Sanke spear dis-assembly?

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Huaco

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I have some old spears left from my keggle builds. I am thinking of using one of the tubes from a spear but just wonder... how the heck do I go about getting that thing off those dimples that hold it on? I need as much length as possible on the tube so I don't want to cut it off just below the dimple.
 
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You have to push down and turn less than 1/4 turn, that is a big spring so you need a lot of downward force. I put mine in a vice (gently tightened) and used my body weight to push it down. Hope this helps.
 
No problem, it took me a little while to figure it out too, having it apart makes it easier to explain. The rubber stopper at the end is in pretty tight I had to knock it out from the other side.
 
Ya know it was a while ago when I took them apart but I think I have it upside down in the pic, I have another spear together at work I'll look at it tomorrow and post back.
 
I was tinkering around with this tonight and tried a lot of things and different tools. I already had the spears removed from the sanke keg spouts. All I had left to do was remove the SS spring-locked fittings left on the tube itself. I ended up, after using several tools, just compressing the collar enough with my fingers to get it to rotate and tapped the flanges with a hammer to totally disassemble it. This left me with just the rubber plug, ss ball bearing thing and a spring inside. A guy from my LHBC called me (curiosity got the best of him) and we walked though removing it. He and I were both able to totally remove the rubber plug/ball/spring thing while talking on the phone by inserting a screw driver into the center housing where the ball is located and prying the hell out of it. My SS ball flew across the garage somewhere to be found later... haha!

I plan to use the Freed up SS tube as a thief to grab samples from my new malt drum fermentors. I am pretty sure if I get a #6 solid stopper, I can insert the sanitized tube down into the bung of the drum and insert the stopper and pull it out to take a sample...
 
Great! Glad you got it apart, I just looked at the one I have and I realized it comes apart opposite of what I told you so I'm glad you figured it out. Using it as a thief is a great idea, I was gonna try to make a mash paddle out if mine.
 
I think the diameter of that tube will be too big to hold liquid in for very long (the way you described). Are you planning to taper the end some how, to make a narrower opening?
 
Thought of that... I plan to just see how it will work. Will practice on a bucket of water first. At worst, I'm out the cost of a #6 solid stopper. Darn...
 
I wonder if there is a way you could use a sorta modified pipe cutter (the wheel type), but instead of a cutter, it would have a wide solid wheel. As you turn it and tighten, it would taper the end down....I'll do some digging.
 


I'm guessing a hand operated tool is out of the realm of physical possibilities.....
 
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Last night I was able to successfully use the spear tube as a thief! All this takes is totally dis-assembly of the spear. (as discussed) A good hot soak in oxy clean... Purchase one each of a #6 1/2 and #5 drilled stoppers. (I think it is a #5, it is not stamped) Insert the larger stopper in the "bell" end of the tube and insert the smaller one in the straight end of the tube. Sanitize the heck out of everything. After putting the stoppers in, I even hit it all with another good spritz from my spray bottle of Star-San. With both stoppers being drilled stoppers, all I had to do was insert the straight end of the tube into the drum and let the tube fill with beer. Put my thumb on the drilled stopper on the bell end to make the seal and extract the sample. It dribbled a little bit, but no more than my 3 piece plastic thief I bought at my LHBS. This is a CHEAP way to put a Snake Spear to use in your brewery. It is EASY to clean up also. Just pop off the two stoppers and rinse it all off... Ready to sanitize and use again for the next sample.
I will get some pix taken this evening and post them to help make sense of it all...
 
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