Home Distiller

Okay so this keg was just dropped off for me. Noticed it doest hvethe sankey ball valve and a hole in the side. Has any one used these for their boiler? I see them used more for fuel tanks in rat rods. Would it be worth it to cut into and weld parts on or shey just get a newer keg.

I'm no expert, but that hole in the side will need to be closed. It might not be a big deal, depending on your level of skill. For me, it would be an ordeal. With that said, I would bring it to my local welding shop and have it closed but your gifted keg might turn out to be expensive. I don't used kegs as a boiler since I like to fill mine up with home brews.

If you're paying for welding anyway, might weld a TC ferrule on the hole- siphon tube, fill tube, sight glass, blank cover while deciding?

I plan on mounting my 3-1/2" plated column to a keg. So either way i got some modifying to do to any keg. And i do all the welding myself mig or tig. Im just wondering if anyone here is using this style. And what complication they might of had compared to the sankey style.

I have one of those kegs,a 2 inch ferrule fits perfectly over the hole on the side, the hole on the top of mine is BSP thread so a 3/4 fitting screws straight in. I thought about welding a patch over it but why weld it when I can unscrew a fitting and use it if I change my mind.

Laying on it's side reduces height and it looks good If you don't want the keg I'll have it

You could also just weld a 50mm ferrule on the side and put a blanking cap on it and then cut the top and put a ferrule on the top and use that for your still.

They are a nice solid keg, I would like to get my hands on a couple more actually...............

I have 3 sitting in the basement. There ate a few around that use them. And there ate some really cool ways of doing it. The one I like apparently you can cut the top out around below the ridge. Then take the top out and it will slip fit right back in. It's covered in a thread around here somewhere? You mote have to do some digging to find it. But it would be worth it.

I'm making a vent hood for my brew stand out of mine.

Dont know in your parts, most of the ones we have like that in this area are aluminum!

bentstick wrote:Dont know in your parts, most of the ones we have like that in this area are aluminum!

Only the really old ones. That one looks to be SS. Do the ding dong test.

Thanks for the info guys. I'll do some digging for that thread and see my options. It is a nice keg as they all are. It is stainless and seems durable as hell. Im in no hurry to convert it overnl. my other stills work great.

I have used several of the old design kegs. They work great. I am the one with the thread somewhere describing how I cut the top open and use it for a lid.
I will try to find the link so I don’t have to describe it again but I will if need be. They are my favorite boilers. PM me and kick my butt if I forget to get back to you.
Mash Rookie

If any of you guys are home brewers you will recognize this as a Pins/Firkins homebrew cask. They are used by home brewers to naturally carbonate beer in the cask using priming sugar. They are more common with home brewers in England than in the US.

BG

mash rookie wrote:I have used several of the old design kegs. They work great. I am the one with the thread somewhere describing how I cut the top open and use it for a lid.
I will try to find the link so I don’t have to describe it again but I will if need be. They are my favorite boilers. PM me and kick my butt if I forget to get back to you.
Mash Rookie

Mash, if u could find the thread that would be great. Im workin out a few ideas in my head. Seein someone elses work would help. Speacially somebody with the skills and craftmenship ive seen from you.

Bstillin wrote:

mash rookie wrote:I have used several of the old design kegs. They work great. I am the one with the thread somewhere describing how I cut the top open and use it for a lid.
I will try to find the link so I don’t have to describe it again but I will if need be. They are my favorite boilers. PM me and kick my butt if I forget to get back to you.
Mash Rookie

Mash, if u could find the thread that would be great. Im workin out a few ideas in my head. Seein someone elses work would help. Speacially somebody with the skills and craftmenship ive seen from you.

I looked through my old threads for a half hour. I will start over and repost the pic's. Most of those style of kegs have a tapered vertical rise/drop just inside the outer edge. They have center leaning taper. A taper that when cut will make a tight fitting compression lid once forced out of the keg. Cut with a mini grinder 30-%-40% down this edge. Force out the piece and it will now fit snuggly on top. You get a very large hole for cleaning and a tigh fitting lid. Weld on a ferule and you are good to go. After dumping my wash in, I place the lid on and give it a few blows with a hammer. Tight and strong. The pics dont show that now I have a 2" ferule welded to the pipe.

I like what u did there mash. Do u use any flour paste or teflon to seal it? I did notice that our taps are a bit different. Mine is recessed in futher kinda sitting in a cup thats been welded into the top. Its about 3-3/4 wide. so im thinkin ab cutting that out turninig uspide down weling it banck on and then citting and welding a 3" ferrule to that. Also your keg i see is pabst, my is Oly, if only they were full i would trade.

Actually the one you see cut is an Oly. The Pabst pic was to show folks what I started with. The pabst keg has since been cut as well. No, I don’t have to use flour. It seals tight and perfect with a few wraps of a hammer. The fitting can not be adapted. I cut them off, beat it out a little and weld on a pipe pr ferule.

The pabst keg was a little more work. It was pretty beat up and the cut area although tapered, did not have as much taper. I had to grind and sand the lid to get it to fit and because it was dented it only fit in one exact spot. It still seals without flour paste.
I recently changed that one to a four inch ferule and added three cinch bolts to keep the lid fixed. That boiler is for gas heat. The oly is now electric.

I dont care what other guys say. It is really nice to have a large opening.

Thats pretty amazing it keeps a tight seal like that. I ordered some ferrules for the the transition. Will post more pics soon. Let me know what yall think. Thinkin ab a drain on the bottom any ideas would help. Any one lookin at my copper fairy build more pics will be up soon. Life sometimes gets in the way of yr hobby. Which to me is a good thing.

Okay. Got my 3" ferrules in and got work done to top of my keg.. a few more mods and she will be ready.

I just welded a 3/4" NPT coupler cut in half onto mine. And use a 3/4" ball valve for the drain. I put it in the side. But now I wish I had put it on the bottom. Because I have to tip it on its side to drain it fully. Will be working on that later.

Prairiepiss wrote:I just welded a 3/4" NPT coupler cut in half onto mine. And use a 3/4" ball valve for the drain. I put it in the side. But now I wish I had put it on the bottom. Becausei I have to tip it on its side to drain it fully. Will be working on that later.

+1 on the drain on bottom,just sent my 2nd keg out to get the couplers welded in.It took my 4months to find someone to do this, then actually follow through.

I didn't really think to say. The drain on the bottom is good for an internal electric element. A little more thought should be used when gas fire is used.


What is the bubble looking extension thingy?

@piss- if u look at the first pic on page 1 the tap is recessed in a cup that was welded on in the keg. So i cut it out. Cut the tap and tube out of the cup snd flipped it over. Just a lil more working room to acess the clamp. Looks a lil different too.

Ok gotcha. Just looked a little different to me. Or maybe my eyes are just going wonky.

So on your keg does it have the drain trough looking thing on the bottom? Some of these style kegs had them and some didn't. it would ne best to add a drain port to that area if it does. One of mine had the trough and a drain port out the side. The other two don't.

Yes the keg does have a trough on yhe bottom. It runs towards the outer edge of the keg. Thinkinabout welding some stainless pipe to it threaded on one end and potting a stsinless valve on that. Got the pipe. Waiting on the valve. Should be here this week.

There you go. Sounds good to me.

Got the valve. 1" gate stainless. A few more parts and this keg is ready.

That old Hoff-Stevens keg needs much work, but I see you are well on your way to make it a usable piece of history. Good luck in your journey!