here we go

[Dronfieldbrewer]

I've been out shopping and got everything I need for my set up, I think! 3, 10 gallon stainless kegs, loads of 15 mm copper pipe (for mash tun, sparging, hop filters etc), more elbows and tee pieces etc than I can imagine, 3 tank connectors, 3 ball valves, couple of tesco kettles to dismantle, 10 meters of 10 mm microbore for immersion cooler, reducers, silicon pipes, hole cutters, jubilee clips for joining to silicon and a free weekend to get it all done

Heres a problem.... looking at the tank connectors ( brass) there seems to be a slight flange, a 15 mm copper pipe will not go through it, do I file it out and solder a 15 mm pipe to it and then put a joint inside the keg or have I cocked up with the connectors?

Ive got my last coopers kit on the go in the FV, smells great it does but I am looking forward to getting my first AG brew on as I will be bottling the coopers this weekend. my local social club has come up trumps, they will supply as many bottles as I want for bottling this weekend.

I must thank you all for this forum as it has given me loads of info that I need to get going. Heres to the first brew of the brewery with no name

 

[Dieseljockey]

Hi R...

What type of con did you get??/

Take a look Here
may help.. :thumb:

 

I had mine drilled out to accept my 15mm hop strainer.

 

[jamesb]

Heres a problem.... looking at the tank connectors ( brass) there seems to be a slight flange, a 15 mm copper pipe will not go through it, do I file it out and solder a 15 mm pipe to it and then put a joint inside the keg or have I cocked up with the connectors?

You can either drill it out (if you've got access to a 15mm Blacksmith's drill - not so easy to find), or just file it down. Either works well.

I believe there's at least one large supplier that has them without the lip, but the name escapes me.

 

[Cussword]

Dremel, takes hours but it's worth it :thumb:

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

Hi R...

What type of con did you get??/

Take a look Here
may help.. :thumb:

Its the one on the right, I see where i have gone wrong then, never mind, Father in law has a post drill that will drill 15mm, Ill just go to have a cuppa at his house and he will drill them out before the kettle has boiled.

I have dropped on, a good friend of mine has supplied some wadding that is used for insulating roofs (non fibreglass, like thick blanket it is) this will go round the mashtun a good few times to keep the temp right

Must get the kettles dismantled as father in law has offered to drill all the holes in the kegs at the same time, he is a perfectionist, not a cackhanded clot like me so I suspect that there will be no leaks. If I can get it all bolted and soldered together then its brew time. :party:

I have been looking at the AG kits from barley bottom and started drooling. Anybody used them?

 

To be accurate, mine wasn't drilled, it was turned on a lathe, beautiful sliding fit.

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

Update for you all:

Father in law gone away for the weekend, went to B & Q got a round file and spent a good hour getting the flanges off the connectors, a 15 mm pipe goes through them spot on now.

I have got the hop filter and the grain filter sorted for the mash tun and boiler, just need to solder it all up. Got a new blow lamp, solder etc from B & Q at the same time

As father in law gone away, struggling to get the holes cut in the kegs for the kettle elements and the connectors, any good ideas? would a hole cutter do it do you think?

 

Hole cutters are ideal for plastic, used them many times.

 

[Dieseljockey]

Hole cutters are ideal for plastic, used them many times.

No problem on plastic as Eric said....but if you want to cut S steel you need a Q-Max cutter...there brill.

ps..there's a How to Here

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

Hole cutters are ideal for plastic, used them many times.

No problem on plastic as Eric said....but if you want to cut S steel you need a Q-Max cutter...there brill.

ps..there's a How to Here

Looks like I will need these then, anyone know what size I need for the tesco kettle element and the tank connector, is it 20mm for the tank connector and 1.5 inch for the kettle element, needs to be spot on for obvious reasons.

 

[Dieseljockey]

Spot on sunshine :thumb:

The 1.5 inch =38.1 mm which is great for the tesco elements
This may Help here they say a pic is worth a 1000 words.

 

they say a pic is worth a 1000 words.

True, but it takes up a thousand times the memory!

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

Update for you:-

Got a set of Qmax cutters, drilled pilot hole, bust the drill bit in the hole. I got it out with a bit of non technical grunt. (1st plaster on index finger). Screwed the cutter in and got the alen key inserted, wound it up, full non technical power from right wrist flexing, UUURGH! not moving...more horsepower..both hands on the allen key. Cut thumb on shard of stainless that I forgot to get off cutting top off keg (plaster no2). Cup of tea and a head scratch. :wha: The long stainless valve that showered me with off beer when draining the keg looks good. Put the allen key back on then used the valve to get some extra purchase. suddenly "click" and a beautiful hole had been cut. Total cost of this beautiful hole:-

1) face full of off Carling Black Label
2) 2 plasters and a new Polo shirt after beeding on my new Ralf Lauren shirt
3) 2 Qmax cutters
4) 2 hours off work sourcing suppliers of Qmax cutters and jumping in car to fetch them
5) 8mm and 10mm Allen key and then finding that I already had this size key in toolbox.
6) New 10mm drill bit after breaking the origional lent by father in law. :whistle:


I have another 2 of these 20.4mm holes to cut and 2, 40mm to cut. I suspect that I will need at least a blood transfusion, stitches and a night in A&E.


I am seriously looking forward to the first pint. :drink:

 

I have another 2 of these 20.4mm holes to cut and 2, 40mm to cut. I suspect that I will need at least a blood transfusion, stitches and a night in A&E.

Have you ever considered that your "manual dexterity factor" may be a negative number? :whistle:

 

[Dieseljockey]

Robbarwell....

Best let the father in law build it....it's going to be far safer for all of us :rofl: other wise we'll be visiting you in hospital in a body cast.....have you ever thought about buying your beer.. :rofl: