Advice on a False bottom

[Jayme]

Hey guys - I bought a used kettle not all that long ago and the ball valve was welded into place and there aren't any threads on the inside. I was hoping to find some sort of a false bottom that also has a dip tube so I have less dead space. Any suggestions?

[mr x]

The biggest issue will be getting a dip tube attached without the threads on the inside. What I think you could do is take that ball valve and nipple off, and use a compression fitting (1/2"t x 1/2"mnpt) that has been drilled out so a piece of tubing can go through it. That will secure it, and then use another compression fitting to attach the ball valve to the tubing.

[John G]

Maybe you could have someone weld a stainless nut or female threaded coupling on the inside to give you some threads to work with.

[moxie]

Any hope with something like tapping threads onto the inside of that fitting? It probably wouldn't take much there for a stainless nipple to bite onto.

On second thought, that might create a sanitation issue somewhere down the road... It would be difficult to clean out those threads.

Have you considered BIAB?

[Jayme]

I hadn't had chance to look into this further (I've been too busy using the kettle to brew instead!), but I'm just thinking about it again. The threads do almost go all the way to the inside of the pot, but not quite far enough to thread something from the inside I don't think. I guess tapping it the whole way through might be possible, but I'm not sure where I could borrow a tap that large. We have a machine shop at work but no taps that big. I like the compression fitting idea though. That may be the simplest solution if I can find a fitting somewhere that will work for me.

[mr x]

I have a fitting.

[Jayme]

That would be fantastic! Send me an e-mail and let me know how much you want for it!

[mr x]

I'll try and have it for the weekend.

[Jayme]