Where do you guys buy your stainless steel fittings such as weldless ball valves etc? It all started out with me 'thinking' of turning a 2 x round rubbermaid coolers into an HLT & mash/lauter tun as per Morebeers setup. I thought I would be smart and save on large postage costs etc by buying the coolers locally....Got the list from morebeer for false bottom and all parts etc - approx $150US +$50US postage - which works out at around $332 Kiwi...+ another $330 for 2 coolers from payless.Ouch.....So I went looking on grainandgrape - On its own a 1/2 inch ball valve+1.5 inch of threaded stainless tube + a nut is $57Kiwi + postage...Half inch hosetails are approx $28 EACH !!!...
Is that normal? It just seems to be a ridiculous amount of money for stainless steel products? Do we have local suppliers or is this the cost of entry for the bulk of fittings...A kind chap in bunnings today advised me not to use brass fittings as the acidic wort would leach metals out of it and eventually make me go blind :) Your inputs greatly appreciated...Thanks