"Pete Keillor" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 19 Mar 2016 15:43:53 -0700, wrote:

In Washington State recent laws now allow micro distilleries. One is
opening up near me and I have done some welding on the stainless
steel
stills. Someone goofed and a 3/4 pipe coupler was threaded to the
drain on the bottom of the still. It is apparently leaking. I am
pretty sure it galled up during assembly. There is not enough room
to
weld around the threaded joint. So I'm thinking about using a
wicking
sealer. Loctite makes one, 290, but it is only good up to 1/2 inch
diameter threads. Does anybody here know if I can get it to work on
the 3/4 pipe? I just need sealing, not retention of the fitting. I
will consider other methods too. I doubt that taking the coupler
off
without destroying the threads is possible. I am willing to try
using
Kroil or similar but if that doesn't work I will need to somehow
clean
it out of the threads if I intend to use a wicking sealer. HELP!
Thanks,
Eric

Is the outlet of the still male? If not, I'd just unscrew and
replace. If the nipple is bunged, replace that too.

I'm surprised the outlet is not a sanitary flange. I wouldn't want
leftover mash stuck in the threads, although the product does go
overhead.

Pete Keillor

Cleaning up pipe threads with a die is much easier than cutting them
initially. My collection of larger pipe taps and dies is mostly second
hand and too dull to thread solid metal, but they fix rusty or damaged
threads well enough.
--jsw