1" NPS Locknut Kettle Mounting - Brewery Hardware Discussions on Home Brew Forums

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 4 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

I'm just spitballing here. I want a solid connection between my element mounts and my kettles. I did not want to go with the couplings as they are NPT instead of NPS. Some people say they are fine. Others run a NPS tap through them. Buying a tap that size isn't an option, no I am going with 1" 304SS NPS locknuts.

If I solder them on the outer surface I may have a gap that gathers sugar and rust.

If I cut out a hex hole and mount the nut 1/2 in-1/2 out it will put the conduit box really close to the kettle wall. That may or may not be much of a problem. Cutting the hex hole will be a little of a trick.

What if I trace the nut, drill a hole from the center, cut to the corners, and press/hammer the nut in?

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 4 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

They are 1.75" across the flats. What if I drill a 1.75" hole and then was just able to cut the corners?

Lakewood · Lakewood March 4 5535.00 KarmaPosts: 37,777

I would try for 1/2 in, 1/2 out, as that will give you the best result. It will be easiest if you can have someone with a lathe turn 1/2 of the nut down to a cylinder.

BenS

I drilled a hole in my keg big enough for the element to go through, welded the nut onto the outside, and used food grade (bathroom) silicon adhesive to fill the area where wort could collect. Been on there 2 yrs, no rust.

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 4 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

Lakewood said:
I would try for 1/2 in, 1/2 out, as that will give you the best result. It will be easiest if you can have someone with a lathe turn 1/2 of the nut down to a cylinder.

Good call. Now I gotta shop around my friends for a favor.

C_B · C_B March 4 5013.00 KarmaPosts: 37,508

jeepinjeepin said:

Lakewood said:
I would try for 1/2 in, 1/2 out, as that will give you the best result. It will be easiest if you can have someone with a lathe turn 1/2 of the nut down to a cylinder.

Good call. Now I gotta shop around my friends for a favor.

I have a lathe at the maintenance shop I could do this on. That doesn't help you but it makes me feel like I helped.

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 4 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

C_dubbs said:

jeepinjeepin said:

Lakewood said:
I would try for 1/2 in, 1/2 out, as that will give you the best result. It will be easiest if you can have someone with a lathe turn 1/2 of the nut down to a cylinder.

Good call. Now I gotta shop around my friends for a favor.

I have a lathe at the maintenance shop I could do this on. That doesn't help you but it makes me feel like I helped.

Thanks?

Lakewood · Lakewood March 4 5535.00 KarmaPosts: 37,777

Ship it to him.

C_B · C_B March 4 5013.00 KarmaPosts: 37,508

jeepinjeepin said:

C_dubbs said:

jeepinjeepin said:

Lakewood said:
I would try for 1/2 in, 1/2 out, as that will give you the best result. It will be easiest if you can have someone with a lathe turn 1/2 of the nut down to a cylinder.

Good call. Now I gotta shop around my friends for a favor.

I have a lathe at the maintenance shop I could do this on. That doesn't help you but it makes me feel like I helped.

Thanks?

No problem buddy, anytime.

C_B · C_B March 4 5013.00 KarmaPosts: 37,508

Really though, I'm diggin the thread. Take pictures and such because I want to build an E-HLT sometime probably. Maybe eventually an electric kettle too. But let's not get carried away.

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 4 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

This is what I have right now. An area at least slightly larger than the black shaded circle will have to be removed. Then I would cut the inner lines and maybe score the outer lines to fold the tabs in to fit the nut before soldering. I know that I could do it with brass brazing rod on copper, but don't know if I can make it fit tight enough for solder and I don't think I want to deal with the price of high silver brazing.

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 4 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

Like Lake suggested, the best case scenario would be having a shoulder machined on the nuts and drill the kettle to that size.

If I can't find a (cost effective) machining solution I may try to build some sort of mandrel to chuck the nuts up in a drill to turn a simple cone on one side against a grinding wheel.

Lakewood · Lakewood March 4 5535.00 KarmaPosts: 37,777

jeepinjeepin said:
Like Lake suggested, the best case scenario would be having a shoulder machined on the nuts and drill the kettle to that size.

If I can't find a (cost effective) machining solution I may try to build some sort of mandrel to chuck the nuts up in a drill to turn a simple cone on one side against a grinding wheel.

The grinding wheel would work.

Btw, why are you brazing/soldering instead of welding?

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 4 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

I don't have access or experience with TIG and I don't have the extra cash to hire much of this out. That and I want the satisfaction of the DIY.

Lakewood · Lakewood March 4 5535.00 KarmaPosts: 37,777

jeepinjeepin said:
I don't have access or experience with TIG and I don't have the extra cash to hire much of this out. That and I want the satisfaction of the DIY.

i use MIG for this stuff, it's not as clean as TIG but with the right feed and power you can get a fine weld.

frankly now, that i've got more experience i could do a lot better than what i have on my rig, but i don't have any trouble with the welds i've got so i don't really care.

make the weld on the outside. get it good and filleted. then if you feel the need run a thin bead on the inside. since you already welded the outside, temp control will be a lot easier on the inside weld. on the inside bead, run it hot, with just enough wire to keep the arc constant. make sure you are using tri-mix and keep the flow rate relatively high on the gas.

in the end, the exposed threads and the end of the threaded joint will present more cracks and crevices than even doing an exterior only weld, so the interior weld really is sort of pointless.

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 4 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

I would have attempted it a few years ago when I was in the garage full time and was welding for everybody else. As it stands now, last summer was the last time I remember doing any welding and there may have been one time between that and the prior summer.

Lakewood · Lakewood March 4 5535.00 KarmaPosts: 37,777

jeepinjeepin said:
I would have attempted it a few years ago when I was in the garage full time and was welding for everybody else. As it stands now, last summer was the last time I remember doing any welding and there may have been one time between that and the prior summer.

fair enough :)

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 6 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

And now I've chickened out, kinda. I've been convinced that the welding might not be all that expensive and I have 2 guys in my sights. Friends of a friend. Competent dudes. Now I just have to decide how many holes I want in these things and buy some fittings. 3 vessels, each get a element nut and drain. 2 get sight glasses? 2 get thermometers?

C_B · C_B March 6 5013.00 KarmaPosts: 37,508

What's your chilling situation? May want to look at a recirc for the boil kettle.
An element nut on all three... Are you putting an element in the MLT?

jeepinjeepin · jeepinjeepin March 6 1084.00 KarmaPosts: 1,916

C_dubbs said:
What's your chilling situation? May want to look at a recirc for the boil kettle.
An element nut on all three... Are you putting an element in the MLT?

I have an immersion chiller that may become a HERMS coil and a plate chiller that I haven't used yet. Thanks for the recirc reminder. The 3rd vessel is kinda like a second HLT... I'll be mashing in a cooler for the time being.

Lakewood · Lakewood March 6 5535.00 KarmaPosts: 37,777

I'd map it out before committing to anything. I like to draw little diagrams thayt show what each piece is and how it will be connected. Need to be clear as to what each vessel will be used for.

As for sight glasses, they are really only useful on a vessel where you can't see the fluid level... Like a mash tun