I am currently updating the second addition of Gas Burners for Forges, Furnaces, and Kilns, and have run across an old question on this forum about where to find a 3/16"inverted female nut to build the gas accelerator with.

 

Having thought I'd solved this question eight years ago, along with the need to build a temporary accelerator, and the need to do any silver brazing at all, I was surprised to find people still asking such out of date questions. Apparently, the word hasn't spread.

 

Schedule #80 4" pipe nipples aren't easy to find, locally; but, they can be directly tapped for 1/4-28 thread, and thus hold the 14T MIG tip. You can order such a pipe nipple from Zoeller Forge for $5 and shipping, if you  can't find it locally (which you probably can't). The money they save in silver braze alloy and flux will more than cover the price difference and shipping charges above what a schedule #40 pipe nipple and 3/16" inverted female nut costs at your local hardware store.

 

You can use the brass pipe nipple and 1/4" threaded reducer fitting from a brass inflator kit from Harbor Freight (item #68269; price $2.49) for you burner's accelerator tube; it will also take 1/4-28 thread without any special fitting (I would recommend soldering the threaded joint between brass nipple and 1/4" reducer, though).

 

Any other questions?

Mike Porter  

Schedule 80 1/8" BP nipples can be sourced from Fastenal.

Mikey: Good to see you here man! I usually put in the suggestion a new poster to put their general location in the header about now  but you probably don't want folk dropping by to ask questions that have been answered repeatedly.

 

Writing another edition is a good idea, lots of folk need more help. Especially with terminology, for instance: "inverted female nut"? Aren't you referring to a 3/16" FPT to 1/8" compression fitting? Any hardware or plumbing supply employee will point you right to that bin if you can't find it on your own. A Google search for "inverted female nut" hit on guys asking about your burner book, though two seemed to be a list of fittings someone posted.

 

I'm not trying to be picky I've just found you have to put some things in plain English and use the right terminology or folk who aren't natural tinkerers are lost. Who's reading your galleys?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

I've purchased Schedule 80 nipples from McMaster Carr and Grainger.  McMasterCarr ships quickly, and Grainger will ship to one of their local stores (which in my case is about 15 minutes from my house.)

 

http://www.mcmaster.com/#4550k117/=rnw4kr

Frosty,

You wrote "Aren't you referring to a 3/16" FPT to 1/8" compression fitting?" No, I'm referring to a particular size threaded insert for wood. The very next burner in the book (the 3/4" burner) uses a lamp fitting; I gave them more than one part to work from. Nevertheless, a 1/8" schedule #80 pipe nipple is much more efficacious. But where I really had in mind for this discussion to go was forward into new burner designs. I'm afraid it is simply buried to deep in the list to get any play.

Mikey