back to the drawing board : (

allen42 · Post by **allen42** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:20 pm

well i did a test /cleaning run today & i guess all in all things could have went worse ! lol all the welds & solder held great , a very good thing! bit before i started getting steam out the end of my collection pipe , it was starting to come out around the flange that was welded on the bowl used for a cap to the boiler : ( i had welded 4 eveny spaced ss bolts & drilled holes in the flange on the bowl , & used cork gasket to seal , well i either have to weld more bolts & drill more holes ( yuck ) or maybe get another peice of cork & make the gasket thicker ( crossing fingers ) , what yall think ? will doulbing or even tripling the gasket thicknest stop the leak >???

oh yeah , one other thing , i was out behind my shed with my son , cleaning it with the steam bath & watching eveything take place & my son says , hey dad whos that old lady in the yard LMAO , i sho hope she didnt know what it was !!! needless to say , i almost broke my neck getting to her before she got close ! & told her to hang around for another hour & we were having boiled p nuts ! , i hope she bought it or cant see very well !!

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:57 pm

I think that what you should do is get yourself a thick piece, maybe 1/8" steel or stainless steel and make a ring the size of your bowl flange inside and a little larger outside. Then do as you say, increase the gasket thickness. I used two layers on mine because it helps absorb the differences in two slightly uneven surfaces better. Then drill the holes in the 1/8" ring in the same places as the bowl and now you will have a much stronger flange. It just seams to me that your bowl is twisting because it is pulling tight where the bolts are but he cork has to much resistance for it to have the same tension over the span between he bolts. You wouldn't have to weld the extra ring on, just use it as sort of a washer to add strength between the bolts so the tension on the cork is more even all the way around.

AkCoyote · Post by **AkCoyote** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:57 pm

I use a 15 gallon keg with a 10" hole in the top with 8 bolts holding the cap that my column attaches to down. If I could have fitted more, I would have. Using 4 bolts is definitely why you are getting leaks and no amount of additional gasket will help. My first run had a small leak and ignited. If it hadn't been sitting where it was I never would've seen the flame. Better to be safe than sorry.

AkCoyote

allen42 · Post by **allen42** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 3:38 am

thanks for the replys guys ! I thought about doing what ya suggested AKC , but my SS welded is 1.5 hour away , so i am gonna try adding the extra cork anyway with another water run , its just like KH says , the flange i added to the bowl is flexing & allowing the cork not to be pressed tight enough for a seal , the HUGE WASHER that KH suggested i am sure will work , i will also try that too before sending it back up the road to have the extra bolts welded on ,, the biggest mistake i think was that the flange was too thin ,,,, if i were to start over , i would weld a 1/4 - 1/2 " flange to the keg & then weld another the same thickness to the bowl so that when they joined , it would all be flat !!

thanks again guys for the support & suggestions !!

fish · Post by **fish** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:05 am

You can use the flour paste to act as a seal until you can get back to your welder.

FLICK · Post by **FLICK** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:16 am

Could you just buy a second bowl and drill it and place it over the first one just to help make the first a little more rigid, or just cut the rim off with an inch of side to sit over and screw down.,... if the bowls are as cheap there as they are here it may be worth a try...

allen42 · Post by **allen42** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 4:21 pm

ok 2nd try failed too , damn it !!!

AKC i think you have made your point , adding thicker gasket did not help , if anything , it got worse !!

yesterday i had a 1/16th cork gasket , so today i went with 3/16 thick cork , it leaks right were the other bolts would go !! dead center of the ones that are there , i still might try the ring thingy like KH suggested , BUT , i talked to my cousin , he works at a coal fire gen station & they have 1/4 " SS & a plasma cutter , so i am thinking of making to flanges , weld the 1st to the keg over the hole , have it tapped with 8 3/8" holes the 2nd flange will just be drilled & welded to the NEW bowl that way , everything will be flat & a 1/6th " gasket should work great ,,

so how long will a mash save anyway ? lol

allen42 · Post by **allen42** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 7:41 pm

well that is good to hear , i kinda figured it was bout the same as wine , but wanted to ask to be sure !

IF i didnt have to work , i could get it done in one day !! or if i could have free run of the plant for hmmmm say 1-2 hours !! i need a plasma & a tig !! lol