Home Made Countertop Tap

I was looking online at taps (Draft Towers) for when I install a draft system in my new apartment, but $200+ for plastic to $300+ for stainless steel seems ridiculous.

I was wondering if anyone has managed to make their own attractive counter top tap for a keg system, preferably soda based. And what materials are suggested, and which ones are No-Nos?

One of the reasons I want to do this is so I can use my 3D printer to print off a handle!

Actually PM me if you would be interested in having me design and/or print off a draft handle for you!

The most important part will be the lines and the shank and taps being stainless steel, cause they all touch the liquid. Beyond that, I think the sky is the limit. I probably wouldn't recommend paper mache or cardboard though, unless you shellac it so its waterproofed, or don't mind replacing it often. (I used a quaker oats container that I weighted down without a problem for about a week to use as to find test locations.)

If people don't bump into it, or lean on it, or too much stress from either the lines or pulling the handle, I don't see a problem. Hazardous materials are not recommended because of skin contact.

Suggestions on all of the hardware, especially taps?

Do you guys use the mixing inserts, or have long lines, or both?

Also, what are pressure suggestions for kegging?

Stainless steel or plastic shanks and taps, that's the important part there, the acidity of soda and even possibly carbonated water can eventually cause some problems with the chrome plating and the brass afterwards. The rest (beverage lines really) I guess depends on what you're serving. Something about some some flavors migrating through lines. I just keg soda water and not strongly flavored sodas (like root beer), so I use standard "beer"line. I just use long lines at the moment.

I'm not going to say anything about pressure settings because I charge mine up to 30-40 psi, take it off the gas and serve because I haven't finished the keezer and gas line. I just hit it with more co2 every so often to keep it at pressure.

You know... if you wanted to (and deal with costs of course) couldn't you 3d print your own tower design? Or at least the decorations based on how you want it. Heck, use a piece of insulated pvc pipe if you wanted and print off a surrounding structure.

I'm going to print just about everything, there's just not much info shanks and taps, especially ones that don't contain brass.

Suggestions there? Building the tower is easy, I just need help finding appropriate hardware to do the lines safely.

And I can't print the shanks or taps because none of the plastics used by 3D printers now are food safe, at all. Lots of people do it, and it's fine, but in a long term acidic exposure, I'm not going to risk it.

Perlick stainless steel perhaps that's what I use and it's been suggested before, that's about it. And when I mean plastic taps, I mean some foodgrade premade taps, like picnic taps. I'd probably wait until there's more resources and structural testing and material testing before I'd do anything 3d print with food. (Unless the food is the thing being 3d printed... hmm, I may have to look into that someday for sugar.)