Weld or Solder/ Clover, Coupler, or something else?

[dobbinsda]

I have been scanning the threads on HBT for about a month to try and figure the best approach to my problems and seem to find conflicting information which is the right direction to go. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

What I want:

1. I want to attach a coupler/threaded male to the lid of 2 stainless kettle lids exactly how the Brutus Ten is built. My simple answer is to drill a hole, solder a coupler from both sides of the lid and boom! that's it. It really does not need to be waterproof because it is on the lid.

Questions: a) Is soldering the best way to go or should I weld it.
b) If I weld it what exactly is a sanitary weld?
c) I see there clovers on MoreBeer is that a better option?


2. I want to change my weldless port on my keggle Mash tun.
My simple answer is to do exactly what I wrote above

Questions: a) since this connection needs to be waterproof is welding better?
b) Again what is sanitary weld? Do I need to get a different type of wire? Or just polish it down nicely to prevent microbes?


If someone can please help me out so I can finally finish my Brutus Clone my wife will be very thankful! (and so will I)

Dave

 

[Komocabo]

Sub'd.

 

[bhaskins1]

On the lid. As you said it does not need to be leakproof. This would be a good place for a weldless connection. I wouldn't spend the money on the tri clamp sytem though they do look cool.

Fixing a hole. Welding is always the best choice. You could cut a plug to fit the hole and weld that in place. The best way to approach a sanitary weld is to tig weld on the critical side with stainless wire and a backpurge (argon gas on both sides of the weld surface) to prevent what welders call sugaring or a porous type surface on the weld and then grind and polish smooth. Though this type of weld is not completely necessary for anything prior to chilling. The backpurge alone makes a fine weld alone from the outside.

Can the hole be repurposed for a site glass or thermometer?

 

[dobbinsda]

Thanks for the reply
I agree a weldless option is a good one though I have the welder and I love to tinker. It's one of those things where if you could do it why not?
Although mine is a MIG welder. If I get a stainless wire can I just use that with gas mix and polish it down smooth. The lid would be on kettle and the mash tun so before cooling.

That should work right??

 

[Ravenshead]

I've been soldering all of my fittings for a while now. Once you get the right flux (liquid not paste) it's pretty easy to solder water tight fittings. It's a nice middle ground between the strength of welding and the ease of weld-less fittings. Truth be told, soldered fittings are more than strong enough for anything a home brewer is likely to need. I could hit mine with a hammer and they wouldn't leak. They'd be crooked, but they wouldn't leak and I could say the same thing about a welded fitting.

 

[Tex]

Thanks for the reply
I agree a weldless option is a good one though I have the welder and I love to tinker. It's one of those things where if you could do it why not?
Although mine is a MIG welder. If I get a stainless wire can I just use that with gas mix and polish it down smooth. The lid would be on kettle and the mash tun so before cooling.

That should work right??

You really need a TIG to weld thin stainless correctly.

 

[purplehaze]

I have had all three methods done to my keggles and by far the best for me was soldering. There is a informative sticky on dimpling and soldering that makes it very easy to do.