warthog

Recipes 

there is a hf near me, i just looked up the set, $24.99 now. for up to 10 gauge mild steel. it might not last long, but keggles are stainless. i have some bayou classic 44 qt pots, not sure of the gauge, i'll have to look it up

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slakwhere

Recipes 

step bits take way too long, you basically drill 8 holes. i've been using hole saws with great success for both weldless and silver soldered applications. done in about 30 seconds with a little cutting oil. occasionally i do hook the step bit up afterwards to do a little deburring on the hole

ComeOnNow

Recipes 

Ive used step bits, hole saws and knockouts, and in my limited experience, i would put hole saws at the bottom of the list. But in all fairness i dont have a drill press.

A step bit to make a hole big enough for a knockout is my preferred method, mainly because the end result is so clean. You just have to rub it with sandpaper for like 30 seconds, and voila! A perfect hole.

The step bits really leave a lot of burrs, and the hole saw walks too easily. Once i get a drill press i might change my mind though.

Dgonza9

Recipes 

Everyone thinks they will drill a hole or two and then be one and done. My experience is that I've changed my brewery so much over the years that I've used the hole punch an insane number of times, from moving to bottom drain keggles to loaning it out to buddies at the brew club, to making knockouts in a control panel.

Get the KO punch. Easiest and cleanest method by far, and you might be surprised how many times you use it.

Cheers!

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On Tap: Surly Furious, Belgian Trippel, Da Yoopers Pale Ale, Chocolate Lager, Wee too Heavy (barrel aged Scottish), Belgian Barrel Aged Barleywine, Simcoe Pale Ale, Galaxy/Nelson Sauvin IIPA, Broken foot Pilsner, Da Yooper's Oatmeal Stout

Bourbon Barrel
Kegged:

Fermenting Gumballhead with Nelson Sauvin

on Deck: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Clone, Ocktoberfast Ale, Rodenbach Clone.

lschiavo

Recipes 

I may be strange but I take a piece of scrap material, punch a hole in that and test fit before doing the final deed.

warthog

Recipes 

well, i bought the set from harbor freight. here's my problem. the set says 'mechanical knockout set, 1/2" to 1-1/4". those are the pipe sizes they make clearance holes for. the 1" is the exact same size as the one i borrowed (measures on my caliper as 1.375" dia). so i'm back where i began. is a 1.375" ok to use or is it too big? which size did you use comeonnow?

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lschiavo

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I used a 1in trade size electrical punch for my elements. Do you not have a piece of something you can punch a hole in and test fit this thing? You're just making a hole dude. Make it too small and file if you have to. I don't understand the need for such precision?

warthog

Recipes 

i had read kal's instructions. and i posted the original question. then someone said that the 1.375 was too big, so i started stressing over it. but never-the-less, i've got some rather expensive kettles that i can't patch, so i've really got to get it right. i'm pretty sure i do have some scrap around. and i certainly will test punch first. i think that's a great idea.

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lschiavo

Recipes 

Even if someone said it would work, I would test it on some scrap before punching out a pricey kettle. I think you will have much success

ChuckO

Recipes 

I use the largest size of food can that I can find, usually from crushed tomatoes, for my sample hole. That way I can remind myself how to drill into a curved surface at the same time. Proves the necessity of a center punch.