Advice on recently purchased unfinished keggles

[YeastGeneticist]

Hello community!
I recently purchased a few pressure tested corny kegs for a nice price, and received these two keggles as part of the package. Can anyone let me know whether these can made into functional keggles? I was told that the welded spouts may need to be repaired. Being that these spouts don't look like they were made to fit ball valves, volume sights or temperature gauges, I imagine this setup is for some type of 1 tier pump setup ( I am sure I'm wrong... )? One has three spouts and the other has four spouts. Any advice on what type of setup I could use these with?
Cheers!

 

[wilserbrewer]

Looks to me like someone merely welded pipe nipples into the keggles. I would think you can screw anything on that your heart desires and cap the unused ports.

Perhaps not the prettiest, but certainly usable.

A close up of the welded port would help, I'm guessing they are 1/2" pipe nipples, so a 1/2" valve should fit???

 

[YeastGeneticist]

That is great to hear! I will get some photos of the welded ports tomorrow afternoon. I do have a third keg from anheuser busch that has not modified in anyway. I am planning on turning these three into a 10 gallon setup. Any additional links or setups I should look at would be greatly appreciate! I am searching through stickies on the equipment/sanitation forums right now.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Looks like they took a crash axe to those tops when they removed them!

If you have another you wish to cut out, search the forums for "keggle cutting jigs", or something like that.


Or have a look at this one that I posted on another forum. My cutting setup is near the end of the post.

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=114559

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Looks like they took a crash axe to those tops when they removed them!

If you have another you wish to cut out, search the forums for "keggle cutting jigs", or something like that.


Or have a look at this one that I posted on another forum. My cutting setup is near the end of the post.

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=114559

 

[YeastGeneticist]

Haha, it definitely looks that way, and boy are they sharp! Learned the hard way...

I like your cutting setup. I imagine the die grinder works wonders, do you have any finished photos of the keg?

 

[Stealthcruiser]

I may have some of another finished one I did, but the post shows that one finished, ( without the cutout, I think), and a level sitting on it to show the "save" of the bottom skirt.

Lemme' check, and see if I can figure out a picture post.

Sometimes I get lucky, but most times not!





Edit: Here is one I cut, but I also took off the damaged top ring, and made some handles for it.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Here's the lid I made for it, from the cutout dome top.




And a side view.
I originally made it as a "Low Country Boil" pot, but I use it for brewin' as well.

 

[YeastGeneticist]

WOW, I love those handles and lid. Thank you for the photos. I may just have a friend with a grinder that would work for beer. I'll show him the design of your cutting jig. Any ideas on how to clean up the existing cuts on the crash axe'd kegs? I'll post some photos of the keggle conversion.

Where did you get the handles? On the lid, is that a welded cover over the dip tube port?

Very nice keggle! :rockin:

 

[Stealthcruiser]

I bent up the handles from 3/8 stainless round stock, used some junk car valve springs, ( non-stainless), slid over the bends.

I cut out a ring that would cover the gap betwixt cutout and keggle, and riveted it on, and then welded up the diptube port with a round piece of stainless sheet, ( inside and outside), so's it wouldn't collect junk!

The handles are riveted to the keggle, with the exception of the bottom one, as I had no room to get inside the ring to "upset" the rivets. It's bolted on.

If your friend is handy with a grinder, have him figure up a way to have the top ring of the keg, ( id it's still round!), be the guide for the grinder, and make the openings round, instead of Amoeba shaped.

If he has a 5 inch or so grinder, you will need to get the thin metal cutting discs to fit said grinder, DON'T try the cuts with a thick disc!

Then just clean up the cuts with a sanding disc.

I could do it for ya', for a phenomenal fee..............Just kiddin'!

And keep your Buddy out of the beer til' the cuttin' is over with!

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Found the pics of my cutting jig:







It's a piece of 2 inch round stock aluminum, with a "blind" hole tapped @ 1/4-28 threads.

The cradle for the grinder is just a piece of stainless bent on one end to cradle the die grinder, and a bend to set the angle to the keg dome, and a flat tab for the bolt hole.

If ya' make one, use a "blind" hole so that you can bottom out your bolt, and it won't try to tighten or loosen on ya' whilst turning the setup to make your cut.

Select bolt length accordingly, and shim with washers as needed to eliminate slop.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Found the pics of my cutting jig:







It's a piece of 2 inch round stock aluminum, with a "blind" hole tapped @ 1/4-28 threads.

The cradle for the grinder is just a piece of stainless bent on one end to cradle the die grinder, and a bend to set the angle to the keg dome, and a flat tab for the bolt hole.

If ya' make one, use a "blind" hole so that you can bottom out your bolt, and it won't try to tighten or loosen on ya' whilst turning the setup to make your cut.

Select bolt length accordingly, and shim with washers as needed to eliminate slop.