Drilling Hole In Keg

[Stoodoo]

I grabbed a bimetal holesaw from mitre 10 for $46. $16.50 or so for the actual bit, and $30 for the arbor. Worked a treated, but boy it doesn't take much for the lubricant to start steaming. I didn't end up with the neatest of holes, but cleaned the edges a bit with a half round file. Spose the neatness doesn't exactly matter since the hi temp silicone washer, and stainless steel washer seal up and cover the area anyway. Oh, and the initial drilling of the hole itself only took around 5mins tocomplete.

Cheers

 

[pb unleaded]

Thanks all for the replies.
I'll try some of those options above.

Any comments on the garden tap?

arthur

 

[razz]

Thanks all for the replies.
I'll try some of those options above.

Any comments on the garden tap?

arthur

Arthur, go to the plumbing section at bunnings and buy a 1/2" valve with a quarter turn handle. Much safer and faster than a garden tap. It won't get as hot at the handle.

 

[pb unleaded]

Arthur, go to the plumbing section at bunnings and buy a 1/2" valve with a quarter turn handle. Much safer and faster than a garden tap. It won't get as hot at the handle.

Had a look at them also, they all have female ends. I would need to buy other connections to complete the job. With a garden tap all I need is a lock nut on the inside of keg. I am a tightass.

 

[Jazman]

Im with Poiter the step drill is the way to go the ones i borrowed from work can be expensive but like poiter said home hardware i seen the meadalist brand which goes form 6 mm to 20mm and is titanuim plated i think but drill slow and not over flast and use cutting oil or a cutting paste like rocol or the old treflex and u should be fine

 

[goatherder]

Arthur, go to the plumbing section at bunnings and buy a 1/2" valve with a quarter turn handle. Much safer and faster than a garden tap. It won't get as hot at the handle.

Had a look at them also, they all have female ends. I would need to buy other connections to complete the job. With a garden tap all I need is a lock nut on the inside of keg. I am a tightass.

make sure you factor in the glove so you don't burn your hand on the tap while it's hot.

 

[Jazman]

just use brass it be ok but add a 150mm threaded rod to it so the tap dont get hot

 

[pb unleaded]

I have finaly done it, thanks to all you guys for suggestions. Didn't have to buy anything,
had bits and pieces lying around.
It took me a while to enlarge the pilot hole but I got there in the end: a perfectly round hole.
Here are some pics.

 

[sluggerdog]

Need to drill some new holes in my keg which a mate did last time.

would this do the trick or should I look for something else? Maybe a step drill bit?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/DIAMOND-HOLE-SAW-4-...1QQcmdZViewItem

Cheers

 

[Hopsta]

Need to drill some new holes in my keg which a mate did last time.

would this do the trick or should I look for something else? Maybe a step drill bit?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/DIAMOND-HOLE-SAW-4-...1QQcmdZViewItem

Cheers

Slugger i got a step drill bit from ebay "buy it now" deal for $26 titanium coated 6mm-20mm. I found that a 1/2" bsb fitting is only a fraction of a mm larger than 20mm so i finished off the hole with a round file, each hole was finished in under 10mins. Im no handy man and had never done this before but its piss easy. as a few others here have said just drill slowly and use plenty of WD40 on the hole and the bit to keep it cool and lubricated. The ebay seller is probably still there i'd do a search for you but my dial up internet is too slow.

 

[sluggerdog]

Cheers Hopsta, I will go for the step drill bit. Will look on ebay now.

 

[sluggerdog]

I'm guessing this one would do the trick?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/STEP-DRILL-DRILL-BI...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Hopsta]

sluggerdog Posted Today, 12:25 PM
I'm guessing this one would do the trick?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/STEP-DRILL-DRILL-BI...1QQcmdZViewItem

Thats exactly the same bit off the same bloke i bought mine from, and the good thing is its multipurpose so i could use the same drill bit to make different size holes for my weldless sightgauge thermometer etc... where as if you got a hole saw you dont have that option.

Cheers,
Hopsta

 

[TidalPete]

I'm guessing this one would do the trick?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/STEP-DRILL-DRILL-BI...1QQcmdZViewItem

Slugger,

Those step drills look good but if you don't want to part with the $$$$'s & you don't have the right size drill all you need to do is mark out the dia of the hole you want on your keg, drill a series of smaller holes inside that dia, knock out or file out the core, then just file out the excess ss to the size you have marked whilst constantly trying out your tap or whatever for size. Just need to have your drill on a slow speed & to keep the drill cool with coolant (Water will do). Slower but cheaper way to go. Hope this helps?

:beer:

 

[lokpikn]

Hey SD

I drill a hole in a stainless pot so im not to sure how it would go in a keg but used a standard hole saw but it was a good quality one. Drill with heaps of pressure on the drill but drill nice ans slow you dont wont to burn the tips off and as arthur said use some lubricant on the job.

 

[sluggerdog]

Cheers guys, I think I'll go with the step drill, I'm sure it will come in handy for other things..

 

[Phrak]

Did mine last week with a 20mm bi-metal hole saw. Spent $20 on the hole saw and $26 on the barb both from bunnings :blink: but damn, did it chew through the SS keg!

No kidding, it took me less than 5 minutes flat, and gave me a perfect round hole. It was nearly a perfect fit for the 3/4" fittings.
By the time I smoothed the jagged edges off with a half-round file, and took the angle grinder with a sanding pad to the outside & inside, the hole was a perfect fit to screw the 3/4" brass fitting into the hole.

Add a few rounds of high-temp (pink) plumbers tape (rated to 300C!) and I couldn't have asked for an cleaner fit. No leaks what-so-ever, first time.

I can honestly say I'd rather spend the extra money on a quality tool, designed for the job, than **** around with other tools and making a mess of the job, taking longer and potentially injuring myself!

Tim.

 

[devo]

I got a TUNGSTEN CARBIDE-TIPPED HOLE SAW from ebay with some machine oil and had the job done 60 seconds.

View attachment 9296 B)

 

[Phrak]

Oh yeah, and I used a nice slow drill with plenty of WD40 as coolant.

 

[MVZOOM]

Oh yeah, and I used a nice slow drill with plenty of WD40 as coolant.

Hi Phark,

I found my round file and anticipate 4-5 minutes more of filing to get the hole to it's conclusion. So, should be brewing this weekend!

Cheers - Mike