Can you hand polish a keg?

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Beau815

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I dont have an electric grinder or even a power tool. I dont want to buy one just to shine a keg to a mirror finish. Dont have $ to spend on power tools, have an apt so no need really. I dont mind spending 5 hours doing it by hand. Is it possible?
 
I would have to say that without power tools, I don't think it would be possible. Then again, I don't know how fast you can move your hands.
 
No offense, but I would say H...E...double L no way by hand. It took 3 hours using an angle grinder and all of the pads, polishes, etc. outlined by Bobby_M and still had to use quite a bit of pressure. I would just leave it be and spend the time brewing instead :)
 
I cannot believe that you dont know anyone with an angle grinder to borrow. Hell Id loan you mine for a 6 pack of homebrew.
 
I dont have an electric grinder or even a power tool. I dont want to buy one just to shine a keg to a mirror finish. Dont have $ to spend on power tools, have an apt so no need really. I dont mind spending 5 hours doing it by hand. Is it possible?

Harbor freight sells them cheap, less than $30. Also, you might not be in an apartment forever.
 
While it would likely take a few days / weeks to polish by hand, i would not deter anyone from attempting to clean or buff a keg by hand. Even hitting metal for 10-20 minutes w/ a piece of wet/dry paper cleans it up to some extent. A mirror finish polish by hand aint gonna happen, but you could make something look much more "presentable"
IMO. Say 100 grit would produce a more uniform mat finish.

I recently acquired a vintage 20 gal ss kettle, an hour or so w/ fine 2-4-600? paper and BKF has it looking much better.
 
Yeah its a sanke for brewing... my bros and dad have one. Ill borrow it. Just thought hand was possible. thanks guys, maybe girls?
 
You can take a lot of crud and the rough stuff off with some 400grit wet/dry. Dunk it in water every few minutes. Mirror finish? You'll have to keep going finer and finer up to 1600 grit and then to the polish. You may not have any skin left after the week of sanding.
 
It's already been said, but it is possible, it will just take forever.

I polished a small stainless (2cm x 2cm) sample for an experiment we were running at my old job. Used gradually smaller sand paper and then went to a rubbing compound. Mirror finish, yes. That took a couple of hours. I think a keg will take you weeks.

Ever thought of renting tools from one of the big box stores?
 
Going to stick out like a sore thumb and say, yes you can.

Why? Because doing it by hand doesn't make huge/deep scratches like a grinder would. Which means less sanding/buffing.

Maybe I'm just crazy and should shut up until I've had my coffee, but I scrubbed mine down with a Scotch Brite, and BKF and they look pretty with just that. My kegs where in decent shape to begin with though.
 
$20 of Reflectix insulation makes the entire exercise pointless. And you get better heating efficiency. Ok is does not look cool.
 
$20 of Reflectix insulation makes the entire exercise pointless. And you get better heating efficiency. Ok is does not look cool.

I agree 100% as my next brewery will have insulated keggles who cares about the outside appearance of the kegs. being bare go knock yourself out.
My friend just got 3 brand new AB kegs from a supplier, now being flawless they deserve a chrome like finish.
 
+1 to just scotch brite pads, work in a single direction and you will have a nice brushed finish. Mirror finish is a ton of work, even with the power tools and a good supply of abrasives.
 
A soft brushed finish also hides flaws, dents and scratches vs a shiny finish will amplify the flaws. Damn finger prints alone will drive you crazy or adding a scratch yourself.
 
I hear ya, im gonna try the scotch brite, i can see fingerprints being annoying. My keg is in great shape. ill let you know what the scotch brite does... gonna go get some now. Oh whats BKF?
 
Going to stick out like a sore thumb and say, yes you can.

Why? Because doing it by hand doesn't make huge/deep scratches like a grinder would. Which means less sanding/buffing.

Maybe I'm just crazy and should shut up until I've had my coffee, but I scrubbed mine down with a Scotch Brite, and BKF and they look pretty with just that. My kegs where in decent shape to begin with though.

I know, look at all the deep scratches...











hltshine1.jpg


/sarcasm. :mug:
 
ok thats just MESSED up! lol.... i scotch brighted my keg and it looks nice and i come back to tell about it and i see that mirror keg! Some people say it looks "girly" or whatever but that looks NICE to me. I never knew kegs like that were stainless normal kegs. Thought they were special bought or dipped in chrome. I dont know, i think ill still have to do that some day. The scotch bright did clean it up. LOTS of dark dirty water from that cleaning... nothing beats that mirror keg though... damn
 
i picked up some powdered SS cleaner. worked pretty good. Ill try BKF when this ones gone, it was only 1.75 so figured what the heck
 
I found it at Reliable Parts, it's an appliance repair/parts place. This was after I found that the BKF website listed stores which carry it...
 
I've been seeing BKF in lowes and home depot with the rest of the cleaners just a FYI for those looking and it works great
 
To revive this thread a little I have a perlick tower that is brushed steel that has some light scratches on it. I would like to polish these out but just back to a uniform brushed stainless steel look. Would scotch brite pads followed by some BKF get the scratches out and give a nice brushed steel look?
 
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