Rebuilding Andale Fonts

[Hoyle]

Hi,

I'm in the final stages of converting my freezer to hold kegs. The collar is on and the only thing left is to refurb the font. I've aquired an andale 4 tap font and am currently trying to replace the lines inside it. Does anyone know an easy way to do this.

So far, I've spent the last hour trying to replace one of the lines I removed but cant get hold of it to pull it all the way through . Surely there is an easier way.

Any help is appreciated,
Hoyle

 

[Fents]

I have no idea how your gonna get that off but i have an andale single font and i find if i soak it in some hot water in a bucket the lines usually soften up a bit.

 

[Hoyle]

I've tried hot water and can pull the lines out, the problems is replacing them. Atm I've only pulled one out but am not game to pull the rest out till I work out how to replace the first one.

Hoyle

 

[Franko]

Have you removed the washers that are under the screw fittings at the base.
by memory I think theres 2 or 3 of them for each line.

 

[Hoyle]

Have you removed the washers that are under the screw fittings at the base.
by memory I think theres 2 or 3 of them for each line.

Yeah I've removed them. The problem is now that I pulled the line out, how do you replace it? I push the line in and then can't get hold of it from up the top.

 

[FNQ Bunyip]

can you splice the new line on to the old and pull the new one though with it .. barbed joiner or something.

as for the one all ready out ; what about a wire pull though, or fishing line..

good luck..

PS . of coarse you know to lubricate first... both your throat and the font..


edit
just looked at pic again.. does the top of the font unscrew? it looks like a stylish big nut...

 

[Hoyle]

can you splice the new line on to the old and pull the new one though with it .. barbed joiner or something.

as for the one all ready out ; what about a wire pull though, or fishing line..

good luck..

PS . of coarse you know to lubricate first... both your throat and the font..
edit
just looked at pic again.. does the top of the font unscrew? it looks like a stylish big nut...

I was hoping that someone here could tell me if the top unscrews as I can't get it to.

I've just found out that the line inside the font is ID 4mm and my usual line is ID 5mm, so will have to look for a joiner to do the rest of the lines. I'll also try the wire,but have had no luck with fishing line.

Thanks,
Hoyle

 

[Franko]

The top cap does come off.
It has 2 allen head grub screws holding it on
hope this helps
Franko

 

[Hoyle]

The top cap does come off.
It has 2 allen head grub screws holding it on
hope this helps
Franko

Thanks for the help Franko. I've managed to get the two caps off the arms and found the grub screws :super: , but am having trouble getting the top cap off without damaging it. Will have to head to bunnings to get beter pair of multigrips.

Hoyle

 

[paul]

Dont butcher it with multi grips.

Just use a punch or screwdriver under the lip of the cap and gently hammer each side up slowly and it comes off.

 

[GMK]

You have a flooded font.
The beer lines have a compression fitting attached to each line so that it will not leak.
This compression fitting needs to be undone - that will allow th eline to be pulled thru alot easier.

Redoing lines in flooded fonts is a real PITA - so if you lines are good - then i would not replace them.

Hope this helps.

 

[pk.sax]

Just saved my day. Got the top cap off and the rest is history. Half an hour, new lines installed, olives reinstalled, now degunking the tap disconnects and on to installing the font.

Any handy suggestions on how best to drill the lid of a freezer?

 

[sp0rk]

Oxy Torch...

 

[Dan Pratt]

Any handy suggestions on how best to drill the lid of a freezer?

Just use a hole saw and make sure its sharp/quality.

 

[pk.sax]

Now you tell me! In seriousness though, you weren't serious were you? I did it sort of the way Batz had shown it done in his thread.

^ comment on sp0rk's oxy torch idea. I did use a hole saw, old frost hole saw did it again, little unsteady since its not meant for steel but it worked.

 

[sp0rk]

lol, hell no
A hole saw is probably the best way to go

 

[Ross72]

Hi rebuilding the same font where did you get the seals for each end of the new line thanks in advance

 

[koshari]

I was hoping that someone here could tell me if the top unscrews as I can't get it to.

I've just found out that the line inside the font is ID 4mm and my usual line is ID 5mm, so will have to look for a joiner to do the rest of the lines. I'll also try the wire,but have had no luck with fishing line.

Thanks,
Hoyle

yeah the beer lines are imperial 1/4"OD which is something like 6.25mm OD so i got 4 1/4 line push fittings and adapted them to 8mm line,

 

[koshari]

recently acquired a similar andale 4 tap font, the one i got was missing the inner top plug so had to turn one up out of a bit of brass stock. , there is a decorative cap that goes over the top plug as you can see below. the plug lives beneath this and makes the glycol seal and is held in place with the 2 grub screws like the cross section end plugs.

 

[Skinnz]

Can I please ask what the 'nuts' around the beer line are called, how they work and where i can obtain new ones?
Ive acquired a flooded beer font but the beer lines are just sitting in the threaded holes with nothing there to seal it