Keggle Cutting Video

Since Yuri contributed showing how to cut with a plasma, I followed up with a video using an angle grinder figuring that's what more people have access to.

That's awesome. Loved the way you started out your description of what you were doing.

The jig/contraption was a neat idea, although I'd NEVER go through that much trouble to cut a hole in a keg myself.

Well done. Your videos are always great.

Cheers!

I wouldn't have made the jig either if I were only cutting one keg but it made sense for three. The cuts ended up way cleaner than the first one I cut freehand. You can get a nice circular hole freehand, but you have to sacrifice the "lid" by cutting small and grinding out. I plan to have a few tabs of stainless welded to the cutouts to turn them in to lids that will sit back in the keg hole. You can only do this when the cut is perfect.

Great video and awesome jig idea... I was thinking of something along those lines as well. Ever have any problems with the hole-saw pivot near the end of the cut? I would think the part being cutout would get weak and would have an effect on the pivot. Maybe you left a little bit uncut as you had to use a mallet at the end?

Right. I should have explained it a little better. I score about half way through all the way around, then as I begin the through-cuts, I go about a third of the way around, skip a 1" section, then repeat. You end up with three weak supports holding the lid (and your pivot point) in tact. A quick shot with a hammer breaks it or you can manually grind the tabs out.

Nice job, Bobby!

I like the jig - and I would've made one even if I were only cutting one keg. The jig probably plays a big part in the speed with which you cut those tops by providing very even pressure and allowing you to cut a continuous circular groove with little repositioning of the tool or keg.

Makes good sense, time to start the "I Need a Brewery Foundation" fundraising.

Bobby, nice Production. You may have missed mentioning adding water to the kegs as insulation/deadener, but I loved the audio background.

You definitely put a lot into that. In contrast, I threw a 5 gallon bucket up side down over the down tube snout, traced with a Sharpie, and used a pneumatic cut-off tool (die-grinder-like with FAST speed) and 1/16" wide disk to cut my two (Lazy-ass SIL keeps 'forgetting to bring one he has'). Maybe 5 mins each.

And the cause for our obsession is the same! (SIL, again-Christmas present)

Uh, oh. Someone needs to make a video using a pneumatic grinder now... Biermuncher, you can spare us the version using a sawzall ;-) All in good fun.

I actually went to a local plumbing supply and they special ordered me some 304 stainless couplings. Only $2.08 each. Woah. I thought that guy on Ebay was cheap at 1.99 but the shipping blew that value.

Bobby_M said:

Uh, oh. Someone needs to make a video using a pneumatic grinder now...

Click to expand...

If anyone's REALLY interested, I'll do a short demo video of cutting some stainless sheet with a pneumatic cutoff tool. Sorry...I don't have another keg on hand to convert.

No, but can you move to my neighborhood and bring your TIG rig with you?

huh... the spring ring is way easier to take out than I thought. I'd been trying to spin it around to the tabs got all three done in quick fashion after watching the video, thanks! Just some tabs to add and my lids are done.

Great job Bobby! That video will help loads of folks.

Bobby I'd just like to say you do the best one handed vids I've seen.
You need a brew buddy.

I have access to a few camera holders but I do these projects on a whim and grab the camera as a second thought.

Where were you when I had to bring my keg to a welder to get an even cut.

If I had seen this first I would have saved myself a few clams.

Nice vid, Thanks.

Nice vid...will definitely come in hand when cutting my kegs. Thanks, Kelly

I'm glad people are getting some use out of this stuff. The encouragement certainly keeps me wanting to make more. All grain batch sparge video next if I could just kick a keg to make room for it.

Just did this with a newly acquired $10 angle grinder. My brother fashioned a jig similar to the one in your video, and we too used a hole saw.

I wish I would of paid closer attention to the video before I attempted to cut it. We used a large 1/4" grinding wheel which ended up taking 30 minutes or so. It was obvious we should a disc like you had in the video.

I assume the wheel you used was something like this http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=22423-70-DW4419&lpage=none ?

Our mistake was using one like this http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=22473-70-DW4514&lpage=none .

I wonder if other people that say they have taken 30+ minutes to cut the kegs used the grindger wheel like we did. Hopefully others will not make the same mistake.

Can you chime in Bobby to verifty that the cutting wheel is what you used in the video?

Thanks again for the video, it helped a great deal (even if we used the the wrong wheel )!

Actually, you want an even thinner one.. You want a 1/8" thick cutoff wheel to take out the least amount of metal. You're right. Grinding wheels are not made to cut well on its edge.

I made mine this week as well (with the thin blade, then grinding to round it out because I didn't build a jig, then a flapper wheel to sand it down). it is nice and smooth now, at least smooth enough to not cut me. the video was a huge help in how to cut it, thanks for making it!

Cutting tops off of the kegs is really f**kin loud!