Barnesie

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So I've gotten myself into a pinch and wound up getting scammed on a leaking keggle from a HBT member. Dude sold me a keggle with "little to no cosmetic damage" but ended up sending me a keg with a hole drilled in the bottom that has been badly patched. I paid $95 bucks ($65 + $30 shipping) and now the seller is claiming it was "damaged in shipping" or that I did something to make it leak. (Truth is that I did do something to make it leak...I filled it with water to see how bad of a job he did patching the hole)

In short, I'm out $95 and this guy is perfectly happy keeping my money. So much for homebrewers helping homebrewers.

I'm having trouble finding anyone that welds stainless in my area, so before I go dragging this thing around the countryside I wanted to get some advice from people with experience with stainless.

Here's two overhead shots from the inside of the keggle (these thumbnails should open a larger image):



Here's a couple of shots of the underside repair in detail:



The repair seems to be leaking in several places, but it's difficult to get a shot of the actual cracks in the weld. This picture shows two that can be clearly seen by the naked eye:

So for those of you that have more experience with these, what would you do? Assuming I can find someone skilled with stainless, how easy is this to fix and assuming I find someone that's "lesser skilled"...how much trouble am I getting myself into here?

Dreading how much more money I might need to sink into this thing and wondering if I should just sell it for scrap. Help!

stamandster

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This wouldn't be the same member from the other post that sold someone a bumb keg? Sounds familiar...

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Undefined Brewing Company - Beer for Undefined Drinkers

Barnesie

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Not sure, I didn't see another post about a bum keg yet. I'll go hunting for it in the mean time.

davis119

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Its hard to see the pic on my phone. But id drill it out and get a 1/2"npt brass plug and put that in and ring a nut for the inside or use a coupling. U may have to use some type of rtv silicone instead of an oring due to heat.

nate456789

Recipes 

You could take your grinder or sander and dress it up on the inside. Then silver solder over it.
Check out the soldering stainless sticky.
Silver solder will seal in the nasty. Cheap and quick fix.
Apply the heat from the bottom and the solder should flow over it. Dress it with a sanding disk or by hand.

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Primary:
Secondary:
Bottled: Honey Wheat, American Wheat, Kolsch, Chocolate Porter, Oatmeal Stout
Kegged: Falconer's APA, Honey Brown Ale, Guinness Draught

Barnesie

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How would silver solder work out on the bottom of a kettle though? I don't know its melting temperature, but it's going to spend it's life over a direct flame which would make me nervous.

nate456789

Recipes 

Read this this thread. It's long but it has everything you need to do it right.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/soldering-stainless-steel-155782/

Several people do it here with their fittings. As long as you don't dry fire the the keggle you will not reach the melting point of the silver solder.
Make sure you use the liquid flux.

__________________
Primary:
Secondary:
Bottled: Honey Wheat, American Wheat, Kolsch, Chocolate Porter, Oatmeal Stout
Kegged: Falconer's APA, Honey Brown Ale, Guinness Draught

stamandster

Recipes 

Are you going electric?? If so then you should be fine!

__________________
Undefined Brewing Company - Beer for Undefined Drinkers

jfrizzell

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HBT username of the scammer? Maybe the rest of us should avoid the loser as well.

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Primary: Tank 7 / Saison Brett
Kegged: West Coast IPA Clone / Denny's Wry Smile

Barnesie

Recipes 

I'm kinda conflicted on that idea. I've been lurking on HBT for years actively reading but not posting. I just don't know if appropriate to blast a fellow member.

I think this guy completely and knowingly scammed me, but I've seen other people buy from him in the past and I don't know their experiences with him.

I rated him poorly on iTrader and I'd be perfectly comfortable telling people via PM who I wouldn't buy a keggle from.