Christchurch: Stainless steel welder needed

[SMOKEU]

I've got a leaky stainless steel still, the metal is about 1mm thick. I know where it's leaking from, so all I need is a tiny weld done that shouldn't take any more than a couple of minutes. I will then need the system pressure tested by hooking up a normal garden hose to it to see if it holds pressure, and to see if there are any more leaks.

If there's only the one leak like I think there is, the whole job shouldn't take any more than 10-15 minutes including pressure testing. I've checked out Crompton sheetmetal (they do SS welding), but there's a $60 minimum charge which is a ripoff considering the small size of the job. So can anyone here with a welder who knows what they're doing help me out for less?

The leak is circled below, and it's on that join. The other option is to make a flange and solder it on.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn204/SR20NP/Still/5fc897a4-e575-4034-a10b-fdc49cea6745.png

[awayatc]

I have found various exhaust repair places very helpful and affordable in the past for those sort of jobs......

[buggerit]

$60 is fairly standard , you lose alot of time on pissy little jobs by the time u discuss it, do the job and complete the paper work.
That job will need cleaning up, purging ,tig welding, pressure testing then pickling so will take a little while.

[jim.cox]

could you not just encircle the joint with epoxy putty?

[Tazz]

Grab a box of beer, rock around till you get a hit. Friday afternoons are a good bet.

[SMOKEU]

could you not just encircle the joint with epoxy putty?

Is that the gray paste that hardens up nice and solid? It's not going to have to withstand extreme pressures or anything, the gate valve is just going to be there to fine tune the water pressure, rather than having to hold the full water pressure with a the valve closed.

[bogan]

Yeh just JBweld that shit homie.

[Banditbandit]

Cool unit - best use of a bathroom yet ...

[Akzle]

1mm isnt enough. You cheap cunt.


Fuken, give it to the apprentices at your local tech.

[AllanB]

There is a bloke by Smiths City in 'town' - drive north past Smiths City and he is on one of the roads to the right. Got a sign outside his business. Good bloke and does excellent work. $60 is prob reasonable - it needs prep work etc

JBWeld is magic stuff.

[St_Gabriel]

Is that the gray paste that hardens up nice and solid? It's not going to have to withstand extreme pressures or anything, the gate valve is just going to be there to fine tune the water pressure, rather than having to hold the full water pressure with a the valve closed.

Why have the gate valve on the outlet? There would be very minimal pressue (50mm head maybe) with it valve on the water inlet side. Could also run it so that the reflux column has a gate valve to control reflux action and leave the condenser coil at full flow.

[SMOKEU]

Why have the gate valve on the outlet? There would be very minimal pressue (50mm head maybe) with it valve on the water inlet side. Could also run it so that the reflux column has a gate valve to control reflux action and leave the condenser coil at full flow.

I posted pics on aussiedistiller.com and that's the suggested setup of several forum members! I'm moving on from a Still Spirits Super Reflux still, so as this is my first "proper" reflux still, I have a fair bit of learning to do!