Keggle Question

[chapmandew]

If you've fashioned your own keggle, what did you use to cut the top out? I was able to acquire a large keg yesterday, and am looking into my options for getting the top off of there.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

I used a cheap angle grinder from Harbor Freight, and a package of cutting discs. The grinder and discs were under $20 total, and even though it's a cheap one it got the job done in about 15 minutes. I cleaned up the edges of the cut with a dremel tool which I already had. Doing it with a 4 1/2" grinder is a bit tough to make the cut look good but I didn't have too much trouble. Here's a link to my keggle thread, and also a couple links to others who've done the same:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/some-ag-projects-keggle-cfc-93094/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/keggle-cutting-85589/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cutting-top-off-sanke-keg-using-angle-grinder-88907/

 

[denimglen]

I used a small right-angle air grinder with about a 2-2.5" disc on it. Get's a really nice round cut.

 

[SSRider]

I also used an angle grinder, I used a piece of square tubing about 6" long, bent it like a hockey stick, then bolt it to my grinder. I used a hole saw stuck in the neck with the pilot bit sticking up. This made a perfect circle cut. Just go round and round, slowly cutting deeper, if you try to go all the way through, your circle will look like crap because the grinder will try to go straight instead of a circle.

 

[defenestrate]

i used a saber saw

 

[jpeter31]

Has a coworker use a plasma cutter and he cleaned it up with a grinder. He was already cutting his kegs and cut mine for me.

 

[Scotty_g]

A friend of mine can get his hands on a plasma cutter from work and we were planning to use that to turn kegs into keggles. However, BobbyM's video using an angle grinder looks really sweet, and I *do* love my angle grinder enough that I'd feel bad cheating on it.

Whatever you do, I'd make a jig or get some kind of guide (the edge of the keg makes a good guide for a plasma cutter, I hear) because you want those cuts as clean and even as possible. If you spend enough time brewing to need a keggle, you owe it to yourself to do the best (least half-assed) job you can.

That video, in case you missed it (it's on pg 2) is here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cutting-top-off-sanke-keg-using-angle-grinder-88907/index2.html

 

[chapmandew]

Thanks Guys...I didn't even think of using my angle grinder for it. I'll fashion me a rig to pivot it and see how it goes. Thanks again.
Tim

 

[BrewBeemer]

I believe on this forum or another what I saw:
One brew member a couple years ago built a box frame over a keg on its side keg supported by 2-3" rubber wheels with a top to lock the keg in tight. At the end he had a lathe bit and holder with a narrow point or parting tool bit that was under pressure against the kegs top. He hand rotated the keg said after 10 or 15 minutes had a perfectly round and "MACHINED CUT" with a very narrow kerf. This round hole and narrow kerf is what I liked about this project so the cut lid can be used as a lid again. Dress the sharp edges in and out. Add washers to the top then have a nice lid with a very narrow kerf plus it was round and fit without turning until it fits as seen on some uneven cut lids. I found this a very simple and clean setup unless you have a 16" lathe to swing a keg with a parting tool to duplicate these same results with the risk of the break thru ripping the keg out of the lathe, this even at 80-120 rpm's.
Anyone else remember that thread with posted pictures?

 

[Scotty_g]

I was thinking about bringing the kegs to work where we have some enormous roll lathes (easily big enough to chuck up a keg), but I don't want to deal with the hassle of the entire shop asking me for beer, how strong homebrew is, when I'm going to bring some in for them, etc. That and I'm pretty sure it would violate some kind of HR policy.

I'm pretty sure that the interview would go poorly when my response to, "So, tell me why you're looking for a new job?" includes "...after I brought four half-barrels to the mill..."

 

[ClusterFuggles]

SawsAll is what I used works good
use a file to clean off sharp edge and it will be very sharp