2.5g keg, thoughts on cutting one down.

I'd like some small kegs, has anyone cut one down and welded? any thoughts on how hard it will be?

Yuri?? could you take a pic of the one you cut the top off of so I can see the guts??

I think it'd be a piece of cake! I'll post a pic after dinner. It's just really thin sheet metal all the way around. Good heat control coupled with gas purging the inside of the tank would probably give you great results.

Here's the picture I promised:



The sheet metal thickness measures .028" (about 22 ga). The tool I used to cut it is pictured to the right. I had it completely cut in about 5 minutes.

Side note: I'm thinking of using these cut-offs as the start to some 7-9 gallon fermenters. I think Sabco or More Beer sells some made out of two cornies welded together. This would be down the road (probably this Spring), as I have too much to finish already - as well as going out of town for a while.

I'll shut up and let somebody else chime in now.

Yuri_Rage said:

Side note: I'm thinking of using these cut-offs as the start to some 7-9 gallon fermenters. I think Sabco or More Beer sells some made out of two cornies welded together. This would be down the road (probably this Spring), as I have too much to finish already - as well as going out of town for a while.

I'll shut up and let somebody else chime in now.

Click to expand...

Wow that does look pretty easy, I don't know why but I was thinking they were double wall.

Once you collect a few you might consider doing small kegs and fermentors..

I'll have to see if I can get hooked up with some cheap kegs and see how it goes. My buddy and I are currently splitting 5 gallon batches so we can brew more frequent and it would be much more convienent to do a small keg.

Thanks

I know this thread has been dormant for a little while but I have been thinking about doing the same thing. I can weld mild and cold rolled well how much harder would stainless be to weld than those materials? If I could also get a little more insight on how the project would be undertaken so as to make the best possible welds so the inside is smooth to prevent bacteria spots. Does the cut keg hold its shape rather well? I only have access to a mig welder, hobart handler 125 with gas setup, will this be a problem for me? thanks.

tron said:

I know this thread has been dormant for a little while but I have been thinking about doing the same thing. I can weld mild and cold rolled well how much harder would stainless be to weld than those materials? If I could also get a little more insight on how the project would be undertaken so as to make the best possible welds so the inside is smooth to prevent bacteria spots. Does the cut keg hold its shape rather well? I only have access to a mig welder, hobart handler 125 with gas setup, will this be a problem for me? thanks.

Click to expand...

I've yet to be able to try my solar flux but this is suppose to take the place of back gassing, if you used pure argon and stainless wire you should be able to weld up the stainless just fine. I also can't speak to how well it holds shape, I'd imagine with a few tacks it should be just fine.

Do you have one of those little air powered sanders, the disc type? you could use one of those to sand the inside smooth after you were finished. The lids are fairly large so getting inside won't be a problem.

Todd said:

Do you have one of those little air powered sanders, the disc type? you could use one of those to sand the inside smooth after you were finished. The lids are fairly large so getting inside won't be a problem.

Click to expand...

Thats a good point I never thought about using one of those on the inside. By chance would you know if all kegs have relatively the same wall thickness, I know in a previous post it was stated that they are about 22 gauge, but that seems pretty thin. All thoughts appreciated, thanks.

tron said:

Thats a good point I never thought about using one of those on the inside. By chance would you know if all kegs have relatively the same wall thickness, I know in a previous post it was stated that they are about 22 gauge, but that seems pretty thin. All thoughts appreciated, thanks.

Click to expand...

I have no idea. my sanke keg is much thicker than that. I have not had the chance to cut open a corny yet.

Save a bit of work. Cut one keg high & one low. Combine large & small pieces producing one 2.5 gal. and one 7.5 gal.

Told you I was lazy!

I need to get some welding gear. Way too many projects for a lazy person.

david_42 said:

Save a bit of work. Cut one keg high & one low. Combine large & small pieces producing one 2.5 gal. and one 7.5 gal.

Told you I was lazy!

I need to get some welding gear. Way too many projects for a lazy person.

Click to expand...

That is a good idea.

Stainless is funny stuff. Or stuffs. I had no problem silver-brazing a spigot to my home made kettle. But when I tried the same rod on a stainless weed sprayer, the stainless craked worse than Loma Prieta. From recent reading, there's about 4 families of stainless, some don't like to be held at 1250 degrees. I too have thought about cutting down some cornies from the swap meet. I think I'll try silver SOLDER next time. If I whack the edge of one piece with a hammer enough to expand it, the other piece will fit inside far enought to make a perfect lap joint.... in my dreams. I'd try soldering on a whole keg first...