Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:00 am

Why not use a high powered super concentrated laser beam? I'm sure MIT wouldn't mind helping out.

Plasma cutter... pbbt.
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Thirsty Mallard
 
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 11:16 am

ok. I guess you've never seen one. It looks like a regular blow torch style cut, but it uses compressed air to blow the molten metal away. It has the same size end as a MIG welder.
Like this http://www.daytonamig.com/plasma.htm
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beer_bear
 
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:46 pm

a plasma cutter works great for the tops of kegs. i cut 3 kegs in about 10 minutes. just make sure you are good with a grinder. although the plasma cutter is quick it leaves a lot of material that will need to be ground off.

for the 7/8" hole, either bit works fine just make sure you use lube. yes, i said lube.
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Steelers&Beer
 
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:55 pm

For the tops of my kegs I used a grinder with a 40 grit cutting wheel...worked freak'en great. It oly took about 10 minutes too. The trick is to not try and do it all at once. Make a few trips around the top get a good groove started and then go to town. Took me maybe five turns around maybe.

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Brancid
 
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:39 pm

I'm with Brancid on this one -- for the top I used my angle grinder with a cutting wheel. Takes slightly longer than a plasma cutter without all the cleanup and slag removal afterwards. Just a couple of quick polishing passes with another wheel and you're home free. HOWEVER, I do believe that the original post was about holes in the SIDE of the keg for like bulkheads or thermowells. For that I just use a carbonitrided titanium tungsten carbide tip drill bit of the original size needed, then drill away like a hot knife through butter. All too easy as Darth Vader says :-)

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zymurgest
 
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Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:13 am

Turns out Chuck Norris's forefinger is 7/8 of an inch at the base. I just asked him to come over and do a kung fu finger poke into my keg. It took .006 seconds, and oddly enough not only was the hole perfect, but there was no need to use any seal because water fears the places Chuck Norris attacks so water will not flow through it.
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