There is a great deal of information on equipment making and modification available at The Brewery and also at Dion Hollenbeck's Page of Useful Brewing Gadgets. Here we will try to only include those issues or tips not covered at these other sites.
Don Anderson, an aircraft sheet metal mechanic, recommends "most definately get the 3/8" Cobalt drill bit and also get one or two smaller bits, 1/8" or 3/16" would be good sizes. First step is to figureout where you want your hole then lightly center punch it. Hit the punch just hard enough to put a small dimple in the steel. The second step isto drill a hole with your small drill bit using the center punch dimple as a place to start (this will keep your drill bit from "walking") and you can use WD-40 or clean motor oil as a lube. Thirdly use the 3/8" biton the smaller hole. Last step, using new sandpaper carefully remove any sharp edges of the hole and then clean the pot and install your new easymasher. When drilling SS use a heavy feed and little speed (press down hard and turn the drill bit at a slow speed).
Don's suggestion of a "pilot hole" is seconded by Garvin Scarman who also "would do it as a 2 step process by drilling a smaller 'pilot' hole first. This will do 2 things of benefit; first it will stop the large drill from skidding on the smooth, hard surface, and second, a well chosen pilot hole size will allow the bigger drill's cutting edges immediate contact with the steel thus reducing friction.
I'd suggest around 3/16" should be right but I'm used to working in metric. To get it more accurate, look at the 3/8" drill, note the point is not really a circular point but is an 'edge', your pilot hole should be just slightly larger than the 'point'.
Also, the main benefit of a cobalt tipped drill is less friction thus itkeeps it's edge longer."
Source: HBD v2 #38
"Try your local hardware store for "Porcelain touch-up." I got mine at the local small store, couldn't find it at the big mega-store. It is rated to 400 deg F, washable, chip proof, lead free."
Source: Rec.crafts.brewing - May 29, 1996
Aluminum has NOT been linked to Alzheimer's disease. The following is taken from "Frequently Asked Questions About Neurological Problems" at The Department of Neurological Surgery of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (http://www.neus.ccf.org/patients/faq.html):
"There is little support for the theory that aluminum causes Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia in the United States. The exact cause of this disease is unknown, although the risk of Alzheimer'sis higher when there is a family history of this disease.
[two paragraphs removed]
Workers exposed to high levels of aluminum in industrial environmentshave no increased incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore,careful studies to date have not shown an increased aluminum concentration in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients.
Since there is no convincing evidence linking aluminum toxicity with Alzheimer's disease, you need not worry about exposure to aluminum in cooking utensils."
Furthermore, Brewing Techniques (Jan/Feb '95) had an article on aparallel brew experiment using an aluminum brewpot and a stainless. Laboratory analysis showed that there was no significant difference in trace aluminum levels between batches. They also pointed out that most of the Al you digest is from your food and water. And for that matter, many medical people consider copper a bigger health risk.
As for off flavors, IF this happens (hearsay IMO), it is probably the result of the brewer scrubbing the oxidation layer of the potduring cleaning. Don't scrub, use a soft cloth or sponge and non-abrasive cleaner. This is one of the reasons Al is not used much commercially, its not caustic cleaner friendly.
