DIY Bottom Drain Boil Keggle Take 2 (no welding) with 3d printed parts

[Jaellis]

So some of you may remember my previous attempt at this and I had a fairly anti-climactic failure. here (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/bottom-drained-keggle-small-budget-no-welding-317640/).

Well I am at it again but I am using my 3d printer for prototype design, and I have a working part made in plastic for interfacing 3/4" npt to a standard Sanke Keg opening.

my next step is to use a lost "wax" (PLA Plastic) casting of the part in aluminum. Based on the youtube video .

I will keep you updated. I am thinking of doing 2 castings at once, one with the threads already printed and one that the treads will need to be cut, in case I have leaking issues with the cast in place threads I won't have to melt more aluminum.

Or if anyone has an induction furnace and is capable of casting one in stainless, that would be pretty much amazing!! I've also thought about trying a ceramic or other high heat pourable casting but I am not aware of any materials that can withstand the burner temperature.

-John

 

[Minbari]

that is really slick. if you make the peice out of high temp nylon, wouldnt that work? alot easier to work with.

a totally different idea, maybe take a peice of 1/4-1/2" stainless plate and solder/weld it in the hole for the sanke. Then punch a hole for the 3/4" npt.

 

[Jaellis]

that is really slick. if you make the peice out of high temp nylon, wouldnt that work? alot easier to work with.

a totally different idea, maybe take a peice of 1/4-1/2" stainless plate and solder/weld it in the hole for the sanke. Then punch a hole for the 3/4" npt.

Thanks for the thoughts!!

I wanted something that didn't require welding, and was fairly easy to implement in most kegs, I.E. D System Sanke kegs.

The nylon idea might work, I will look into that. Dupont has a Zytel Plus Nylon that might work. I need it to be able to withstand direct flame and is food safe at cooking temps. I will be making seals from baking silicone sheets cut on my wifes scrapbooking cutting machine(Pazzles).

Right now I am going to pursue the Aluminum Casting since I have all the equipment and just need to set it up.

 

[acidrain]

I would machine it from billet ss.

 

[Jaellis]

I would machine it from billet ss.

I spoke with a machinist and it would be possible with some modification. The tabs on the side are slightly sloped to be able to tighten down the new piece into the keg connection. This is apparently very difficult to do and ends up being fairly costly.

That would be ideal though if I can find one that can do those slopes easily.

 

[tjr3000]

Dont forget about material shrinkage. With lost wax casting, typically the wax pieces are made slightly oversized to allow for the ultimate shrinkage of the piece as it cools. No idea if and how it factors in on a piece that small, but my guess is that it will certainly screw up the threads.