StillSmart

Your in luck mate...I found this today while looking for an element...try this

Thanks for that Ice. I think I can now decide which way to go

If you're after a no weld option these Essex flanges fit from the outside. (near bottom of page)

http://www.bes.co.uk/products/107a.asp

If you're going to make a bigger hole in the top (if you were doing that you probably have a tame welder who would be able to use the SS ones) then you can use these mechanical flanges.

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p38614

I use the latter on my HLT, you'll need something like a 24" stillson to tighten it up though.

Ok a word of caution here. 2.25" bsp essex flanges are a big bit of kit. I used them on my own keg but it is a 100 litre keg. Same height as a 50 but quite a bit wider.

I had to mount them a bit higher than I would have liked because of the curve in the keg wall. They are brilliant though, I used a 4 foot sash cramp as a spanner with a home made tool to get them tight.

Yes, such a 2 1/4" thread looks huge, which is why we really favor the elements with 1" connector. Adapting the Element Guard Kit to that dimension will not be easy and clearly more costly. We don't have a solution for that right now, but we are definitely going to look into that matter.

Have now acquired 2 1/4 inch weld in flange for the element and now ordered a 6 inch weld in tri-clamp flange for the column to help with cleaning

next question is what do you recommend for cutting out these large diameter apertures? Perhaps a plasma cutter?

Plasma cutter - my the force be with you!

Nah - hole saws - brilliant, nice tidy hole and cheapish.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BAHCO-SANDFLE ... 339af6554a

(obviously in the right size)

That is going to be quite chunky stainless you'll be cutting through,I am unsure a cheap holesaw will do it,but hey,I have never tried.
I would guess that a slow speed,and a plasticine(or something similar) type material used to construct a 'well',to hold cutting fluid will be needed,as in my experience of cutting thin SS,it hardens with heat.

Assuming that you are farming out the weld work,get them to cut the holes?

Robert.

Bang on Robert. Needs cutting fluid and slow speed, but bahco are inexpensive not cheap. If That makes sense.

I've cut stainless with a hole saw before but used a cobalt carbide one, the type with 2 or 3 teeth rather than the HSS ones with teeth all the way round.

Plasma cutter is a great bit of kit if you can get someone with one. My keg boiler was cut with one, but we forgot to put a little water in it during the cut, so the inside is splattered a little. I'm sure that's the reason if took quite a few washes being run through it before the output stopped tasting like burn shit.

Doh,I hadn't considered filling the barrel with water to act as drilling coolant.
Just too bloody obvious!

Robert.

Wasn't meant as a coolant (although now you mention it, that would probably be a good idea), just to stop the "bits" splattering the opposite side of the keg from the hole. Plasma cutter is pretty energetic.

Just a quick thought on this if you have a top opening big enough to get the inner part of this tool inside, you could use a Q-Max cutter to make perfect holes for your elements, of course it depends how thick th wall of the keg is but here's a link anyway if anyone interested.

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/QMX0451124B

The 6" triclamp flange arrived from China land today complete with triclamp gasket and stop disc (useful for sealing when not in use I guess came as a kit anyway) quality and value seems fair
got a 15mm ball valve from screwfix for the drain and all is with a specialist fabricator to put it all together
Next will be an order to SDE for the 6" to 4" reducer for the 4" plate then we are ready to rock and roll after a bloody good clean

Fabricators going to do all the plasma cutting and stainless welding for sixty notes...I'm happy with that

Must say having 6" opening is going to make cleaning a damn site easier

Time to order the 6" to 4" reducer next