"polishing your keg" is more than a clever euphemism

[Bobby_M]

I actually had a crazy inclination to polish the inside to make it easier to clean but gave up in about 2 minutes.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Thanks for the guide, just completed two out of three kegs this last Saturday. You're not kidding about that being a TON of work...I'm estimating about 3-5 hours per keg. Here's how they look now..not quite the mirror finish you've got on yours but I'm happy with them. Who knows, after a while I may take the buffing wheel to them again and get that mirror finish!

 

[xsevenx6]

Hey Bobby, thanks for the info. Went to Lowes to get the course, medium, and fine pads. used all three, then use the buffing pad by gator grit and used the black emory. Didn't bother the use the green rouge cause I saw the swirl marks. I'm not going over that again, but what can I do for next time to avoid the swirl marks? Am I pressing too hard? Should I go over it again with the fine pad before moving on to the buffing pad, or is that about as good as it gets? Any feedback would be great, thanks guys. On another note, how did you modify your lid to fit the top without falling in?
https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29423&size=big&cat=all&ppuser=45084

 

[Bobby_M]

I think it's tricky to know how long to spend on each grit because they all put scratches in while taking the deeper ones out. I'd say there's really no keg out there that needs the coarse pad. It's too aggressive. I'd even say the medium is to much for kegs in decent shape. The best result has been fine pad with some pressure, then lighten up as it cleans up. When I switched to the buffing pad with the white stick from Lowes, heavy pressure worked best to bring the mirror making sure to load the pad often. Let the backing pad cool down every 10 minutes.

 

[mplutodh1]

Will these guys (specifically the keg on the right) clean up as well? or do those scratches look too deep?

Can pick these both up today for around $40 each.

 

[xsevenx6]

Will these guys (specifically the keg on the right) clean up as well? or do those scratches look too deep?

Can pick these both up today for around $40 each.

Mine were just as bad when I picked 'em up. I cut out the top using a similar jig to Bobby's, then started with the coarse gator grit pads and worked down to fine. Bobby has pointed out that the coarse and even the medium pads may be too abrasive. I'm sure you can knock out all of that stuff using 2 "fine"(blue) gator grit pads for each keg. Then follow up with the polishing discussed earlier in the thread. After all your work, your kegs will not be perfect, as I have learned, but you can get them pretty damn close. Before you even start, use BKF to clean it up real quick.

 

[Bobby_M]

One of mine looked that bad. Start with the medium grit pad, then fine. They might not be free of the deepest scratches but they'll shine up.

 

[mordantly]

"this looks an awful lot like masturbation, without the payoff" -john trivolta

no really, i wish mine looked like mirrors.

 

[mplutodh1]

Just a safety note:

I picked up a few kegs with painted bands (thick paint) that I didn't want to waste a GatorGrit pad on so I took a 4 1/2" Metal Wire Brush for my angle grinder to the keg. This thing gave a lot more vibration than a GatorGrit did and my hand slipped part of the way through removing the paint, even with the guard on my finger managed to graze past the brush while the grinder was on and I did a number on my fingertip. Took a good size chunk out of it. Should have thought twice about wearing some leather gloves while using the grinder (had on glasses and ear protection but no gloves, thinking my hands were far enough away).

Not the most enjoyable way to spend an evening - so just thought I'd give a bit of a safety reminder - wear gloves!

 

[Bobby_M]

That's a good point, but I wish you used sandpaper or paint stripper on the bands. If that was a regular steel wire brush, you're going to have a bit of a rusting problem now. More importantly, I hope the skin grows back.

 

[mplutodh1]

That's a good point, but I wish you used sandpaper or paint stripper on the bands. If that was a regular steel wire brush, you're going to have a bit of a rusting problem now. More importantly, I hope the skin grows back.

Bummer - luckily I only did it on a 6" section. I still need to go back over it with the gator grit and polishing - will I still have rusting problems?

 

[ReeseAllen]

Bummer - luckily I only did it on a 6" section. I still need to go back over it with the gator grit and polishing - will I still have rusting problems?

Sand it thoroughly and then start the polishing process again. You need to get rid of any small bits of iron that have embedded themselves in the surface of the stainless.

 

[GreenMonti]

Just a safety note:

I picked up a few kegs with painted bands (thick paint) that I didn't want to waste a GatorGrit pad on so I took a 4 1/2" Metal Wire Brush for my angle grinder to the keg. This thing gave a lot more vibration than a GatorGrit did and my hand slipped part of the way through removing the paint, even with the guard on my finger managed to graze past the brush while the grinder was on and I did a number on my fingertip. Took a good size chunk out of it. Should have thought twice about wearing some leather gloves while using the grinder (had on glasses and ear protection but no gloves, thinking my hands were far enough away).

Not the most enjoyable way to spend an evening - so just thought I'd give a bit of a safety reminder - wear gloves!

Sorry to hear you had a disagreement with your grinder.

However I disagree with the idea of wearing gloves. The issue with gloves and moving objects is that they like to get caught in the fast moving object and pull you into it. While the glove may have saved you some of your bark, the gloves may have caused a more violent reaction with the grinder or even a broken finger. Just think how bad it would suck to have you glove caught in the brush whipping around at a few thousand RPMs.

Just my thoughts.

 

[mplutodh1]

Very valid point - bottom line be safe, be careful and take your time.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Picked up a nasty keg today from the scrap yard..here is the before and after. I still need to cut of the top and remove some rust. But its a work in progress.

http://s862.photobucket.com/albums/ab181/Southern_Yankee_Photos/

 

[Yambor44]

Okay. I've been following this thread and bought all the stuff a while back. Just got around to trying it tonight and here's where I am at at this point. Just wanted some pointers if anyone has any to save me some time. I seem to be using a lot of pads.

I started with the blue (fine) and then went to the medium and on to the coarse which worked the best for mine. Then back down to the fine. All Gatorgrit.

Here's the start:






Then I switched to the polishing pad with the #5 compound per Bobby's instructions in post #91




I am getting a nice mirrored finish in certain spots then it dulls over then it comes back. I need to know how often to add the compound? I am adding it quite often.


Also, the number order of the compounds seem backwards to me. Here's what I have. #5 reads "light polishing" and #2 just reads "hard metals". Should I be using 2 first then 5? Maybe I read it wrong, I'll go back and look.


Should I use 2 then 5? I also have this number 5:

 

[mplutodh1]

I think you're making it too complicated but others who have completed this can chime in.

All I'm doing is starting with Medium - working out as many of the deep scratches as I can, then switching to fine, ultimately following up with the polishing pad and compound. I'm using what I think is equivalent to your #5.

You're doing a lot more steps than I am! Although mine are polishing up quite nicely.

As for pad life - keep the pad surface flat on the keg - it keeps the edge from getting torn up. For 3 kegs I think I'm good with 4 mediums and 2 fines. I'm not quite done - the worst for me was the removal of the bands that were painted on 2 kegs - I just hit them with the medium after I'd hit most of the keg first - but that did kill that pad!

 

[Yambor44]

So, how often do yo add your polish? Do I need to stop and let it cool like the others?

 

[Bobby_M]

Yeah, the painted bands are best dealt with using paint removing chemicals. Medium pad should be used only where deep scratches exist, then go to fine for a total cleanup.

The lower number polish is coarser, hit the whole keg with that and keep going until the pad is toast.

Switch to the higher numbers, 5 is good. New pad otherwise you still have #2 grit in there. Keep the pad as flat as you can and apply enough pressure to slow the grinder down. I was doing like 4" x 6" area, reapply the stick and move on. If you don't get a mirror shine, not enough pressure.

 

[chrisknight]

How much compound are you guys loading into your gator-grit polishing pads? I know it just takes a second to load it, but low long before you re-load?

Thanks...

 

[Bobby_M]

I only load the pad once for a 4x6" area which takes maybe 3 minutes. Reload, move over and do another 4x6", repeat.

 

[chrisknight]

Got it. Thanks... That's about what I'm doing.
I thought I was using too much because I keep leaving black streaks. The 1st finishing scotch bright pad came out pretty shiny and uniform. The #2 compound really shines it up but it leaves the surface "dirty" with black compound. Anyone else getting this?

 

[Bobby_M]

You know the #2 is done when you have no scratches but the metal is smooth, but not mirror like. That black residue will wipe off with a little paint thinner on a rag. This is a good idea because when you switch to a clean pad and #5 rouge, the last thing you want is leftover #2 grit.

 

[chrisknight]

I still have some deep scratches in at least 2 of my kegs. I'm not that worried about it. I get it as best I can with the fine pad and move on. I'll try the thinner. Thanks.

 

[Yambor44]

Got it. Thanks... That's about what I'm doing.
I thought I was using too much because I keep leaving black streaks. The 1st finishing scotch bright pad came out pretty shiny and uniform. The #2 compound really shines it up but it leaves the surface "dirty" with black compound. Anyone else getting this?

Chris,

Thats what I was trying to show in this pic here. Thanks Bobby for the info regarding how much compound, area, pressure and paint thinner.

 

[chrisknight]

That's exactly what I'm getting. As someone said before, after the fine pad and switching to the #2, do like Bobby does and pick a small area. The surface will go shiny, and then dull for a second as your going over it, and then shiny again. Then move to a new area.

Mineral spirits works great at removing the black crap!

Does the #5 leave marks too?

 

[Bobby_M]

It does for a little while until you release your pressure right at the end. I go high pressure over that small patch of work area, then right when I'm about to call it finished, back off to a feather touch and it will buff it clean. It also helps to work around the keg in the direction that the wheel throws the material/grit so that you're cleaning it as you go.

 

[Wade E]

Thanks so much for this info everyone. I had received a keg that was sprayed with spray paint lighty and it really looked like dog poop but this is really cleaning it right up. The Lowes where I am didnt have any different finish discs just the very fine so its taking some time as the first 2 cleaned off the paint ok and did mostof the rough work but I have to get a few more and then the polish to get the rest! Cant wait to get my E-keg all purty!

 

[zanemoseley]

Here's my keggle finished up, now I'm waiting for my valve to get here.

I ended up using 2 fine pads, it also took off the light paint that was in a couple spots. I followed this with #2 on a buffer followed by #5 on a new pad although I didn't wipe down the keg between compounds which could have helped. I'm pretty happy with it, perhaps it could be a bit more shiny if I had pressed harder although I totally went through both buffing pads so I was pressing a bit. Looks a ton better than a new one.

BTW, for anyone considering this it is a lot of work. 3-4 hours of stooping over will kick your a$$ even if you split it up into a couple sessions like I did. Doing 3 kegs in a row would be brutal, this is my only keggle for now.

 

[passedpawn]

Insane, Zane!

I have the pads and grinder and 3 kegs... you've motivated me to get my arse in gear and polish mine. Thanks.