will this ko punch work on keggle?

Here's the link

It says "mild steel." Not sure if it's good enough. Although I finally got pretty good at drilling keggle with step bits, that apparently doesn't stop me from wanting one of these. LOL.

not on 304 stainless steel. use a step bit with plenty of oil for that. i've done a few. saves hours doing it right

So a KO punch is out for a keggle? It's not that this one isn't the correct model, right?

Have to admit, once you get the hang of drilling the keggle with step bit, it's fairly simple.

I was looking to use a 1" knockout to put a hole in the side of a keg for a 1.5" triclamp ferrule. Hard to find step bits that are 1.5" DIA and not $100+.

Has anyone successfully used knockouts to punch a hole in a keg side?

Well I don't know about keggles or whatever but you can buy a punch that will go through stainless at IKEA for crying out loud. They sell them to install the faucets in their sinks. I think it's something like $10.

EDIT:

Here's the link:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/28512100

Unfortunately looks like it's 1.25" so a little big for your purposes.

weirdboy said:

Well I don't know about keggles or whatever but you can buy a punch that will go through stainless at IKEA for crying out loud. They sell them to install the faucets in their sinks. I think it's something like $10.

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that might be the way to go then. i've never been to ikea, but that might be worth a try. just make sure it's the right size hole, and doesn't dent the sides

weirdboy said:

Well I don't know about keggles or whatever but you can buy a punch that will go through stainless at IKEA for crying out loud. They sell them to install the faucets in their sinks. I think it's something like $10.

EDIT:

Here's the link:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/28512100

Unfortunately looks like it's 1.25" so a little big for your purposes.

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There's a big difference pubching thru 20 to 18 gauge vs 14 gauge besides the first punch will be the best before the KO punch edge is gone.

You would be better off with a GreenLee carbide hole saw for SS, they will cut over 50 holes at 1" for a 1 3/8" hole for electrical conduit.
http://www.toolup.com/greenlee_645-...-cutter.aspx?gclid=CLr4tsHIrKcCFR9NgwodIzeJAA

BrewBeemer said:

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There's a big difference pubching thru 20 to 18 gauge vs 14 gauge besides the first punch will be the best before the KO punch edge is gone.

Click to expand...

So? Use it once and throw it away. I agree about the gauge, which is why I said I dunno about keggles. But just saying it won't go through 304 stainless is misinformation.

BrewBeemer said:

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There's a big difference pubching thru 20 to 18 gauge vs 14 gauge besides the first punch will be the best before the KO punch edge is gone.

You would be better off with a GreenLee carbide hole saw for SS, they will cut over 50 holes at 1" for a 1 3/8" hole for electrical conduit.
http://www.toolup.com/greenlee_645-...-cutter.aspx?gclid=CLr4tsHIrKcCFR9NgwodIzeJAA

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Very interesting, I will look into those carbide hole saws.

TheFlyingBeer said:

Very interesting, I will look into those carbide hole saws.

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The secret is to drill the pilot hole first without the cutter, remove the pilot and replace with a drill blank then add the cutter and cut. Heat is the killer keep the carbide cooled in a bath of soluble oil. Lenox, Bosch Hagen (my favorites), Greenlee (contractor supplied) http://www.drillspot.com/products/396845/Greenlee_635_Hole_Saw_Kit?s=1 also make carbide hole saws. You'll have sticker shock on the Greenlee's alone I bet.
I've cut hundreds of holes thru 1/8" to 1/4" thick 304 & 316 SS panels and equipment at water treatment plants using a Milwaukee Hole Hawg on low speed, 300 rpm's.

weirdboy said:

So? Use it once and throw it away. I agree about the gauge, which is why I said I dunno about keggles. But just saying it won't go through 304 stainless is misinformation.

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It will keep punching but each punched hole the cutter will become duller as you go kicking up a larger backside razor of a killer burr plus not cut evenly until the cutter overbites the cup then you bend and destroy the arbor.
BTW these KO punches are only rated to 10 gauge steel, on SS drop down to 12 gauge.
Even 14 gauge SS will max out a Quick Draw 90 ram, again a sticker shock item.
My contractor gave me a new set at end of the 3 year job due to the many hours I saved them drilling & tapping SS not destroying equipment or snapping off taps. OMG we had idiots on the job that can break a steel ball.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001HWGGQM/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

BrewBeemer said:

The secret is to drill the pilot hole first without the cutter, remove the pilot and replace with a drill blank then add the cutter and cut. Heat is the killer keep the carbide cooled in a bath of soluble oil.

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Have any recommendations on the cutting oil brand/type?

There are many ways to skin a cat. I have had good success with the step bit and oil.

I just wanted to give a KO a try and there are some floating around for fairly cheap.

My questions still remains. Can I use THIS KO punch for a keggle or no?

Anyone use KO punches from Greenlee for a keggle? I just wanted to try it to see how it goes compared to the step bit, which I know how to do.

Many thanks and cheers!

I was able to get great results for about 9 holes with a greenlee punch on my keggle. It was a 1/2" conduit size and provided a 7/8" hole that was superb. Honestly the punch was more than capable of doing it. It goes through like a hot knife through butter.

Scut_Monkey said:

I was able to get great results for about 9 holes with a greenlee punch on my keggle. It was a 1/2" conduit size and provided a 7/8" hole that was superb. Honestly the punch was more than capable of doing it. It goes through like a hot knife through butter.

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Damn, where where you last night when I ordered my carbide hole saw. Could have saved me a couple bucks Oh well, my saw is supposed to get here on Thursday, might be time to start modding my kegs.

TheFlyingBeer said:

Have any recommendations on the cutting oil brand/type?

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Any dark high sulfur base cutting oil, hell I even used 90wt gear oil it's very high in sulfur content, works but also stinks like hell.

TheFlyingBeer said:

Have any recommendations on the cutting oil brand/type?

Click to expand...

Any dark high sulfur base cutting oil, hell I even used 90wt gear oil it's very high in sulfur content, works but also stinks like hell.
Remember, high speed makes heat, heat is the cutting edges worse enemy.

BrewBeemer said:

Any dark high sulfur base cutting oil, hell I even used 90wt gear oil it's very high in sulfur content, works but also stinks like hell.
Remember, high speed makes heat, heat is the cutting edges worse enemy.

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Great thanks! Ok, last question, what do I do to clean up/remove the oil from the keg after drilling? Metal working is not my area of expertise obviously.

Dgonza9, I'm sorry if I have encroached on your thread, we appear to be fighting a similar battle.

TheFlyingBeer said:

Great thanks! Ok, last question, what do I do to clean up/remove the oil from the keg after drilling? Metal working is not my area of expertise obviously.

Dgonza9, I'm sorry if I have encroached on your thread, we appear to be fighting a similar battle.

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With my applications of drilling and cleaning SS in water treatment plants aka
"chitz plants" we used Clean Brake made by Wechem. Purchased by the case I happened to bring home a case that works great removing any oils then the wash. Free works for me being plus pasted muster with plant engineers.
First choice is always Berrymann B-12 carb cleaner but too flammable for job site safety. Spray and ignite what's the worry, works in potato guns.

I used one of those to install one of Bobby M's sight tubes. Works great. Wish I would have had the right size for my heater element. Those $19.95 step bits from HF are not worth a crap for drilling a keg.

Once again, thanks BrewBeemer! I had some time to work on my kegs today and it couldn't have been easier. I used 1-3/8" a Greenlee carbide holesaw and a decent amount of cutting oil. Went through the keg better than my normal hole saws go through 2x4's.

Here is the equipment:


And the result:


Required just a tiny amount of deburring, made a perfectly round hole.

What's the 1 3/8" hole for? Heating elements are 1.25"...

bruin_ale said:

What's the 1 3/8" hole for? Heating elements are 1.25"...

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I am brazing on a 1-1/2" triclamp ferrule to the side of the keg. It will be used to mount my triclamp heating element. The ID of a 1-1/2" triclamp fitting is roughly 1 3/8".

oh tri-clamp.. fancy

BTW, looks like that turned out nice. I used the HF step bits for all mine. They turned out just as good once I polished them up with the dremel. Takes way longer than a hole saw or a punch though. I started drilling the holes for my control panel with a step bit, after 1 hole I decided no way I was going to do 7 more holes like that - moved to a 7/8" hole saw. It's a little bigger than the 22mm hole I needed, but once the switches were screwed in it doesn't matter.

TheFlyingBeer said:

Once again, thanks BrewBeemer! I had some time to work on my kegs today and it couldn't have been easier. I used 1-3/8" a Greenlee carbide holesaw and a decent amount of cutting oil. Went through the keg better than my normal hole saws go through 2x4's.

Here is the equipment:

And the result:

Required just a tiny amount of deburring, made a perfectly round hole.

Click to expand...

The "Ouch Factor" aka inital cost of the carbide cutter many fear goes away rather quickly once your cutting stainless kegs with precision, ease with clean results.

bruin_ale said:

BTW, looks like that turned out nice. I used the HF step bits for all mine. They turned out just as good once I polished them up with the dremel. Takes way longer than a hole saw or a punch though. I started drilling the holes for my control panel with a step bit, after 1 hole I decided no way I was going to do 7 more holes like that - moved to a 7/8" hole saw. It's a little bigger than the 22mm hole I needed, but once the switches were screwed in it doesn't matter.

Click to expand...

Drilling holes in kegs was rough for me until I used the low speed setting on my drill. Then it really is quite quick.

Just an update. I used a Greenlee Punch and Die set from www.blackbookoftools.com to punch some holes in a keg. Worked great. Took about a minute per hole. Maybe won't last forever as the draw stud showed a bit of wear after two holes, but not much.

So to answer the question I asked at the beginning of this thread, a Greenlee punch will indeed do up a keg. Easily, in Fact.

I have to imagine that a punch and die is way easier than any drilling technique. Perfect hole, too.

Cheers!

I've cut hundreds of holes in various metals with a greenlee ko punch. Lube the draw stud with oil and it will last longer. They are FULLY adequate for knocking holes through a keggle (and you only need to drill a 3/8" hole to get 'em started). Line up the points of the cutter vertical to the keg so the points punch through first at the top and bottom and Bob's your uncle.

BSD