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Introduction and question?

I have built one still and am researching as much as i can before building my second still. I have some ideas i have not seen implemented yet (maybe for good reasons) and want to run them by the group soon.

I have a couple of standard stainless steel kegs that i just bought. I want to add a bunch of fittings and have a general question. I have a very nice Miller TIG welder with all the electrodes nozzles etc but i am not a very good TIG welder yet. I am afraid of messing up my new kegs. I have read about Harris Sta Brite 8 tin/silver solder that is supposed to work for stainless steel.

Has anyone used this for adding fitting to their kegs? Any good or bad experiences?

What about the regular 95 5 plumbing solders? Mfgs say they are good for stainless but has anyone tried them?

Comments

  • Hi and welcome mate. Not a whole bunch of DIY'ers here like on some of the other forums, but i'm sure there'll be someone who has some info for you.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited March 2017

    Miller TIG and you want to solder? C'mon - get some scrap and get to work practicing your bead. You can do it. What's the worst, you blow through a couple ferrules and waste some scrap stainless? I agree, don't learn on the keg, but just get some similar thickness sheet stock and go to town.

  • @grim said: Miller TIG and you want to solder? C'mon - get some scrap and get to work practicing your bead. You can do it. What's the worst, you blow through a couple ferrules and waste some scrap stainless? I agree, don't learn on the keg, but just get some similar thickness sheet stock and go to town.

    Great advice. Forget the soldering buddy. Learn to use that TIG, it's one of the best skills I have picked up.

  • thanks you all. i can save $70 on solder and flux. i really should learn to TIG better. I am just not good at welding dissimilar stuff together. i can do butt and tee joints with the same material thickness pretty well. putting a heavy flange onto thinner metal of the tank scares me a little but i can mock it up and practice. i have a multi thousand dollar machine, i should learn to use it better.

  • You tube is good for tips and tricks

  • edited March 2017

    Because of lead, stick to silver solder and stay away from plumbers solder. Though I am not jacked in this area, there is a "god" filler wire for copper and stainless tig welding. You can read more on the various welding web sites. As to stainless tig welding make sure that you have your 316 filler wire handy for the gaps and keep your amps down. I am fortunate that apart from having artisan welders in my employ whom are specialists I also have thin wall automatic orbital welders for when I really want to do neat jobs.

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  • your welding make me sick i might as well give up :) so keep the amps down and use constant filler? i had a great welder but i am afraid he died or was driven out of the country?

  • edited March 2017

    . I am just not good at welding dissimilar stuff together. i can do butt and tee joints with the same material thickness pretty well. putting a heavy flange onto thinner metal of the tank scares me a little

    Why dissimilar metals ? What you planning ? Most of the ss you will be tig welding will be around same thickness so that makes it easier. The clean up after silver soldering is a pain and you will wish you used the TIG.

    Definately no to any solder on heavier components.

    Nice machine and job @richard

  • @richard That machine is cheating.

  • Oh, I wanna cheat with that machine...

  • Met a distillery owner up in Brooklyn that bought an orbital welder to do his own hard line installation.

    Dollar for dollar, it's a bargain compared to bringing in a welder. Stainless tubing is dirt cheap compared to hose, and hard lines look so much neater.

    He just so happened to be in the right place at the right time.

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