Keggle conversion

I acquired 3 kegs today and have managed to open one with a bit of difficulty. It was an interesting experience having 4 year old harp lager blasted into my face at high pressure. It did not taste too great I can tell you. Next step is giving it a good clean and polish :-D

making a ekeggle?

I lucked into a dozen of kegs myself recently and am doing the same thing. The first three or four were fun, but now it's just manual labor.

I use a keg tap to depressurize before I cut, and I've made a jig for my grinder to try to make a nice clean circle.

It helped me to know that you don't need the Greenlee Knock-out punch sets that some people use. My cheapo harbor freight step bit has been making nice clean holes for me at a fraction of the cost.

I hope to make an eKeggle for BIAB in the first instance. Guinness kegs are tough to open but a hammer and chisel with lots of cursing seems to work. Polishing it up before I get it cut open. I need an angle grinder but I may speak nicely to a guy nearby who may have a plasma cutter. Need a step drill bit too. The wish list keeps getting longer in this game

Anyone know the best (cheapest) way to cut holes in a keg to fit kettle elements. How do you work out hole size needed???

wheatenbread said:

It was an interesting experience having 4 year old harp lager blasted into my face at high pressure. It did not taste too great I can tell you. Next step is giving it a good clean and polish :-D

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If you absolutely have to do it pressurized, drill a 1/16"-1/8" hole with a cordless drill. Then get out the angle grinder.

They are depressurised. Stale beer smell reminds me of being a student and working in a bar. Cleaning out the slop trays at night smells just like that.

wheatenbread said:

Anyone know the best (cheapest) way to cut holes in a keg to fit kettle elements. How do you work out hole size needed???

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Check out bargainfittings or brewhardware.com. Both have instructions (I believe) and step bits necessary for the holes.

A large step-bit and keep the cutting oil on it. The hole needs to be 1.25" for a 1" diameter element, but check BargainFittings site under the element nut/o-ring section there. I have 4 of his kits and none leak a drop, hand-tightened.

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately being in Ireland makes those too companies a bust but the advice on the website is great. Very easy to follow. Getting a step drill bit today and hope to have the keggle built on Saturday.

I am curious as to how people manage to get sprayed with stale beer? I have cut the tops off of 4 kegs while pressurized with no problems. Doesnt the beer have to come up the stem to shoot out? Every time I have cut one I just pause once the grinder gets through the first part and let the co2 leak out.

If you use a screwdriver to depressurise before cutting the beer comes up the pipe with force. I was advised not to cut before letting the CO2 out. Stale beer ain't that bad anyhow

Angle grinding done. Wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Just a bit of filing to do and waiting on my ball valve and step drill bit coming.

Ball valve inserted and water tight. Next stop drilling for the kettle elements.