I am too nervous to do it

I am too nervous to poke/drill/punch a hole in my 10 gallon kettle. I just don't want to screw it up! What can I do?

Please discuss.

N_G

Are you experienced with a power drill?

I'm not the world's most handy person, and I found it to be quite easy. Took about 15 minutes on my keggle for my first hole, then about 5 minutes on my BIAB kettle for my second hole.

I drilled a starter hole with a small metal bit, then used a 7/8" step bit. Keep plenty of lube on the step bit (i used dish soap as lube), and stop after the 13/16" step. Sand down the final hole to get the burrs off and smooth it out. Hole done!

Here's the guide I followed. Watch a few youtube videos to get your more comfortable.

http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=7

I am very handy with making repairs/maintenance on 100 year old houses. I enjoy robotics and tinkering.

But thinking about putting a round hole in the kettle scares the willies out of me.

Don't drill it. But there's the third degree burns and thrown out back to consider.

It's not really that hard to do.

_

I have an aluminum kettle and that was a piece of cake. I just hit mine with a center punch so the bit wouldn't wander and drilled through.

Here's the question then, would you rather trust someone else to do it? Are you a "if you want something done right, do it your self kinda guy? It's kinda why I've never skydived. I know I don't know enough to do it myself AND I sure as hell don't trust anyone to do it right for me.

Sack up and drill the hole! If you screw it up it's not the end of the world...

Come on, Nancy, you can do it. </Dr. Cox>

^^ Hee hee, what these two dudes just said. Suck it up.

Here is step by step picture guide

Picture howto

BargainFittings said:

Here is step by step picture guide

Picture howto

Click to expand...

That is a great guide. I've been using a deburring tool to clean the holes, but the round stone is a good idea. I'll do that next time.

Its really easy, even is stainless. Just buy one of those step drills, punch a spot where you want to drill using a hammer and something hard, and drill away. You can't go wrong, if your using a 1/8-7/8 step drill just stop short of where you think you want to drill to make sure your not wallowing out the hole.

A note- if you are going to do this, and your pot has handles, make sure you are drilling the hole where you really want it. I drilled my drain hole offset about 45 degrees from in between the handles, and then put my temp guage directly in between the handles, so I could put the guage lower in the pot without crowding it.

It's not that hard. Measure twice, drill once. Start with a pilot hole. For stainless steel, slow RPMs plus steady pressure on the drill and lots of cutting oil. Have the kettle securely braced or someone else holding it so you can keep both hands on the drill (it may try to twist sideways when you break through). If the oil starts to smoke, stop drilling and let the bit cool. When you start getting close to the desired hole size, test fit after each step bit breakthrough, to make sure you don't drill too big.

Oh, and be sure to position the hole high enough that you can get any washers, nuts, etc. on the inside of the kettle onto the flat part, not on the curve at the bottom.

you're putting off beer by waiting.

Just think back to when you were 34 and lost your virginity. A hole is just a hole!!.....Bloody procrastinators!

Laughing_Gnome_Invisible said:

Just think back to when you were 34 and lost your virginity. A hole is just a hole!!.....Bloody procrastinators!

Click to expand...

Yeah but if you choose the wrong one then the bulkhead just flops around in there

bottlebomber said:

Yeah but if you choose the wrong one then the bulkhead just flops around in there

Click to expand...

I don't know man... When I get inside either hole, there's very little "flopping" going on with my bulkhead. ;-)

cimirie said:

I don't know man... When I get inside any hole, there's very little "flopping" going on with my bulkhead. ;-)

Click to expand...

That only proves that you are pleased with ANY hole! There are some holes out there that can cause a touch of the floppy bulkheads. Trust me.

Laughing_Gnome_Invisible said:

That only proves that you are pleased with ANY hole! There are some holes out there that can cause a touch of the floppy bulkheads. Trust me.

Click to expand...

If my wife ever leaves me, please remind me in my rebound state, never to frequent the same bars you do. You evidently run into... boil kettles that are prone to infections.

Lol! LGI has a rippin yeast infection right now I heard... I wonder what penicillin would do in a carboy?

Yeh, just do it tinkerbell! JK it should be a piece o cake with the good guides posted

Does it count as an infection if you dump the batch the next morning?

bottlebomber said:

A note- if you are going to do this, and your pot has handles, make sure you are drilling the hole where you really want it. I drilled my drain hole offset about 45 degrees from in between the handles, and then put my temp guage directly in between the handles, so I could put the guage lower in the pot without crowding it.

Click to expand...

This is a great piece of advice. Thanks!

I know I am being a 'Negative Nelly' about this and need to just sack up and do it. But the cost of a screw up means months of no beer at all while I can still work with the kettle as is.

The term center punch is unkown to me. What am I looking for in a center punch.

Also, I will take LGI's advice and stay away from big sloppy holes.

I'm bracing for the 'storm of the century' right now in NJ, so I've some time to pick up a bit of knowledge about holes of all sorts at the moment.

nutty_gnome said:

The term center punch is unkown to me. What am I looking for in a center punch.

Click to expand...

It is basically a hardened steel piece with a point at the end, so if you tap it against your pot with a hammer in the spot where you want to drill, it will make a lead-in for the drill, so the drill doesn't walk around on the curve of the pot.

nutty_gnome said:

Also, I will take LGI's advice and stay away from big sloppy holes.

I'm bracing for the 'storm of the century' right now in NJ, so I've some time to pick up a bit of knowledge about holes of all sorts at the moment.

Click to expand...

Sounds like its a real free for all over there at the moment

nutty_gnome said:

The term center punch is unkown to me. What am I looking for in a center punch.

Click to expand...

Look for a spring-loaded punch. Instead of hitting the punch with a hammer, you just push on it and the spring/trigger thing inside slams a dimple in your work. Def worth the extra dollars.

BTW, when referring to hurricane preparations, you don't "brace" for it. You hunker down

I'm bracing myself with a few brews. My dog is definetley hunkering. According to the Weather Channel (who thoughtfully sets their messages of doom to soothing jazz) there may be no tomorrow for anyone on the east coast. We shall see about that.

nutty_gnome said:

I'm bracing myself with a few brews.

Click to expand...

NOOOOO. You mean to tell me you would do this under the influence? Wait, you're worried about f-ing it up, and you aren't gonna be 100% sober doing it?

Revvy said:

It's kinda why I've never skydived....

Click to expand...

Skydiving is a flippin rush! I almost quit brewing beer to take up skydiving. There is nothing like doing a high altitude free fall at 140 mph. I just don't have the rime or resources to do it on a year round to remain certified. You don't need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

Revvy said:

NOOOOO. You mean to tell me you would do this under the influence? Wait, you're worried about f-ing it up, and you aren't gonna be 100% sober doing it?

Click to expand...

+1. Your not taking out a bullet, its just a hole. When you drill it, you will realize how easy it was.

Oh gosh no. I don't even own a step bit so there's no way I'm popping the cherry on my kettle. Instead, I am drinking to celebrate the storm!

nutty_gnome said:

Oh gosh no. I don't even own a step bit so there's no way I'm popping the cherry on my kettle. Instead, I am drinking to celebrate the storm!

Click to expand...

They're really hard to find. Almost no hardware stores carry them maybe when your more sober we can talk you into it.

passedpawn said:

BTW, when referring to hurricane preparations, you don't "brace" for it. You hunker down

Click to expand...

Spoken like a true Floridian!

By the way, where's this hurricane everyone is talking about? It's a beautiful day in the bay.

But in all seriousness hope everyone affected stays safe and just cut the damn hole already.

Hey nutty. If your worried about Fin the hole up, just get a dewalt metal hole saw. It's easy peasy japanesey. Took about 10 sec to get through.

mrk305 said:

...You don't need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

Click to expand...

You just made the memorable quotes thread with your wisdom.

Go the pilot hole route and you can get cheap uni-bits at Harbor Freight (I think I paid $10 for a set with 2 different sizes).

Can't you just use a nail instead of a starter bit?

Cosper123 said:

Can't you just use a nail instead of a starter bit?

Click to expand...

I supposed you could, but it really doesn't have the oompf of a center punch. Id use a phillips head screwdriver before I tried a nail

Still too nervous to do it.