Jig didn't work for me...

So, I either misread the thread or just flat out didn't understand how the jig was supposed to work. I went out and got a 1-1/4" PVC coupler to cut out for my keggle yesterday. It didn't fit on the top of the keg like I thought it was supposed to.

I quickly had to jump ship on the jig because I already committed to cutting it yesterday and couldn't wait any longer haha, so I had to go free hand with the grinder.

Definitely not going to win the "HBT cleanest keggle cut" contest, but I'm satisfied with it for my first attempt. Just need to clean it up with a flap disk and I'll be good to go.

Next up, drilling out my bulkhead holes and polishing. I couldn't wait to see what it would look like, so I took a finishing disc across the top apron, just for kicks...can't wait to make it shine like a mirror...

Actually doesn't look bad. Once you grind the edges down a bit it's going to look great!

Hmmm, I wonder what went wrong. If you don't mind, I'd like to see a pic the keg top with the PVC coupler.

Good luck with the polishing. It stays shiny once you get it there, that's the good part. The bad part is it is long, grueling back-breaking work to get her that way. I'd do it again though.

Did you take the spear out of the keg first or try to do it on top of the spear?

I'll post a pic of the top later this evening. I took the snap ring out and pulled the spear out before I started. It your standard AB keg.

Looks good.

passedpawn said:

Hmmm, I wonder what went wrong. If you don't mind, I'd like to see a pic the keg top with the PVC coupler.

Good luck with the polishing. It stays shiny once you get it there, that's the good part. The bad part is it is long, grueling back-breaking work to get her that way. I'd do it again though.

Click to expand...

You're right...it is a long process. I started it last night and finished up with some #5 polish this morning. I need to wipe it down and pick up some more pads before I get to the last step. Luckily I have a waist high work bench to help my back and I shave been standing on a step ladder to get above it for leverage. I think I underestimated how deep some of the little dings were And started with the fine finishing pad, instead of the medium. It should be ok though...I may go to the scrap yard next week and see if I can get lucky finding another one and start with medium on that one.

I have cut the top out of about 8 different kegs. I have a socket wrapped in black tape with a bolt coming out of the 1/2" drive in the socket. Just a simple piece of barstock pivoting off of said bolt and bolted into the angle grinder handle threads for a side handle. One thing that I found that helps tremendously, is to score the whole top around its circle, then go and make deeper cuts until is is through about 90 percent or so of the top. I leave a little on two opposite sides, then break it through. If you try and grind all the way through the top and continue 360 degrees around the grinder wants to sometimes go out of the line. Going slow and making several passes around always gives me a better circle.