best (smartest) way to remove the top of a keg

[GeorgeH2013]

Hello all, first post. Bare with me.
A friend of mine gave me 2 kegs to use for my home brewing set up. They both feel about 1/2 full of beer, and I assume there is still pressure inside them. I want to remove the tops of both of them to use as a mash tun and a boiler. What is the best (smartest) way to go about this? I have no experience in working with metal, stainless steel. I have a local metal shop I could use to cut out the tops, but I don't want to give him the kegs while they are still pressurized and full of beer.

Advice??

Thanks for the help. Been trolling around the forums for a while now. You guys know your stuff. I hope I have something valuable to contribute in the near future!

Cheers

-George

 

[LandoLincoln]

Turn kegs on their sides and release the pressure. Unless you want foam to shoot all over you, then release the pressure while they're upright.

 

[LandoLincoln]

Once depressurized, you can remove the spears and then you can dump out the beer.

Do a youtube search for "sanke keg disassembly" and it will give you some ideas on how to do this.

 

[GeorgeH2013]

Thanks LandoLincoln. I watched a youtube video and it looks too easy to do. Really going to be that easy?

 

[twistr25]

Usually the correct tools make all the difference. If you have those, you should be good to go.

 

[GeorgeH2013]

The guy in the video did it with a flat head screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Looked way too easy. I see myself covered in beer, and probably dropping the keg on my toes.

 

[kh54s10]

You also want to make sure those kegs are de-commissioned. Kegs that were not returned to the brewery are still their property.

If you try to cut out the tops yourself there are threads where people made jigs to hold an angle grinder to spin in a circle.

 

[sa1126]

You will most likely need a special tool to remove the dip tube clip. I took one of the screw drivers from harbor freight that was free and ground it down with my bench grinder until it would fit in.

Make sure you have relieved all the pressure from the inside with keg on its side. I learned that the hard way.

 

[GeorgeH2013]

Thanks for the help guys. I think I'll give it a go tonight.

 

[fermentednonsense]

I attached a 2" pvc cap to an L shaped would fixture. Put the pvc cap in the whole and attached angle grinder. It kind of worked like a compass, and gives you a fairly good circular cut.

 

[GeorgeH2013]

got it apart, no problem, via this video. no problem. thanks again for the help everyone!! off to the metal shop soon for them to cut the holes out!!!

 

[GeorgeH2013]

that's a good idea, Risendead. I'll suggest something like that to my metal guy. I'm short on tools these days, or I'd give something a go myself. Fun stuff.

 

[fermentednonsense]

Thanks. Pardon all the mistakes in my last post. I was using an ipad, and not paying attention.