Starting AG

[billybushcook]

The seal happens outside of the hole so as long as it is straight-ish it shouldn't be a huge issue.
.

I hope you are refering to the kettle here?
Aidan,
Your mashtun/Esky will need the seal on the inside to stop liquid getting between the inner & outer layers.
or do as I did & push a tight fitting piece of S/S or Copper tube through the existing outlet so you don't need a bulkhead?

The only thing i need done to my kettle from beerbelly is 1 hole to be drilled for a bulkhead and tap.
Looks like wayne is having op this week and is on light duties, i didnt have the heart to ask if drilling a hole is considered light duties lol.
.

It is not a simple matter of drilling a hole because the diameter will need to be about 1", this requires either a good quality hole saw meant for cutting steel (even then it will require low speed & a lubricant) or, if it were me, I would drill 1/2" & then open it up with a die grinder.

Shame you are not near the hunter or I would weld one up with the TIG for you?
Even have access to a Plasma for cutting the top out of all the prospective new beer kettles I see lined up on the street every Monday

Mick.

[Bum]

I hope you are refering to the kettle here?

Not at all. The seal occurs with the bulkhead washers and grommets (wider than the hole) on the remaining wall of the esky - not with the all-thread screwing snugly in the wall. I can assure you the bulkhead hole in my esky is a good 1mm bigger than the all-thread and not a drop is lost.

[billybushcook]

Can't you put the backing nut on the outside?
then you would have the seal on the inside.

I don't doubt it does seal on the out side but it gives the liquid a chance to seep into the insulation & get festy

Mick.

[Tipsy]

Doesn't a bulk head fitting seal from both sides?

[billybushcook]

Doesn't a bulk head fitting seal from both sides?

No,
because liquid can run up the inside of the nut along the thread.

Mick.

[Bum]

No,
because liquid can run up the inside of the nut along the thread.

That's not right, Mick. Both the inside and the outside walls compress when you tighten the front nut - there is pressure on both sides and this pressure against the silicon grommet makes the seal. We're talking about a specific bulkhead from BeerBelly where the tailpipe is essentially the nut in a standard bulkhead but it is joined somehow to the thread (can't recall if it is moulded or welded and I'm not pulling my tun apart to take a pic ) - there is no thread exposed inside the tun at all.

[Bum]

LIke this:



Turns out it is welded.

And that my tun looks grottier under flash than it does with natural lighting. Urgh, napisan for you, tunface!

[billybushcook]

Ahhhh.
Sorry guys, I was refering to a comon type threaded bulk head like you would get from a plumbing suplies.
Like this one or similar, made from brass or Stainless.



They would have a 1/2" or 3/4" BSP thread up the gutz so you can screw your tap/valve straight into them & a pick up on the inside.

Mick

[AidanMatthews]

The bulkhead from beerbelly seals both sides from my limited understanding, preventing liquid rotting out the walls

I found a cutting service that can do my hole for the ss pot, these guys usually do some pretty awesome stuff with all sorts of metals and have all the tools and knowledge to do a simple hole in ss pot.

Will the beerbelly weldless bulkhead suit a ss kettle since it heats up to fairly high surface temps?

Im pretty sure the silicon washer is rated for really high temps.

[AidanMatthews]

Good news,

I got myself a SS pot from grays online for $144,

Its a 59ltr pot with 8mm bottom. Bargain!!!!!

Its brand new made in germany, the walls are about 1mm thick or thin ? which is the only thing im worried about in regards to getting a good boil. But it should be ok

I have made up a mashtun with a simple siphon hose and braiden line for now