Converting A Keg To A Boiler

[Lobsta]

yay, then i get to play around with making those pimp looking pickup tubes.

woah, i just had some premonition of me in my fifties, in my back shed, surrounded by power tools in a stained bonds singlet, dicking around with SS braid hoses tea balls....

scary

 

[Dave86]

HELL YEAH!
:icon_offtopic: im hoping to hit up the NAPSA congress this year... what year are you in? im second and im at QUT Brisbane.

In response to the rest, yeah, maybe it is time for me to purchase some form of power tool. my dad has a power drill i can use, so i just have to look into this Ozito thingo. remember, next to nothing for a student is very different to next to nothing for normal people...

Lobby

EDIT* Hmm, 125mm Ozito angle grinder at bunnings for 67 bucks... one can always find a use for an angle grinder cant one... and is the stock diamond wheel the one that i need to use for cutting the keg?

I'm in fourth now, so have missed my chance for a NAPSA congress, should have done the hobart one when I had the chance.. You'll end up accumulating tools, the first one you need is a dril though, defo the most useful yet

Good luck with the kettle

 

[PostModern]

You should be able to get an Ozito or GMC 4" (100mm) grinder for around $30.

nice. buying a 100mm grinder isnt like buying a 50cc moped is it? they arent gonna snicker at me and assume that my junk is small after i leave are they?

$30...

I used my 1980's vintage B&D angle grinder for the same job. It cost a bit more than $30 back when B&D made real tools, but it's cut 20m of paver edges, a couple hundred tiles, some hardened steel reo when I built my retaining wall, a couple kegs, lots of car body parts and feck knows what else my mates have used it for since I've owned it. Start your power tool collection now, or people will think your junk is small.

 

[Franko]

Where did u get ur SS fittings from Franko?

most of the fittings are nickled plated brass fittings others are stainless that I pickuped here and there

 

[LethalCorpse]

what do people think of this guys take on the 'keggle'?
he makes some good points about the silly-ness of keeping a lip...
saves all the fart arseing around with getting a perfectly round circle in that silly rim...

BTW, nobody saw that CUB logo on that did they...

*EDIT* this guy seems to not have worried at all about the perfect circle...

I agree with the ease of pouring and cleaning without the lip, but you can't put a lid on it, which is important for heat retention, particularly if using electric.

 

[geoff_tewierik]

Hey Lobsta, I can help you out if you wish.

I have a Dremel (rechargeable variety - have access to 240V variety as well), plenty of cutting discs and the space for you to do the job. You're welcome to pop over to my place at Holland Park and have a crack at it anytime that suits your class schedule as I'm on "extended leave" at the moment and am twiddling my thumbs waiting for bits for my brewery to turn up.

Cheers,

GT

 

[Lobsta]

I agree with the ease of pouring and cleaning without the lip, but you can't put a lid on it, which is important for heat retention, particularly if using electric.

hoping to get one of those big sexy looking 4 ring burners. anybody know of a place in brizzy that they are available? is it worth hitting up camping or army disposal stores, or do they not cut the mustard?

man, u guys werent kidding when you said that this hobby becomes an obsession...

 

[geoff_tewierik]

4 ring burners are available everywhere i.e. camping, army disposal, BCF's, and they're all the same quality in my experience, cast iron, painted green, brass adjusters for air intake.

You'll probably find that a 4 ring burner may be too much for your keggle, dependant on it's diameter. A lot of brewers just use a 3 ring burner, as that's all they need and a 4 ring sends flames up the side of the keggle.

 

[Pumpy]

*EDIT #2* would somebody really go to all the trouble of doing that with a DREMEL TOOL!!! he says that you go through 6 wheels, and those things cant be any cheaper than a 30 buck angle grinder??? how much less dextrous and thus how much harder is it to do a proper circle with an angle grinder?

Ummmm I did

Pumpy

 

[Barramundi]

photos of my boiling pot made from a keg

angle grinder is easier to make a bigger mistake if you try to rush into it , you would get a really neat job with a dremel but it would take more patience than what i have ..
just take your time and let the grinder do the cutting and it will work out nice however you choose to do it ,

that you tube guy's thing is ok , but im not sure its still 50 litres when cut like that , and you dont really wanna be trying to pour 30 litres or more of boiling liquid anyway , that and i think the lip helps contain boilovers too....

 

[bonj]

Ummmm I did

Me too Pumpy.... and it's a much cleaner, rounder cut than any angle grinder cuts I've seen.

 

[beerguide]

I have to ask seeing I'm looking for a new HLT that is around 50-60 litres. Where does one acquire a legal 50 ltr keg? I've rang all the local pubs and distribution points to find if they have any kegs they are looking to legally offload. They all laugh at me and say kegs never keg sold unless they are damaged beyond repair.

Am I just asking the wrong questions?

 

[geoff_tewierik]

Nope, your just asking the wrong people. You can buy kegs legally. There's a reseller in NSW I think, they've posted here on AHB before, he imports direct from overseas so there's no issue with CUB or Tooheys or any other mob thinking you've knocked one off.

 

[craig maher]

I have to ask seeing I'm looking for a new HLT that is around 50-60 litres. Where does one acquire a legal 50 ltr keg? I've rang all the local pubs and distribution points to find if they have any kegs they are looking to legally offload. They all laugh at me and say kegs never keg sold unless they are damaged beyond repair.

Am I just asking the wrong questions?

Zoddy,

Try NNL Beer Supplies www.nnlbeersupplies.com.au

Send a PM to Bigfridge and he should be able to help you out - I think he still has some left.

Cheers,

Craig

 

[beerguide]

Perfect! Thanks guys, I was given a bum steer earlier about who to talk to (not from anyone here), so I should have just asked here in the first place - I always get great and accurate information from here.

 

[Lobsta]

you can make your own there's no need to weld them
here's a guide I made showing the parts involved and yes they can be bought from bunnings

Franko

so i went down to the local reece, and they hooked me up with all the metal fittings (except the metal washer) (only the tap was ss, the rest was chrome plated brass). but they had no idea what washers to use, coz they didnt know if they would hold at 100+ degrees, they sent me down to bunnings whorehouse. so down there, i found the 'plumbing expert' and the had NFI!!!

he was trying to convince me that the internal fitting on there, that you have labled as 1/2 inch nipple, was in fact not a 1/2 inch nipple and was actually a tank outlet or something. and he also had no clue about the washers r.e. 100+ degrees. so what washers do i need? your regular rubber ones or what? i bought a roll of the pink teflon tape, but im assuming that i would want some ruber washers to throw in there too. could ya (anybody) let me know what washers and shit i need, and be as specific as possible, coz it seems that i am dealing with the lowest common denominator here. reece part numbers of you can find them would be the easiest...

Thanks

Lobby

 

[mossyrocks]

Lobsta,

I bought one of the coloured baking dishes available at crazy clarkes or woolies and cut out holes in that.

If you can find Goatherer's post about setting up a keg there are pictures in there which show everything you need.

Cheers

http://goatherder.googlepages.com/

Here is his website, have a look at how his is setup.

 

[RobW]

The standard red hot water washers work fine for me.

 

[spog]

so, if i was to legally acquire a ex brewery 50L keg, what would i have to do to convert it to a boiler? i.e. how do i go at cutting off the top? im assuming that a hacksaw isnt gonna (pun intended) cut it...

or do i need to HTFU and get at it with a hacksaw?

Lobby

P.S. Please dont let this one get off topic with people discussing the legality of getting brewery kegs. assume that i have a legal avenue to do it...

find a lid that suits you/the application and use it as a template to cut out.....cheers..spog..