So is this site the real deal?

[Hillbilly Popstar]

These prices seem too good to be true. What's the catch?
https://www.oakstills.com/pipe_fittings

[subbrew]

It is in China and the shipping is high. But I have ordered from them and found the quality to be OK. and even with shipping the prices are pretty good. Just realize it might be 6 or more weeks before you get what you order.

[TwoSheds]

I bought a full column from them last year. I'm pretty impressed with their responsiveness to email (their website is a little spotty though) and the overall quality for the price. I even got my stuff pretty quickly, like about a week, but that's probably hit-and-miss, especially these days.

The only complaint I have is their 3" tri-clamp fittings seem a hair off standard. Not a big deal if you use the supplied silicone gaskets (wrapped in teflon of course) but the rigid teflon gaskets I have from other suppliers don't quite match up.

That's my experience. FWIW, I'd buy from them again.

[TwoSheds]

Oh, one other minor criticism, the shotgun that came with my column is not the strongest. The through tubes are too small or too few. It works, knocks down 2500 watts, but could be better. It was still a good deal even considering that, and I still use the condenser all the time but will eventually upgrade to strip faster.

[RC Al]

I have the PTFE seals from these guys, seems to depend on the run you get, but the 4" ones i have, probably one in 3 or so have an issue, they are so cheap it dont matter if our aware of it, just order twice as many.

Will be buying "brand name ones" next time though

As said, just be aware that you are buying from near the bottom of the barrel

[Hillbilly Popstar]

Well I am mostly interested in their copper triclamp ferrules.

The 2" are a bit over $8!

That's like 75% less than I've seen anywhere else.

[Yummyrum]

They grabbed my attention too HBPS

Just a bit concerned about quality . The pic looks pretty rough. Hope thats just a bad Pic .
Just looks to me like they may need a tidy up in a Lathe or something

[Hillbilly Popstar]

They grabbed my attention too HBPS

Just a bit concerned about quality . The pic looks pretty rough. Hope thats just a bad Pic .
Just looks to me like they may need a tidy up in a Lathe or something

C8EA0B9C-A068-477A-B61A-847699D0134B.jpeg

Can't be any worse than some of the homemade flanges I've seen some guys around here make.

[Twisted Brick]

It is in China and the shipping is high. But I have ordered from them and found the quality to be OK. and even with shipping the prices are pretty good. Just realize it might be 6 or more weeks before you get what you order.

Can you provide an idea on shipping rates?

[Yummyrum]

They grabbed my attention too HBPS

Just a bit concerned about quality . The pic looks pretty rough. Hope thats just a bad Pic .
Just looks to me like they may need a tidy up in a Lathe or something

C8EA0B9C-A068-477A-B61A-847699D0134B.jpeg

Can't be any worse than some of the homemade flanges I've seen some guys around here make.

That is true , but the groove in that pic looks like it has lumps of copper in it . I don’t know how it would seal to well with a standard tri-clamp gasket . Maybe if the ridges were cut off it might work . After all , shitty home made flanges work well with just a flat gasket .

It just supprises me that if that is the best looking flange they could find to photograph , how bad are the rest

[Salt Must Flow]

It's got to be light playing tricks in the pic. They're machined parts so I highly doubt there could be lumps or anything to be suspicious of. If they're garbage, anyone could just do a charge-back on the credit card.

[Yummyrum]

It's got to be light playing tricks in the pic. They're machined parts so I highly doubt there could be lumps or anything to be suspicious of. If they're garbage, anyone could just do a charge-back on the credit card.

I hope you are right . My pessimistic thoughts were that they have been cast in a shitty mould.
Maybe they were machined out of solid copper billet ….. but I doubt it .
At best , maybe they are cast and machined .

But you are right , if they are shit, get a refund

[Salt Must Flow]

I would like to think that copper ferrules are made from hollow cylindrical copper extrusions to minimize waste. I know that's how many machined aluminum parts are made.

[Hillbilly Popstar]

I'm kinda with Yummy on this one. Those spots look suspiciously like spots welds or tags left over from casting.

Either way, if they are, it's nothing a dremel tool can't take care of quickly. I'm gonna pull the trigger on a bunch this week. I will report back and let yall know.

[subbrew]

It is in China and the shipping is high. But I have ordered from them and found the quality to be OK. and even with shipping the prices are pretty good. Just realize it might be 6 or more weeks before you get what you order.

Can you provide an idea on shipping rates?

My order was about $170 and shipping was about $70.

[Twisted Brick]

Gotcha, thanks.

[Hillbilly Popstar]

Can you provide an idea on shipping rates?

Here's the pricing and shipping quote I got from them.

"Hi Sir


I have added the prices. The estimated shipping weight is 9kgs, and the shipping cost is around USD 118


(3) 6" triclamp ferrule 3*5.2=15.6
(2) 2"-6" Tri clamp bowl reducers 2*25=50 
(1) 6" Tri clamp end cap 1*5.2=5.2
(12) 1 1/2" copper Tri clamp ferrules 12*6=72
(3) 2" copper Tri clamp ferrules 3*7.5=22.5
(3) 1 1/2" Tri clamp butterfly valves 3*12=36
(4) 1 1/2" tri clamps 4*1.1=4.4
(4) 1 1/2" silicone gasket 4*0.12=0.48
(5) 2" Tri clamp 5*1.8=9
(5) PTFE 2" gasket 5*0.18=0.9
(2) 2" copper 90 elbow with tri clamp flange 2*19=38

Total USD 254.08


Regards


Peter"

[Wyododge]

FWIW, I asked them for the dimensions of the copper Tri-Clamp (not tri-clamp - Ferrule) and they sent me this. OD of the nipple is about 0.02" (.5mm) larger than ID of L copper.

[Hillbilly Popstar]

FWIW, I asked them for the dimensions of the copper Tri-Clamp and they sent me this. OD of the nipple is about 0.02" (.5mm) larger than ID of L copper.



image.png

Might it be sized perfectly for type M copper?

[squigglefunk]

I got a dephlegmator from them, it was not good build quality, rough, messy welds, vapor tubes that looked like they were gnawed down to final dimensions, full of dirt and gunk, sent it back.

[Hillbilly Popstar]

I got a dephlegmator from them, it was not good build quality, rough, messy welds, vapor tubes that looked like they were gnawed down to final dimensions, full of dirt and gunk, sent it back.

I am just ordering parts for my own build.
Nothing I am getting is prefabricated except for the copper 90s with the stainless flanges.

[squigglefunk]

well then yes, they are real as far as I know, and real crappy, as mentioned above, those copper flanges look crappy, as did the pics of my dephleg before I ordered it and I chose to go ahead with it and then realized that the pics were actually better than the real thing

[Wyododge]

FWIW, I asked them for the dimensions of the copper Tri-Clamp and they sent me this. OD of the nipple is about 0.02" (.5mm) larger than ID of L copper.



image.png

Might it be sized perfectly for type M copper?

ID of 2" M copper is 2.009" (51.286mm) fitting is 50.008 OD. If you want to press fit, Use L. If you want to slip fit M will work. Kinda depends how you want to connect it. One wild card is the consistency of their product. Copper is easy to work with so either way you should not have an issue. With that said, the general issue with casings is worn dies or improper cooling causing out of round product. With copper, its easier to remove material than to add it. It also makes for a tighter fit. If you are good at brazing, slip er on and fill er up, she'll never back out.

Chance are, any money you save buying from them is gonna be made up with fitment. I have more time than money though. Besides, where is the fun in everything just falling together. We wouldn't be here if it were that easy. FWIW, I am getting my parts list together and am going to send it to them for a quote, so we'll have both hit the same ice burg when the UPS man arrives.

However, if you are using it for a Twisted Brick Shotgun condenser you need to use L copper (That was a non spokesperson unpaid endorsement).

[Wyododge]

I got a dephlegmator from them, it was not good build quality, rough, messy welds, vapor tubes that looked like they were gnawed down to final dimensions, full of dirt and gunk, sent it back.

I am just ordering parts for my own build.
Nothing I am getting is prefabricated except for the copper 90s with the stainless flanges.

That's what I am doing too. Twisted Brick talked me into using copper pipe for my spools instead of using their SS spools. He didn't actually talk me into it, just made one of them subliminal suggestions that kept me up all night.

[Wyododge]

I am just ordering parts for my own build.
Nothing I am getting is prefabricated except for the copper 90s with the stainless flanges.

HbP - did your parts show up yet?

[Saltbush Bill]

Twisted Brick talked me into using copper pipe for my spools instead of using their SS spools.

You wont regret it, stainless might be cheap and shiny ......., but copper rules

[Hillbilly Popstar]

All my parts came in. Sorry is for the delayed update. I was in time out for a bit.
Everything took right at 1 month, from initial order to arrival. I am very pleased!

Everything is perfect except for the triclamp copper elbows. They will work just fine, but there's some machine marks on them and one was slightly dented.

But the copper ferrules are flawless and the dome reducers are sexy as hell!

Also making a small cameo here is my 2" shotty from Twisted Brick.

[Dathhu]

I gotta ask, what exactly are you building with all those butterfly valves?

[Hillbilly Popstar]

I gotta ask, what exactly are you building with all those butterfly valves?

I only need 3 of them.
Oakstills sent me too many.

[TwoSheds]

That's a nice pile of parts! And twisted's shotgun is a great topper, will take about anything you can throw at it!