DIY Tap Handle?

just ordered threaded inserts.... built the keezer this past weekend, looks like this coming weekend will be tap handles!

FSR402 said:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attach...0152692413689_666868688_8109170_5680986_n.jpg
My new handles.....

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I would put a pair of...something...behind those hands if they were on my kegerator!

(Not sure how to include the pic in my quoted reply)

I'm having a flash back to that 80's punk song "Bela Legosi is DEAD!"

lovin the handles! (Halloween is my favorite holiday - don;'t' tell Santa!)

Here are a couple of handles I made this spring.

A few more I just finished. African Blackwood and Spalted Tamarind.









-Joe

Wow, those are beautiful. Nice work!

My first tap handle, thinking of ideas for the next already.

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Turning wood is almost as addicting as brewing...

I've done a few handles now. I originally started working on a few a couple years ago, and posted early in this thread. I ended up using the handles and mounting the faucets on a barrel to serve soda at my sister's wedding. Since then I went nuts and turned quite a few more.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ecg1AbMtJKDEzpOP5nCh1Q?feat=directlink

timbudtwo said:

Took this idea from TonySwank. I make the piranha plant out of sculpey, and painted with acrylic. Pipe is pvc and half of a coupler painted with green enamel. Enamel was hardened on pvc in oven at 180 for about 2 hours.

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Wow, way to show me up.

Haven't been on this thread in a while but looking to make another tap handle, so many great ideas on here. Hopefully I'll have something worth posting soon.

wow all these look really good that you guys are posting. I used this thread for research so thanks. I went the cheap and easy route.

I bought a spindle used for outside decks. Cut it in half then shortened up handle then painted with mahogony spray. FYI the spindles were treated so it takes forever to dry!

I stuck the brass inserts in from Lowes like you guys said on here. I drilled a 1/2" hole with a wood bit. I bought that chalkboard paint I will add later on the square handle later when it drys. I figure I can just write the name vertically. that is mu maibock in the background.

Spindle Each - $1.98 (Has two tap handles from one) Lowes
Chalkboard Paint - $3.87 (Hobby Lobby)
Brass Insert Each - $1.98 (Lowes)
Wood Finish Spray Can - $7.87 (Lowes)

just painted the chalkboard paint and wrote on one.

just added a second one and painted the chalkboard paint on two sides of the handle.

double handle pic

I didn't make this, but picked it up the other day. Hopefully it will keep the scroungers out of my beer.

Yes it is a turd.

Both of my brothers are gunsmiths, why not use their lathe? Made from solid stainless bar stock.

jimgriz said:

Both of my brothers are gunsmiths, why not use their lathe? Made from solid stainless bar stock.

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Awesome!

I just made this, simple and cheap.

I bought a Steve Yzerman Bobblehead on Ebay to make a tap handle out of.

But I get it, and it's HEAVY! I guess I sort of expected a plastic one. This one is a cast material and I'm not even sure how to drill and tap if I even decided to try and use it.

I got one broken POS black plastic handle that needs replacing and I am struggling to find something unique to put in place of it.

I made chalkboard handles out of some scrap lumber and a couple of those tap handle adapters. Just cut them to the shape I wanted, sanded, stained and painted with chalkboard paint. Couple coats of Poly on the naked parts and they were right purty.

Here's a tap handle my bro in law and myself made last night, just in time for football season!

Go Bruins!

Finally got around to making one of my own tap handles. Steering linkage from a GM truck. Drilled and tapped the end. Easy as pie,

Maybe an old lawnmower blade for a light beer? (Get it, lawnmower beer?)

EDIT: Just realized the Spotted Cow handle is an upside down teat...

Heres a couple of mine that I just whipped up today. They are nowhere near as nice as others posted on here but I think they will go well in my rustic bar, plus they were super cheap - I used 2x3 ipe that was laying around from the bar trim project. The letters were free handed in and burned with my woodburner torch. I plan on making wit, stout, porter, blonde, and lager, and maybe a few blank ones that I can burn at a later date or just add paper labels to. I would also like cut a few dovetails on the opposite side where I can print labels with specific information on each beer.

BARBQ said:

double handle pic

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Nice! I think I may be borrowing this idea...

Rentachik said:

Finally got around to making one of my own tap handles. Steering linkage from a GM truck. Drilled and tapped the end. Easy as pie,

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Lol watch that does not bind up on you. Lord knows GM cant make a steering shaft that works right.

anyone know where to by triangle shaped wooden rods? thought about making one with three sides....

Catfish said:

With one of these:
View attachment 2011

and an drill you can make anything into a tap handle (well, not anything, meat wouldn't work, or a cat, but lots of things).

I'm just using oak, though.

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can i get one of these at lowes? what are the dementions?

tchuklobrau said:

Lol watch that does not bind up on you. Lord knows GM cant make a steering shaft that works right.

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That is actually how I got this one... Upon starting and stopping it made a thunk sound.

I think this might make a pretty cool tap handle...what do you guys think?
(battery and mouse shown for scale)



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Not sure how well an ink pen will work for a tap handle.

"Don't like this cola though...tastes like ink."

SevenFields said:

Got this idea from someone else on this board so I cant take full credit.
I made these tap handles tonight for my kegerator.
I try to always have an IPA and a Stout or dark beer on tap at all times. So I took some used yeast vials and put Whole leaf hops in one and Black Patent Malt in the other. I think they turned out pretty good.

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I always say it is better to open an old thread instead of making a new one..

i have been trying to make these tap handle's for the past week and for the life of me i can not get them to work.

what i have done: drilled the cap. bought a nut that fits the tap and have tried using 3 different types of glue/epoxy to get the nut to "hold tight" aginst the cap. but no matter what when i try to screw the cap onto the tap the nut comes off.

there has to a "trick" to attach the vial to the tap????? i must be missing it someplace. in the posted i quoted i dont see a farel,, but in other post a poster linked a page that sell farels..

help me out, because right now these are the coolest things since sliced bread to me.

jake

Jake,

I just made two of these vial tap handles last week. What I did was super glue the nut to the inside of the lid. Fill the vial up with grain, then screw the lid on. The first attempt to screw the tap handle to the faucet caused the glue to "break". The trick though was the grain. It still held the nut in place and I was able to get the handle on the faucet. The nut tightens down just right.

That's my trick at least.

rwagner23 said:

Jake,

I just made two of these vial tap handles last week. What I did was super glue the nut to the inside of the lid. Fill the vial up with grain, then screw the lid on. The first attempt to screw the tap handle to the faucet caused the glue to "break". The trick though was the grain. It still held the nut in place and I was able to get the handle on the faucet. The nut tightens down just right.

That's my trick at least.

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Try a "locking" nut. One that has a flange on the one side with little groves in it and gorilla glue it. Also use a bolt and nut to hold it tight until the glue is dry and set.

Thanks guys.... I will attempt these ideals next.

jake

You could also try deer antlers, or fake ones. Most outdoors shops will carry "rattling antlers," you might have to paint them if they are imitation, as those often have orange near the base.

Here in post #113 I explain how I used tap handle ferrules to mount yeast vial handles, check it out:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/diy-tap-handle-33455/index12.html#post1848356

masonsjax said:

Here in post #113 I explain how I used tap handle ferrules to mount yeast vial handles, check it out:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/diy-tap-handle-33455/index12.html#post1848356

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thanks,,, your post was the one i refered to about the link to the ferrules page.

so,,, you bolt the ferrule to the cap and then the other end of the ferrule attches to the tap? basically it is threaded on both ends? and you bought the 3/8" ones?

I just posted 2 videos on how I make them on the lathe. Sorry the lighting is bad - I'm hoping to fix that on the next ones.





-Joe