Started building

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Danespirit
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Re: Started building

Post by Danespirit »

Lyonsie wrote:I've cut the holes to the inside diameter of the ferrules. The positioning of the 2" ones would allow for them to be cleaned before it went together. I've someone else coming to look at this today. All advice is much appreciated.
That's the way to do it.
Now you will be able to tack weld the material to the ferrule from the inside.
I marked it with an arrow on the picture.
When one is tack welding stainless, the distance should be far less than on mild steel as stainless has a tendency to warp.
Once you've got it all lined up and tack welded, you can weld the whole inside.
It can simply be done by just fusing the two edges together without filler rod.
1: It gives you a nice rounded weld and 2. There will be no ugly black slag on this side when you weld the circumference from outside.
3. You'll be able to control the welding torch with both hands as you won't have any filler rod to add, this gives you a very sturdy and exact welding position.
Finally, if it's done that way, you can weld without purging gas and still have a fine result.
The result can simply be buffed up with a stainless brush wheel after it has cooled down.
On a weld like this I would use 40 A or less and use pulse, if the welder has got this function.
FERRULE.jpg
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

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Cheers guys. Sorry for the late reply. I got caught up with other commitments. Anyway the welder wouldnt go near it till id cleaned the kegs up a bit so iv been busy with a 60 grit stainlesss wheel. It eventually went off to be fabricated today. I quite like the finish i got with 60 grit so i dont think ill bother going any smoother.
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Re: Started building

Post by Swedish Pride »

that boiler just puts a smile on my face, cant help it :)
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

Cheers sp im starting to smile myself. i got a bit more done today 30" × 4" column and 22" × 2" take off arm. Ill most likely build a reflux coil at some point with the other peice of 4" thats left.
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

Sorry to be only getting back to this now. Its been a pain in the ass to be honest. Unfortunately stumpy just will not go together in its current format. I got 3 guinness kegs and assumed they would be the same but the middle bit just wont work. We have tried and tried again. So the outcome is stumpy will only be two kegs high after all.
Bottom of still showing element ports. And also the take off arm. The ports need a good cleaning still.
Bottom of still showing element ports. And also the take off arm. The ports need a good cleaning still.
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Danespirit
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Re: Started building

Post by Danespirit »

I know stainless can be a challenge and a p.i.t.a. to weld.
It warps like hell when heated.
The last picture really shows how bad things can be.
if I may come with a suggestion:
Cut those tack welds up again and re-align the two parts.
Then use some clamps and/or bands to hold it firmly in place.
Tack weld the whole thing, by crossing over/shifting side, each time a weld is done...it will distribute the heat evenly.
Correct the clamps as you work around....use more if necessary. A rope and a piece of wood or flat steel can be used to squeeze it into shape. :idea:
Put the rope around and twist it until it squeezes the part into shape...hold the tension.
The tack welds should be no more than 60 mm apart from each other (less is better).
Before the final weld, turn on the purging gas...this is IMPORTANT as you won't be able to reach inside the keg once finished and clean the welds up..!
As it's not a certified weld on a pressure vessel, you can get away with "cheating". Turn the keg and connect the tack welds to each other using the before mentioned technique (crossing over).
Be aware of your amps and use pulse, if the welder has this function. As it has quite a gap, plenty of filler rod is needed.
Hope this can help you to get it done..
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Re: Started building

Post by shadylane »

Butt welds are a pain on thin SS :(
Can you shorted 1 keg a couple inches so it will fit inside the other ?
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

Cheers for the advice guys. We tried all the straps and rope tricks. It just would not go. It turned out that although they are all guinness kegs, the one that i made the middle peice out of has an outside diameter 5mm greater than the other two resulting in this mess. It's scrap at the minute.
I did however bring the peice of string we measured with home with me and guess what? The keg i have for a thumper which hadn't went to the shop yet is a perfect match to the other two. I'll probably remove the bottom from this and try again tomorrow. I don't want stumpy to be eh.. stumpy. :lol:
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Re: Started building

Post by Badmotivator »

I know it's a loss of volume, but what I would do is separate the two kegs, cut the upper keg through one of those "rolling rims", and set the upper keg on the lower with the little bit of overlap you got. Image
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

Cheers bad motivator. Im actually going to try that. Im going to cut the middle keg though, as the top and bottom ones have the ferrules welded into them already and i dont want to mess them up.
Aside from being easier welds this should also make lining the fill port on the top one with the drain port on the bottom a much easier job. Well done. Im sick i didn't measure them at the start and just assumed them to be the same especially as it would have worked had i used my current middle keg for my thumper and my thumper keg for my middle. Just seen your work as well. Very nice.
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Re: Started building

Post by Swedish Pride »

a man of my own heart, try and try again :thumbup:
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

Lol i dont mind trying again. The welder lad seems to be getting a bit pissed off though. :lol: i cant think why. :D
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

Finally got this boiler to go together. Used badmotovatiors suggestion to join the middle section to the bottom section. And some slots cut to the rear to join the middle to the top.
After all the hassles it was im quite pleased with the end result. It should come in at around 125 litres. Unfortunately the welder is away today so it wont be done till monday. Shotgun is near finished too so only element controller to go now. This will be running before the thumper is built :D
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Re: Started building

Post by Badmotivator »

Image
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Re: Started building

Post by rgreen2002 »

I'm starting to get keg envy... :mrgreen:

Looks great Lyonsie. My double keg (about 24 galloms) is surprisingly stable (even after I added wheels to the bottom.... HIGHLY recommended if your not going to box her up). How is the stability? She going to tip over when filled?
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

Ah nothing is leveled in that photo. Its together with acceptable weld tolerances is all. Yep it is stable although it is getting a stand as theres a two inch 90° drain port for the bottom. Im not sure will i build a timber one or a metal one yet. I have a spare room dedicated to this endeavour so im not planning on moving it too much once in situ.
I have some old worktop and kitchen units to sit the thumper on so i dunno, ill see. I just want the still itself finished at this stage. I never expected it to take so long.
Cheers for all the help guys.
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

Well finally completed the boiler. Meet stumpy.
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Re: Started building

Post by Swedish Pride »

nice work, time to get stumpy pumping out likker for ya
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

Cheers sp. Ah im a bit away from firing this up yet. I wouldnt even fill it up on that dodgy little table. Element controler is a work in progress and i still have to finish his mate thumpy. Perhaps over Christmas :ebiggrin:
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Re: Started building

Post by ShineonCrazyDiamond »

Just beautiful persistence :thumbup: . That last broiler you'll ever need. Now, the real question is do you have a 100 gallon fermenter to keep it fed? That will give you 3 gallons of keeps in one weekend I'd you have enough power to run it :ebiggrin:
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

I got me one of them water butt barrells it was a steal at €50 free delivery ya even get the tap connection. Its not 100 gallons though more like 150 litres, more than enough to run this.
Iv a lot of building to do yet as i plan on installing this barrell above the boiler on some worktop. Thank feck the hollidays are nearly here and i will have more time (and money) to get this project up and running.
The power is brought to the room already. Theres also water as the room backs onto a bathroom. Hopefully running by January. :ebiggrin:
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Re: Started building

Post by Swedish Pride »

put the barrel on the floor and get a cheep pond pump to transfer it to the boiler for ya
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Re: Started building

Post by Lyonsie »

I have some worktop as im currently doing some renovation work for my sis. And the thumper is going to have to go up anyway. Theres high celings for acess and it backs onto an outside wall for drilling into so ill just have to support the front edge off the floor.
Iv a 3 year lease at the minute so im not planning on moving this before then.
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