Beer Forum

I just got my hands onto a keg and am in the process of cutting it,

I was wondering what pieces I would need for the bulk head. I am planning on welding the fittings to the keg

I think all I might need is...

1. barb
2. valve
3. nipple
4. coupler

Questions:
1. Is there anything else I would need?
2. What is the difference between 2-piece ball valve and 3-piece ball valves? Which makes the most sense to use?
3. Which size ball valve is best? What is the differences between the different sizes?

Any help would be great...thanks....

mike

You got the parts right, and the list is complete. McMaster has the half couplers and the full couplers. For the drain, you will need the full coupler - because you will want to thread a dip tube on the inside. I suggest going to some sort of quick disconnect as soon as possible. Barbs and hose clamps get real old in a short time.

Their is no appreciable difference (IMHO) between the 2-piece and 3 piece ball valves - besides price. The 3 piece ones are more expensive. You can still take apart the 2 piece ones. Whichever way you decide - I suggest 1/2" full port. It doesn't make much sense to get anything bigger - unless you are going with bigger bore tubing - but even then you will have some sort of restriction from the pump, or your chiller, etc. Non full port will restrict your flow. Ever hear an old guy pee at the urinal.... exactly.... He ain't playing with a full port prostate.


Mylo

The Northern Brewer caltalog has an exploded view of a weldless bulkhead fitting. It's got a lot of detail.

The biggest pain is making sure the nipple is the correct length. It's less critical for a keg where a close nipple is used. For a insulated cooler, you need to know the thickness of the opening.

"suggest going to some sort of quick disconnect as soon as possible. Barbs and hose clamps get real old in a short time."

This is the first time I have tried to make a keggle, I am looking through the northern brewer catalog and see some some of the polysulfone disconnets.

I imagined that after I make my keggle and brewed a beer, I would just use a plastic tube to transfer the beer from the barb to my fermenter....so what is the advantage of the disconnect? Does it eliminate the need to use a clamp each time you want to transfer the beer?

I also wondering where people buy the dip tube and is a false bottom needed to prevent materials from traveling into the fermentor.

Thanks for your help

swifty wrote:am in the process of cutting it

We've got this tool at work, don't know what its called but it cuts through stainless steel like nothing and makes the cleanest hole you have ever seen in your life

Its for cutting holes in control cabinets to run the conduit

Blowmax10 wrote:

swifty wrote:am in the process of cutting it

We've got this tool at work, don't know what its called but it cuts through stainless steel like nothing and makes the cleanest hole you have ever seen in your life

you work at NASA? lucky dog

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/friction_stir.html

MattSF wrote:

Blowmax10 wrote:

swifty wrote:am in the process of cutting it

We've got this tool at work, don't know what its called but it cuts through stainless steel like nothing and makes the cleanest hole you have ever seen in your life

you work at NASA? lucky dog

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/friction_stir.html

No I make Plastic bottles

Blowmax10 wrote:

swifty wrote:am in the process of cutting it

We've got this tool at work, don't know what its called but it cuts through stainless steel like nothing and makes the cleanest hole you have ever seen in your life

Its for cutting holes in control cabinets to run the conduit

Yeah, its called a Conduit Punch, racheting punch, or a punch out. It does make some really clean holes, I got 4 sets of green lee punches from 1/2" up to 4". Havent used the 4" one yet, but I will . Also make sure you grease the cutting side of the punch, otherwise you will dull them out over time cutting through hard stainless steel.