Size of pan "ports"?

[Paperman]

With the pan close to finished I am looking at adding ports to the corners. These would be for linking two pans together, float box, draw-off or what ever else a guy needs to get at the liquid for. My plan is to weld on a piece 1/2" SS pipe. It would be just the threaded end of a nipple. This would allow me to thread on what ever I wanted. One in each of the side corners. Sound OK or is there a beter way?

[MartinP]

SS Couplings would be a better choice. IMO

[whalems]

don't forget a 1/4" fitting for a thermometer.

[moeh1]

You can buy coupler halves with a flange designed to be welded in.
Marty

[ronr]

I used 1/2 on my pan. When I build the next one I will go bigger. The 1/2 flows pretty slow.

[Paperman]

What all is everybody thinking of when they say coupling. A solid piece of metal with threads at both ends or the two piece screw together item with threads? In my world (powerhouse maintenance) the former is coupling and the latter a union. I had thought of using union halves but they tend to leak when you make two different bodies together.

[whalems]

Try this http://buyfittingsonline.gb3.com/Fittings/cat372_1.htm

[markct]

check out dairy style fitting with the clamps, go to mcmaster and search sanitary fittings and you will see the sizes available, they come apart easy and clean up nice, and seal well too with teflon gaskets. when i built my new front pan i used them to plumb in my new floatbox i built

[maple flats]

If the 1/2" is off the pan it is too small, if it comes off the bottom of a draw off box it might be enough depending on the pan size. I would think bigger would be better. However, my old half pint had 1/2" draws off the pan direct. Either way, a coupling (or half coupling) is better than a pipe.

[Dave Y]

Paperman, check out this website. If you look around it, I think they may have what you need. Their service is good.http://www.stpats.com/index.htm