"polishing your keg" is more than a clever euphemism

[day_trippr]

[...]I'm sure others will chime in and say it wasn't that bad, but for my money, I won't ever do it inside again.

Not this guy - I totally agree with you on this. I polished up a corney keg just for poops and chuckles. Took a couple of hours to finish, at which point I flipped up my face shield and realized I had just thoroughly dusted my workshop with a coating of grey/black flecks that wouldn't come clean with just a shop vac. I ended up have to wiped down every horizontal surface in the shop with dampened rags. Royal pita.

If I ever do that again it'll definitely be outdoors...

Cheers!

 

[megalomani]

It seems the orbit sander works fine. I got some gator pads for it and two of the polish compounds. Just did a small spot of the keg with the fine pad and it looks nice. Unfortunately did it in the basement and got dust all over. Hopefully I can work on it outside tomorrow and post some pics.

 

[TalonBrew]

. at which point I flipped up my face shield and realized I had just thoroughly dusted my workshop with a coating of grey/black flecks that wouldn't come clean with just a shop vac. I ended up have to wiped down every horizontal surface in the shop with dampened rags. Royal pita.

Yeah. It's hard to describe that unless you've done it. I read plenty in here that said it was messy, but I thought a broom and a shop-vac.....

I was wrong.

 

[akthor]

Okey dokey not inside for sure. Of course the Lowes I went to didn't have the rubber backing pad or the soft polishing pads in stock Gotta try the other Lowes.

 

[Bobby_M]

After the first 20 minutes of polishing in the garage, I realized I was making an insane mess. If you overlook the respirator, you'll blow black snot into the tissue later. That can't be good. I eventually rigged up a small isolation booth with some thick clear plastic to keep the mess down. It worked well but it concentrates the mess inside. Don't even think about walking through your wife's newly carpeted areas without stripping down first.

 

[megalomani]

Here is what a cheap orbit sander was able to do. Don't have a before picture, the bottom pic is after the first time over with 220 grit paper.

Not a mirror but pretty good compared to before. I went through lots of sanding discs and the motor was too weak for hard pressure. May get a cheap grinder to finish it off.

On an unrelated note broke several bits trying to drill pilot holes.

 

[Brickout]

Just stopped at Lowes to pick up everything. Just as an FYI, the polishing sticks are no longer offered under the Task Force name. They have them under the Porter Cable brand over by the bench grinder accessories.

 

[akthor]

Ok got all the stickers and old sticker residue off was putting the grinder together to get ready to attempt this and need a little clarification.

The medium and fine gator discs have one side that is more abrasive then the other which side do we use? Also do I use the center nut that came with the backing disc or the one that came with my grinder?

Also if you look at the picture that is the center nut that came with the backing pad. Is that set up right? So I have to be careful that the center nut doesn't come in contact with the keg right? I mean it would mess up the keg surface? So I only have like an inch and a half of surface area to polish with?

The tool that came with my grinder also doesn't fit the holes in the nut that came with the backing pad so how tight does that nut need to be?

 

[Flomaster]

I used the center nut that came with the backing pad. I also had to remove the bottom nut off my grinder in order to get the flat center nut to screw down

-=Jason=-

 

[Bobby_M]

Yup on both counts. The back washer has to come off so that there is enough threads to make it all the way down. Put a leather work glove on and with the spindle lock on, put your palm flat on the nut to tighten it. It should recess slightly below the surface of the pad. It will get tighter as you work.

I don't know how to describe which side to use, it's the side that is most like a 3M scrubby pad.

 

[akthor]

Well it was in the high 30's today so I took advantage and went out in the shed where I didn't have to worry about a mess and got started on my first keg.

As someone who has never polished or grinded anything with a grinder the process wasn't too bad. As with anything the more I did the better I think I got at it.

My 2 cents:

Wear hearing protection! I didn't think it was too loud but now after an hour of grinding I have a ringing in my ears like when I get home from a rock concert.

Keep the grinder moving. Helps keep the annoying black smudges down. Which I assume are from the pad itself burning if you push too hard or stay in one place too long.

Took two medium gator grit pads to do my 1st keg. Is this normal???? How many pads did you guys that did this use up?

When I have better light I will take a picture of what it looks like after the med pads. If it's not too cold I will tackle it with the fine grit ones tomorrow.

 

[Im_Lars]

My 2 cents:

Wear hearing protection!

LOL............. I found with the top cut off mine it acted like a echo chamber and magnified the sound. I stuffed the keg with some old blankets and it cut the noise down.

 

[akthor]

I figured it would be easier to polish it before cutting the top off and putting the bulkhead holes in it.

 

[Bobby_M]

Well it was in the high 30's today so I took advantage and went out in the shed where I didn't have to worry about a mess and got started on my first keg.

As someone who has never polished or grinded anything with a grinder the process wasn't too bad. As with anything the more I did the better I think I got at it.

My 2 cents:

Wear hearing protection! I didn't think it was too loud but now after an hour of grinding I have a ringing in my ears like when I get home from a rock concert.

Keep the grinder moving. Helps keep the annoying black smudges down. Which I assume are from the pad itself burning if you push too hard or stay in one place too long.

Took two medium gator grit pads to do my 1st keg. Is this normal???? How many pads did you guys that did this use up?

When I have better light I will take a picture of what it looks like after the med pads. If it's not too cold I will tackle it with the fine grit ones tomorrow.

My first keg took two medium pads but the second one I did only used one. It may have been a difference in the initial surface condition or perhaps I just took my time more and applied less pressure. I'm not sure.

 

[akthor]

Before and after 2hrs and 2 gator grit med pads. Hope to hit it with the fine pads tomorrow and then Sunday the final polish while the weather holds.

 

[akthor]

And here it is after the fine gator grit pad (didn't take a picture of that it wasn't a hose difference looks wise from med) and after the first polishing stick.

Last step is the #5 high gloss polishing stick and a clean up with a buffer and Brasso and she will be done.

Hopefully finish tomorrow.

I have to say it is a lot of work but you see such a difference as you go along that you have a constant sense of accomplishment so it doesn't seem so bad.

 

[Golddiggie]

Here's my first polished keg...

I need to hit a few spots again, with the jewelers rouge compound and a buffing/polishing pad. But it's about 99% of where it needs to be. Next time, I plan to use just the medium and fine pads (used course and medium this time) and then maybe something else to buff/polish it to the final shine. Still, getting a lot of good comments on the results so far.

 

[ron,ar]

I have been to 2 different Lowes in the Little Rock area looking for those polishing compound sticks. No luck under Task Force or Porter Cable. I had 3 people looking in North Little Rock Lowes, I think I'll just get mad and paint em black!!!

 

[day_trippr]

I have been to 2 different Lowes in the Little Rock area looking for those polishing compound sticks. No luck under Task Force or Porter Cable. I had 3 people looking in North Little Rock Lowes, I think I'll just get mad and paint em black!!!

Lowes has free "ship to store"...

Cheers!

 

[Golddiggie]

Amazon has them... Some of them are even eligible for free shipping if you have a Prime membership (I do )... So free 2 day and $3.99 overnight shipping. I went with some 5oz sticks the first time. You can get a full keg buffed with them and still have some left over. It all depends on how far you go before you start buffing. Or how far you go with the first compound.

 

[Bobby_M]

I have been to 2 different Lowes in the Little Rock area looking for those polishing compound sticks. No luck under Task Force or Porter Cable. I had 3 people looking in North Little Rock Lowes, I think I'll just get mad and paint em black!!!

They move them around the tool area constantly because I suspect the guys don't even know what they are. Last week I saw them on hooks next to the wood chisels nowhere near polishing pads, buffing machines or anything having to do with surface finishing.

 

[akthor]

Exactly they put them in places that make no sense at all

 

[CanadianQuaffer]

Not sure if this question has been asked or not yet, but what about a brass wire brush attachment for a drill?
Wouldn't that be fine for polishing a keggle as brass is softer than steel and doesn't (to my knowledge) corrode/rust?

Nick

 

[CanadianQuaffer]

My 2 cents:

Wear hearing protection! I didn't think it was too loud but now after an hour of grinding I have a ringing in my ears like when I get home from a rock concert.

I don't think this can be emphasized enough. People typically are smart enough to protect their eyes but are often very cavalier about their hearing.

Lemme tell ya, after having a Mauser K98 go off 3 feet from my hear twice in rapid succession before I decided to move, tinnitus ain't a fun thing.
I got used to the ringing after about a year, and I hardly notice it now, but that was a year of hell teetering on the brink of depression the whole time.

No joke, protect your ears with all the vigilance you do your eyes.

 

[18DPA]

They move them around the tool area constantly because I suspect the guys don't even know what they are. Last week I saw them on hooks next to the wood chisels nowhere near polishing pads, buffing machines or anything having to do with surface finishing.

Harbor Freight always has em. All different colors. Black, White, green, gray etc. The local AirGas where I fill my C02 for keggerator near my house in TX has them. They also have the most robust welding slection ever and maybe that's why.

Another option is to find a place that sells automotive paint supplies. My neighbor used to shoot cars for a living and I noticed polishing compounds at the store he took me too on another errand.

 

[pfgonzo]

Don't want to fill Bobby's box with too many PMs, so I'll ask here:

I cannot find Gator Fine (or Medium) Finishing Pads on either the Home Depot or Lowes websites. I presume my search string is flawed. What is the actual name for the fine and medium pads? Are they a certain grit? Do you wet or dry sand?

Thanks all!

 

[originalben]

I believe I could not find them when I initially searched, as well. They are in store at Lowe's, though, despite the website omission.

 

[Bobby_M]

Yeah. You'll. Find them in the store.

 

[pfgonzo]

Bobby, in your Youtube channel you have a video showing the use of a twine-ish wheel from Caswell. Did you prefer those over Gator?

[edit] Never mind. Just searched this thread and saw you said not to bother with Caswell.

 

[Golddiggie]

Lowe's has them in the store, not so much online. If you don't see then in the tools section ask someone about them.