5gal biab, in 2/3 cut coors keggle

[browntown52]

I'm eventually going to go electric and I'm saving my nice bud keggle for that. Unfortunately the bud keggle is too wide in diameter to fit inside the ring of my propane burner. I got an old coors keg (potbelly), that fits the burner perfectly though. Downside to the coors keg, is if I cut the top hole with the angle grinder, the hole would be smaller do the loss of the grinder guard up against the smaller diameter skirt. So since I got said coors keg cheap, I think I'll just cut the top off all together to allow a nice wide opening with no lip to catch the bag.

I've read a few stories of how a 15.5g keg is a bit much for non-heavy 5gal biab batches. Figure about 15# of grain at the high end, and a couple gallons lost to boil and trub, I figure I only really need about a 10g vessel.

So here's the idea: cut the coors keg at the top of the bulge.

Ideas? Thoughts? Waste of a good keg? Crazy talk - good luck finding a lid that big, etc?

I'd like to hear it all. Thanks in advance. I'm thinking about cutting at the black line. I don't know, but I theorize that is about the 10g level.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I would suggest cutting higher at the next rib of the keg, almost at the top. I think that would make a fine BIAB keggle.

Much better than most AB straight sided kegs that lots use with a small 12" opening.

The bag should be sized large enough to fill out the inside of the bulged keg.

With top completely off, bag removal should not be a problem.

Move your cut up 5 inches or so to remove the chine...perfect BIAB pot IMO.



Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[wilserbrewer]

Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[browntown52]

Just spitballing, but if i cut all the way up there, there's little difference in volume from the traditional top circle cut.

Pro:
- No lip
- wider access to put bag in/out
- less bag material needed to fold over top rim since you don't need bag over the skirt
- more room to contain possible boilovers
- if I hate how big it is, I can still cut it down further at a later date

Con:
- loose handles
- might still be too big a vessel for baby 5g biab


The good news about the coors keg is the top has a much more shallow dome than the AB kegs. I might just try to get an air body saw

as close to the side as possible and then try to flap wheel down to a no lip keggle. Then when that goes horribly awry, I'll just cut the whole skirt off.

 

[RM-MN]

I've seen a picture where someone cut off the top but made the cut go up and around the handle area so you don't lose the handles but still have better access without the narrow top. You'd be cutting at the top ring like Wilserbrewer showed in post #3 but up and around the handles.

 

[browntown52]

So I tried the pneumatic body saw, and it is a terrible idea. Got around 1/4 of the circle, and broke or burned up three quality bi-metal bahco blades. So then I went the standard route of the 4.5" angle grinder (Metabo, fantastic grinders) that I've done on AB kegs. My jig on the AB kegs only gets me to about a 11.25" hole so I was worried that the coors keg would make an even smaller hole. Well I ditched the jig and went free hand with the grinder guard up against the lip. Got about a 11 3/4 - 11 7/8" hole. Took some work to get around the body saw cuts, but I managed. Took more work with the flap wheel, but I got a good hole.

Then I tried to open up the hole with a carbide burr and a pneumatic die grinder. Another bad idea. Creates a wavy hole and take much more effort to deburr nicely. Thankfully I quit that idea before I ruined anything. Since I got a decent size hole, I'm going to order a bag and give it a try - as is. If, it turns out all the extra height and the lip is an impediment to the biab idea, I can always just cut off the entire top like wilser suggested.

Oh, and just a tip, go to your welding shop and get a cut off disc that is meant for stainless. I see so many videos and pics of guys using normal cut discs on stainless and they go through much more disc material.

Good blade, see print that specifies for stainless.


Tools that did not help.


Before deburring


Flap wheel for the win

 

[DurtyChemist]

I use a Coors keg to brew in a bag in. I had the opening cut to fit a lid first but now I'd just take a plasma cutter and run it along the inside rim as close to the edge as possible. You'll want that when you're removing the bag.

 

[browntown52]

So it took me two months, but I finally had some time to cut the top collar off the coors keg per wilserbrewer's suggestion. Found a lid at the goodwill that fit perfectly. pics:

 

[browntown52]

Wilserbrewer, just ordered the grand slam referencing the above measurements.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thanks, will ship later today.

Keg looks good, I would grind the cut edge smooth, and perhaps add a couple handles...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Pcs-Stain...768?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aeffa3c90

 

[DurtyChemist]

Are you going to add handles to the keggle?

 

[m00ps]

I was gonna suggest the grinding. Looks like a surefire way to drunkenly slice your arm

 

[browntown52]

I was gonna suggest the grinding. Looks like a surefire way to drunkenly slice your arm

Already hit the edges with the flap wheel, you can drag your finger around the edge without cutting.

Are you going to add handles to the keggle?

Yes I'll probably add a handle or two. Life got in the way, and my wife had an accident, so I've been dealing with that, but I've been looking at some handles. Finding a non-china made stainless handle is proving difficult. The lowes gate handle that is referenced in a couple threads is actually zinc coated steel. I know the handle doesn't touch the wort, but I prefer stainless. Might get a couple of these:
McMaster Stainless Chest Handle

 

[wilserbrewer]

by the time your done you'll have more $ in saw blades drill bits and domestically manufactured stainless handles than a Stainless kettle.
Just kidding of course

 

[JohnSWA]

I used a 90 degree pneumatic die grinder for my AB Keggle. It worked great! I just used a course scotch brite pad and then a fine pad on the cut rim and now it's smooth as a baby's behind. This took me all of about an hour and it looks and feels great to the touch. I'll be doing my first BIAB batch this Sunday. Best of luck on your brew!

 

[Calfj60]

looks like it turned out great, any additional advice? I'm glad I found this thread. I'm going to follow in your footsteps in a week or so when I get back into town.

 

[browntown52]

I got a valve, and the greenlee punch this week, still waiting on a diptube (ordered). For handles I bought some stainless u-bolts, but haven't had a chance to install them. Will update when I do. Been a busy couple months, project has been on hold - been having to drink commercial beer