How to cut up a keg?

Well I finally got a good deal on a 15.5 SS keg that I want to use as a brew pot. I do not have anything right now to cut it open with, so I was hoping for some ideas from people that have done this before. Torch, grinder, what works best? Thanks for the input.

Plasma torch is the best, although it's not accessible to everyone. If you go that route make sure there's water in the bottom of the keg to catch the molten slag.

I used a dremel and a lot of cutter wheels. 15 of them, to be exact. They weren't the metal reinforced cutting blades though.

I made a wooden jig that worked off of the center hub to hold a metal scribe & drew a perfect circle. I followed that line with a small die grinder. Ended up with a smooth and accurate hole.

Oh!
Be sure to drill a small hole in the waste portion of the top to let any pressure out first.

If you go with an angle grinder, try this...



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Bobby, thats one hell of an electric can opener!

I used an angle grinder (using the thin cutting disks), just freehand and it came out pretty good. I marked a circle with the bottom of an Ale Pale, which happened to be the perfect size. Take a couple of passes, take your time, you don't want to cut all the way through on the first pass. Once you get all the way around once, the wheel will pretty much stay in place in the groove.

EYE AND HEARING PROTECTION IS A MUST!

Clean up the burrs with a file and some sandpaper.

Bobby's method is way-cool (Yuri's is even cooler).

MOST IMPORANT: Ignore any and all advice offered by BierMuncher!

"So you've stolen a keg...."

"So what you do is lay the keg on its side and use a screwdriver and press this ball down..." (as the keg sits upright)

"If I need to remind you that you need to use eye and ear protection when grinding stainless steel, you need to just stop now..."

the_bird said:

"So you've stolen a keg...."

Click to expand...

LOL, coming from Client #9, that's funny! :cross:

the_bird said:

MOST IMPORTANT: Ignore any and all advice offered by BierMuncher!

Click to expand...

LOL, too funny. I used a Dremel and about 20 discs as well. Came out great though, and only took holding on to the Dremel and the tap connection on the top of the keg as a guide as I went around. I will be taking any future ones to the machine shop and having them cut the top off on a lathe (spear removed beforehand of course).

Thanks everyone. looks like Im ganna need a grinder. Any excuse to buy new tools is a good one. Now if I could just convince SWMBO of all the reasons I NEED a plasma torch

Yeah, good luck with that!

Grinders are cheap and handy to have around. I've got a $40 Ryobi model that I've beaten the hell out of, yet it still works perfectly.

the_bird said:

"So you've stolen a keg...."

"So what you do is lay the keg on its side and use a screwdriver and press this ball down..." (as the keg sits upright)

"If I need to remind you that you need to use eye and ear protection when grinding stainless steel, you need to just stop now..."

Click to expand...

Yeah what's your point?

I actually had purged the pressure ahead of time.

We bought a keggle that had already been cut with a plasma cutter and another one that had not been cut. I cut that one with an angle grinder just using the outer skirt of the keg as a guide, but otherwise freehand. I can tell you that the one I cut was a lot smoother than the one that was plasma cut, and it only took me 10 min or so, and would take me less time now that I know what I'm doing.

I got an angle grinder at Harbor Frieght for $20, and am quite glad I have it for uses that go beyond DIY brewing equipment!

Well, quick trip to Lowes for a grinder and a SS cutting wheel and now I have this:rockin: Not to bad for free hand.



I got to say the DeWalt SS cutting wheel was great! Was done cutting in maybe 2 min. And didnt even go through 1 disk. Spent more time grinding/sanding than I did cutting. I did try for the plasma, but no dice. Thanks again for the advice everyone.

No joke. I just tried that stainless specific Dewalt disc and it's a monster. I went through one generic disc on two kegs, but I think this one could handle a few more.

Sweet, nice job. Model number on that Dewalt would be great . I just bought a dewalt angle grinder and love it, but am always looking for new cool tools.