Can you fully bury 2" black iron pipe threads into fitting?

[Watson524]

Hi there,

I'm building a 4 tap kegerator using 2" black iron pipe. 4 tees (bushings in the front for the taps), 2 elbows on each end, 2 6" nipples with a union between on the "legs" and then floor flanges. Between the ts and elbows I'm using a close nipple and I'd like to see as little thread as possible. Is it realistic to think we can bury the thread with only one or two (or none) showing other than the small non threaded strip in the middle of the close.

So far a vice, pipe wrench and bar aren't cutting it. We (or I should say my husband, no way I'd have it ths close) have it where 5 threads are showing on each side but the t itself only has 2 threads left so maybe it is what it is and it's just open between.

Thanks!

 

[James Henry]

Threads aren't cut on pipe for the purpose of being buried, if you bury them and it leaks then you have no more threads to tighten it up. The only way you'll be able to bury the threads is if you over cut them yourself with a pipe threader.

 

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[MACPLUMB]

You have to use LACO SLIC TITE on the treads, and a 24" pipe wrench

 

[Jeff H Young]

black iron pipe being used for drinking beer out of? btw normal threads dont need buried

 

[Tughillrzr]

black iron pipe being used for drinking beer out of? btw normal threads dont need buried

You’d think it be a little rusty on tap.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Is this for a visual affect?? Like what are you trying to accomplish doing this..... what is a kegerator ??

is this just some kind of stand to hold beer kegs ?? So Why not just sink them as close as possible and hide
the excess threads with electrical tape??

 

[Watson524]

Not drinking beer directly from the pipes. Using the pipe to hold the taps and beer lines. We had a 24" pipe wrench with a 2 to 3' cheater bar and got them within an inch of each other so we're calling it good. The whole thing will be sprayed with hammered rustoleum paint once we have the legs, unions and floor flanges on. This picture is inside the lid box getting an idea of where I want to add supports in the box (like a torsion box) before we add foam and the top of the lid.

 

[Jeff H Young]

its just show. i get it. id experiment with the dies set the dies so it cuts deeper perhaps

 

[Bannerman]

National Pipe Thread pipe threads are most commonly tapered so the pipe thread diameter increases as the threads progress closer to the unthreaded setion of pipe, and female threaded fitting openings will become smaller as they become deeper into the fitting. As threading the pipe into the fitting becomes progressively tighter, that will provide a good seal at each joint. Even using the largest pipe wrench, the threads cannot fully enter fittings since the pipe's thread diameter will be larger than the fitting can accommodate.

Steel pipe and fittings are also available with straight threads (National Pipe Straight), but because the threads do not lock, visible locknuts are usually required to prevent the fitting from rotating on the pipe. If each pipe was fully threaded into each fitting so the threads will bottom out and not rotate, you could not align each fitting equally so for your application, your 4 beer taps would likely be rotated at different angles.

An alternate method to prevent fitting rotation but provide a method to align and level each tap tee would be to cross drill and tap threads into each fitting perpendicularly so as to utilize an Allen-type sunken setscrew to lock each joint, but some amount of thread would likely continue to be visible.

 

[Watson524]

National Pipe Thread pipe threads are most commonly tapered so the pipe thread diameter increases as the threads progress closer to the unthreaded setion of pipe, and female threaded fitting openings will become smaller as they become deeper into the fitting. As threading the pipe into the fitting becomes progressively tighter, that will provide a good seal at each joint. Even using the largest pipe wrench, the threads cannot fully enter fittings since the pipe's thread diameter will be larger than the fitting can accommodate.

Ah that makes sense, I was wondering if there was some kind of tapering going on. Ignoring the visible Teflon tape which we'll clean up, since there's no way these things are twisting and we have it all level, I think it looks OK and we may just keep it as is. The bushings are only in hand tight so we'll get the hex "nut" on those evened up when it all goes together. Those will go in last since I'm jb welding the shank nut in the inside of it to make it so the beer shank can be removed if need be when I can no longer get to the back of the bushing.[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

 

[Bannerman]

I think it looks OK and we may just keep it as is.

Looks great! Tough and masculine which I anticipate is the look you want.

If you like the current appearance and don't wish to paint a solid color, you could spray with a clear mat sealer which would prevent rust and increase cleanability while maintaining the current appearance without adding gloss.

Homebrew? Actual beer kegs or Ball/Pin Lock soda kegs?

 

[Tughillrzr]

Is this for a visual affect?? Like what are you trying to accomplish doing this..... what is a kegerator ??

is this just some kind of stand to hold beer kegs ?? So Why not just sink them as close as possible and hide
the excess threads with electrical tape??

tap and refrigerator in one. Found this picture but like his idea of a manifold set up. Do taps hook up to vinyl tubing inside black pipe?

 

[Watson524]

If you like the current appearance and don't wish to paint a solid color, you could spray with a clear mat sealer which would prevent rust and increase cleanability while maintaining the current appearance without adding gloss.

Actually thought of that but a few fittings have some flash rust on them so when I get that off, it's likely going to change the patina anyway and would look different that other spots with just clear. At least that's been my experience when building bar carts out of black iron.

Homebrew? Actual beer kegs or Ball/Pin Lock soda kegs?

Both actually. I don't personally home brew so no corney kegs but to make things easier, I'm putting quick disconnects on my sankey couplers so that we'll be able to have commercial kegs and if friends that do home brew bring their kegs, I can hook them up quickly. Plus the QDs help with cleaning as I can use a jumper piece between them and up on the tap side to have cleaner going in one faucet and coming out another for proper flushing etc.

tap and refrigerator in one. Found this picture but like his idea of a manifold set up. Do taps hook up to vinyl tubing inside black pipe?

"her"

Not using vinyl tubing (EVA barrier, doesn't let O2 in and keeps CO2 where it belongs, plus to need much shorter runs for the beer line since it's "slicker" and creating less foam on pours. I have a 2"x3/4" bushing there on the front of the T. On the inside of that is JB welded a beer nut and then the faucet shank, slightly smaller than the 3/4" but you won't see a gap with the faucet nut on it. Backside of the faucet shank is a duotight screw on fitting and then tube just pushes in to other end of fitting, kind of like a shark bite so no worm clamps or anything.