DIY Tap Handle?

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Thanks for the ideas....drob.. i think i am going to have to go with yours. ...i actually thought about doing it like Mack said, but did not like the idea of having the paper on there while i tried to saw, initially...I had to give the saw back too, so i couldnt try it.

the bird head is from a 2x4 stud, so it should be plenty thick to attach a table leg or dowel
 
OK. Which of you game-nerds made this? http://failblog.cheezburger.com/page/2

game nerd.jpg
 
WoW ..now THAT is a gamer ...don't think I'd put those on MY bar, but ..it IS creative ...I love the OLD SCHOOL Nintendo and Play Station controls ...back when there wasn't a million different buttons

Back in MY day, we didn't have a bunch of buttons. All we had was a STICK, and one button... And we LIKED IT! :cross:
 
What is a good source for pre-made blanks? I am brewing a beer for a wedding and I am going to keg it. Unfortunately, I only came up with the idea to get a blank and have someone local engrave it today. The wedding is in two weeks and I don't have access to woodworking stuff.
 
What is a good source for pre-made blanks? I am brewing a beer for a wedding and I am going to keg it. Unfortunately, I only came up with the idea to get a blank and have someone local engrave it today. The wedding is in two weeks and I don't have access to woodworking stuff.

What exactly are you looking for? You can take ALMOST anything, tap a hole into it, and make it a handle. If you're looking for blanks, try EBay, or sometimes Craigslist.
I'd suggest finding out what the theme of the wedding is (maybe use one of their candle holders or something) and match what they're using

good luck
 
Here are mine... made from things I had laying around.

The one on the left is a spring from a sanke spear, galvanized rod and a handle knob is from a picnic tap pump

The one in the middle is a broken gauge from when my CO2 tank fell over in my fridge. I removed the dial and dial face & then drilled a hole in a cheap plastic tap handle and screwed it in.

The one on the right is a ball bearing from a sanke valve soldered to a 1/2 coupling I had laying around. Quick shot of silver paint on the black tap handle that I JB welded the coupling to.

DSC_0739.jpg
 
What exactly are you looking for? You can take ALMOST anything, tap a hole into it, and make it a handle. If you're looking for blanks, try EBay, or sometimes Craigslist.
I'd suggest finding out what the theme of the wedding is (maybe use one of their candle holders or something) and match what they're using

good luck

I ended up ordering a paddle shaped one from northern brewer. However, I may still try and do something on my own provided I can find someone local who can do decent wood engraving.

I don't know that they have a theme per se. It is an outdoor wedding that will be non-traditional. i.e. I am in the wedding party but there is technically no best man or groomsmen, there is no maid of honor, etc.
 
I ended up ordering a paddle shaped one from northern brewer. However, I may still try and do something on my own provided I can find someone local who can do decent wood engraving.

I don't know that they have a theme per se. It is an outdoor wedding that will be non-traditional. i.e. I am in the wedding party but there is technically no best man or groomsmen, there is no maid of honor, etc.

The paddles are pretty good. You can do a lot of things with those. Not sure if it already has it, but maybe spray paint some of that chalk board paint on one side, and have an artistic person do something on the other (that makes a "2 in 1" handle). :mug:
 
I made these with some red oak, clear shellac, a wood burner, and at whole lot of elbow grease:
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I have a 9X20 lathe, so I can whip up a custom handle in no time at all, and change them whenever I want something different. I do all kinds of metal work like casting, forging and turning so the sky's the limit for me.

Wheelchair Bob
 
I just finished my second tap handle.

First one, the GF diamond is made with a fancy wine reusable bottle cap. I had to cut drill thread into a cut Standard threaded plastic handle.

Second one is the grenade, Again it's the same method although I had to refinish the grenade. This one has a welded nut in the bottom and a stud has been threaded into the cut plastic handle. Some trimming, grinding and drilling was require for this tap handle.

Now I need to work on the Keezer and get everything flowing...
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not to get too far off topic, but they keg wine? i assume they use something like nitrogen to push and keep the kegs at very low pressure to limit/eliminate carbonation? that's awesome!
 
I guess so I havent asked lol! They are expanding and added a tasting room else where, and I guess for all the effort it takes to bottle something and then use many bottles to dispense tastings its just as easy to keg their main stays and go that route. Now it only I could get something for my self done so that I can make my self a tap handle.....
 
Naw. I have too many hobbies and leatherworking is one. I took a tandy craft tool used for setting their rapid rivets and used that. If I rivet more perhaps I will get an appropriate tool setter for the rivets.
 
Recently had a hankering to make some custom handles, and this thread gave me the extra inspiration...

The first one is a piece of cocobolo that was being sold as a duck call blank. I don’t have a lathe so i used a large round over bit on my router and finished with 3 or 4 coats of clear shellac.

The other is an oak replacement table leg from Lowes, and an aqua globe. I cut the leg down to size, stained it, and drilled out the top. i used a glass bottle cutter to score and break the aqua globe about .5" down the tube part. clear countertop epoxy was used to secure the two pieces together, and then as a pour over to give it a uniform glossy and protective finish.

tap.handle.2.jpg


tap.handle1.jpg
 
I finally have a contribution to this thread. I got to visit Crooked Stave's new tap room when we were in Denver for GABF and I was inspired by their simplistic handles made from barrel staves.

I made these when I got home. I cut them down to about 12" and sanded them a bit. I wanted to retain some of the original character so I didn't sand them too much. They have stains from the hoops, where the whiskey leaked out, and some of the char on the backside. I'm going to seal them with some matte poly to protect them from stains. I also plan to add a chalkboard that will list what's on each tap.


image-73842863.jpg
 
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