Fix a dented keg?

Got an old European keg from a buddy which I plan on converting to MLT. Slight problem...one side is a little flattened. Looks like it was dropped on its side, most likely while full. My concern is fitting a false bottom...so I'd like to try and bang it out to proper shape.

My first inclination is to use a nylon hammer to tap it out but wanted to see if anyone had any advice, possibly from having dealt with this before.

Here's a pic...it's filled with PBW and water but you can see the flattened side through the opening.

Why does it need to be perfectly round? Most likely the original user discarded it because the non regular shape could concentrate pressure and cause failure. MLTs don't need to hold pressure.

william_shakes_beer said:

Why does it need to be perfectly round? Most likely the original user discarded it because the non regular shape could concentrate pressure and cause failure. MLTs don't need to hold pressure.

Click to expand...

I want to use a false bottom, which will be round. I'm not interested in modifying the false bottom to fit tight.

I tried to bang out some of the dents in my HLT. It was a *****. Wear ear plugs.

It looks more like a HLT or a boil kettle to me.

Hi

The problem is that as you dent and bash the keg the metal stretches. Making it un-stretch is not very easy at all. Net result is that any bashing you do will not look very pretty in the end.

I suspect you will need a pretty big hammer to pound that out. A ball peen hammer is the easy to find tool for the job. There are some with big mushroom shaped heads on them that would do better if you can find one.

Bob

A nylon hammer won't cut it. SS is surprisingly difficult to manipulate. One of my keggles had a dent in the skirt that I tried to take out with a 4 ton port-o-power (hydraulic ram).
Let's just say the port-o-power lost.

On the AHA big brew day I was talking to a couple of guys that walked up that fix and clean kegs.

In a nut shell they said they use high pressure and a "mold" to force the keg back into shape. It sounded incredibly dangerous to me but that is what they said.

I agree on the HLT or BK idea. Mainly the HLT and here is why, MOST Euro kegs are not 15 gallons. This means that as an MLT you would only get slightly more space than a 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler. using it as a BK has the same issue of limiting how much can be boiled (I love my 15 gallon BK because I can boil and retrieve 13 gallons with ease for a "double batch".)

You can also use the cut top as a false bottom. For the life of me I can find the thread but you can drill a bunch of small holes (What I did) or grind slits into it. Then use a rubber/silicon carboy bung and slide that over your dip tube. Here are some pics of mine. I have used it for over a year, and direct fired the MLT with great success.









Hope this helps and GL!

Zamial said:

I agree on the HLT or BK idea. Mainly the HLT and here is why, MOST Euro kegs are not 15 gallons. This means that as an MLT you would only get slightly more space than a 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler. using it as a BK has the same issue of limiting how much can be boiled (I love my 15 gallon BK because I can boil and retrieve 13 gallons with ease for a "double batch".)

Click to expand...

Yup, you're right...it's 13.2 gallons (an even 50L). I'm definitely not using it as a BK but I'm gonna give it a shot as MLT. I do five gallon batches at present and my intention with this keggle is to step up to ten gallon batches (I've also acquired a 15.5 sanke for the BK).

I haven't done the math but I suspect 13.2 gallons will be cutting it close as far as capacity for a 10 gallon batch grain bill. The keg was free though so I figure I'll give it a shot. Worst case, I'll have to stick with five gallon batches until I can get my hands on another 15.5 sanke.

Also, regarding my original post...I'm not going to bother trying to fix the dent. I got a false bottom (from Jaybird) and it fits tight enough, even with the dent.

I've never had to do this, but it seems like the best way of doing it would be to heat the keg up with a torch, to allow the metal to form a little easier...seems like it would be tough to do it safely though...