Part 2 kettle tap & hop stopper, holes? Slits? Size, Qty?

[VANDEEN]

Having successfully completed my boil tests following Part 1 the kettle, element fitting here:-

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=73748

I headed off to the Plumbers merchants to see my mate about a tap etc

I left with a tap, some "Poly washers" & 10M of 10mm copper (youll have to wait for the wort chiller post

Armed with my ASDA silicone baking "tin" and some off cuts of copper pipe & olives I set about fabricating the washers & plugs required.



My tap assembly consisted from the outside in of:-

One end from Screwfix 6768G Flexible tap connector £1.39 http://www.screwfix.com/p/flexible-tap- ... tid=386269, to provide a hose barb & material for a Bazooka if I go that way.
fitted with home punched silicone washer.
One 15mm ball valve ( cheapy from plumb centre <> £5 mates rates
One plumb centre "poly washer" C40973 (pack of 10) http://www.plumbcenter.co.uk/en/bathroo ... -of-10%29/
One home cut silicone washer 21mm id
Barrel wall
Another home cut silicone washer 21mm id
Another "poly washer" from the 10 pack
Plenty of thread tape
One Screwfix brass socket 71287 £0.99p http://www.screwfix.com/p/brass-socket- ... SearchRec-_-
Area2&_requestid=387118#_=p
More thread tape
One Screwfix 15mm compression elbow 91568 £3.69 for a two pack http://www.screwfix.com/p/elbow-15mm-pa ... tid=387217
Home made silicone washer to replace the red fibre one on the item below
One Screwfix, flexible copper plumbing stick 22180 £3.99 http://www.screwfix.com/p/flexible-copp ... tid=387335
One home made silicone plug, fitted inside of the,
Screwfix 15mm endfeed stop end (2 pack) 90441 ££0.99 http://www.screwfix.com/p/end-feed-stop ... tid=387434
Slightly squeezed to make it grip on flexi pipe and pushed up snug over the flexi, this means that if I get a blockage during drain down I can pull the plug from the end







So my wet test was successful & my next questions are:-

How many holes and or slits along the bottom of the "hop stopper"? (only on the bottom as I want to maintain syphon & I've bent it to lay flat round the outside of the kettle) I'm using whole Sazz <sp? hops?
What size holes / slits?
Does it make any difference to the descision above if I may have a go at BIAB after the Saltaire extract clone?
Should I use the muslin "hop socks" I bought or let them roam free?
Planning on whirlpooling using brewing spoon and maybe electric drill if I go down the free roaming route

Appreciate your input

[brewnaboinne]

Slits cut the thickness of a hacksaw blade works for me. As many as you can fit.

[VANDEEN]

Cheers brewnabonnie, your reply came about 2 drill bits too late LOL

I started drilling (and snapping) then changed to the trusty dremmel clone to cut the slots and widened them out slightly with a diamond file.



Very happy with the result, half a mug full of liquid left in the bucket as shown & most of that was in the central hollow where hopefully a decent stirred whirlpool will deposit any escapees from my hop socks and steeping grains.

[brewnaboinne]

very good it looks nice and copper shiny