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Main
Date: 21 Aug 2006 14:43:37
From: Don Levey
Subject: Drilling Aluminum
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I've just taken delivery of two new brewpots - 15 and 20 gallons.
I'll be adding weldledd fittings to them, but first I need to drill.
Anyone have suggestions (or gotchas) for drilling aluminum? They're
thick (4mm) but light, so these may end up being a great buy if the
handles hold up well.
--
Don Levey $ cd /pub
Framingham, MA $ more beer
NOTE: email server uses spam filters; mail sent to salearn@the-leveys.us
will be used to tune the blocking lists.
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 19:50:27
From:
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty wrote:
> No -- he's talking about "weldless" fittings. In other words, fittings
> that require no welding. Generally they just require you drill the
> appropriate sized hole for the fitting and that's about it. They work
> very well, and use teflon or other gaskets for maintaining a
> heat-resistant watertight seal.
>
> They're not sanitary, but that doesn't matter for boiling vessels, mash
> tuns and sparge tanks.
>
You are right. I missed that totally. Bulkhead fittings type of
things. Got it now. That will teach me to respond while A) tired and
B) on my third IPA. I read that first post typo as welded and just
blanked on his correction in his response to me.
> --
> (Replies: cleanse my address of the Mark of the Beast!)
>
> Teleoperate a roving mobile robot from the web:
> http://www.swampgas.com/robotics/rover.html
>
> Coauthor with Dennis Clark of "Building Robot Drive Trains".
> Buy several copies today!
Bryan
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 01:42:25
From: stencil
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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On 21 Aug 2006 14:43:37 -0400, Don Levey wrote:
>I've just taken delivery of two new brewpots - 15 and 20 gallons.
>I'll be adding weldledd fittings to them, but first I need to drill.
>Anyone have suggestions (or gotchas) for drilling aluminum?
Lay out your hole carefully so the nut of the weldless fitting - my
experience is with Weld-B-Gone, there may be others - does not bear on
the curved transition ("bilge") between bottom and side of the kettle.
Use a good quality hole saw that has a pilot drill, and give the pilot
drill a smaller pilot hole of its own.
You can make a pretty fair template by putting a masking tape patch on
a bit of scrap board and scoring it out with the hole saw; then peel
it off and offer it up to the pot until you're happy with the
location. It seems counterintuitive but putting the hole under one of
the handles makes it easier to drain and to maneuver through narrow
doorways.
If your dexterity and the size of your drill permit, start from the
inside until you have a clean complete score and then finish up from
the outside.
Measure twice, cut once.
stencil sends
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Date: 22 Aug 2006 08:48:24
From: Don Levey
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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stencil <etcs.ret@verizon.net > writes:
> On 21 Aug 2006 14:43:37 -0400, Don Levey wrote:
>
> >I've just taken delivery of two new brewpots - 15 and 20 gallons.
> >I'll be adding weldledd fittings to them, but first I need to drill.
> >Anyone have suggestions (or gotchas) for drilling aluminum?
>
> Lay out your hole carefully so the nut of the weldless fitting - my
> experience is with Weld-B-Gone, there may be others - does not bear on
> the curved transition ("bilge") between bottom and side of the kettle.
> Use a good quality hole saw that has a pilot drill, and give the pilot
> drill a smaller pilot hole of its own.
> You can make a pretty fair template by putting a masking tape patch on
> a bit of scrap board and scoring it out with the hole saw; then peel
> it off and offer it up to the pot until you're happy with the
> location. It seems counterintuitive but putting the hole under one of
> the handles makes it easier to drain and to maneuver through narrow
> doorways.
> If your dexterity and the size of your drill permit, start from the
> inside until you have a clean complete score and then finish up from
> the outside.
> Measure twice, cut once.
>
Great advoce - thank you!
--
Don Levey $ cd /pub
Framingham, MA $ more beer
NOTE: email server uses spam filters; mail sent to salearn@the-leveys.us
will be used to tune the blocking lists.
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 15:40:59
From:
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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Don Levey wrote:
> yournotauser@gmail.com writes:
> >
> Oops, that should have been "weldleSS" fittings. Maybe I'll take and
> post pictures just for those who are nervous about doing this themselves.
So are you talking about welding SS fittings to an aluminum pot?
Ooookay. Maybe with all the advances in welding tech since I tried
aluminum this is possible. They used to have bimetalic transitions you
could buy for this kind of thing. If people are welding SS to aluminum
things have changed immessurably in the last 20 or so years in the
welding industry.
>
> --
> Don Levey $ cd /pub
> Framingham, MA $ more beer
> NOTE: email server uses spam filters; mail sent to salearn@the-leveys.us
> will be used to tune the blocking lists.
Bryan
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 19:53:12
From: The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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yournotauser@gmail.com wrote:
> Don Levey wrote:
>
>>yournotauser@gmail.com writes:
>
>
>>Oops, that should have been "weldleSS" fittings. Maybe I'll take and
>>post pictures just for those who are nervous about doing this themselves.
>
>
> So are you talking about welding SS fittings to an aluminum pot?
> Ooookay. Maybe with all the advances in welding tech since I tried
> aluminum this is possible. They used to have bimetalic transitions you
> could buy for this kind of thing. If people are welding SS to aluminum
> things have changed immessurably in the last 20 or so years in the
> welding industry.
No -- he's talking about "weldless" fittings. In other words, fittings
that require no welding. Generally they just require you drill the
appropriate sized hole for the fitting and that's about it. They work
very well, and use teflon or other gaskets for maintaining a
heat-resistant watertight seal.
They're not sanitary, but that doesn't matter for boiling vessels, mash
tuns and sparge tanks.
--
(Replies: cleanse my address of the Mark of the Beast!)
Teleoperate a roving mobile robot from the web:
http://www.swampgas.com/robotics/rover.html
Coauthor with Dennis Clark of "Building Robot Drive Trains".
Buy several copies today!
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 16:53:08
From: Dan Listermann
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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For large holes, use a hole saw. Do not attempt to drill a large diameter
hold in thin material with a twist drill.
Dan
"Don Levey" <Don_RCB@the-leveys.us > wrote in message
news:m34pw6q692.fsf@dauphin.the-leveys.us...
> I've just taken delivery of two new brewpots - 15 and 20 gallons.
> I'll be adding weldledd fittings to them, but first I need to drill.
> Anyone have suggestions (or gotchas) for drilling aluminum? They're
> thick (4mm) but light, so these may end up being a great buy if the
> handles hold up well.
> --
> Don Levey $ cd /pub
> Framingham, MA $ more beer
> NOTE: email server uses spam filters; mail sent to salearn@the-leveys.us
> will be used to tune the blocking lists.
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 13:07:03
From:
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty wrote:
> Don Levey wrote:
> > I've just taken delivery of two new brewpots - 15 and 20 gallons.
> > I'll be adding weldledd fittings to them, but first I need to drill.
> > Anyone have suggestions (or gotchas) for drilling aluminum? They're
> > thick (4mm) but light, so these may end up being a great buy if the
> > handles hold up well.
>
> Most species of aluminum are pretty easy to drill -- you shouldn't have
> any trouble. Usual drilling saftey precautions apply -- wear eye
> protection, don't stick the running drill in your ear (even if it REALLY
> itches in there), etc.
I agree here. The few times I've drilled aluminum I treated it like
any other metal. As thin as that is and considering your are welding
on fittings you won't even need to cool the piece when you drill it to
offset thermal expansion.
That said, if you can weld aluminum you are a damn sight better than
me. I admit I haven't tried it in over 20 years, but the few times I
did were disasters. My grandfather could weld the stuff and he tried
to teach me. <shudder > It went from nothing, to glowing, to weldable,
to a mess on the layout table in about .3 picoseconds. I suck at
standard stick welding on steel, but couldn't do Al to save my life.
>
> --
> (Replies: cleanse my address of the Mark of the Beast!)
>
> Teleoperate a roving mobile robot from the web:
> http://www.swampgas.com/robotics/rover.html
>
> Coauthor with Dennis Clark of "Building Robot Drive Trains".
> Buy several copies today!
Bryan
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 16:22:57
From: Don Levey
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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yournotauser@gmail.com writes:
> The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty wrote:
> > Don Levey wrote:
> > > I've just taken delivery of two new brewpots - 15 and 20 gallons.
> > > I'll be adding weldledd fittings to them, but first I need to drill.
> > > Anyone have suggestions (or gotchas) for drilling aluminum? They're
> > > thick (4mm) but light, so these may end up being a great buy if the
> > > handles hold up well.
>
> That said, if you can weld aluminum you are a damn sight better than
> me. I admit I haven't tried it in over 20 years, but the few times I
> did were disasters. My grandfather could weld the stuff and he tried
> to teach me. <shudder> It went from nothing, to glowing, to weldable,
> to a mess on the layout table in about .3 picoseconds. I suck at
> standard stick welding on steel, but couldn't do Al to save my life.
>
Oops, that should have been "weldleSS" fittings. Maybe I'll take and
post pictures just for those who are nervous about doing this themselves.
--
Don Levey $ cd /pub
Framingham, MA $ more beer
NOTE: email server uses spam filters; mail sent to salearn@the-leveys.us
will be used to tune the blocking lists.
|
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 16:02:30
From: Tom Biasi
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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"Don Levey" <Don_RCB@the-leveys.us > wrote in message
news:m34pw6q692.fsf@dauphin.the-leveys.us...
> I've just taken delivery of two new brewpots - 15 and 20 gallons.
> I'll be adding weldledd fittings to them, but first I need to drill.
> Anyone have suggestions (or gotchas) for drilling aluminum? They're
> thick (4mm) but light, so these may end up being a great buy if the
> handles hold up well.
> --
> Don Levey $ cd /pub
> Framingham, MA $ more beer
> NOTE: email server uses spam filters; mail sent to salearn@the-leveys.us
> will be used to tune the blocking lists.
Aluminum drills easily, no lube necessary at moderate speeds. (Lube can't
hurt.)
Use a high speed steel drill but drill slower.
You may need to de-burr after. Just take an over-sized bit and spin it
around the hole once or twice.
(or use a de-burring bit.)
Tom
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 13:47:38
From: The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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Don Levey wrote:
> I've just taken delivery of two new brewpots - 15 and 20 gallons.
> I'll be adding weldledd fittings to them, but first I need to drill.
> Anyone have suggestions (or gotchas) for drilling aluminum? They're
> thick (4mm) but light, so these may end up being a great buy if the
> handles hold up well.
Most species of aluminum are pretty easy to drill -- you shouldn't have
any trouble. Usual drilling saftey precautions apply -- wear eye
protection, don't stick the running drill in your ear (even if it REALLY
itches in there), etc.
--
(Replies: cleanse my address of the Mark of the Beast!)
Teleoperate a roving mobile robot from the web:
http://www.swampgas.com/robotics/rover.html
Coauthor with Dennis Clark of "Building Robot Drive Trains".
Buy several copies today!
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 20:03:30
From: John Bleichert
Subject: Re: Drilling Aluminum
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The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty <mikey666@666swampgas.666com > wrote:
> Don Levey wrote:
>> I've just taken delivery of two new brewpots - 15 and 20 gallons.
>> I'll be adding weldledd fittings to them, but first I need to drill.
>> Anyone have suggestions (or gotchas) for drilling aluminum? They're
>> thick (4mm) but light, so these may end up being a great buy if the
>> handles hold up well.
>
> Most species of aluminum are pretty easy to drill -- you shouldn't have
> any trouble. Usual drilling saftey precautions apply -- wear eye
> protection, don't stick the running drill in your ear (even if it REALLY
> itches in there), etc.
>
And don't brush at the freshly bored holes with your bare hands to
remove burrs and ribbons!
-----------------------------------------------
John Bleichert syborg@earthlink.net
The heat from below can burn your eyes out!!
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