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Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:17 pm
by Atreu
Hi all,

I'm in the process of sourcing and putting together an airstone ageing setup, and have a few questions...

I'm looking at going with this airstone, but there is no option for a threaded one; only the barbed. And as I want to put a SS tube to it, whats the best way to attach it?

Is there a stone (solvent tolerant) that has a thread? :pray:

Can I soft solder a SS tube to the Barb? (Or is that shit gonna kill me, or make me sick, sitting in 65%?) :wtf: ...Maybe there is another type of solder that should be used?

Or is there a better way, that I just haven't seen yet? :think:

Also, I'm looking to create a Venturi effect in the vessel, and to do that, I want to put another (SS or copper) tube around the air stone tubing (if the SS tube to the air stone is, say 6mm, make the outer one aaround the 25mm mark). As long as the tubing is kept close to the bottom of the vessel - without touching it - the upward stream of the air bubbles will create a pulling effect along the bottom, thus creating more (circular) movement in the liquid.

Can anyone see a downside to this, that I am not looking at?

:text-thankyoublue:

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 5:43 am
by Doubleuj
http://www.morebeer.com/products/diffusion-stone-2-micron-flare-threads.html

Quick google search brought this up.
Freight might shock you from the US though

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:28 am
by WTDist
only thing i can think of at this time would be soldering the tube to the barb. Cant say if it is safe but it comes into contact with our spirit in the still but then it isn't sitting on it for months though...

are you able to grind/file the barb away and make a thread on it? i haven't done this but i think people do this with pipes, maybe :think:

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 8:05 am
by benpandaae86
U could try to tap a thread to it if was closer to u i would tig a thread on for ya if ya dont mind waitin for post send one to me n i can tig a thread on n post it back to ya

Or

https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/det ... p?PID=3858

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:15 am
by maddogpearse
Get a threaded-barbed fitting and join with rubber fuel hose and stainless hose clamps. Fuel hose is solvent proof, but keeping in mind our policy of not using plastics to store booze, I'm going to suggest same principles apply. Anyone want to chime in with any rubber leaching knowledge?

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:17 am
by benpandaae86
Silicone hose would be the go

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 10:54 am
by Undertaker
maddogpearse wrote:Fuel hose is solvent proof

Fark! Dont do this! Fuel hose is petroleum resistant. And the inside of the hose is the resistant part. The outside is for abrasion/impact resistant and is not the same compound anyway
maddogpearse wrote:but keeping in mind our policy of not using plastics to store booze, I'm going to suggest same principles apply. Anyone want to chime in with any rubber leaching knowledge?

One of the biggest draw backs to running ethanol in your vehicle is the fact that the "fuel safe" plastics/rubbers in the system are NOT safe for use with ethanol, and break down quickly. If youre going with the barbed fittings, get some silicone tubing. Just look on fleabay. Lots of sizes and lengths available.

Cheers Phil

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 1:47 pm
by maddogpearse
Definitely listen to Phil. He's smarter than me! x_x

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 1:56 pm
by WTDist
maddogpearse wrote:Get a threaded-barbed fitting and join with rubber fuel hose and stainless hose clamps. Fuel hose is solvent proof, but keeping in mind our policy of not using plastics to store booze, I'm going to suggest same principles apply. Anyone want to chime in with any rubber leaching knowledge?

EPDM is a rubber seal that can be used. stat sheet below
http://www.fbs-online.com/Centre/Prod/EPDM-chem-com-res.htm

One of the biggest draw backs to running ethanol in your vehicle is the fact that the "fuel safe" plastics/rubbers in the system are NOT safe for use with ethanol, and break down quickly. If youre going with the barbed fittings, get some silicone tubing. Just look on fleabay. Lots of sizes and lengths available

Arnt these lines EPDM?

I dont like E10 fuel. I have a prado with 180L tank so if i put in 180L of E10 with 10% ethanol than 18L will be ethanol and out of that at least 5% will be water so if i fill up then im putting in at leasty 900ml of water. Now isn't putting water into a fuel tank a bad idea? yea cost me a fortune when i had water in my tank few years back. Fuked my BA Ford so im not a fan of E10

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 3:52 pm
by benpandaae86
Yeah when u run e85 in ur car u must run a stainless steel braided teflon line

Silicone is safe

Check out this item I found on eBay: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 08&alt=web

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:10 pm
by scythe
Where as i have happily run my little hyundai accents for the last 9yrs on e10.
Some cars just have issues with it.

But yeah, get a workshop to TIG it to a bit of stainless tube for you.

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:29 pm
by Atreu
Thanks all for the replys!

While I know silicone is safe, (I'm using it for my magnetic pump), I'd REALLY REALLY prefer to keep this either stainless or copper. (Or glass... Any glass blowers? Anyone? :laughing-rolling: ) In my mind, if you can absolutely 100% guarantee that what you do will be 100% safe, why wouldn't you do it?

It may cost more time, money and thought, but if I were in this game to make money or to save time... Well, I would be producing other things... But, I'm doing this to make the absolutely best I can, in the best way, for myself and those I care about.

Benp, this is probably silly, but if you could tig a thread to it, could you tig a 750mm SS rod? If so, I'll shoot you a PM - and a shittily drawn plan of what I have in mind. Lol.

Actually, give me a bit and I'll post said shitty drawing up here... :wtf:

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:56 pm
by Atreu
Let me qualify... I have been drinking, and I was never a Picasso to begin with...

IMG_20150919_968.jpg


And,

IMG_20150919_22101.jpg


The reason for the outer sheath is to create a Venturi effect... Not sure if I can get it, but if I can, it'll create MUCH more movement over the oak in the vessel... :pray:

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 8:13 pm
by benpandaae86
No probs mate how big is ur aging vessel

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:35 pm
by Mad
WTDist wrote: Fuked my BA Ford so im not a fan of E10


you sure that's what fkd it? :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :))

as far as the stone gpes I'm with you ss or copper then you know there's no dramas even if it costs a little more or little longer it will be permanent and long lasting

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:38 pm
by Atreu
benpandaae86 wrote:No probs mate how big is ur aging vessel


I have 2 types. One is 3ltrs, and the other is 52ltrs.

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 6:26 am
by Doubleuj
The Venturi should work as long as the stone is above the bottom of the pipe. To see the effect you could fill a glass with half water and half oil, stick a length of pipe in that's just above oil level and blow down through the pipe with a straw. You should see water being sucked up and flowing back down through the oil.

Re: Making an airstone ageing setup

PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 2:22 pm
by Meatheadinc
I used barbed air stones.
Anneal the end of some 3/8 copper pipe.
Wrap the barb hollows in PTFE tape and gently tap stone into pipe.

Not the best but works and is simple.