I'm tired of looking on E-bay. Kegs get up to $35 with $25 and up for shipping = $60 for a non-modified keg. Never have time to get to the 'junk yard' to see if they have any in. No good contacts in the distributor around the corner and the guy behind the counter said he has to return all his damaged kegs for possible refurb. I've just had it with searching for a keg. Drove an hour and a half to my 'local' home brew store cause he said he had one in stock at the moment. What a DOG that one was... botch weld jobs is an understatement. A large hole had been patched and had no interior welds leaving lots of impossible to clean crevices (spelling?). Well, that trip alone cost me about $25 in gas ! The 'welder' I spoke to scares me etc... etc...
The base keg on Sabco is $60 + $20 shipping and the top is already cut out. Throw another $40 on that and you now have a keg with the top cut out and two stainless nipples with professional weld jobs (up to $120 now). Now add in a false bottom, stainless steel valve and thermometer and you are up there... The HB-Pro is almost what I want but I will leave off the siphon tube which mounts on the inside. This thing is 100 bucks! I will make that myself (already got the materials for about 20 bucks and access to a bender). I will use a stainless steel compression fitting and 1/2" stainless tubing. It will turn out more like what they refer to as the drain tube. All this will run me about $225 and when compared to large s.s. boil pots, this is actually a 'not so bad' deal!
O.K. done with the ranting and raving... now the question ... should I go with a s.s. valve or the brass valve? Any words of wisdom out there for this option? And if so, what is the justification for / against one type or the other?
Any other opinions on these Sabco products? They are a bit high but I'm starting to believe that unless you just have some good contacts, this is worth the money if you can deal with the hit to the wallet. My impatience is gonna cost me... I have plenty (patience that is) for the beer and aging it, but not for this!
The base keg on Sabco is $60 + $20 shipping and the top is already cut out. Throw another $40 on that and you now have a keg with the top cut out and two stainless nipples with professional weld jobs (up to $120 now). Now add in a false bottom, stainless steel valve and thermometer and you are up there... The HB-Pro is almost what I want but I will leave off the siphon tube which mounts on the inside. This thing is 100 bucks! I will make that myself (already got the materials for about 20 bucks and access to a bender). I will use a stainless steel compression fitting and 1/2" stainless tubing. It will turn out more like what they refer to as the drain tube. All this will run me about $225 and when compared to large s.s. boil pots, this is actually a 'not so bad' deal!
O.K. done with the ranting and raving... now the question ... should I go with a s.s. valve or the brass valve? Any words of wisdom out there for this option? And if so, what is the justification for / against one type or the other?
Any other opinions on these Sabco products? They are a bit high but I'm starting to believe that unless you just have some good contacts, this is worth the money if you can deal with the hit to the wallet. My impatience is gonna cost me... I have plenty (patience that is) for the beer and aging it, but not for this!