Ultimate DIY: simply add a corny lid to your sanke keg fermenter!

[runningweird]

cool. I just got a pony keg that I didn't know what to do with, looks like I do now. think I could do this with an angle grinder?

 

[mbobhat]

I went to harbor freight and bought that pneumatic cut off tool with some 3" cut off blades (about $15 for both) I only used one blade. I think 3" blades are as big as I would use. It was easy, but the post gets in the way a bit.

This 15.5 keg was a trial run. I have six 1/4 slim kegs I'm going to of this to now also.

I would second using a small grinder blade. I went with a 4 inch cutting wheel and ended up with a small nick in mine that lets a tiny amount of gas through. It is difficult to cut the angles if you have something larger. Also a dremel to clean up is nice

Awesome looking job!!!

 

[Paps]

Wonderfull idea. New 15 gal cornys are insanely expensive and this is a great alternative if it works out allright.

 

[acidrain]

I will be pleasantly surprised if it actually holds pressure.
How will you pressurize/transfer to/from the keg? Are you planning on adding gas/liquid in/out posts with dip tube?

 

[NickTheGreat]

Genius!

 

[ruger988]

Haha, so I posted a "plasma cutter" wanted ad on Craig's list. After weeks of only one reply (with a crazy bid. He wanted way too much $), I finally went this route. I'm happy with the results and all, and It was easy enough for one keg; however, I have 6 more I want to do. I wasn't looking forward to doing that many... I figured I'd just do them slow over the corse of my lifetime.

Today (the day after doing this with the cutting tool) I get a response from my ad. I just got off the phone with the guy. He's willing to not only plasma cut all 6 of the other holes, but he is also willing to weld the corny posts to all 6 for me as well... How much you ask? $50! For all of them. That's less than $10/keg.

Needless to say, I'm taking him up on that offer and having him build my brew stand.

Doubt you're close, but out of curiosity where do you live? If its reasonably close and he does a good job I might wanna have him do some stuff for me, thats CHEAP!!

 

[ruger988]

I know, it's insane cheap... He said, "I'm not doing anything, and I'm in a good mood... I'll do it all for $50 and a 6pack. Just send me more business" Done... I said.

I'm in Portland LR. He's in Vancouver WA.

You couldn't be further away from VA if you tried, lol. Oh well, maybe I'll get lucky and find someone like that one day! Thanks forthe idea BTW.

 

[Spellman]

Before anything bad happens to your other kegs, do a little back research on the proper way to to plasma cut the kegs, you don't want any slag ending up on the inside. Also do the same for welding stainless, not everyone is setup for properly welding it. If it were me, I would use a drill and put a couple of these on using some silver soldering techniques: http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=376_1_3_260&products_id=3276

I have been looking to do this on a few fermenters as well, but have also not seen too many good tutorials on this. My kegs have the rippled top around the port which I haven't figured out how to deal with yet. Thank you so much for this post, and keep us updated on your project!

 

[Spellman]

On another note, a soak in pbw and a razor blade will make quick easy work of the stickers and adhesive.

 

[MrFoodScientist]

I had thought of doing this, but one thing that I would like to do someday is to have a jig machined that could crimp the edges of the hole just like the cornies have so you better your surface contact with the o-ring. Though one advantage that I think you have right now is that the surface that you're sealing against is lower with it not being crimped, so you probably get more pressure on the seal as the bail is pressed down, similar to slipping pennies under the feet of the lid bail, so maybe the crimp is irrelevant.

Like I said, I had thought of doing this, but I haven't actively searched for sanke keg sources and none have fallen into my lap yet, plus the cost of machining a crimping jig and my rudimentary knowledge of metalworking have all thus far dissuaded me from doing this. Kudos to you for trying it out and posting about your successes thus far. You have made the internet a better place!

 

[Paps]

Like I said, I had thought of doing this, but I haven't actively searched for sanke keg sources and none have fallen into my lap yet, !

Here's something for your lap.

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/kegs/Kegco-HS-K155G-DTHRDI-threaded-valve.html

 

[day_trippr]

Woof! At around $160 with the shipping, I'd be more worried about my bank account than my lap

Cheers!

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Follow "Spellman's" advice on the plasma cutting of kegs.

On the matter of the "crimp" around the opening, at the pressure you will be fermenting at, ( pretty low, yes?), the seal should work O K without it.
If the pressure gets too high, it will probably just push the seal out of the gap.

If you wanted to crimp it, you could get a couple of pieces of 1/2 inch plate, water jet cut to the shape that you wanted, at the same time have two 5/16 or so "pilot holes" cut in the plate, that would line up in both plates.

Open those holes up to a "clearance" 1/2 diameter, and then you would use 1/2 inch bolts and nuts as your "forcing" screw, and clamp the keg between the 2 pieces of 1/2 plate.

Better yet, on the "inner" plate, drill and tap the pilot holes to your final size and thread pitch of your bolts, then no nuts would be needed.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Concur, Brother.......That's why I said "If you wanted to crimp it....."

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Standing By !

 

[Helly]

Same here. You've got my attention.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Fishn-tin-sean]

Pure ingenuity! Thanks for the idea.

 

[MrFoodScientist]

Very impressed with the weldless install of the posts! I'm now even closer to doing this.

 

[ruger988]

Decided I'm gonna do this myself, get two lids... one like yours and one with a blowoff tube/airlock so I can use it as a fermenter for big batches. What did you get for a dip tube? or did I miss where you already said?

 

[acidrain]

Are you selling one on craigslist? I saw one that was your exact system.

 

[Paps]

So how exactly do you get the lid on while the diptube is attached?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

This looks awesome. Time to break out the plasma and tig welder this winter and take em for a spin! Thanks for sharing.