Stainless Steel Roundbar

[GrapeApe]

I found a 4 foot length of 1/4 inchStainless Steel T-316 roundbar and of course the first thing that came to mind is a homemade fizz-x / wine whip. Is this type of stainless steel safe to use on wines?


Thanks.


GrapeApe.

 

[grapeman]

It should work fine if you have access to the proper tools to make it, but remember George sells a stainless steel model now at a very reasonable price.


Masta posted on the types before
http://www.finevinewines.com/wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2484&KW=stainless+steel&PID=33506#33506


George's model
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4666

 

[Wade E]

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<t><tr><td rowspan="3" ="msgableSide" valign="top">Grape
Ape, check out what JW did. I would recommend using some kind of a
buffer to hold the tool in the center of the neck of the carboy and
plastic paddles so as not to scratch your glass or primary bucket!

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<td ="msgableRow" valign="top"> </span> Posted: 04 April 2007 at 9:25am</td>
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Time to Stabilize and Clear Pinot Noir, so here we go....

At first I didn't think much gas coming off of it, but then..quick, get a glass!

Don't have a fizz-x , but things were slow one night at work, so a
trip to the shop, looking through the scrap stainless and wallah , a
Jw-X

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Edited by: wade

 

[GrapeApe]

I was thinking about bending a zig zag pattern in the roundbar so I would basically have a ss wine whip. I was also going to use a rubber bung to keep it centered in the neck and to avoid chipping or worse breaking the carboy. Man, that would be a mess and would surely cause a grown man to cry.


I have not tried to bend the roundbar yet, but I'm hoping I will be able to with a little heat from my torch.


Thanks again for the advice.


GrapeApe.

 

[grapeman]

I would think the heat would affect the steel and you could lose it's stainless properties. Unheated it would probably be very hard to bend though. I still think I would rather buy one.

 

[Wade E]

I think attaching some paddles to it would be safer and alot easier on
your bdrill. Those whips put a strain on the bearings of a drill as
would anything that is truly out of balance. Not to mention being round
I dont think it would work to well. I dont have a whip but I would
imagine that it is shaped on the sides to give it some friction.

 

[GrapeApe]

Humm.. Sounds like I have some more research to do. I thought of drilling a hole and mounting fizz-x paddles, like JW,but I'mconcerned the 1/4 dia. rod would shear, which is why I considered the wavey design. Wade,your point of being out of balance and killing the bearings on the drill is a good one.


I could surely buy the fizz-x, but I have this nagging habit to try to build a better mouse trap whenever the opportunity presents itself,however I surely would not do it if it has the potentialof damaging the wine or getting someone sick, e.g. changing the properties of the stainless due to the heat added for bending it.


Thanks for the input.


GrapeApe.

 

[Wade E]

I dont think drilling a small hole at the bottom would hurt the strength very much at all. I also think the bunghole centering would work to. Okay that just sounds sick!

 

[Steve]

I work with 316 all day at work, heat shouldn't change the characteristics of the SS, it is not a coating, the 316represents the alloy the SS is made from. However, as wade said, you probably would have serious balance issues if you bend it. 316 is pretty tough material, I wouldn't worry about it shearing.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Heat won't have an effect on the stainless, as for centering, At firstI used my hand, no balance problems, but I have since drilled out a stopper for more security. I don't think you have to be too concerned about shearing, if like me, you go forward - reverse etc, as not to create the vortex, never truly maxing out the drill speed, more short burst than full speed. Ive degassed several batches , so far no issues.

 

[PeterZ]

I'm with Steve on this one. 316 is actually a cut above the SS normally used in food grade materials (304). I seriously doubt you have a drill motor strong enough to shear off 316. Grind a couple of flats on the bottom, drill a hole, and bolt on some paddles. The weak point I think will be the bolt. A good choice would be a #10-32 bolt with a locknut on the other side, all SS (grade unimportant).

The thing about SS is that you can put it in almost anything for 10 minutes, take it out and rinse it off, and it will be fine.

Someday I'll tell you about the worst case ot biological corrosion I ever dealt with - 304SS, cost the company $50 million. Bad design, bad PM, bad luck.

Edited by: PeterZ

 

[Grant]

Hey Peter didn't knwo there were other people here that knew all about the different types of SS. I work with pump in the petrochemical industry and I am always dealing with corrosion and chemical attack on metals.

 

[GrapeApe]

Thanks for the info Steve. I'm sort of concerned about the balance issue too. I was thinking if I bend two opposing arcs, like an stretched outS, it 'should' balance, just like a crank shaft does. I doubt it will be perfectly balanced, but under low RPM's it may be ok. If not, it goes into the recycle bin and we can chaulk it upto another learning experience.


I really appreciate the info and your thoughts.


GrapeApe.


P.S. Peter, we always have time to hear the details of a $50M mistake - especially if it was someone elses money.

Edited by: GrapeApe

 

[Cracked Cork]

Grapeyape, if you wanted to build a better mouse trap why not put 4 paddles on offsetting each other to have a twice better debubbler?

Crackedcork

 

[Wade E]

We need more power! ER ER ER .
Edited by: wade

 

[OldWino1]

give george a call no fuss no muss and it will work

 

[pkcook]

Hey Grapeape,


I would stick with the paddles, but would try drilling small holes in the paddles.

 

[PeterZ]

lmeeko, I spent 20+ years in industrial water treatment. Learned a lot about corrosion resistant metals. Are you, by any chance, a member of NACE?

 

[Grant]

Hey Peter


Sorry I am not a member. I am a millwright by trade and work for an OEM pump company. I do seem to be spending more time now trouble shooting problems like materials though


Grant

 

[OilnH2O]

GrapeApe -- your thoughts on "balance" are good ones -- and even "low RPM's can throw something horrendously out of balance and cause unwanted vibration. Think of the balance on the wheels of your rig, and how justa very slight out-of-balance condition can cause so many problems yet may be cured with a 1/4 ounce piece of lead weight on the right place on the rim. Even WITHOUT any bends I would think the rod could start to bulge outward in the center as it rotates... Have you just tried to see what would happen spinning it in your drill without placing it in the carboy?