Inexpensive Tap Handles

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

EdWort

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2006
Messages
11,896
Reaction score
471
Location
Bee Cave, Texas
When I upgrade to a 3 faucet tower, I noticed that my tap handles kept getting in the way of each other. I can cause a mess as well as waste precious nectar of the gods.

A trip to Lowes solved the problem. A $1.84 small table leg and a $1.29 3/8" threaded insert solved the problem, so for less than 10 bucks, I have three new tap handles that stay out of each others way. SWMBO will get around to staining them soon.

TapHandles.jpg


The little black things are faucet spout plugs.

SP1000.jpg


It's a 25 cent item from Micromatic that keeps the spout clean when not in use and reminds me not to pull on a beer till this weekend.
 
Pretty nice! I'm trying to come up with something that looks nice and has a way to insert a lable so that people can identify what's what.
 
olllllo said:
I like the resevoir tip, but do they have any designed for 'her' pleasure?

I guess you could go Country Crafts and glue some pinto beans on one for a better grip. :cross:
 
I've posted this before but since it was brought up again I'll post them again. I made these about 2 years ago.....

I laminate the lable on both sides so the paper doesn't stick to the tap handle.
Tapsnew1.jpg
 
Monster Mash said:
I've posted this before but since it was brought up again I'll post them again. I made these about 2 years ago.....

I laminate the lable on both sides so the paper doesn't stick to the tap handle.
Tapsnew1.jpg

Your Barleywine handle reminds me of myself.

I already know what I'm doing for mine and you guys are welcome to copy. I'm going to get those mini wooden baseball bats and turn them into pullers.
 
Monster Mash said:
...I laminate the lable on both sides so the paper doesn't stick to the tap handle.

So, you can change the labels on those? What do you use get em to stick to the handle so nice and flat? That can't be tape. Do you use a glue stick or something??
 
Ed: The idea is great and a really good $$$ saver. IMO you need to throw something else on them to disguise them like Monster Mash did (I know same legs...). It may be the pic or the lighting, but yours look too much like dildoes.

(MM: I know you posted your pics first so the real kudos go to you first).
 
EdWort, good idea on the handles.

I have the exact same thing, except I inverted it and put on a little mini-helmet of my favorite football team on the top of it. :p Perfect tap handle, and cheap.
 
I think I'll cut some notches in them for.....You know, every batch...., yeah, that's it, a notch for every batch.....

Actually, I'll edit my chalkboard.

Phallic #1 For her Pleasure, Hoppy Birthday Brown. Pull gently....
 
Not quite as phallic as Ed's wood (remind me not to say that ever again), but here's an aluminum tap handle I made tonight. It's for a buddy who has a fridge conversion kegerator with the tap too high for a standard sized tap handle (poor planning...it gets in the way of the still-in-use freezer door).

4688-taphandle.jpg
 
Dennys Fine Consumptibles said:
Cool, I've been meaning to carve some tap handles for my self. 3/8" insert work? If not I'll smash the 3 cheap plastic handles I bought to get the inserts out of those.

Yep. I picked up the inserts at a local hardware store. I'm sure HomeLowes has them too.
 
I got a 55 gallon drum for free so I took some PVC pipe and assembled the tower. I used shanks for a 3" tower for the taps. I wrap the barrel with a moving blanket to insulate it.
 
Cheesefood said:
Your Barleywine handle reminds me of myself.

I already know what I'm doing for mine and you guys are welcome to copy. I'm going to get those mini wooden baseball bats and turn them into pullers.

Wow, now yer talkin! Do me a favor and post pics when you're done. I'd love to see it (and copy of course!) Just blur out the Cubs logo, 'kay? (Just joshin', man):D
 
homebrewer_99 said:
I got one of those as an umbrella drink...it's called a Suffering Bastard...take a look at it from the side and you can see he's squatting on the throne with a bad case of diarrhea..

That's actually my stout tap. I'm not sure I can look at it the same way again. :(

Let me know how I can repay that favor....;)
 
I seem to recall one of the magazines this past few months had an article on making tap handles. Was really cool actually. Can't recall which one... Zym or BYO.....
 
I got the same table legs but put some scrap pieces of oak on them and then glued rookie card holders to them so I can slip in a label.

Outsideoffridgeupdated.jpg



I got a 55 gallon drum for free so I took some PVC pipe and assembled the tower. I used shanks for a 3" tower for the taps. I wrap the barrel with a moving blanket to insulate it.

I was lucky enough to get a barrel that fit inside leaving room for packing peanuts and then spray insulation to top it off.
We get that liner size barrel at work once in a blue moon

IMG_0167.jpg


IMG_0171.jpg
 
Brilliant find EdWort.

I don't really have any issues using the cheap plastic stubby handles but, this does have some appeal. I've amassed 6 Perlick FS and a Stout faucet so any budget I may have had on custom handles is gone.

This does open my eyes to some vast possibilities.

I've also got some of those "rubber neeples" for my faucets but, I find they have a tough time staying on especially when they are clean.
 
Back
Top