Cut a hole in top of keg, or cut top off?

I was wondering if there is any advantage to cutting the hole in top of the keg as opposed to cutting the whole top off from the side? You would have to locate a bigger lid, and the cutting would take a little longer, but those don't seem to be big enough issues to me? Does it possibly have to do with rigidity of of the vessel side walls?

I have a keg I am about to convert, so that is why I am asking.

Thanks,

Mike

 

You'll also lose the built-in handles if you do that. IMO, it's worth keeping the handles. If you cut just inside the edge, from the top, then you'll retain the handles, and still have a lip for a lid to rest on. You'll also still be able to [easily] stack the kegs for storage.

 

I just started converting the first of three kegs this weekend and I went the route of cutting the hole in the top. I never really thought about just cutting off the top. I like just cutting the hole as it preserves the handles, as well as gives you some real estate for mounting things that don't have to go inside the keggle (top bolt for a sight glass, for example.)

 

You can cut the top off AND keep the handles by simply cutting around the handles...

This is the style I'm contemplating going to in order to save weight and make cleaning slightly easier.

The only real drawback that I can think of is a small amount of weakening.

 

possibly more boil off with a larger hole??

 

IMO, the weight reduction won't offset the weakened structural integrity of the keg. I am planning on converting a keg into a boil kettle in the next few weeks (once it arrives and I gather all the hardware). I plan on cutting a hole in the top, not cutting from the side.

The way I see it, with a little practice, and decent equipment, you should be able to cut very close to the edge of the top, and still retain the handles and shroud. That pretty much negates any difference for cleaning (over cutting mostly from the sides, then in to keep the handles). Plus, it will be less work. You'll need to grind down the exposed edges around the handles so that you don't get sliced when you're using/cleaning the keggle. Only having a ~1/2" lip all the way around means the boil-off difference should be minimal.

The way I see it, there's a good reason why people cut the hole around the opening, and not cut from the sides. Just a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"...

 

that has more to do with the surface area of the fluid than the opening of the container, but its possible.

i much prefer the "hole cut in the top" to any other configuration. its really nice to keep the top skirt if you ever need to carry or stack your kegs. i think the "cut off everything but the handles" just looks dumb.

 

I cut a hole in the keg, and I'm very happy with the results. The nice thing about going the hole route is that it's easy to find pot lids to cover it once it's done.

And I'll give a big +1 to having the handles... Since I'm still working on my brewstand I have to put my keggle w/wort onto the burner, having those handles makes it SO much safer.

 

Pictures worth 1000 words and such...

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-lighten-your-sanke-keggle-214694/

 

Cut a hole in the bottom and put a 2" triclover clamp on the spear post. Bingo you have a welded in bottom drain.

The clamp is about $7, then you need a reducer to npt which is also only a couple bucks. I'm pretty sure brewers hardware sells everything you need.

If you do cut the top then just cut a hole. It works fine and looks better that way.

 

that is the single only keg that ive seen the top skirt trimmed off of that doesnt look terrible. dare i even say "good"! ive seen a hundred pictures of ****ty plasma cuts done freehand that i would throw in the trash if they were mine. that one isnt bad though.

 

The irony is, even in that photo he cut a hole *in the top.* He didn't cut the whole top off at the sides, he just cut off the skirt but saved the part of the skirt with the handles.

It looks ok but why bother? The keg itself isn't very heavy at all and you wouldn't save much weight by removing most of the top skirt anyway. It looks ok that way but I wouldn't say it looks better. I wouldn't trust the handles as much either, they would probably bend if you dropped the keg on them.

Looks like more work for no real advantage if you ask me. And, again, he didn't cut the top off, he cut a hole in the top and then removed most of the skirt.

edit: and looking at my previous post, perhaps it was not clear. I am advising that you turn the keg over and use the sanke port as a bottom drain, then cut a hole in what *was* the bottom and use that as the top. No expensive diptubes that way either.

 

Plus no dead space, no liquid left behind.

I'm planning on doing this very thing, but that really doesn't mean the OP's question doesn't apply. You could either cut the (old bottom, new top) skirt off or cut the (old bottom, new top) of the whole keg off making a keg into a straight sided pot. I've thought about this very thing, then welding a 1/4 round bar at the top to finish it off, add strength, and give a nice finish. One big drawback, I can't seem to find 16" lids to fit. There are 14" lids easily found, but the larger the lid, the more expensive it becomes. It might be possible to use the cut off "top" and make it a lid.

 

You're right, my suggestion does not preclude cutting the 'top' off. Still, what would be the advantage to doing that, especially if you think you would have to weld a reinforcing bar back on?

 

I don't think you'd NEED to weld some round stock back on. I was thinking for a nice finish mostly. I also know someone with a bead roller and I could probably roll a lip at the top. Some advantages might include: a full false bottom that is not hinged, nice large opening, no skirt lip to collect crap/unencumbered opening, a little shorter for us vertically challenged folks, and mostly because it's just something different.

Since I'm pretty short, plus plan on using a bottom drain, if I put the valve right at the spear hole with a tri-clamp and adapter, I will have to really get down there and reach in to connect my hose. I could remedy that by adding an elbow and bringing the valve out front of the stand, but I kinda wanted to limit connections.

I'm not sure that I'm going to do this, it's just something I've thought about.

 

I've done a few kegs and most (all but one) have a hole cut out. The one I didn't do that too had a rubber top and bottom. Bottom rubber portion of the keg came off and looks like an egg. I tried cutting a hole thru the rubber top oprtion like the others, but the top portion of the rubber came off. Handles and all. Not it really looked like an egg. So I really couldnt think of anthing to do to this thing so I decided to try making a tippy dump. Cut the whole top off where the top rubber skirt would have been. Also found out that the bottom rubber protion fits right on the top part like a nice thick lid. Not sure if the rubber would react with the temps of a mash.
Now I just have to weld some posts on the side of the keg and make a cradle on my stand.

 

Thanks for all the info folks, seems like the concensus is hole in top. one of the reasons i was thinking about cutting on the side was overall height. Where i plan on setting this up,head room above the keg will be limited. So I'm not yet abandoning the side cut, but I think the safest way is the the top cut.

Thanks again for all the input.

Mike