How to cut a keg for a kettle?

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I found a keg i forgot i have had for about 15 years,It stunk when i opened it up!.Yuck!.Anyway It's a 15.5 gallon keg i want to use as a kettle.Any ideas as to a good lid for it once a hole is cut in the top,and how to cut a nice clean hole in the top?.Also i want to use it for my first brew possibly,but I'm not sure if It's too big.I'm going to be doing an extract brew full boil,do you think It's too big to do a boil of six gallons?
 
As others have pointed out a angle grinder is a great option. If you happen to have access to or know someone that has a plasma cutter even better. As for a lid, many folks have used the cut out portion of the keg and welded washers to them to act as lids.
 
Don't use a lid for your boil unless you are afraid of debris falling in to your keg.

There is no such thing as too big!!! I use a 15.5gal keggle for all my extract batches, whether they are 5gal or 12gal batches. I assume you're using a turkey fryer or the like to heat the keggle, if that's the case you'll want to start with around 6.5gal to account for boil-off.

Happy Brewing!!!
 
i would cut the bottom of the keg and use the sankey port as a 2 inch tri clamp kettle drain! then drill a hole in the side of it and put a heating element in their wired for 240v 4500 amp. thats just what i personaly would do. :)

(thanks greenmonti for catching the missprint)
 
Awesome,Thanks for the info guys.I have all the tools i need as I'm a mechanic but was just wondering the best possible way.I only have one shot at a nice cut.I did have a plasma cutter but i sold it,but this sparked my memory that someone i know has one.
 
Awesome,Thanks for the info guys.I have all the tools i need as I'm a mechanic but was just wondering the best possible way.I only have one shot at a nice cut.I did have a plasma cutter but i sold it,but this sparked my memory that someone i know has one.


I bent up a funky looking piece out of bar stock and I tape it to the handle of my plasma. This way I get nice perfect circles. I'll put up a pic if you would like.
 
i would cut the bottom of the keg and use the sankey port as a half inch tri clamp kettle drain! then drill a hole in the side of it and put a heating element in their wired for 240v 4500 amp. thats just what i personaly would do.

I understand the electric heating element idea which i like,I'm brewing indoors.But the tri clamp kettle drain part I'm not familiar with.Any pics of it?
 
I understand the electric heating element idea which i like,I'm brewing indoors.But the tri clamp kettle drain part I'm not familiar with.Any pics of it?


Slight missprint on the size by trailblazer. It happens that a 2" sanitary fitting is the same size as the tap port. A O-ring for a seal and a clover clamp. You would then have a built in drain.

Here is a shot of the fitting and the top of a sanke keg.
P1010062.jpg
 
i dont have any pics because i have yet to build it but if you do a search for tri clover or tri clamp you'll find plenty of pics of what they are. you can often find great deals on ebay. i already built three keggles with 1/2" npt fittings but i wished i would have built it this way instead.
 
Ok so if i did use the port on the top i would have to use electric heat right?I would imaging a flame under a fitting would not be good.
 
possitives:
easy to drain every drop
no dip tube


negetives:
no whirlpool
cant direct fire



(if theirs more just add them)
 
I bent up a funky looking piece out of bar stock and I tape it to the handle of my plasma. This way I get nice perfect circles. I'll put up a pic if you would like.

Please post it.

What is a dip tube?
 
Here you go. She has gotten a little rusty with all this freezing and thawing we have had.

Simple easy to store.
P1010072.jpg


Here it is in action so to speak.
P1010074.jpg
 
Great,Thanks!I have some round stock around and That's simple to make!.Gonna borrow a plasma cutter for this one.
 
I've done 5 now. the first was with a sawzall (bosses keg and idea, dont try it...) 3 were with the plasma cutter and the last one I did with an angle grinder. the plasma cuts were a ***** to clean up, bevel edges grind of sharp edges, maybe an hour each with an angle grinder and carbide die grinder. the last one with the cheapo harbor freight angle grinder/cutoff wheel took 10 minutes total to cut and clean.
 
Great,Thanks!I have some round stock around and That's simple to make!.Gonna borrow a plasma cutter for this one.

Glad to help.

I've done 5 now. the first was with a sawzall (bosses keg and idea, dont try it...) 3 were with the plasma cutter and the last one I did with an angle grinder. the plasma cuts were a ***** to clean up, bevel edges grind of sharp edges, maybe an hour each with an angle grinder and carbide die grinder. the last one with the cheapo harbor freight angle grinder/cutoff wheel took 10 minutes total to cut and clean.


I can't imagine it taking anywhere near that long to clean up a plasma cut. Your tip was bad, settings were off, moving too slow, something.
 
Youtube is a good source for how to videos I watched a couple on this. Shows you how to make a jig to make a perfect circle.

+1 I find Youtube to be a really good source for "how to" videos. Even when they're not well made, you can still get an idea of how to do a project, and you can usually get a good idea of what NOT to do.

For me - visuals really help when I'm trying to learn something. I could read it 10 times & I'll get more from watching it once.
 
I've done 5 now. the first was with a sawzall (bosses keg and idea, dont try it...) 3 were with the plasma cutter and the last one I did with an angle grinder. the plasma cuts were a ***** to clean up, bevel edges grind of sharp edges, maybe an hour each with an angle grinder and carbide die grinder. the last one with the cheapo harbor freight angle grinder/cutoff wheel took 10 minutes total to cut and clean.

Curious as to why the plasma cutter cuts were so hard to clean up?I had one for a while and the few times i used it it made the nicest clean cuts of any tool i have used.
 
+1 I find Youtube to be a really good source for "how to" videos. Even when they're not well made, you can still get an idea of how to do a project, and you can usually get a good idea of what NOT to do.

For me - visuals really help when I'm trying to learn something. I could read it 10 times & I'll get more from watching it once.

I am the same way,i use you tube all the time.It really helps when i can see something done and not just read how to do it.
 
my only advice is if you want to go electric and tri clover cut the bottom, if your going direct fire cut the top. you wont be sorry.
 
I Cut 2 sankes. One for my HLT, and the other for my BK. I don't have a lid on my BK and don't really see the need for one but I do one the HLT.

I "aquired" a pizza pan from SWMBO's kitchen and made a handle from a Stainless Bolt/Washer/Nut. Works for me, and cost less than a dollar.
 
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