Free Keg. How To Open It.

[Wortgames]

Brizbrew - it's probably better to leave the handles, and cut the top 'out' rather than 'off'.

 

[Brizbrew]

Brizbrew - it's probably better to leave the handles, and cut the top 'out' rather than 'off'.

[post="63493"][/post]​

Ah right, out rather than off...I did not think of that.
I picked up the kegs tonight but she was only willing to part with two of them, she wanted to keep one because her cat likes sitting on it :blink: ???
Anyway they are now sitting under my house, I will do a job on them when I get the bits together and fit taps etc at the same time.
No doubt I will have some questions about taps and fittings in a week or two. :lol:

 

[vlbaby]

briz,
if you need a lid for you keg, kmart sells glass stock pots lids for about $9 i think. they come in 26cm or 30cm.

vlbaby.

 

[warrenlw63]

she wanted to keep one because her cat likes sitting on it :blink: ???

[post="64796"][/post]​

Here Kitty



Warren -

 

[Hopsta]

To open the keg that i aquired i swung a pick into the top of it at pull force to peirce it and let out any gas, then took to it with an angle grinder. In hindsight i can now think of better alternatives!

 

[warrenlw63]

To open the keg that i aquired i swung a pick into the top of it at pull force to peirce it and let out any gas,

[post="64881"][/post]​

:wacko: :wacko:

Warren -

 

[TidalPete]

briz,
if you need a lid for you keg, kmart sells glass stock pots lids for about $9 i think. they come in 26cm or 30cm.
vlbaby.

That is good advice. Somewhere on this forum is a picture of the finished article, although it is a Woolies glass lid off a 19 litre stockpot (they are sold seperately). The finished keg looks excellent.

 

[Brizbrew]

I already own a large glass lid from my extract days (Still am doing extract, last one this weekend) it was purchased as part of the BigW $20 SS stockpot deal.

Nice to know it will still get some use.

 

[TidalPete]

I already own a large glass lid from my extract days (Still am doing extract, last one this weekend) it was purchased as part of the BigW $20 SS stockpot deal.

Nice to know it will still get some use.

Brisbrew,
I am still using my Woolies stockpot . But not for too much longer as I am in the process of initiating another step on my slow road to AG. My 70 litre ss stockpot has finally arrived & is marked out ready to drill The Big Tap Hole h34r: . The moment of truth has arrived .

Edited spelling.

 

[Brizbrew]

ready to drill The Big Tap Hole h34r: . The moment of truth has arrived .

Hi Tidalpete, what is the correct method for drilling and fixing a tap? This is going to be my next step and would like to hear how you have gone about it.

 

[jgriffin]

I used a holesaw. Those cheap ones will wear out before you get 1mm in, i purchased a qulity one made to cut through steel, and it ate though the kg like butter.

 

[warrenlw63]

Brizbrew.

Kettle Tap Sources
Best Way To Attach a Tap To a Kettle
AG Setup, Kegs
50 Litre Keg Boiler

Let the search key be thy guide.

Warren -

 

[Brizbrew]

Brizbrew.

Kettle Tap Sources
Best Way To Attach a Tap To a Kettle
AG Setup, Kegs
50 Litre Keg Boiler

Let the search key be thy guide.

Warren -

[post="65025"][/post]​

Thanks for the help, there is quite a bit to get through and take in there so I will absorb as much as I can and probably have a question or two along the way too.

 

[Brizbrew]

I did try to attach this to the last post, lets see if this works.

This is the keg I took to with an angle grinder this morning, not the neatest job but nothing I can't sort out with an iron file.

If I can do it anyone can as I am the most hap hazard when it comes to tools, especially power tools.

It took 2 and a half grinding disks from Bunnings and the third one made a start on the second keg you can see in the pic, they were only about $150 each so no worries, I will buy some more and finish the second keg.

 

[warrenlw63]

Brizbrew,

Whatever you do. Make sure you clean the razor ribbon off the edge of the cut. Very easy to slash your hands otherwise. :excl:

Get a Grinding wheel, as opposed to a cutting wheel and lightly go around the edge to remove the burrs. Then get some emery paper and smooth the edges. Wear a pretty robust glove on your sanding hand when you do this to avoid impailing your fingers. Also helps to maybe put the paper on a sanding block or double it up somehow.

When you're confident you've smoothed the cut. Run your index finger (lightly) around it with a glove still on. You can never be too careful.

Warren -

 

[Brizbrew]

Brizbrew,

Whatever you do. Make sure you clean the razor ribbon off the edge of the cut. Very easy to slash your hands otherwise. :excl:

Get a Grinding wheel, as opposed to a cutting wheel and lightly go around the edge to remove the burrs. Then get some emery paper and smooth the edges. Wear a pretty robust glove on your sanding hand when you do this to avoid impailing your fingers. Also helps to maybe put the paper on a sanding block or double it up somehow.

When you're confident you've smoothed the cut. Run your index finger (lightly) around it with a glove still on. You can never be too careful.

Warren -

[post="65059"][/post]​

I am going to get an attachment that fits my drill, the little cone shaped things and smooth it off with that, then follow up with the emery cloth, hopefully this will make it safe for hands and arms reaching inside, the last thing i want as an adjunct in my brews is my blood. :excl:

Cheers mate.

 

[TidalPete]

Hi Tidalpete, what is the correct method for drilling and fixing a tap? This is going to be my next step and would like to hear how you have gone about it.

G'day Brizbrew,
Mark out the hole, making sure that all of the washer & nut will be on a flat surface (away from any curve at the bottom). use a centre-pop to place a few pops around your scribed circle as well as in the centre, then drill (drill a pilot hole with a small drill first. this will help avoid drill skid). If you are like me & can only drill up to 1\2" you will probably find that you need to file the hole out to the pops you have made. A 1\2 round 2nd cut file is best. You can also drill a series of small holes all round the inside of your circle & then file, if you want to do it that way although I find that stainless is a bugger to drill so be careful.
I would make the hole as small as possible (just enough to allow your all-thread to pass through). Use the file to get rid of any burrs, etc & there you are.
Take a look at sosman's excellent article (the whole site is very informative) http://www.metrak.com/wiki/homebrew/moin.cgi/BrewPot to see what gear you will need.
I find that copper washers are more permanent than fibre ones. But that's up to you.
BTW --- Even if it is a bit expensive, try to get your parallel all-thread & internal fittings in stainless steel if you can. Good luck with the job.

edit ---I have no hole saws. But that is another good way to go.

 

[TidalPete]

Brizbrew,

Whatever you do. Make sure you clean the razor ribbon off the edge of the cut. Very easy to slash your hands otherwise.

Get a Grinding wheel, as opposed to a cutting wheel and lightly go around the edge to remove the burrs. Then get some emery paper and smooth the edges. Wear a pretty robust glove on your sanding hand when you do this to avoid impailing your fingers. Also helps to maybe put the paper on a sanding block or double it up somehow.

When you're confident you've smoothed the cut. Run your index finger (lightly) around it with a glove still on. You can never be too careful.

Warren -

[post="65059"][/post]​

I am going to get an attachment that fits my drill, the little cone shaped things and smooth it off with that, then follow up with the emery cloth, hopefully this will make it safe for hands and arms reaching inside, the last thing i want as an adjunct in my brews is my blood.

Warren's advice is good Brizbrew, but those "cone things" may not be for you. For the top I would place the Woolies lid where you want it over the hole, mark it, & then using a reasonable sized 1\2 half-round 2nd cut file (from any hardware shop) file to the mark, then file the spots that stops your lid rfom sitting on the keg. Slow but sure does the trick. BTW --- Those good quality hole saws are bloody expensive for a one-off job.

 

[Yeasty]

For the top I would place the Woolies lid where you want it over the hole, mark it, & then using a reasonable sized 1\2 half-round 2nd cut file (from any hardware shop) file to the mark, then file the spots that stops your lid rfom sitting on the keg. Slow but sure does the trick.

Presto-beero..thread revival..

Is there a better way to mark out where to cut the top of a keg for a lid?

I know u can use string around the post of the keg shown here to get a circle -

http://texanbrew.com/article.php?story=20021110200202146

But how do u acuratly measure where to mark? ive got a 12" lid i think to go ontop and need to figure where to cut...its the domed top of the keg that has me confused where to mark...

:icon_cheers:

 

[Franko]

Yeasty,
thats how I cut all mine- the trick is to cut slightly smaller than your lid then grind the cut area slightly till you get a nice fit

Franko