# Keggle Lids (for Top Cut Off)?



## iralosavic (31/7/12)

G'day, I'm gearing up to move to 3v and have spent hours scouring google, but can't find any ready made lids to suit my kettles.

I decided to just cut the tops straight off to make cleaning easier and to cut down on superfluous surface area... And now I realise that finding a lid that big isn't easy at all!

By my measurements I believe I need 38cm lid - manufacturers base the lid size on the size of internal diameter.

All I can find are either wok+lid combos ($40~) or scanpan wok replacement lids ($65).

I was thinking I could somehow recycle the top of the kegs, but I don't have access to welding nor a great knack for handy work, so id rather a ready made lid. Even cast iron if need be!

Any ideas or links?! 

Cheers​


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## Maheel (31/7/12)

you could just bolt or tac weld on 3 or four tabs on the outside of the keg "lids" that will then sit over the edge of the now "boiler" keg 

give both keg and lid edges a good clean up with a flapper sanding wheel...


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## jyo (31/7/12)

Mate have you tried your local good Sammy's for a cheap electric wok and lid?


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## herbo (31/7/12)

iralosavic said:


> G'day, I'm gearing up to move to 3v and have spent hours scouring google, but can't find any ready made lids to suit my kettles.
> 
> I decided to just cut the tops straight off to make cleaning easier and to cut down on superfluous surface area... And now I realise that finding a lid that big isn't easy at all!
> 
> ...



When I was running with the keggle I had the top cut so that the glass lid from from my $20 big w stockpot fit the keggle as well. It leaves a bit of lip on the top of the keggle, the big w lid is 31cm. Didn't cause any issues for me. Obviously if you've already cut the top this ain't going to work.


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## iralosavic (1/8/12)

Ive got a glass target lid on my HLT, which I did a 30cm cutout in.

The lip drove me nuts tho, so I've already cut the tops off the MLT and BK kegs.

There are plenty of suppliers of 40-70L stock pots, so you think it'd be easy to find a lid for sale separately!


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## jameson (1/8/12)

I have seen a lot of people use pizza pans or baking trays.


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## jimmy86 (1/8/12)

I bought my lids from House and they were approx $25.
I got the 36cm lid and it fits my twoheys keg nicely with the top cut off.


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## billygoat (1/8/12)

I used the tops that I had cut out from the kegs and welded tabs on the side to stop them slipping off and also a disc on the top to cover the hole where the keg connection fits.


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## Jace89 (1/8/12)

I use a lid from a 30ltr "handy pail" bucket, you know the ones from bunnings. Also the lid from my 40ltr urn fits perfectly for mine.


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## QldKev (1/8/12)

billygoat said:


> I used the tops that I had cut out from the kegs and welded tabs on the side to stop them slipping off and also a disc on the top to cover the hole where the keg connection fits.




Same with a couple of mine, except I used 4 tabs. 4 tabs make them better


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## mr_tyreman (1/8/12)

heres one i did for Albanian, nice snug fit, i think it doubles as a way to hold the bag in place


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## sponge (1/8/12)

A wok lid turned upside down, and just put the handle (if it can be unscrewed and reversed) on the underside.

Unless its rediculously full, it should fit in quite nicely with the dome, and not have the large air pocket in the top if the wok lid was used the 'correct' way



Sponge


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## Edak (1/8/12)

mr_tyreman said:


> heres one i did for Albanian, nice snug fit, i think it doubles as a way to hold the bag in place



You could invert the lid (so to speak) and have the handle on the concave side. With the concave side outward you won't get so much leakage from condensation.


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## iralosavic (1/8/12)

Cheers for the replies. The tops include the handles and rim, so I guess I'll need to cut a circle out and add some tabs. I can't see it sealing too well though.

Just to clarify, I turned the kegs on their side and just cut under the lid weld, so there's no top at all!


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## vic45 (1/8/12)

billygoat said:


> I used the tops that I had cut out from the kegs and welded tabs on the side to stop them slipping off and also a disc on the top to cover the hole where the keg connection fits.


 

Deano, that cut looks a bit rough, and why haven't you polished it ? h34r: 

Back on topic, I have the same lids as Albanian.


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## DUANNE (1/8/12)

herbo said:


> When I was running with the keggle I had the top cut so that the glass lid from from my $20 big w stockpot fit the keggle as well. It leaves a bit of lip on the top of the keggle, the big w lid is 31cm. Didn't cause any issues for me. Obviously if you've already cut the top this ain't going to work.




thats what i did and it worked a treat.


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## iralosavic (5/8/12)

When you say the 40l urn lid fits, are you referring to a keg with the top cut off or with a cutout leaving a reduced opening? The crown and birko websites say their lids are 34cm, but the keg is around 38-40cm


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## Jace89 (5/8/12)

I meant a cut out, not the whole top of the keg. It doesn't fit perfectly if that's a problem for you, you could easily measure and cut it correctly/sand it down. 
The 30ltr bucket lid that I suggest in my earlier post is great tho, it's cheaper and work just as well if not better.


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## iralosavic (5/8/12)

Ok. I thought that's what you meant. My HLT is just cutout at 30cm and a target glass lid mates up perfectly. I just got a lip seal from Clark rubber and it's airtight.

For the MLT, I wanted straight walls all the way to make stirring and cleaning easier. I ended up cutting about 1cm from the outside, leaving a very small lip which I plan to put a lip seal on. When I put a lip seal on the cutout as well it shouldn't be able to drop through. I'll post photos if I am successful!


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## TidalPete (5/8/12)

iralosavic said:


> My HLT is just cutout at 30cm and a target glass lid mates up perfectly. I just got a lip seal from Clark rubber and it's airtight.



Nothing should be "airtight". Just a reasonable seal on both HLT & MT is all you require. Anything else is overkill.


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## iralosavic (5/8/12)

Roger, Pete. I used lip seals for two reasons; 1. To render a more clean/even surface (covering up the less than perfect cut) and; 2. To eliminate clanking noise. 

The hot steam can still escape, but at a very slow rate. 

I'm now working on refining my lid idea. I'm still going to use the keg cutout, but I'm going to add a flat piece of SS sheet over it. Photos will explain when I get it done.


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## iralosavic (12/8/12)

Lid complete. I cut a circle slightly larger in diameter than the keg out of a sheet of stainless that I had lying around and lined it with a lip seal. I also cut a small circle out to plug the ferrule and ran a bolt through it to keep it all pressed together (so I didn't need any welding). Between the two layers is a couple of full sized circles of camping mat and then a larger mound of offcuts in the centre to stop the top SS shet from becoming concave.



























It fits in perfectly and the seal provides a noise-free and rather tight seal. The overhanging diameter was deliberate, as the insulation I plan on wrapping around the MLT will now sit around the lid too, further improving the thermal insulation qualities of the design. Overkill perhaps, but aside from the ss sheet and bolt/nuts (which I already had), everything has been recycled from the keg.

Edit: forgot to mention that I trimmed the ferrule back by a bit over an inch. And if you're wondering what the buffing patterns are on the keg cut-out - I had a bit of fun with an emery (spelling?) disc, which I primarily used to polish up all the sharp/burred edges in leiu of a file - worked a treat too! And the handle is simply a length from the dip tube.


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