"polishing your keg" is more than a clever euphemism

CornyKegs 728
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Ok here is what I have noticed that works well. I'm using the gator grits, but have found on my last pass with the fine, if I work slow and in one direction it keeps the swirls away. The buffers, 2 and 5 work well, but can leave some black residue if not completely removed and when trying to remove causes the black melt. What I have found to work best for the cleaning shine!!! Is to clean the keg off with paint thinner completely and dry off... Then I soak a clean pad in paint thinner and go over it again, this gives me the mirror look.
 
The shine holds up pretty well. The initial job takes 3-4 hours total and then about once a year, you can restore it back with about 15 minutes of work with the fine polish. Boil overs and wort spots come off really easily when the metal is smooth. For example, when the boil over instantly caramelizes, you can wipe it with a wet paper towel and it comes off.
 
mine still look pretty good over a year later. yeah not that mirror finish like they once had, but I can still see myself in it pretty clearly.

-=Jason=-
 
It's good to hear this holds up well. I wouldn't want to put in all that time for the keg to look like a hunk of junk after using it a handful of times.
 
Bobby_M said:
The shine holds up pretty well. The initial job takes 3-4 hours total and then about once a year, you can restore it back with about 15 minutes of work with the fine polish. Boil overs and wort spots come off really easily when the metal is smooth. For example, when the boil over instantly caramelizes, you can wipe it with a wet paper towel and it comes off.
Click to expand...

Bobby, does the grinder/polisher take off paint/adhesive stickers or do u use something on them first? I have a Yuengling one with red and a Sam Adams one with blue and wasn't sure if i'd need something else to get that off.
 
Pratzie said:
Bobby, does the grinder/polisher take off paint/adhesive stickers or do u use something on them first? I have a Yuengling one with red and a Sam Adams one with blue and wasn't sure if i'd need something else to get that off.
Click to expand...

I took a rag and some paint thinner and a stainless scrubbie to my kegs before I began polishing.
 
While the pads DO remove the paint and stickers, it's easier and cheaper to do it with paint thinner. It gunks up the pads pretty quick.
 
I have some heat colorization on the bottom of my polished keg, but it's NBD... I typically just wipe it down with a wet cloth after cleaning out the inside. Holding up really well. IF I was anal about it, I'd probably use something to clean it with. :eek:
 
I opted to have mine electropolished. That being said, they aren't quite mirror finish, and they were converted barrels that I wanted 400* electrified acid involved with to make sure was gone. ;)

My mash tun is a 62g direct fire bottom drain, and yes, the skirt is blueing. I'm not going to stress over it.

Normal unpolished keg, and the mash tun for reference.

IMG_20130408_193056.jpg
 
Hey guys, I want to attempt this starting tonight. Went to lowes, got the Fine and Polish 4.5" gator grit pads. I couldn't find the #2 and #5 polish.

So to start, do I just do passes with the fine pad without any polish right? I do the #2 and #5 polish with the actual polish pad?

I am going to buy this backing pad from Harbor Freight, can someone tell me if it will work or not? http://www.harborfreight.com/4-1-2-half-inch-turbo-backing-pad-42022.html

Also, I still need the polish, will this work?
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-buffing-kit-43657.html
OR
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-lb-green-polish-compound-96778.html
OR
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-lb-black-polish-compound-96779.html

Any idea if those will work? Not sure which one to use first. Any help is appreciated.
 
What's up fellow keg polishing brew brothers. 1 keg down 2 to go:rockin:
I would like to find a different polishing compound. What's the best one to use

image.jpg
 
When polishing my first keg I would have the problem of the polish burning onto the keg? Anyone know what that means? I'm not sure if I'm not putting enough on it, to much or am I pushing to hard????

I want to get the nice shine but now I'm scared to push to hard cuz when it burns on I have to go back to the fine pad to get it off then re polish it?

Any ideas:smack:
 
It's probably the backing pad rubber that's leaving the black marks. I found a flatter, more acute angled application and replacing the felt pad itself before it's worn enough at the outer edge to allow the pad to touch the keg helps.
 
I keep seeing posts about black marks but honestly I've never had it happen. If it's just compound, you can remove it as you polish. The trick there would be working in the same direction as the pad edge passes the metal. I agree with the above post about trying to use a flatter angle to keep the pad as flat to the work as possible. No way would I go back to the finishing pad to remove it. If it's really stubborn, try some aggressive solvent on a rag like laquer thinner or acetone.
 
It's not my backing pad because that burns on black and comes right off. My finishing compound is red and if it burns on it won't buff off If I try to buff it out it just burns on more and makes it look worse???
 
My local Lowes doesn't stock the polishing pads, and I can't find anything similar or that I think would work at the orange store. They also aren't available to ship via Lowes online. I found one place online I can buy the Gator Polishing discs from, but they take forever to ship, and I don't have that kind of time right now. I couldn't find anything on Amazon that I thought would work on a 4.5 inch grinder that was reasonable money wise.

Anyone have any ideas on alternative ways to polish? I'm guessing an orbital buffer moves too slow? Maybe I need a bigger grinder?
 
mention said:
My local Lowes doesn't stock the polishing pads, and I can't find anything similar or that I think would work at the orange store. They also aren't available to ship via Lowes online. I found one place online I can buy the Gator Polishing discs from, but they take forever to ship, and I don't have that kind of time right now. I couldn't find anything on Amazon that I thought would work on a 4.5 inch grinder that was reasonable money wise.

Anyone have any ideas on alternative ways to polish? I'm guessing an orbital buffer moves too slow? Maybe I need a bigger grinder?
Click to expand...

Is there a harbor freight or tractor supply co in your area? That'd be the next best place to check.. or maybe a large local hardware store in your area if there is one.
 
Pratzie said:
Is there a harbor freight or tractor supply co in your area? That'd be the next best place to check.. or maybe a large local hardware store in your area if there is one.
Click to expand...

Harbor freight didn't have anything in 4.5 inch. Ace was closed by the time I finished at the other stores, so I'll check there tomorrow. I'm guessing though that if my options are limited/non existent online, then it's going to be tough to find something locally.

So... I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for another source of pads, or another way to polish the keg.
 
mention said:
My local Lowes doesn't stock the polishing pads, and I can't find anything similar or that I think would work at the orange store. They also aren't available to ship via Lowes online. I found one place online I can buy the Gator Polishing discs from, but they take forever to ship, and I don't have that kind of time right now. I couldn't find anything on Amazon that I thought would work on a 4.5 inch grinder that was reasonable money wise.

Anyone have any ideas on alternative ways to polish? I'm guessing an orbital buffer moves too slow? Maybe I need a bigger grinder?
Click to expand...

If you have a Menards Home Improvement store in your area, they have gator grit pads but under a different brand name. Gator grit logo is on the back of the package. Cheaper than Lowes. I think Menards are mostly in Midwest.
 
Pratzie said:
Is there a harbor freight or tractor supply co in your area? That'd be the next best place to check.. or maybe a large local hardware store in your area if there is one.
Click to expand...

Can you link me to what the stuff on the harbor freight site?
 
Harbor freight has some decent paint stripper pads that work well for the really rough initial stuff-hard decals and painted on stuff- but I have yet to see any appropriate polishing pads there.
If someone else has seen them, I too would like to get link, since Lowe's seems to always be low to out completely near me.
 
I was unable to find the discs or a suitable replacement anywhere in my area, so I bit the bullet and ordered from these guys. The different pads are available in the drop down menu.

Farm and Fleet

There are polishing pads available for orbital sanders that would probably do the job, but in my case, it's cheaper to pay the 2 week, $5 shipping than to buy a new tool.
 
Has anyone used a random orbital polisher for this? I have one for automotive detailing and don't really want to drop more money on a grinding tool. I'm assuming that the pads and backing would be the same, and the random orbital would prevent swirls?
 
Once I was finished polishing with angle grinder I buffed and then wiped down and brushed the hard to reach spots ( inside letters ) with rubbing alcohol and I think I had pretty good luck my 1st has the least polished in the pic but my 2 others already have more shine and I'm not done with them yet still have a couple welds left

image-2630348850.jpg

Just my two cents
All in all I'm really happy with them
 
How many cotton polishing pads are you guys using? I am tearing through one about every 30 minutes. I only have 1/6 of the keg done. I have a back up pad that is depressed in the middle and have been unable to find a "long barrel center nut".

Using green polishing compound from Sears. I want to finish this project this weekend...been in progress for 6 months.
 
Sounds like you are pressing too hard. I finished my whole keg with I think 2-3 of each number grinding pads and two polishing pads



image-1578088798.jpg
 
Maybe burning through was a bad choice of words. The hole in the middle is becoming enlarged and the pad is wobbling. I finally switched keeper nuts because I kept running into the keg with it and making "character" marks...

Not pressing hard enough? (Makes note to buy more pads tomorrow).
 

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