Subject: Re: How to cut the top off of a stainless keg?

From: [email-masked] (Kirk Hays)
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1993 15:55:34 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Larry London) writes:
|> In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Phil Calvin) writes:
|> >I would like to cut the top off a keg (formerly held beer) and use
|> >it as a big boiling pot.  
|> >
|> >I have been told that stainless will chew up saw blades like butter.
|> >
|> >How should I remove the top?  Are there special saw blades?
|> 
|> >Better to use a blowtorch?
|> If there's any moisture inside the situation could become desperate in a
|> hurry.

I have to question this.  For a volume the size of beer keg,
you're going to have to vaporize a lot of moisture before pressure
becomes an issue.  I'd contend that you'd burn a hole through the
keg long before significant pressure was developed.

Not to mention that most beer kegs I've seen have a wooden bung
that would blow out before the keg would rupture.

-- 
Kirk Hays, NRA Life, 7th generation.  Call 1-800-726-4NRA to join.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to
do nothing."  -- Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
[I do not speak for Intel, not being an officer of the corporation.]

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From: [email-masked] (Dion Hollenbeck)
Date: 10 Aug 93 20:23:31 GMT

>>>>> On 9 Aug 1993 18:42:25 GMT, [email-masked] (Phil Calvin) said:

Phil> I would like to cut the top off a keg (formerly held beer) and use
Phil> it as a big boiling pot.  

Phil> I have been told that stainless will chew up saw blades like butter.

Phil> How should I remove the top?  Are there special saw blades?
Phil> Better to use a blowtorch?

Having just recently asked this same question, received lots of
replies, and then done it to 5 kegs, I can speak with some knowledge
on the subject.  Suggestions which were made included:

1)	Cut it with an 0xy/acetylene torch
2)	Cut it with a plasma torch
3)	Use a sawzall with carbide blades
4)	Use a cutoff wheel
5)	Use a carbide cutter

Reasons NOT to do some of the above:

1)	Oxy/acetylene will barely cut it, and when you are done,
	the SS is so brittle it will crack at the slightest force.
2)	This may also be true for a plasma torch and taking it 
	someone who has one may be big $$.
3)	Cutoff wheel or carbide cutter will take longer than
	the remaining portion of your lifetime.

What worked really well was the sawzall with bimetal blades because
carbide was not available at the time.  Here are the exact steps I
took (I have a Lowenbrau style keg which is straight sided with the
handles as an integral part of the upper rim, methods for aligning cut
will vary with a different type of keg): 

1)	Lay the keg down on its side.  Sit on the keg with the top in
	front of you.  Press in on the ball in the dispensing lock
	with a small socket on an extender.  If the keg is over half
	full, it will spray beer so don't lean over forward, if less
	than half full, it won't.
2)	Remove any blade from sawzall and place it in a vertical
	position with the body of the saw against the rim of the keg.
	Use a marker to make a small mark where the blade would be.
	This will be the distance from the rim to make your cut.  It
	will give you a hole about 11" in diameter when finished.
3)	Use a cutoff wheel to make a slit where you make your mark.
	It is quite hard to make a plunge cut in SS with a sawzall.
4)	Insert the blade in the sawzall and begin cutting using the
	keg rim as your guide.  The blade will attempt to wander
	towards the outside, so keep turning it in forcefully.  If you
	cut too fast or for too long, the teeth of the blade will
	melt.  Even if you don't, they will evantually anyway.  When
	they do, get another blade.  It took me approximately 2 blades
	per keg.  If you are patient, or cool the blade with water,
	you may get more mileage.  Carbide blades may get more
	mileage, but I have no experience.

Each keg took about 10 minutes to cut.  Not really a bad job at all.

-- 
Dion Hollenbeck (619)455-5590x2814     Email: [email-masked]
Senior Software Engineer                      [email-masked]
Megatek Corporation, San Diego, California    ucsd!megatek!hollen

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From: [email-masked] (Robin Edward Trudel)
Date: 10 Aug 93 16:04:54 GMT

I have found that a Sawzall with the correct blade will cut stainless.  I have not
tried it on stainless of a significant thickness, but it has worked well on stock
as thick as 1/8.  Make sure you`re using the right blade in your saw.

Robin the Woodcarver
--

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From: [email-masked] (Steven M Rezsutek)
Date: 11 Aug 1993 13:48:16 GMT

A number of people have suggested using a Sawzall to do this, and I'll
do the same.  It works, and it's how I did mine.

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned is *ear plugs*.  I strongly
suggest wearing them, as this is a quite noisy process.  

Steve

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From: [email-masked] (Greg Roody)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 15:59:59 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Steven M Rezsutek) writes...
>suggest wearing them, as this is a quite noisy process.  

Two points here.  

First, use a cutting oil (or any good quality heavy oil).  Your
blades will last much longer (I did my keg with one already worn blade and it
was still sharp at the end).

Secondly, DEFINATELY wear ear protection.  Noisy doesn't quite descibe it.

Now a question:  What do people use to attach a spigot?  I am planning on 
using a threaded drum fitting, mostly because I don't know how to weld 
stainless, but if someone has a better way, I'd like to hear it.

/greg

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From: [email-masked] (Dion Hollenbeck)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 22:04:17 GMT

>>>>> On Wed, 11 Aug 1993 15:59:59 GMT, [email-masked] (Greg Roody) said:

Greg> Now a question:  What do people use to attach a spigot?  I am planning on 
Greg> using a threaded drum fitting, mostly because I don't know how to weld 
Greg> stainless, but if someone has a better way, I'd like to hear it.

Stainless steel can be brazed or silver soldered.  Therefore, you can
even braze in a brass nipple, you don't need stainless fittings.  I,
however used stainless.

LARGE CAUTION!!!!!!!

Stainless steel gets brittle with heat.  Use as little heat as
possible to melt the silver solder or brazing rod.  If you can melt
the solder, but it does not flow right, you got the SS too hot and got
oxidation on the surface.  Let it cool, clean it up again, flux it and
go back with LESS HEAT.  I thought that lack of flowing was due to
lack of heat like in regular gas welding, so I added more heat.
WRONG!!!!  I eventually had a piece of the keg the size of my little
fingernail fall out because it cracked.  Took a lot of patience and a
lot of low heat bronze brazing rod to fix my f**k-up.

The best way is to use a TIG or MIG welder or best, take it to a
professional welder who has one.  Depending on what you want this keg
for, there are some non-welding type solutions.  If this is for a
homebrewing application, contact me directly, I don't know if this
group is too interested in brewing applications.

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From: [email-masked] (Phil Calvin)
Date: 9 Aug 1993 18:42:25 GMT

I would like to cut the top off a keg (formerly held beer) and use
it as a big boiling pot.  

I have been told that stainless will chew up saw blades like butter.

How should I remove the top?  Are there special saw blades?
Better to use a blowtorch?

Thanks for your help.
Phil
--
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From: [email-masked] (Larry London)
Date: 10 Aug 1993 03:34:32 GMT

>Better to use a blowtorch?
If there's any moisture inside the situation could become desperate in a
hurry.

Again, drill a starter hole then cut the top off with a carbide-tipped
Dremel burr bit. Should work fine though a bit slowly.

Are all metal beer kegs stainless steel, as opposed to aluminum.
I bought a nearly new keg for $20 and hoped to use on woodstove top
for preheating my domestic hot water supply.

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Kirk Hays)
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1993 15:55:34 GMT

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From: [email-masked] (Dion Hollenbeck)
Date: 10 Aug 93 20:23:31 GMT

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From: [email-masked] (Robin Edward Trudel)
Date: 10 Aug 93 16:04:54 GMT

Robin the Woodcarver
--

                                   Thanks,

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From: [email-masked] (Greg Roody)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 15:59:59 GMT

Two points here.  

/greg

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From: [email-masked] (Dion Hollenbeck)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 22:04:17 GMT

LARGE CAUTION!!!!!!!