DIY Tap Handle?

[BlackWatchBrewery]

Yes oak is too hard if you are trying to screw them in with a flat head. Use a bolt that threads into it with two nuts to lock it on. Then use a power drill or impact drill gun to drive it in. I've done it into oak and hickory. It is still hard to get straight though.

Correct. I am doing the nut and bolt method and still no dice. I thought for sh!ts and grins I would try on pine. No problem. Perfectly straight. Oak it just too hard for these I guess. Ill get by with some epoxy then and try that.

 

[Homercidal]

I've used those inserts a couple of times. Oak is hard to get them into. The last tap handle I made split. I glued it back together, drilled the hole oversize and glued the threaded insert in place.
Next time I will drill out to just barely smaller than the insert, and maybe even try beeswax on the threads.

Maybe try an actual tap rather than rely on cutting threads with them? I would think a tap would be a better tool for hard wood.

 

[BlackWatchBrewery]

Maybe try an actual tap rather than rely on cutting threads with them? I would think a tap would be a better tool for hard wood.

Not a bad idea

 

[jayway]

Super easy copper handles.

 

[microbusbrewery]

Maybe try an actual tap rather than rely on cutting threads with them? I would think a tap would be a better tool for hard wood.

Assuming you meant thread the oak tap handle to screw right onto the faucet, I tried that and it didn't work very well. The handles had too much play and wiggled around. I think there are threaded inserts with male machine threads...it might work on those.

When I made mine I ended up filing the first few coarse threads on the brass inserts. If I remember correctly I used the sanding drum on my Dremel. I only removed a little bit of material but it really helped to get the insert started. Then also use the bolt plus jam nuts method.

 

[Homercidal]

Assuming you meant thread the oak tap handle to screw right onto the faucet, I tried that and it didn't work very well. The handles had too much play and wiggled around. I think there are threaded inserts with male machine threads...it might work on those.

When I made mine I ended up filing the first few coarse threads on the brass inserts. If I remember correctly I used the sanding drum on my Dremel. I only removed a little bit of material but it really helped to get the insert started. Then also use the bolt plus jam nuts method.

No, I mean cut the threads for the insert into the handle with a regular tap, then epoxy the insert into the handle to hold it tight.

 

[CGVT]

Try hanger bolts and ferrules. They are pretty easy to use.

http://www.morebeer.com/products/hanger-bolt-tap-handle-516-ferrule.html


http://www.morebeer.com/products/beer-faucet-tap-ferrule-silver.html

 

[PapaO]

The insert should go in with the slotted end first, the slot is there to help cut the threads clear the chips.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIhEqoKE8Dc&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

 

[microbusbrewery]

The insert should go in with the slotted end first, the slot is there to help cut the threads clear the chips.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIhEqoKE8Dc&feature=player_embedded

That's awesome and makes perfect sense, don't know why that never occurred to me.

 

[Artifishal]

Haha! Me either. Wish I would have known that. Well at least now I'm excited to make another one.

 

[BrewKaiser]

Hey Jayway: GMTA!

I'm thinking of fabricating some out of stainless now, too. Lots of inspiration in this thread...

 

[woodworkingfourdummies]

A buddy of mine brews his own beer (great beer btw) and mentioned that he was looking for some tap handles that he could write on to identify what brews he had on tap. I decided to help him out...I used some of the tips from this forum.

Full details on my blog:

http://www.woodworkingfourdummies.com/blog/keg-tap-handle-diy

 

[Artifishal]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1433117366.321130.jpg

 

[sibort]

Here's my tap handle. Blends in with the black fridge though. Something like desert tan would look good. Damaged 80

 

[TheCondor]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1435105114.964359.jpg
I used some screwdriver handles and pressed in a nut.

 

[bionicbrew]

here are my latest. green skull is a shift lever from Wally World, a spanner wrench(done on this thread already), and a 30mm cannon shell from an AC-130 I got from a member here from a real Mission in Iraq (got the note of authenticity and everything!). I got a polymer fake projectile and painted it to match the HEI round. I punched out the primer and drilled/tapped it. there's plenty of material at the bottom of those things.

I have a shell from an Apache helicopter (from same member) that will get a hand made wood projectile. I'll post it when it's painted.

 

[bionicbrew]

ok, finished the Apache helicopter shell handle. here it is next to the AC-130 shell above. second pic is the drill and tap of the primer pocket.

 

[bionicbrew]

for you penniless DIYer's out there like me, we used a bench grinder to get the wood dowel close to shape and then fashioned up a poor mans lathe with a wood screw in one end and a nail in the vice for the other(2 man operation). with sandpaper, we got the projectile rounded and any bumps and misshapes cleaned up. bottom pic is what I was trying to make it look like.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

I hope you meant "sander" and not "grinder" for shaping thad projectile!

If you used a grinding "stone", then you should probably swap it out.

They can "load up " when used on non-ferrous items, and can disintegrate during operation.

Can leave a nasty knot on the head, or face, or teeth, or...........

 

[bionicbrew]

interesting. I did not know that. I knew it loaded up a bit, but not heard of it coming apart as a result. it was a buddy's bench grinder. we'll look it that.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

interesting. I did not know that. I knew it loaded up a bit, but not heard of it coming apart as a result. it was a buddy's bench grinder. we'll look it that.

Scroll through here if you wish.
Also, a semi-gory video on YouTube about it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Grinding+wheel+safety&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

 

[OleBrewing]

Here's my tap handle. Blends in with the black fridge though. Something like desert tan would look good. Damaged 80

Don't you need a back ground check for that?

 

[BrooklynTom]

[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]
Most of these were carved by my farther many years ago. I will be making them taps as I need them. The cowboy one looks like my wife's father. It will be tapping my Bourbon barrel porter. The one to its left is tapping a very nice Belgian Pale Ale.

 

[thehebs]

Im not sure if you guys have seen the 3d printable tap handles on fermware.com, but I decided to remix it for magnetic placards, so that I can interchange the placards based on whatever brews I have on tap in the keezer at the moment.

Original fermware.com blog post about tap handle. http://fermware.com/3d-printed-tap-handles/

A render of my remix without the placards:

Here is an example placard I made for an american wheat I have fermenting now:

I ordered these magnets to use: http://www.ebay.com/itm/301771773769

I will have to wait on the magnets, and my brass thread insert for the tap handle itself, before I can finalize the hole sizes and get one printed. Ill keep you guys posted.

 

[ABNJM58]

I'm in the Army so I decided to use a couple .50 cal rounds which were fired in a few different places around the world. Used the same materials that others have on this forum. Good epoxy and a couple nuts from Home Depot.

 

[daphatgrant]

I just picked up 3 of these (Item #236120) to use as handles, I'll remove the hanger bolt from the top and install it in the bottom. You can't beat it as it comes with the right hardware! I'll just have to sand it and find something to go over the hole in the top.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_236120-952-51015___?productId=3502286&pl=1&Ntt=7"+leg

 

[thehebs]

I finally go around to finishing my 3d printed tap handles. Ill just quote my post on my keezer build thread (which is here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=568415 )

I obviously had to print some tap handles. I looked and looked, and all the handles I found were just not designed well, and were kinda boring. Then I found this: http://fermware.com/3d-printed-tap-handles/

I loved the handles, but I couldnt leave it unmodified, right? The files that the guy put on thingiverse just had his website on the side. I had seen some of his own handles that he made, had placards for different types of beer. Most of them he made specially for local breweries and pubs and such, and his placards were permanently glued on. Since these handles take some work to print and construct, I didnt want to print a new handle for every type of brew I would be brewing in the future, so I decided to remix his design by removing his website, and adding magnetic placards. Basically i put some holes for magnets in the handle, and holes for thinner magnets for the placard, and I just superglued them in.

Bare tap handle, with recessed rectangle for placard, and magnet holes:

Base tap handle, with placard added.

I also needed to adjust his design to fit the brass thread inserts I bought from grainger. I nailed the fitment in 2 tries, using little test cubes.

The fun begins

First layer complete

Almost done

 

[thehebs]

.

Adding the finishing touches

Magnets glued into the handle, and brass thread insert installed

Water + Hops

+ Yeast

+ Barley

=Beer


Placards

 

[thehebs]

.

Added a couple perlicks.

Notice the big bar tool magnet... Stay tuned...

 

[anthropod]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1454275792.829191.jpgI make one for each brew. Some turn out better than others