setting up a jig to open a keg?

nathan · 07-30-2008, 06:53 PM

anyone got any recommendations, info, pictures, etc. on opening a busch keg, then making a jig to run a grinder around the top to create a keggle?

MrFebtober · 07-30-2008, 07:09 PM

I can't give you measurements or anything, but here's what I threw together which worked quite well. Maybe it'll get your noodle going, anyhow.

Single "L" bracket holding el-cheapo grinder to jig:

I happened to have just the right size hole-saw to make the keg tap into a compass fulcrum (2.5" maybe??, sorry I can't remember now)

In action (make sure you wear hearing protection. VERY loud.)

sigmund · 07-30-2008, 07:11 PM

Here's another option

**conpewter** · 07-30-2008, 07:13 PM

This is what I built to do the same as above. I don't have the grinder clamped to it in this picture. You have to remove the spear to use this but I'm normally doing that anyway.

The grinder just gets clamped to the left side and the piece of the sankey tap goes in the hole in the center

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 07-30-2008, 07:16 PM

Jig??? You don't need no stinking jig...I used the handle and the blade guard on my angle grinder and it made a beautiful hole.

**Bobby_M** · 07-30-2008, 10:07 PM

The jig has the advantage of making a repeatable hole the exact size in multiple kegs if that's something you're interested in doing.

Ryan_PA · 07-30-2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

The jig has the advantage of making a repeatable hole the exact size in multiple kegs if that's something you're interested in doing.

And makes cutting a much quicker job. There is no wasted cutting.

Germey · 07-30-2008, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilted Brewer

Jig??? You don't need no stinking jig...I used the handle and the blade guard on my angle grinder and it made a beautiful hole.

That assumes the chime is still round and not dented like mine was.

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 07-31-2008, 12:20 AM

30 mins I had two cut, edges sanded down nice and smooth and cleaned the inside. No jig, and they look pretty uniform to me...

Hey, not knocking the jig, just saying it's possible to do without.

Germey · 07-31-2008, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilted Brewer

Hey, not knocking the jig, just saying it's possible to do without.

Do we need to bust out a pic of the BierMuncher widow maker to remind us of what ELSE can happen with out a Jig?

To be honest, I would have done it your way too, but the keg I ended up with looked like it had been dropped off the truck onto it's top. Really, it was just a bit of a deflection in the top chime, but after wailing on it with a 2lb deadblow hammer and the blunt end of a splitting maul, all to no avail, I am convinced that something catastrophic happened to that keg.