Refurbishing An Ancient Firestone Keg

[Mardoo]

Cool, I just realised I have an old 9 gallon cask-type keg (I think - it's an odd beast) with these posts, so I don't have to worry about getting them back together before the end of the current ferment. Thanks for the advice. I'll have a go.

 

[ziggy459]

Hey Mardoo

Here that pic you wanted.. the pin from this was a bit shity..

rgds
Chris

 

[Mardoo]

Awesome! Much appreciated mate.

So then does the mushroom seal go inside the post?

Also, one of the kegs I bought had an odd little seal that looked like a diapragm (convex circle of black rubber - seemed to be neoprene - with a slit in it. It sat on top of the diptube assembly. I haven't found a reference to it elsewhere. Anyone know what it is and whether it's essential?

 

[MHB]

Yes the mushroom goes inside the post, its a good idea to clean up all the parts when you have it apart, I find a soft stainless brush from a coffee machine cleaning kit works the best, for years things like that were expensive and hard to find and I used a brass swede brush from a shoe shop, a pot scrubber does a fair enough job.

As for the "odd little seal" I would have pulled down hundreds, possibly thousands kegs and have never seen one. There were lots of variations and special purpose kegs out there, some have odd shapes to the fittings and the parts welded to the keg but what you are describing is new to me.
My first thought would be that someone has added a non-return valve for some reason. I would love a picture, its always good to learn.
Mark

 

[ziggy459]

Awesome! Much appreciated mate.

So then does the mushroom seal go inside the post?

Also, one of the kegs I bought had an odd little seal that looked like a diapragm (convex circle of black rubber - seemed to be neoprene - with a slit in it. It sat on top of the diptube assembly. I haven't found a reference to it elsewhere. Anyone know what it is and whether it's essential?

Hey man.. well these old Mytton/Firestone kegs I have had other small donut rings under the post as well, its was most likely they were leaking but I have brought a kit from Easy Kegging to do 2 of them seals work well, have rebuilt one of them want any help if give me a call on 0421 435 931. rgds Chris

ps Yes that mushroom goes on the pin, in the pic I posted its the black one you can see.

 

[Mardoo]

Many thanks guys, as always on this site. Well, almost always

MHB, I thought I saved that seal but it's been escaping me ever since I wanted to post a pic. I'll have another look. Or two.

Funnily enough the kegs I recently bought had the mushroom seal jammed into the hole of the lifesaver. I thought, "That can't be right." Guess not.

 

[Weizguy]

Mardoo, MHB, I found an odd seal under the urethane washer on one of my posts. Pretty sure it was the OUT post.

Pix -

 

[Mardoo]

Yep, I also found one of those. I initially thought that's what was meant by the mushroom washer. Now it's sitting comfortably in the X-Files.

And yes, mine too on the out post. The level tube junction is clearly designed to be metal on metal as far as I can tell.

 

[MHB]

Les
Over the years people have used all sorts of things under the posts, some of them don't survive intact. Vaseline does horrible things to some rubbers and they swell into bizarre shapes. Not to mention that some of the cleaning chemicals get to some of the older synthetic rubbers in unpredictable ways.

There is a diptube collet on the top of the diptube just under the post, I suspect that might be what's in the picture - even if somewhat misshaped.

Mardoo
Pretty much same as above, in addition I don't think anyone puts the tube back in under the gas post, there is a small O-ring supplied with some service kits but I've never used them.

Yellow Lifesaver Washers usually fall apart and some of the old parts aren't really stable, best to replace everything while your in there.
Mark

 

[ziggy459]

Hi all

well just the ran around for the seal kits for my Mytton/Firstone kegs...

Easy Kegging
keg lid O'ring $5.95 /ea
Diptube O'ring $4.15 /ea
Washer Poly $3.45 /ea
Valve seal mush $3.70 /ea

+ Freight

STVP
keg lid O'ring $7.70 /ea PART NO - 5R68
Diptube O'ring $4.07 /ea PART NO - 5R10
Washer Poly $2.20 /ea PART NO - 5W25
Post O'ring $3.58 /10 PART NO - 5R68
Mushroom $16.50 /10 PART NO - 5R19

+ Freight
Carole Cruise
Administration Manager.
[email protected]

Brewman
Kits is $15.50 + Freight

do each keg

rgds
Chris

Just a update to these prices I posted..

The Mushroom seals from STVP are $16.50 / 10 , as per before if you want to order from them you need to send your order to..

Carole Cruise
Administration Manager.
[email protected]
This lady will send you and invoice with total cost inc the frt, you can do a direct deposit to their bank.

rgds
Chris

 

[Mardoo]

Wow, their (STPV's) prices are all over the map. I just paid more for some of those and less for others. Sounds like Brewman has pretty much the best price for their kit.

 

[ziggy459]

Wow, their (STPV's) prices are all over the map. I just paid more for some of those and less for others. Sounds like Brewman has pretty much the best price for their kit.Hey Mardoo

Hey Mardoo


Yeah prices are all over the shop.. but when you look at per kit price.. and btw Iam still waiting for Brewman to give me a firm price that was over a week ago.. this kit from STVP with out frt.. is $15.98/Set inc GST
rgds Chris

But the only thing with STVP is that Post Oring and Mushroom seal come in a pack of 10 which you have to buy. Like in my case I have 11 of these kegs.. so it doesn't matter me buying 10 of each.

 

[Mardoo]

So strange. They never mentioned the 10-pack price to me and I too was buying in quantity. Did they sell you the polyurethane lifesavers? They told me they were no longer carrying them and out of everything but the nylon lifesavers for the foreseeable future.

 

[ziggy459]

So strange. They never mentioned the 10-pack price to me and I too was buying in quantity. Did they sell you the polyurethane lifesavers? They told me they were no longer carrying them and out of everything but the nylon lifesavers for the foreseeable future.

Hi Mardoo

Well that sound strange I have spoken with that Carole from there and she didn't say any about the washer, I will give her a call and than post what she tells me.
rgds Chris

 

[Mardoo]

She was very helpful and I'm grateful that an industrial supplier will sell to homebrewers. Probably just slipped her mind.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Necro alert:

Have just obtained a couple of firestones from mytton rodd (one labled coke, other Schweppes) which were gratis but missing some bits.

I have enough pin lock fittings that are a little worse for wear and missing a gas tube. So I'm looking at likely converting these to ball lock.

The obvious as previously mentioned is that normal ball lock posts are female but the pinlock posts are male.

The only online price I've seen for male threaded fittings are $35 per post. So $70 for posts on a keg before looking at a refurb.

To me, this is false economy because with a bit of looking, one can get ball lock cornies for this.

Is there anyone who had found male ball lock posts cheaper? I don't mind 2nd hand.

Any other tips as to who is selling stuff to refurb and/or convert mytton Todd kegs? I note brewman isn't around anymore.

 

[GalBrew]

They are not cheap to refurbish. Whenever I have come across one I sell it and buy a cornie.

 

[MastersBrewery]

Around $20 from grain&grape or onlinebrewingsuppplies

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

They are not cheap to refurbish. Whenever I have come across one I sell it and buy a cornie.

I'm hearing you.

I don't want to lay out more money than I need to on this, but in my caseit appears to be poor form to sell half complete kegs.

 

[GalBrew]

Yeah, so you are dropping $40 to replace both posts. That's half the price of a used cornie.