DIY Tap Handle?

[twalte]

Here is the link for the inserts.

Please forgive my ignorance, but I know nothing about "threads" or woodworking. Which type of helical insert and which internal thread would be appropriate for a homemade wooden tap handle. (I am looking to drill a hole in the bottom of wood and place an insert that would work with the thread on the tap)

Thanks for your guidance.

 

[Revvy]

Please forgive my ignorance, but I know nothing about "threads" or woodworking. Which type of helical insert and which internal thread would be appropriate for a homemade wooden tap handle. (I am looking to drill a hole in the bottom of wood and place an insert that would work with the thread on the tap)

Thanks for your guidance.

Cheapest and most easily found (at any hardware store) is the "T-Nut."

I located the center of the base and drilled a 3/8” hole about 1/2” into the base. The I screwed the “T-Nut” onto the beer tap, and marked where the front of the nut fell. That way it would be in the right position when the tap was screwed back on.

I used some Gorilla Glue to mount it and tapped the nut in place. (If using the foaming kind of Gorilla Glue, keep and eye on it to make sure that the foaming glue doesn’t get up into the threaded area. I found that if it does, a Q-tip with some mineral spirits worked great to clean the glue out.

 

[slakwhere]

Here's my RR spike. It was surprisingly easy to work with. I used an air grinder, cut- off wheel, drill, and tap. It polished up real nice, but it is already siding some surface rust. I need to hit it again, then seal it somehow.

I'm sure just about any shop would do this for you fairly cheaply...

clear coat spray paint will be plenty. that turned out REALLY nice!!

 

[f0xtr0t]

Sorry, I was trying to link to the page that has, External threaded, tapping insert for wood. Although Mcmaster-carr has made my angry. They won't ship to me because I live on the border and they say they don't wan't to mess with U.S. export law.

 

[SFGiantsFan925]

Great thread guys. Lots of really cool designs in here. Provides a wealth of knowledge, and gave me a lot of good ideas. Not to start to acquire parts and get rid of those plain 'ol black handles.

 

[Homercidal]

Just got these mounted last night:

 

[originalben]

Aren't you concerned with losing an arm?


;^)

 

[cpl-america]

Aren't you concerned with losing an arm?

;^)

I didn't even realize what they were until I saw your comment.

 

[Sippin37]

Didn't know there was an official DIY Tap Handle thread. I made this a few months ago and since then have added some of those adapters that make the tap handle stand more straight up so the handles don't touch each other.

 

[Homercidal]

Didn't know there was an official DIY Tap Handle thread. I made this a few months ago and since then have added some of those adapters that make the tap handle stand more straight up so the handles don't touch each other.

I would expect everything coming out of the one on the right leaves a bad taste in your mouth...

 

[jimmarshall]

I've found that engineers tend to collect hobbies that inherently lend themselves to needlessly over complicating systems in pursuit of perfection....

...and things that involve drinking :cross:
Not that I wold know anything about either of those things.

If it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

 

[sashurlow]

Homercidal... Jealous are we?
Just an idea, but can you get a small pipe with internal threads and then core out wine corks and put the corks on the pipe? I don't have a tap to try it on

 

[Sippin37]

I would expect everything coming out of the one on the right leaves a bad taste in your mouth...

LOL, hoping to make history tonight!

 

[The_Brewzer]

One I made a couple weeks ago just for kicks. I'm a South Park fan, what can I say...

 

[rcook73]

View attachment 103269

One I made a couple weeks ago just for kicks. I'm a South Park fan, what can I say...

That might be the "crappiest" (is that a real word) one on here yet!!
No really ..that's pretty cool

 

[CGVT]

Here are mine. Nothing fancy, but a nice novelty.

 

[The_Brewzer]

Here are mine. Nothing fancy, but a nice novelty.

Cool handles. Did you burn the names in or is it pen? Can't really tell from the pic, but I like the look

 

[CGVT]

Thanks. I used a wood burner. I made the Princess handle out of a pressure treated board I had left over from building my deck so I had to stain it. I had to paint inside the burned letters to make them show up. The White House handle was made out of three rail posts from the old deck that I glued together. I shaped all of them with hand tools, a jigsaw, a hand planer, an angle grinder and a finishing sander. I'm not much of an artist, so I knew they weren't going to come out to be anything special. I just screwed around in my garage and free handed everything. They were cheap and they were fun to do

 

[1948GMFridigaire]

I just got my fridge a couple weeks ago and was looking for a tap handle. This is what i come up with. Hood rocket of a '57 Chevy.

 

[cpl-america]

Sweet. I love how well it matches the gm fridge

 

[rdeselle]

Does anyone have information on the size and pitch of the threads used on the tap handle mount? I want to make a tap handle out of a dirt bike piston so I need to find out the size so I can tap a hole.

 

[Xtant]

3/8-16

 

[Mackinturk]

Here's the one I made to replace the basic plastic one that came with my kegerator. I had a spent 25mm casing from an AC-130, stripped the paint off, repainted it black, glued the Ordnance/Ammo pin on, glued a wooden dowel inside to have something to drill for the tap handle insert from Northern Brewer.

 

[Loodachris]

My Android pours beer can your Apple do that?


DSC00682 by Ludahchris, on Flickr

 

[Conan]

Here's mine...not quite as classy as some of yours, but it works. The left is a dragon on some 1/8" plywood, glued to a candlestick holder- all from Michael's. The center is my first attempt turning on a lathe, and it came out pretty well. There's some things I'll change when I try again but I have to get a lathe first. To mount it I cut the base off a black handle like the one next to it, 'turned' it thinner on my drill press with a round file and then glued it in.

Kyle

 

[AlanO]

Old tap tap handles

 

[originalben]

The dragon is cool- it looks like he's surfing.

 

[beercity23]

I havent even built my draft system yet, but in preparation, i have started on the tap handle.
This is an Illinois State University redbird (to be). I have to have my draft system up and running by May for a graduation party for a family member from there, so i decided it would be fitting.

What does everyone think...would love to hear your opinions. It still needs quite a bit of sanding and smoothing and painting, but that will come. I think i will just find a dowel or chair leg to complete the handle part.

 

[beercity23]

With one of these:
View attachment 2011

and an drill you can make anything into a tap handle (well, not anything, meat wouldn't work, or a cat, but lots of things).

I'm just using oak, though.

Can you get this at Home Depot? or is it something you have to get from kegconnection or something?

 

[originalben]

yes, lowes and HD both have 'em.