smaller hole.

The only thing I'm not really keen on with the Cheeky Peak bulkhead is that its round and smooth ~ nothing to latch a spanner on to get the last "tweak" when you're tightening.... yours will be different though but I'm hoping hand tight will be good enough (hence my concerns about sealing)

Thanks again

Yeah, that's a pain, though with the thick red washer it buys in and allows ya to tighten with ought to much need to grip the bulk head.

As for fitting the male threads to female threads with nowhere to put a spanner, now that's doing my head in haha.