"polishing your keg" is more than a clever euphemism

[SweetSounds]

Words about tools: Don't scrimp on price and..............MAKITA

Sometimes I agree with that - Not really this time...

I bought a $100 miter saw when I framed my basement, just to decapitate 2x4's.
When I went to cut $1200 worth of oak crown molding, I borrowed the $700 DeWalt doublethrowdownmothergrabber compound miter saw with the 80,000 tooth blade.

Good tools have a place. I need an angle grinder about once every 5 years, maybe... And even then it'll never get abused like a jobsite tool.

Ratchet wrenches on the other hand... Are worth every penny
They are on my list of tools where "The guy that invented that, deserves a "Proper waking up" every morning for the rest of his life" :rockin:

 

[BrewBeemer]

Aaron, I've snagged one of these it's complete in great shape fully loaded as well free off Craigslist. I was the first lucky caller. A company tax write off as they ordered three new ones. Model 1000, a tool tool to play with my compound saw collects dust as this is more fun.
http://www.frame-square.com/page7.html

 

[SweetSounds]

Of course, the doublethrowdownmothergrabber is completely acceptable, even if you'll only use it rarely, if it's FREE

You suck

 

[BrewBeemer]

Thanks Aaron. This has been the only nice item of quality and value i've ever had come my way in 30 years, well the wife also but I must still pay pay and pay to keep her happy. Two complete and running 1710 Allison V12's at $500 each count? Long story being a licensed A&P.

 

[SweetSounds]

Thanks Aaron. This has been the only nice item of quality and value i've ever had come my way in 30 years, well the wife also but I must still pay pay and pay to keep her happy. Two complete and running 1710 Allison V12's at $500 each count? Long story being a licensed A&P.

What on earth are you gonna put those into?
Hell, you're almost to a P38!
Just need airframe, wings, empennage...

Get on it

 

[BrewBeemer]

P-38's came with Allison's as well Mustangs not the Rolls Merlin's dad had in China and India he was lead mechanic Air Corps. No Germans allowed in Europe so he was screwed. I sold them for $5,500 each vs $500 paid to Unlimited Hydro racers in Seattle years ago, damn fool should of kept one. My storage was full with four 670 radials with props with a 2800 Pratt within reach that I lost out on. I'm not normal.

Sticky back abrasives are heck of a lot cheaper than hook and loop if your going thru many of them on your sanding and polishing projects. The 5" random sander by Porter Cable has run hundreds of hours of hard use vs El Cheapo brands that quit on me within a weeks use. I got tired of exchanges and stepped up, never looked back as well own every Milwaukee power tool made, magnetic base drill also.
Short time use tools cheapo's will work but don't kid yourself if used for a living or hard use.

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

My keg was in pretty good shape to start with. It is a Mexican one from Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma (Tecate, Dos Equis etc).

With four hours work I got this.
- 1 hour fine pad (also quick blast with medium to take of paint).
- 1 hour polish pad (regular polish)
- 1 hour new polish pad (high gloss polish)
- 2nd 1 hour new polish pad (high gloss polish)

Bobby, thanks for this thread and all the tips. I just need the sight glass from you which shipped out earlier this week and I am all set.

 

[BrewBeemer]

That sucker really came alive, screw wasting money on Blingman pots.
Can you get two more for a matching set?

 

[SaintTaris]

Just wanted to take the time to thank Bobby, as well as the others who have placed thier input on this subject.
Thanks Again!

Also, wanted to confirm the following process worked fanstastic!!!
and maybe simplify for the community.

Tools
- 4 1/4 inch angle grinder
- backing pad for angle grinder, gator grit makes this in yellow (must use)

Cleaning
- clean with gator grit surface finishing disc: Fine (it's bluish grey)
- you can use the burgandy medium for tougher kegs but not needed, then move to the fine

Polishing
- surface polishing/finishing disc from gator grit (they are white)
- green high gloss polishing compound for hard metals (green rectangular stick, the manufacturer at lowe's changes frequently, you will find it near the grinder pads,i believe its the #5)
- you can use the black stick for cleaning first, but not nessesary, i believe its the #2, then move to the green.

Good Luck!

Tagging along

 

[SaintTaris]

Here is my loot for the project. Everything was about $50 in total. I picked up the grinder from Harbor Freight for about $15.

They did not have the polishing compound at my Lowes which is featured in the pics on this thread. But I believe the stuff I got is basically the same thing.

Reference point.

 

[Jewrican]

okay so i am in the middle of giving this a shot and have just run the fine pad on the keg and my keg is definitely shiny but has black stuff all through it. It is almost where the pad comes in contact with the keg it leaves it. It is not too hot and i just tried to clean it off with a fresh pad with no luck.

I tried paint thinner on it to try to clean it off that way but that didnt work either.

Is this normal? Will it be removed in the next step (cleaning polish)?

Thanks

 

[Bobby_M]

It sounds like you're hitting it at too steep of an angle. Lay it flatter to keep the edge of the pad from melting off onto the keg.

 

[Jewrican]

i just did that and the pad flew off the angle ginder and hit the wall LOL.

it literally ripped that pad right from the center to the edge.

it also did not seem to be cleaning it up any...

someone mentioned to look at what side of that pad you are using. i am using the harder side. the side i am not using seems relatively soft. I AM using the right side right?

 

[DirtyPolock]

I just need to give a quick Prost to Bobby M and this thread. I polished a few of my ball-lock kegs and they look amazing.

I figure that if I am going to have some stay out in my brewing supply corner of the house and use these kegs as conditioning kegs they might as well look nice for people to look at.

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

Yes the rough side is correct. The fabric kind of side is the back.

 

[Jewrican]

well hell.

Do i need to sort this out or do you think it will polish / clean up with those pads?

 

[passedpawn]

well hell.

Do i need to sort this out or do you think it will polish / clean up with those pads?

I had black smears all over mine. Paint thinner and a rag took it all off perfectly. I'd be surprised if your black gunk was any different than mine, so give it another try.

 

[Jewrican]

i went to town on it with the paint thinner and the rag came off dirty (the keg was never cleaned) but it did not remove the black stuff. maybe i should post a pic for you to see... maybe i am blowing this out of proportion

 

[passedpawn]

i went to town on it with the paint thinner and the rag came off dirty (the keg was never cleaned) but it did not remove the black stuff. maybe i should post a pic for you to see... maybe i am blowing this out of proportion

pics are always good. My kegs are mirrors, so I'm certain that ANY black is not good.

I should mention that the black stuff comes from using the white buffing pads with the polishing compounds.

 

[Jewrican]

here are the pics... could my keg be aluminum?

http://picasaweb.google.com/NNatic/KegPolishing#5505024358426300418

I just picked up and cut open two miller kegs. they look very different from each other as you can see.

Could it be aluminum? if not likely, how the heck can i get rid of that black.. tried paint thinner again with no luck at all.

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

You are using the yellow backing disc right?

 

[passedpawn]

here are the pics... could my keg be aluminum?

That is SS.

 

[Jewrican]

You are using the yellow backing disc right?

yeah for sure.

That is SS.

well that is def a good thing. I was a little worried

 

[jvino]

Keep after it. Change discs maybe. It is stainless for sure and will polish up.

 

[Catt22]

Keep after it. Change discs maybe. It is stainless for sure and will polish up.

+1 It also looks like you may be applying to much of the compound at one time. You only need a small amount on the pad, but replenish it frequently. When you put too much compound on the pad it tends to gum up and smear. The black stuff is really just some of the SS that comes off as you buff. The metal can mix with the compound and turn black and smeary like that. You've got a ways to go yet. Keep the rpms up and don't go too heavy on the pressure. You'll get there and yes, it is SS and not aluminum I am sure.

 

[Jewrican]

okay maybe i am missing this whole procedure, but i am not using a compound yet correct?

I have been using just the disk on the keg with no compound at all. I will need to get back after it. I am not applying any pressure at all as i had read about that earlier in the thread. At least until we get to the mirror finish part that is.

 

[Catt22]

There are more than a few ways to go about it. I prefer to use a medium Gator pad initially with no compound to take off any labels, tape and general crud using light pressure. I then use the same medium pad with the coarse compound followed by the fine pad with the finer compound. You kind of have to develop your own technique and it depends on which pad you use with which compound and how much pressure you apply. Do some trial testing on one small area until you get the hang of it. It would be very difficult to do any harm that you could not correct with more buffing.

 

[Catt22]

This was one of my cruddier corny kegs that I spent about 1/2 hour on with a fine Gator pad and some fine compound:

Obvously corny kegs are usually much easier to buff out than the Sankey kegs simply because they typically have not been subjected to as much heavy abuse.

Not too bad, eh?

 

[Jewrican]

dude that looks great.

Which compound did you go with.. just the fine pad and the high gloss compound (like the number 2)

 

[Catt22]

dude that looks great.

Which compound did you go with.. just the fine pad and the high gloss compound (like the number 2)

Unfortunately, I'm not sure. I have several sticks of compound laying around from past projects and the one I used on that keg no longer had a label on it. I wish it did as I would buy some more. I've had it around so long that I don't even remember where I bought it. I think you could use the No. 2 stuff from Lowes for about the same results.

I've got to refurbish a number of corny kegs early next week for my club. They were donated to our club to use as raffle prizes. One of our members found them in the basement of a local dive and picked them up for free. I think they were abandoned about 10 or 15 years ago and they look it. Most of them contain some syrup and were still pressurized after all those years. That was a surprise to say the least. So, I will need to buy some more pads and compound. I will pick up a variety of the compounds and get back to you on which works best for this.

So yeah, a fine pad and some kind of fine compound and it was probably similar to the No. 2 stuff.