[Saccharomyces]

Does anyone know what the tool that is used to groove metal tubing for o-rings is called?  I look like a tubing cutter with a specialized wheel could do the job.

[denny]

A lathe?

[Saccharomyces]

I was was assuming that they were cut on a metal lathe (more likely a CNC center these days). I am hoping that there is a tool that works like a tubing cutter that will do the job.

[jeffy]

Maybe a flaring tool kit?  Like for making brake lines?

[Wilbur]

Are you trying to replace something specific? You could use flare fittings and use a flaring tool.

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Plumbing-Tools-Flaring-Swagging-Tools/N-5yc1vZ2fkojty

I don't know of anything else apart from a lathe.

[Bob357]

I was was assuming that they were cut on a metal lathe (more likely a CNC center these days). I am hoping that there is a tool that works like a tubing cutter that will do the job.

[Saccharomyces]

I would like to make a custom pickup tube for my SS Brewtech TC kettle.  It uses a push-in pickup tube like the old SS Brewtech kettle with weldless NPT fittings.  There are two grooves in the pickup tube that hold o-rings.  The o-rings provide friction fit between the outside of the tube and the inside of valve.  I may just sell the kettle and purchase a kettle with welded NPT couplings.  Creating a custom pickup tubes for NPT fittings is a piece of cake.  For example, I used a 3/8" NPT to 3/8" 37-degree flare fitting on my last kettle (a 1/2" ball valve on a 6.75-gallon kettle looks almost as comical as a 1.5" TC butterfly valve on a 10-gallon kettle).  I bent, cut, and flared a stainless steel pickup tube for that kettle using a Ridgid stainless steel tubing cutter, a Ridgid 37-degree flaring tool, and a Ridgid stainless steel tubing bender. NPT just makes more sense than TC when it comes to brewing kettles at the home brewing level.  A brewing kettle does not need to have sanitary fittings.  I will admit that TC has more bling, but it looks out of place on a 10-gallon kettle.

The pickup tube



The 100% custom kettle

[narvin]

You might be able to use a steel pipe cutter like this:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/LENOX-2-625-in-Multipurpose-Pipe-Cutter/1003128496

I haven't used this one specifically, but I'd avoid cheaper ones with only two rollers because the cut never seems to line up after making a circle, even on plastic.

[Wilbur]

There might be a maker space in your area where you can get a day pass.

It looks like you wouldn't care about rotating the pickup tube If you're using with a false bottom. In that case, you probably don't need the o rings at all. You should be able to get tubing with a fairly tight fit. In any case, the gap between the pickup tube and the valve would be smaller than the debris you're trying to keep out.

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