Best way to cut the top off of a keg

[G-Hog]

Got lucky yesterday and picked up a 15.5 gallon keg and have decided to use it as a brew kettle. I'm looking for advice on which is the best way to cut the top open. I don't have many tools but I do have a Drexel and some metal cutting disk, but I get the feeling it will take a lot of disk.

 

[tlg779]

Best way I have found is a 4.5 inch angle grinder and cut off disks you can pick these up at harbor freight for around 20 bucks

 

[tlg779]

And I recommend picking up some ear plugs because the noise can be a little unbearable

 

[Golddiggie]

Right angle grander with the discs for cutting stainless steel works great. I've used a PVC "T" fitting in the keg valve opening as a guide in order to get a perfect hole. I'll see if there are any size marks on the fitting still. I do know it was on the shelf at Lowe's, so easy to get/find. No fancy jig needed this way.

 

[anteup]

Find someone with a plasma cutter and offer $20.

 

[Golddiggie]

Find someone with a plasma cutter and offer $20.

And then spend time cleaning up that cut... Unless they're REALLY good with the cutter, you'll end up spending just as much time cleaning up the slag, as you would have just doing it yourself with the grinder.

BTW, it takes less than 10 minutes (more like 5) to cut the top of a keg, and clean it up so you won't get cut on the edge.

 

[G-Hog]

Thanks guys. I'll have to see if any of the neighbors have a grinder.

 

[captwalt]

I used a sawzall and cleaned up the edge with a grinder. Worked pretty good for me

 

[Golddiggie]

DAAAAMN!! captwalt that's one ugly cut there...

My cut with a grinder:

 

[captwalt]

I mostly use it to boil, not to win beauty contests

 

[Golddiggie]

I mostly use it to boil, not to win beauty contests

I don't enter mine into contests, but I do like a uniform cut. Easier to get a lid on there, that seals up nicely (until you get to the boil). I also use one as a mash tun, where you don't want heat loss from a bad cut that leaks heat.

 

[captwalt]

Fair enough. I started using agrinder but it was taking too long so I grabbed the sawzall and in no time it was done

 

[G-Hog]

I went with the Dremel and metal cutting disk. I used 10 disk. Came out pretty good. I'll see if I can post a picture.

 

[passedpawn]

Cap'n, that's some ugly junk.

This jig is really easy to make, for use with a angle grinder, make perfect circles: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/simplest-keggle-cutting-jig-143048/

And Bobby_M's video for removing spear and the grinding process:

[ame]http://youtu.be/LthGdMk_avk[/ame]

And, if you find someone with a plasma cutter, here's a vid from Yuri Rage,

[ame]http://youtu.be/_reRMz7YHic[/ame]

 

[G-Hog]

 

[Frige]

Yep I used a plasma cutter for mine. Zip bang done!

 

[captwalt]

Ugly? Junk? Why is anybody busting on my keggle? I'm just trying to help by sharing my experience. I tried a few things and shared what worked best for me. Not everyone has the time or means to rig a jig or make a perfect circle with an angle grinder nor does everybody have access to a plasma cutter. But every self respecting man has a sawzall so I thought my comments would be useful. I happen to like my keggle very much as well as the award winning beers (see Zymurgy mag nov/dec pg 56 middle column, about 3/5 of the way down) that come out of that ugly junk.

 

[captwalt]

Wait a minute. That is the beer talking. If I had the patience and ability I would have a gorgeous keggle like you guys but I don't and I won't do I think I'll just get on with my life with my ugly keggle and my subpar homebrew

 

[captwalt]

Wait, that was the beer again. Honestly to each his/ her own. And like I always say" any job, big or small, is worth doing well, or not at all." Bravo on you pretty keggles I am humbled by your dedication to aesthetics and your pride in perfect curcuity.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Wait, that was the beer again. Honestly to each his/ her own. And like I always say" any job, big or small, is worth doing well, or not at all." Bravo on you pretty keggles I am humbled by your dedication to aesthetics and your pride in perfect curcuity.

I'm guessing you knew the cutout in your keggle was not perfectly round. I'm also guessing that you knew you could grind/cut/sand to make it more round if you chose to put in the time. Your keggle works for you... that's what counts.
Thanks for contributing!

Ed

 

[jmzcustomz]

My two cents. Do NOT use harbor freight disc. They are cheap and dangerous. I've had them explode on me while I was notching a truck frame. Thank god I wear safety glasses and a face shield. I got some decent ones from Lowes. Under $2 a piece.

 

[passedpawn]

Hey Cap'n, easy does it. Ugly junk is a generic HBT descriptor. It means "your junk is ugly". See? Not so bad afterall.

Anyhoo, really, your keggle cut is ugly, and I know that won't effect your beer in any way, but it's ugly.

I'm not attacking Cap'n. Just having fun. You've never seen the original UGLY JUNK sawsall keggle. That would make you feel better. I'll see if I can find you a motivational poster. Stand by.

 

[passedpawn]

Biermuncher. Epic. Ugly Junk.

 

[dbrewski]

You have to have a special talent to get junk that ugly.

 

[Golddiggie]

My two cents. Do NOT use harbor freight disc. They are cheap and dangerous. I've had them explode on me while I was notching a truck frame. Thank god I wear safety glasses and a face shield. I got some decent ones from Lowes. Under $2 a piece.

I actually buy DeWalt 4.5" cutting discs for my grinder. IME, they do a great job and don't explode during use (that can't be fun). You can also get them from Amazon (love the free shipping via my Prime account :rockin.

As for captwalt and his comment of "But every self respecting man has a sawzall"... Nope, not gonna buy it. I don't have one, my father never had one (never needed to buy one) and he could fix just about anything we had (mechanical). I do have three right angle grinders though. One set up for polishing (don't care if I kill it). Another [the newest one] corded that I use to make all my metal cuts. With a third that's cordless. The second and third are DeWalt tools. I also have a disc cutter that's air powered (since I have my bigger compressor now, I can use it as I wish) and a right angle die grinder.

BTW, no man worth his salt is without an air compressor.

BTW, passedpawn... That's 'one ugly mother F... '

 

[passedpawn]

BTW, passedpawn... That's 'one ugly mother F... '

Hey man, you know that's not mine, right? It's BierMuncher's. Seriously. Not mine.

 

[Golddiggie]

Hey man, you know that's not mine, right? It's BierMuncher's. Seriously. Not mine.

I believe ya, really I do...

 

[Golddiggie]

You have to have a special talent to get junk that ugly.

Or be half blind and with only one working hand...

 

[mux]

I lost my eye from an exploding grinder wheel.

 

[Golddiggie]

I lost my eye from an exploding grinder wheel.

You're supposed to wear protection... Seriously, I always have at least some level of eye protection and ear protection when using tools like that.

BTW, I bet your cuts still look better than what BierMuncher did.