Show me your tap handles!

I need to make new ones. Would love to get your input. I know the pics are strewn about this board but I'm lazy and I know you love to show them off anyway, so post 'em!... please...

Making my pumpkin handle tonight....got some more coming down the pipeline soon.

I always feel dirty when he posts those. :/

Antique barrel taps off of ebay... you can get 'em for about $3 a piece.... and then the smart screw/insert thingies that you can either get from NorthernBrewer for something like $2 each or any decent hardware store for about 60 cents... plus... chics dig 'em

Brazillian Walnut and a few pieces of an apple tree I cut down.

antique taps may be the best idea ever.

Cape Brewing said:

Antique barrel taps off of ebay... you can get 'em for about $3 a piece.... and then the smart screw/insert thingies that you can either get from NorthernBrewer for something like $2 each or any decent hardware store for about 60 cents... plus... chics dig 'em

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Awesome idea.... I just bought 3 on ebay for $12 shipped!
Thanks for sharing

Cheers

Shift knobs:

bronze figures, motorcycle throttle, Triumph connecting rod, PSI gauge, St Arnold tap.

j1laskey said:

Making my pumpkin handle tonight....got some more coming down the pipeline soon.

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hilarious, i totally used that hop graphic on the left for one of my signs too.

moved these all to a keezer, but you can see the handles anyway.

Argh, I hate these threads. I REALLY want to make my own handles, but I have so many projects backed up right now that have greater importance that it's just not possible.

Mischief_Brewing said:

Argh, I hate these threads. I REALLY want to make my own handles, but I have so many projects backed up right now that have greater importance that it's just not possible.

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Make you a deal. you only need to build me ONE keezer and I'll make you SIX tap handles.

Six for the price of one.

Can't beat that.

I have plans on using a Billiard ball for a tap handle. Not original??

I planned on afixing it to the tip of a cue stick and attaching the pair of them to the faucet so it looks like the ball is balancing on the cue stick.

I also wanted to do the connecting rod thing, but my rod is too big! (TWSS!)

I also have a Walmart electric guitar that my daughter outgrew and I am planning on cutting the headstock off and using it.

Just got to find the time to do all of this!

Good original (and non) ideas guys... anyone using a lathe yet?

Cape Brewing said:

Antique barrel taps off of ebay... you can get 'em for about $3 a piece.... and then the smart screw/insert thingies that you can either get from NorthernBrewer for something like $2 each or any decent hardware store for about 60 cents... plus... chics dig 'em

Click to expand...

That looks like a super classy setup!

bendavanza said:

Shift knobs:

bronze figures, motorcycle throttle, Triumph connecting rod, PSI gauge, St Arnold tap.

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I ride so the motorcycle taps look so sweeeet. :rockin:

bendavanza said:

bronze figures, motorcycle throttle, Triumph connecting rod, PSI gauge, St Arnold tap.

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What do you think is the heaviest handle you use? I am a huge gearhead and have been pondering something similar but all connecting rods. I have a line on some pull outs from redneck roundy round but each weigh in right at a pound. Thoughts? Sorry for the mild hi-jack..

Homercidal said:

I have plans on using a Billiard ball for a tap handle. Not original??

I planned on afixing it to the tip of a cue stick and attaching the pair of them to the faucet so it looks like the ball is balancing on the cue stick.

Click to expand...

Lost coast brewery has a tap like that:

My wife was mocking me and posted this pic on twitter..

Brewing Clamper said:

Good original (and non) ideas guys... anyone using a lathe yet?

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Not sure the faucet can support the weight of a lathe.

For the connecting rods, that one is from a Triumph 500. I think you could get good sized used rods at a jap bike shop that deals with older bikes. You want aluminum ones.
I don't like heavy tap handles, though, too easy to lose beer. I use all shift knobs now, but if I did not have a freezer lid to deal with it would not be as important.

I don't have pictures to post, but I've drilled out a hole in the bottom of a glass Guinness bottle to use for my stout faucet tap handle. A glass drill bit made quick work of it, then I epoxy'd a T-nut into the bottom of the bottle to thread onto the tap. I was extra careful when un-capping the bottle, and was able to reinstall the bottle cap after I was done. From a big Guinness fan, I love this ideal.

I like the bottle look too. Is it difficult to drill through without breaking the bottle?

It really wasn't. I purchased a couple of glass/tile bits from harbor freight for just a few dollars. I used a small amount of cutting oil when drilling the holes and just went slow with a hand held cordless drill. The hardest part was getting the T-nut to sit square on the bottom while the epoxy dried. I used a smaller nut on the inside of the bottle, with a piece of threaded rod through the T-nut, then a washer and second nut on the outside, to hold the assembly square while the epoxy dried. Worked perfect the first time, and it has held up really well. I used a slow cure epoxy so that it would be less brittle, and I've had no problems at all.

I bought classic vintage taps off ebay like miller genuine draft, and Old style and then I made new labels for them off my printer for my beers. I will take some pics and post them later.

Brewing Clamper said:

Good original (and non) ideas guys... anyone using a lathe yet?

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i made mine on my lathe.

Anything I can weld/solder/epoxy a 3/8"-16 adapter on works for me!

<---in my avatar. Dogfish Head Steampunk limited edition and DFH 2010 wooden tap handle with metal inlay.

My new Pumkin Handle

infection said:

Lost coast brewery has a tap like that:

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Ok, so I guess it's been done before, but I still might do it. And Mine will have the CUE ball on the stick, because I don't know any games where you hit the 8 ball with your cue...

And I thought about using action figures, but I don't want to ruin the value by taking them out of the box.

My brother is a high school shop teacher. So he made his tap handles from a jack plane.

I think it looks fantastic!
Great Job Bro!

2nd on "I bought classic vintage taps off ebay like miller genuine draft"
I bought a Strohs/Strohs lite handle and added over the top of it a hobgoblin label.

finally got a couple pics.





Miller geniune draft handle top, Blue Paddle Ale bottome with my own labels on them.

Here's mine:

Here is a link to my homemade handles. My favorite:



-Joe

what is that, a brown mallee burl or something? it's real purdy.

Thanks! It's bigleaf maple burl.

-Joe

Nice job Nostalgia! those look great!

had this lying around from my last car. threw it on there tonight for the hell of it. doubt it will stay on there. but for now....

This is my first time making tap handles. I was going for a garage theme here.

I used sockets to attach the ferrules to the tools. The tools are held in place using Quick Steel epoxy putty. The ferrule screw sticks out the bottom of the socket.

Posted this in another thread, but... The vintage coke bottle (circa 1950) is the tap handle I use for sodas; the Buff Bills (pictured) and JW Dundees (not pictured) are used for brew.