Is my keg dead?

[amcclai7]

a few days ago I attempted to keg an IPA. The gas post was leaking. I took it off, tried a few different things and finally relized what had happened. I must've over tightened the gas post the last time I put it back on, bc now it wont go on correctly. It tilts to the side, the threads are stripped and it leaks like hell.

Is the keg dead or is there anyway to fix it?

P.S. I'll post a pic of it soon.

 

[hottpeper13]

If you can find a machinist who likes your beer I'm sure he can clean up the thread on the post and you can order a new valve.

 

[archamc3]

that also depends on the type of threading the kegs use if its specialty it might be hard to find the right tool to clean up the threads and chucking up a keg into a lathe to cut the threads seems a little over board . a thing to keep in mind is that the seal is really dependent on putting pressure on the o ring and the poppet perhaps adding a second o ring to the tube will raise it enough to make contact. I had to do this with several of my older, more worn kegs good luck. at worst if it wont hold pressure you can shorten the pickup line into a racking line and use it for a fermenter (fermenting in keg and then using slight gas pressure to transfer to a Another keg with a pig tail eliminates most oxygen contact)

 

[brewbama]

Try to run a thread chaser down onto the post to recut the threads.

http://m.sears.com/craftsman-48-pc-sae-metric-thread-restorer-kit/p-00942275000P

 

[amcclai7]

Try to run a thread chaser down onto the post to recut the threads.

http://m.sears.com/craftsman-48-pc-sae-metric-thread-restorer-kit/p-00942275000P

I have a friend who might have one of these. I'll try it. If it doesn't work the fermenter idea doesn't sound half bad.

 

[wardens355]

In the future, you typically only need to hand tighten the posts, and then sometimes give it less than quarter-turn with a wrench if it still doesn't seal. Good luck with the rehab.

 

[Hobanon]

I might be missing something, but you can probably fix it. Why not buy a set of new posts for converting ball lock to pin lock and replace the broken one (?). Places like Keg Connection and other draft stores carry them.

 

[wardens355]

I might be missing something, but you can probably fix it. Why not buy a set of new posts for converting ball lock to pin lock and replace the broken one (?). Places like Keg Connection and other draft stores carry them.

I think he is implying that the male thread on the keg itself is galled, so it needs to be rethreaded.

 

[Hobanon]

Oh right, my bad.

 

[Auger]

If you can't recut the threads with a die, they also make files for thread cleanup, similar to these:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001T4KRHC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Although I have no idea of the pitch of the post threads, I recently read a thread on another board where someone used one of these files to clean up threads on a motorcycle exhaust port with good success.

If its so bad that that doesn't work and you are at the stage of bringing it to a machine shop to get it fixed, they'd probably cut out the post and weld in a new one vs. trying to machine new threads. At that point you might as well just turn it in for scrap and get a few bucks toward buying a replacement.

 

[MrFoodScientist]

If that doesn't work, you could drill it out and replace the post nipple:
http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=376_1_3_260&products_id=3276

Someone here used these to attach ball lock posts to a sanke keg and instead of welding it in they just brought it up through the hole and used an o-ring on either side of the keg and tightened the post down to seal it against the inside. I can't find the thread, though.