Cutting Stainless Steel?

[Fingerlickin_B]

Just out of interest, what would be the best way to cut a large round hole in the top end of a cylindrical stainless steel container with a capacity of 50 litres?

Hey Martin,

Plenty of good advice given so far, but if you aren't so "handy" with tools just PM me and I'll do it...in Canberra :beer:

PZ.

 

[mika]

if you can find someone with a big enough lathe you can get yourself a perfectly round hole that way ... all be it slow and noisy when cutting ...

I spun my..ahh..pots <_< in a lathe for cutting.
Wouldn't recommend it, they are a fabrication, so not that round themselves and there's not much to hold on to.
It it good to be able to put them in the lathe and then scribe a line which you then follow with the grinder, comes out looking pretty neat. But then a bit of attention to detail will get you that anyway.

P.S. Pics available on request if you want to see a 50L stainless...pot swinging in a 1940's lathe h34r:

 

[Mr megalitre]

I placed a peice of sting around the neck of the keg and used a texta to draw the out line then cut it out with the thin cutting disc. I then hid in the shed drinking beer, as I told my wife it was a two hour job!

 

[Sammus]

I just attacked mine with one of the discs that came with my grinder. it just said 'metal' on it, it was about 1cm thick, and got through 3 kegs in about half an hour (including going around holding the wheel perpendicular to the cut tidying it up and shaping it to make it nice and circular). negligible wear on the disc. Did the texta thing to guide the cut.

 

[mayzi]

I spun my..ahh..pots <_< in a lathe for cutting.
Wouldn't recommend it, they are a fabrication, so not that round themselves and there's not much to hold on to.
It it good to be able to put them in the lathe and then scribe a line which you then follow with the grinder, comes out looking pretty neat. But then a bit of attention to detail will get you that anyway.

P.S. Pics available on request if you want to see a 50L stainless...pot swinging in a 1940's lathe h34r:

Now that would be something to see!

Easy with the grinder if you don't want the handles on the "item" just axe off the top, a bit harder if you do, recommend the plasma cutter/oxy for that job. Though have done it successfully with a 4 inch grinder and cutting disc and then finished off with a grinding disk to clean up the job.

As already suggested release the pressure, even if it only to save you getting a shower in amber liquid(there are many many worse things). Its pretty easy to pull the "long tube" out of the centre of the item if you want to fill it prior to cutting otherwise you could just drill a large hole and poke a hose in. Have it where you are going to cut it before you fill it. They get heavy.

 

[Martin]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice!

I cut it with 1mm disks, I needed two disks cos I slipped and buggered up the first one, then I took it easy with the second disk and it all went well.

And yes I wore ear-protecters, so I can still hear the dogs next door barking.... maybe I should have left the ear-protecters off :blink:

 

[Cortez The Killer]

So how long before it gets christened?

 

[Martin]

Dunno, I've still got to drill in the tap and build a mash tun... and I'm very busy organising a mate's wedding (I'm best man so there's lots for me to do). Maybe a month?