Cutting top off a Sanke keg using angle grinder

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hey, i was wondering if anyone converting their kegs would be willing to mail me a few parts that come off the conversion?

My plan is to convert my newly acquired keg next Saturday. I'm more than willing to send you the retainer ring when I pull it apart.

Shoot me a PM.
 
Thanks for everyone's input and Bobby's design I cut 2 of these today. Except for one spot where my grinder slipped loose and dropped(goodbye disc), they're perfect circles. The trick for me was to just cut barley into the surface and work back and forth in circles to get down through the steel. Instead of cutting straight through and then working sideways.

Had to use a couple wedge shims to level things out once it was assembled. The top ring on these kegs are a little banged up and not always level. Maybe a touch over-designed, but it's built to last for any others I'll have to cut in the future.

Also I used the disassembled keg spear for a centering post. I had to grind the tabs off it. Worked great.

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Awesome jig. I have every thing I need at home to build this including the exact same angle grinder.

2x4's.. check
ratchet strap.. check
angle grinder.. check
thing to put in hole 1-1/4" pvc coupling... check
long bolt and nut to hold coupling to jig...check.


I like the idea of reusing the kegs pickup tube insert, but for me its very tight and was hard to get out I think I'll use the 1-1/4" pvc coupling like was mentioned in this thread.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/simplest-keggle-cutting-jig-143048/#post1627203
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-=Jason=-
 
well here is my version of the keg cutting jig.

first hole was a learning lesson: tried going opposite direction of the blade and dug in pretty deep to start off. went round a few times and found out it was easier to cut in the direction your cut off wheel is spinning. so at the end of my hole i had one side drooping slightly and my cut off wheel wanted to stray off the circle. this cut in slightly causing my circle to have what I would call what your weed wacker string or fishing line hooks into at the top end of the spool that little cut you make to keep the like from going away. not horrible but not perfect.

my second keg I fired it up eased it into the hole and let the weight of the jig make the cuts. went round and round moving the keg, and i'd walk around it until my cord would run out. Then I'd turn the keg again and repeat. this made for a pretty nice cut no burning into the metal just let the blade do the work.

well enough of my blabbering on to the photos.

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-=jason=-
 
*bump* any objection to using a flapper sanding disk on my grinder to de-bur the edges of my hole. I figure its just sand paper but wanted to check first.

-=Jason=-
 
I have those flapper disks already at home and I figure a quick run around the bottom edge and top edge would clean it right up. I'll go ahead and do it when I get home.

-=Jason=-
 
thinking back on it i was shock about how easy it was to grind a sharp edge on the side of the opening (top or bottom) only a light touch should be needed. i normal use #42 to clean up stock/welds and that was way to aggressive. a #80 and a light touch work well. good luck :ban:
 
hrm maybe I need to look into a 1/2 round file. I have a file, but its a itty bitty tiny round one that didn't seem to do any thing when I tried it.

-=Jason=-
 
When cleaning up with a half round, you slide it laterally as you file up or down so that you aren't cutting in one spot throughout the stroke.
 
well my flapper disk worked like a charm I have a smooth edge it was a "light" touch like I thought I'd have to do, but it did work out perfect.

-=jason=-
 
I already cut 1 keg with this method a few months ago for my boil kettle - worked really well. Stuck on a weldless bulkhead+ball valve+QD from morebeer and a sightglass+thermometer combo from brewhardware -- really happy with it all.

Picked up two more kegs this morning to serve as my HLT and mash tun and ordered the false bottom, bulkheads, etc, just need to pick up a couple more cutting disks. Movin' on up... :)
 
well my flapper disk worked like a charm I have a smooth edge it was a "light" touch like I thought I'd have to do, but it did work out perfect.

-=jason=-

O ya, if I had some flap disks or other lighter abrasives I'd do that over a hand file. The hand file was just what I had and I like having that level of control over the tool. I like to think Roy Underhill would be proud.
 
well my flapper disk worked like a charm I have a smooth edge it was a "light" touch like I thought I'd have to do, but it did work out perfect.

-=jason=-

I used a twisted metal wire wheel (this one) to deburr and round the edge after cutting it. Like butta.

Just wear some thick gloves, goggles and a welding apron if you use that thing, they tend to throw off some pieces of wire at 12,000RPM every so often. :)
 
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yeah I have bad memories of the wire wheels i dislike them.

I thought it was going to be a light touch, but I had to give it a bit more umph then I anticipated, but in the end it worked out well.

-=Jason=-
 
I used a twisted metal wire wheel (this one) to deburr and round the edge after cutting it. Like butta.

Just wear some thick gloves, goggles and a welding apron if you use that thing, they tend to throw off some pieces of wire at 12,000RPM every so often. :)

Won't that embed iron into the SS, resulting in a patina of rust later :confused:

Flap disk is best. An old-fashioned deburring tool works fine on the smaller drilled holes.
 
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thats no too hard, i got 3 kegs but the beer inside is at lest 6 years old. I don't know if i even want to try lol
 
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