Stainless Tubing, Bending And Compression Fittings

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fraser_john

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Someone posted a picture of their system a while ago and be buggered if I can find it, but they had used stainless tubing that had nice bends in it and used what looked to be compression fittings to hook up to the pumps & valves etc.

If this was your system, can you post more pics & details under this thread?

How difficult was it to bend the stainless tube, was it annealed to make it easier to form the 90 degree bends? Where did you get the tube and the compression fittings from......

So many questions, but I loved the look of it and as I plan my new brewstand, I want to go from using silicone tube and plastic barbed hose fittings to stainless lines.
 
Not the answer you seek, but Geordi sell both stainless tubes and compression fittings for them - a good place to start if you will DIY.
 
Someone posted a picture of their system a while ago and be buggered if I can find it, but they had used stainless tubing that had nice bends in it and used what looked to be compression fittings to hook up to the pumps & valves etc.

If this was your system, can you post more pics & details under this thread?

How difficult was it to bend the stainless tube, was it annealed to make it easier to form the 90 degree bends? Where did you get the tube and the compression fittings from......

So many questions, but I loved the look of it and as I plan my new brewstand, I want to go from using silicone tube and plastic barbed hose fittings to stainless lines.

a 90 degree bend is easy with a pipe bender, a readily and cheaply available tool

if you are talking about 1/2 inch ss tube, then the pipe does not to be annealed, it will be easy enough to bend with the pipe bender

it is important to not make that bend too close to where the compression fitting joins as you will distort the pipe at the bend, and the compression fitting will not seal properly
 
you can just bend it with pipe benders made for plumbing, I got a bit with a compression fitting on the end where I worked and it had a SS olive and there was no way to get it back off again. annealed cooper is easier to bend by hand all the house plumbing is done with standard stuff and bent with a pipe bender and not by hand
 
I have a hard plumbed 2-3v system in the making. I have 3/4 on the inlet side of pump. These are all straight tube lengths so no bends. For the outlet side I purchased a good quality 1/2 tube bender for the job. It may not seem worth it but do one bend and you won't be sorry. For the fittings search ebay for swagelok fittings. I like them they have swagelok stamped into them and they are also completely stainless.
I wanted the shortest run possible in the plumbing and 1x2m hose and 1x8m for pumping to kettle and fermenter. The frame was built around the plumbing so as to be as small as possible.
My HLT being used as kettle at the moment. Crappy one of mash tun. Also they are built for a removals trolley.
IMG_0500.JPG IMG_0503.JPG

I am still collecting stuff for my new kettle for which I am using tri-clver fiittings.
 

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May not be entirely applicable to the OP because of the desire for all hard plumbing but my experience is that a cheap bunnings pipe bender ($15 or so) will complete four to five bends of 1/2 inch ss tube before it warps.
If you're just making pick up tubes like me for 2 or 3 bessels this might be an option.

Hope thay help someone
 
I have a hard plumbed 2-3v system in the making. I have 3/4 on the inlet side of pump. These are all straight tube lengths so no bends. For the outlet side I purchased a good quality 1/2 tube bender for the job. It may not seem worth it but do one bend and you won't be sorry. For the fittings search ebay for swagelok fittings. I like them they have swagelok stamped into them and they are also completely stainless.
I wanted the shortest run possible in the plumbing and 1x2m hose and 1x8m for pumping to kettle and fermenter. The frame was built around the plumbing so as to be as small as possible.
My HLT being used as kettle at the moment. Crappy one of mash tun. Also they are built for a removals trolley.
View attachment 53360 View attachment 53361

I am still collecting stuff for my new kettle for which I am using tri-clver fiittings.
Running RIMs ? Swagelock is exy from a dedicated supplier.
Nice bit of kit you are building, if you want Tri clovers let me know as I have an order open OS that I can add too.
Nev
 
Someone posted a picture of their system a while ago and be buggered if I can find it, but they had used stainless tubing that had nice bends in it and used what looked to be compression fittings to hook up to the pumps & valves etc.

If this was your system, can you post more pics & details under this thread?

How difficult was it to bend the stainless tube, was it annealed to make it easier to form the 90 degree bends? Where did you get the tube and the compression fittings from......

So many questions, but I loved the look of it and as I plan my new brewstand, I want to go from using silicone tube and plastic barbed hose fittings to stainless lines.

Hey mate,
I use hard stainless with swagelock fittings on my system, just as easy yo bend as copper just the fitting off that can cause drama without the right gear. Depending on the type of fittings you use you may need to flare the tube . This requires a pretty fancy flare tool.
I have even rolled 1/2 inch stainless around a tube to make my HERMS coil.

dsc_0032.jpg


website

build log

If you have any questions.
jonathon at digitalebrewery.com

Cheers.

Running RIMs ? Swagelock is exy from a dedicated supplier.
Nice bit of kit you are building, if you want Tri clovers let me know as I have an order open OS that I can add too.
Nev

Hi Nev,
Do you have a catalog of Tri Clover parts you can supply?
 
I would recommend buying a decent pair of pipe benders if you are to bend stainless tube, cheap ones will break if you try and use them on stainless with a decent wall thickness.

Swagelok are good (if used correctly), but may be expensive.

Here's some info on techniques to achieve good bends, where you want them.

www.swagelok.com/downloads/webcatalogs/en/ms-13-43.pdf

Cheers
 
BBBBBBB,BLING now that's a rig......ver niccce.....cheers........spog..........
Hey mate,
I use hard stainless with swagelock fittings on my system, just as easy yo bend as copper just the fitting off that can cause drama without the right gear. Depending on the type of fittings you use you may need to flare the tube . This requires a pretty fancy flare tool.
I have even rolled 1/2 inch stainless around a tube to make my HERMS coil.

dsc_0032.jpg


website

build log

If you have any questions.
jonathon at digitalebrewery.com

Cheers.



Hi Nev,
Do you have a catalog of Tri Clover parts you can supply?
 
Whats the deal with stainless compression fittings - I mean why are they so expensive? They're basically just a nipple with an olive and a hollow nut aren't they? Yet to buy one you'd think they were individually handcrafted by NASA engineers from un-obtainium!? :(

..or am I missing something?
 
Whats the deal with stainless compression fittings - I mean why are they so expensive? They're basically just a nipple with an olive and a hollow nut aren't they? Yet to buy one you'd think they were individually handcrafted by NASA engineers from un-obtainium!? :(

..or am I missing something?


Alot of them are designed to hold a 3000psi working pressure and get tested to 4500psi, just because brewery work is considerably less than that doesn't matter. That and most of them have 'swagelok' on the side!!
 
I was after a 1/2" Male BSP - 3/8" tube fitting to make a sight glass, got quoted about $30 for the fitting. I ended up just silicon'ing the tube into a spare stainless 1/2" hose barb fitting I had. Prob wont hold 4500psi though <_<

Might scribe 'swiglok' on the side for a bit of street cred ;)
 
I was after a 1/2" Male BSP - 3/8" tube fitting to make a sight glass, got quoted about $30 for the fitting. I ended up just silicon'ing the tube into a spare stainless 1/2" hose barb fitting I had. Prob wont hold 4500psi though <_<

Might scribe 'swiglok' on the side for a bit of street cred ;)


I'll have a look, I may have a couple of those.

batz
 
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