Welding 304 stainless to a Sanke (sorry but another cheep conical idea)

Suppose I legally obtain a Sanke keg. Would it be possible to weld a 304 stainless steel funnel, such as the one listed at mcmaster.com, in order to make a semi-conical fermenter.

The funnel:

4359T6
Corrosion-Resistant Type 304 SS Funnel 64 oz Capacity, 8-3/8" Top OD, 9-1/2" O'all Height. (~$50--- anybody knows where it’s cheaper let me know)

Assume that I have a skilled welder. This is not so much a question about sanitary welds. If sanitation absolutely rules out this idea; however, I do want to know.

Could the funnel be welded in some configuration to the bottom of the Sanke keg in order to create a sub $200 ~15 gallon conical fermentor? (assume the top of the sanke is not an issue and the bottom have a hole just big enough in order to fit the funnel and weld) [note that I want to avoid purchasing a conical hopper, I intend to use a keg]

I’ve taken a few Fluid mechanics classes, I could figure out pressures if I need to. I am ignorant about the welding; I hope to learn some day... Would the welds hold under 10 gallons of fermenting beer?

Thanks,

David

Might work, though you'd probably want to use a bigger funnel so it is roughly the same diameter as the keg, so you don't have a "ledge" all around that sediment will sit on. By the time you buy a funnel that big you may be inching close to the price of just buying a SS hopper and building the conical out of that alone.

you have a good point, but this funnel holds 64 oz, and while there is a "ledge" I figure I can pivot the assembly or tap the sides periodically. I would hope that this would be enough to cause the heavier sediment to fall into the funnel.

Note the OD of ~9", a snake is ~15" leaving a ~3" edge; I assume that this edge is slightly slanted to some extent.

Also a conical hopper of 14.7 Gallon is $230 + shipping all the way from OH to me in GA. I believe I can do the project for $50 funnel, scrap sanke keg, a $25 dump valve and a modified stainless racking cane assembly for sampling.

My goal was to be cheap and to cut corners. Any other ideas?

Thanks,

David

Just anouther comment, I am doing this because I want a fermenter that I can open up and spray down with a pressure washer, and avoid using a secondary.

If the welds are messy, could I not hit them with a cheap torch once in a while when I clean. Can nasties take a few seconds of intense flame?

I'm afraid it would just not work as well as you think. Plenty of sediment will settle on that ledge. Have you ever used a better bottle? The very slight ledges created by the bumped out rings are enough to hold sediment and those ledges are on a steep angle.

You can still cut the top out of a sanke and create a lid for it. You can still ferment in it and skip secondary as long as you don't plan on leaving the beer in there for more than 6 weeks.