The bottom of my brew kegs look like they've survived a more than a drop or two. I've used em like this since putting them together, but it bugs me that they don't sit all that even. Any hints on straightening the chimes?
Straightening kegs?
- Thread starter TXCrash
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MotleyBrue
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I have tried using brute force like Hurst hydraulic spreaders and rams as well as juicehead gorrilla dead blow hammer swinging! It got better but not much. That keg contained over 150 lbs of liquid and was probably dropped off a 4-5 foot tall truck onto concrete.. Thats a lot of force and the shape of a keg does not seem to lend it self to really good straightening.. My solution was to source another keg. I'll make a sweet crab cooker out of the old one! JJ
ScubaSteve
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+1...you could probably use that one as a fermenter, where it won't really matter. Or maybe sell it to someone who doesn't care? OR, you could make a sweet little smoker out of it.
Two of the three kegs that I ALREADY USE (everything's weldless but they have holes and top cut off...) in brewing have beat up chimes. They're usable, but not awesome. I got them when I was just starting brewing and wasn't too picky. I may end up using kegs in better shape and repurposing the ones I'm currently using... for now, they're ok. I DO have 2 kegs (full of wine) that are in awesome shape... but I'd like to keep em available for bulk storage if I can...
I have used a 18" pipe wrench and hammer on the skirts to roll the dented section back to where the keg quits rocking, not easy but possible. On an extreme case I had to cut the rolled skirt to give it enough flexibility to get it straight again then re weld it. The wrench will leave marks in the keg skirt, but a bit of filing and grinding will take care of that.
