Keggle conversion

[RGagnon]

Chopping the top off the keg this weekend. Any recommendations or tips on the process would w great! Also on where a good place to buy some cheap parts to throw on like thermometer and ball valve. Also, just picked up a cooler, whats good cheap false bottom setup for a rectangle cooler.

 

[454k30]

From what I have seen it is as straight forward as it looks. Don't worry about making a perfect cut as you can grind and rough edges you don't like; normal stuff. There are lots of photos of keggles on here if you want to see what others have done.

 

[MrNatural]

I am very happy with simple jig I made here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/jig-bottom-keg-cut-378518/#post5067960

 

[hopmonster2189]

BobbyM has a good YouTube video on the process you might take a look if you haven't already

 

[RGagnon]

Thanks folks, i will check it out. Weird question, i scored this 10 gal cooler. You think its shape will suffice for a mash tun?

 

[MikeyLXT]

Go slow and don't use much pressure. It took me A LOT of passes to finally start cutting through but I couldn't be happier with how the cut turned out.

 

[Transamguy77]

Fill the keg with water it will cut down on the noise a lot. Brewhardware.com has sight glass and thermometer kits that are awesome. I highly recommend them.

 

[morticus]

I just use a string and marker to draw an even circle. Then used my angle grinder with a metal cutting disk. Works great and cuts fast.

 

[RGagnon]

Thanks for all your reccomendations, i will definitey keep it all mind! Any word on that potential mashtun? I think its pretty neat and rare but couldn't pass up the epic deal, stole it basically.

 

[Tupperwolf]

That cooler could certainly work for a mash tun. Make a square manifold out of some slotted copper.

 

[RGagnon]

Awesome i didnt know if the cylnder style igloos gave the best results. How about the bazooka style false bottom or the copper bottoms? Ive seen pvc as well??

 

[RGagnon]

Well heres the finished product, ended up using a torpedo false bottom. Hopefully it works alright. I need to buy a longer coupler i think it is that goes from the inside through the cooler to the outside that the ball valve screws onto. I have a tiiiny leak and the handle is a bit to close to the cooler for my liking. It was a pain trying to get on. Any suggestions?

 

[daksin]

Looks great- should work fine.

 

[hogwash]

Do you have room fit some washers between the valve and the outside of the tun? That should take care of your problem with the handle butting up against the cooler. Otherwise, yeah, you need a longer coupler.

 

[RGagnon]

No thats te problem. The nipple was just baaaarely long enough for me to even screw the ball valve on. I need to find a 2.5 inch nipple i think and i should be ok.

 

[Bobby_M]

The leak is from liquid going between the coupling and washer, then hitting the threads.

 

[RGagnon]

Suggestions? I felt stupid staring at the same parts for an hour trying to figure out the best way for it... Only had 1 option due to length of the nipple. It was restricting me from using washers for spacing... And my seals suck. I got caught up in my keggle conversion this weekend.. Im going to get back to this though. I appreciate any input, thanks guys!!

 

[Bobby_M]

The interior surface that pushes on the gasket has to be connected to the nipple in a way that doesn't allow liquid between it and the threads. One solution is to solder a washer to the nipple but another is to use a locknut. All you need to do there is put a little teflon tape on the threads so that a seal is made between the nipple and locknut.

 

[RGagnon]

Sp, bobbyM i bought your fittings for my keg. Everything is great. I just chopped off some o the diptube to get proper clearance to the bottom of the keg. I just did the test run and the siphon didn't work. I was left with probably 1.5 gallons at the bottom of the keg. Any suggestions?

 

[logdrum]

You might try turning that valve 45º to the left for a bit of clearance.

 

[RGagnon]

Just tried it. Keeps stopping right where the valve comes out. Drivin me nuts. Its the last step before I'm operational!

 

[Bobby_M]

You need a hose on the output side of the valve to pull a siphon.

 

[RGagnon]

How long of a piece would you say? Im gonna throw on a nipple on the ball valve so i can connect a piece of hose.

 

[RGagnon]

So as long as the hose attached hangs lower than the the liquids inside, it'll create the siphon correct?

 

[mikescooling]

I know it's a lot of money, but most have coughed up and gotten a false bottom and dip-tube assembly. It's something that's hard to make or fake. Bobby M sight has good stuff. I've got a bunch of stuff from him, good guy.

 

[Bobby_M]

Yup, the outlet of the hose on the output has to just be lower than the bottom dish of the interior. With nothing on the ball valve, basically you're asking liquid to go uphill for no reason. In a siphon, the water in the tube on the outside falls downward under gravity and attempts to leave a void. However, since it's a closed system it then pulls the water inside the keg uphill into the diptube.

 

[RGagnon]

Haha makes sense now. Man i feel stupid. I suppose thats what this site is for. Thanks for all the help! Got the hose barb on the way, diptube all installed with site glass and therm. Things are almost ready to rock. I may have the most retro mashtun of all time, it is sweet. A throwback allsport cooler... If anyone remembers thats gatorade type drink from the 90's. thanks again folks!!!