Cheap Tri clamp issues

[sp0rk]

I discovered the other day that Target doesn't sell the silicone baking mats anymore, neither do Robin's Kitchen or any of the other kitchen shop mobs
Luckily I still have 1 & 1/2 full mats left, but I doubt that'll be enough for my bubbler ~x(

[WTDist]

there are a lot on ebay. if i was buying sheets i would buy PTFE sheets but they can only be used once, on the other hand this silicone sheet looks good, they say heat and solvent resistant but online shopping is always a gamble right.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20-x20-500x5 ... SwaB5Xlg-6

[scythe]

Sounds like your clamp's thread picked up, very common with 304 stainless.
Happends due to poor lubrication on the threads and being too tight.

Pretty sure mac sells seals with the ridge cut off, custom EPDM seals sounds familiar.

[WTDist]

it went on fine (nut was still on the bolt from the supplier), no drama at all and i left it together over two nights then it wouldnt undo, well it got 5 turns but i new on the first turn it was ruined. just wanted it off the flange

would you saw some WD40 (or other lube?) on the bolt/nuts when using will reduce this occurrence?

[hillzabilly]

I use a small dab of butter to lube my tri clamp threads,and hand tighten them only ,do not like the idear of wd40 on my still because it's not food safe,butter is better ! :)) cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Dig Brinker]

Mate I work with Tri clamps for a job. You need to try and squeeze them in to release the pressure on them, especially if you have tightened them with leverage. Use pliers or vice clamps or your hands to try and squeeze the open ends of the clamp together. ( where the tightening bolt goes ) and then release the nut. Even downward pressure can help, ie push your column down to relieve pressure on a clamp under it.
We have all kinds at work. Solid nuts and the holey type. Don't think I've ever threaded one.


Note : told the engineer at work what I paid for 4" Tri clamps from 5Star and he said it was cheaper than he could get them! Go with the best :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[WTDist]

Cheers DB, good advice there. i do that to tighten them sometimes, pull them in and tighten nut to them so its no stress on the nut. Never thought about doing it when releasing also. will do from now on :handgestures-thumbupleft:

should point out i have never broke one before, i reckon this was an isolated incident, a dud perhaps but i will lub them all from now on and folow the above advice to prolong them :handgestures-thumbupleft:

cheers

[Dig Brinker]

After saying that, one of the cocks I work with over tightened one to the point where the clamp ends were fully closed. I had to beat the living crap out of it with a spanner to back it off enough to get some squeeze room into it. Changed the chewed up seal and it still works fine. You must've got a dud :handgestures-thumbdown:

[WTDist]

yea thats what i thought, ive had some really tight before also with no trouble.

[wynnum1]

lol, a bolt swinging on a pin then a funny (guess wingnut type thing) nut to tighten it up. the nut fucked up. if you look in the potstill post of mine from yesterday you will see a hole in the nut to make it easier to put something in to turn but this takes half of the nuts thread as its a gaping hole in half the nuts body.

I use multi grips anyway so the hole is useless to me. Never again. :violence-smack:

word of advice people. get a solid nut triclamp from FSD, not one with a hole in it others may sell

Sorry for the thread hyjack, just realised :?

Galvanic Corrosion could this happen .

[scythe]

Not that quickly, maybe give it 6 or so... years...
It was more to do with the pressure and rubbing of the metal on metal that did it.

Stainless is notorious for it.

Many times i have almost ruined a job at work by making the tollerances too tight.
Screw the check thread on and then when you screw it back off the friction, from no lube, heats up the job just a little which expands the metal and then there is no clearance between the two parts and they start rubbing and get hotter and expand and so on until it jams
Then if you keep trying to undo it you will essentially fusion weld a small bit together and if you keep applying more force it will pull that small bit out of position and you are basically fusked and have to remake the job and a new check thread.

If it jamms or starts to squeak/squeal then cool it down immediatly, walk away for 15mins and the tollerances expand again and you can get it apart again.

So always use lube, especially with stainless.
I would use "never seize" or "copper kote", not to worry about contamination as you only use a rice grain sized bit in the nut and the thread is no where near the inside of your still.
And you should never really touch the thread under the nut anyway.

Actually i am positive there is a food grade version you can get if you are really worried.
"Here"
Or something similar.

So yeah up to you now.