in true tight arse brewer fashion i have been mucking a about with soldering stainless to stianless and brass / copper to stainless.
in someways to save on all the extra "weldless" fittings and also it looks nice and neat
i am building a 3V rig (in progress) electric HLT and HERMS and maybe electric boiler.
I aim to solder in all the fittings including bushing or lock nuts for screw in elements etc.
at this stage i have just had a couple of practice goes but it seems promising
there are a few threads on AHB about it, some good discussion but no pics...
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=30182&st=0
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=45039
a very good thread over at HBT with pics and a very good video using a "dimpling" method
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/soldering-...s-steel-155782/
i have to create my dimple tool but here are some pics of what i did today on the scrap keg lid
i used a BBQ gas powered torch i have (propane torch) lead free solder (aquasafe 100 - copper/tin)
for flux i used hydrochloric acid from my pool as the real flux i had was not "right" for ss work. (the hydro acid worked well but i will by the right stuff)
i created a RING of solder, sanded bright the fittings and base, wiped it all with alcohol and fluxed it up fairly wet
i heated the base 1st then the fitting, back to the base and then the fitting till the solder melted and flowed.
heating a larger area of the base stopped it sucking out the heat, the keg lid is thick and needs some heat
in the dimpling vid the pot is very thin and you see he only heats the fitting
this is not brazing or high silver content, but really just soft soldering (lead free or soft silver solder +-8%)
tomorrow i was going to do the drain on my HLT in the base of the keggle
here are some pics and a video of me hitting it with a hammer.
vid hammer test (thats water flying off when hit not metal)
pics are brass 1" bush
stainless elbow
1/2 copper pipe though hole (failed hammer test after i sanded it flush, prior to sanding it held very well)
in someways to save on all the extra "weldless" fittings and also it looks nice and neat
i am building a 3V rig (in progress) electric HLT and HERMS and maybe electric boiler.
I aim to solder in all the fittings including bushing or lock nuts for screw in elements etc.
at this stage i have just had a couple of practice goes but it seems promising
there are a few threads on AHB about it, some good discussion but no pics...
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=30182&st=0
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=45039
a very good thread over at HBT with pics and a very good video using a "dimpling" method
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/soldering-...s-steel-155782/
i have to create my dimple tool but here are some pics of what i did today on the scrap keg lid
i used a BBQ gas powered torch i have (propane torch) lead free solder (aquasafe 100 - copper/tin)
for flux i used hydrochloric acid from my pool as the real flux i had was not "right" for ss work. (the hydro acid worked well but i will by the right stuff)
i created a RING of solder, sanded bright the fittings and base, wiped it all with alcohol and fluxed it up fairly wet
i heated the base 1st then the fitting, back to the base and then the fitting till the solder melted and flowed.
heating a larger area of the base stopped it sucking out the heat, the keg lid is thick and needs some heat
in the dimpling vid the pot is very thin and you see he only heats the fitting
this is not brazing or high silver content, but really just soft soldering (lead free or soft silver solder +-8%)
tomorrow i was going to do the drain on my HLT in the base of the keggle
here are some pics and a video of me hitting it with a hammer.
vid hammer test (thats water flying off when hit not metal)
pics are brass 1" bush
stainless elbow
1/2 copper pipe though hole (failed hammer test after i sanded it flush, prior to sanding it held very well)




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