46 replies to this topic

[HVB]

I've gone up to 5 oz. of pellets with one.  That may be puny compared to you.

5 is a good starting point

[denny]

5 is a good starting point

 

How did I know you'd say that? 

[positiveContact]

any tips for drilling a hole in the metal lid?  i have a lot of drill bits I don't really care about so if I destroy a couple doing this that's fine.  is there a good way to avoid rough/sharp edges or perhaps clean them up after the fact?

[Bklmt2000]

any tips for drilling a hole in the metal lid?  i have a lot of drill bits I don't really care about so if I destroy a couple doing this that's fine.  is there a good way to avoid rough/sharp edges or perhaps clean them up after the fact?

 

Maybe a step-bit, like one would use to drill a keggle?  To clean up the rough edges, maybe some fine-grit sandpaper?

 

(Not a metalworker; just spit-balling off the top of my head)

[HVB]

any tips for drilling a hole in the metal lid? i have a lot of drill bits I don't really care about so if I destroy a couple doing this that's fine. is there a good way to avoid rough/sharp edges or perhaps clean them up after the fact?

This is just for the diptube right? I would start with an 1/8 for the pilot hole then move up half way then the final. Hold it good so it doesn't spin. The material isn't that strong.

[positiveContact]

For the grommet and dip tube yeah.

[positiveContact]

This is just for the diptube right? I would start with an 1/8 for the pilot hole then move up half way then the final. Hold it good so it doesn't spin. The material isn't that strong.

 

I had to do quite a few in-between steps just to get up to 3/8" and unfortunately that's the end of my smaller bits.  I can't jam the grommet in there yet.  maybe I should just go buy a step bit to finish the job?  the hole so far isn't too ugly but not exactly clean either.

[HVB]

I had to do quite a few in-between steps just to get up to 3/8" and unfortunately that's the end of my smaller bits.  I can't jam the grommet in there yet.  maybe I should just go buy a step bit to finish the job?  the hole so far isn't too ugly but not exactly clean either.

In this case a cheap step bit may be the answer.  If there are some ss "threads" sticking up you can just hammer those down and once the grommet is on there you should not have to worry about it.

[positiveContact]

yeah - less than $10 at home depot but has to be shipped to store :-/

[HVB]

yeah - less than $10 at home depot but has to be shipped to store :-/

10 bucks and have it tomorrow

 

https://www.amazon.c...00-1a1baeabeb0f

[positiveContact]

10 bucks and have it tomorrow

 

https://www.amazon.c...00-1a1baeabeb0f

 

yeah - bought a similar one: https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

great minds, etc.

Edited by pickle_rick, 09 January 2019 - 07:29 AM.

[HVB]

yeah - bought a similar one: https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

great minds, etc.

[positiveContact]

got the job done last night and installed them today.  there is a small gap between dip tube and grommet but it's smaller than the holes in the lid anyway.

 

getting them on the dip tube and positioned so I can slide the dip tube in requires a bit of reaching into the keg but not too much.  I put some starsan in and sloshed it around after I put them in.  the good thing is once in place the dip tube does a nice job of holding them down against the bottom of the keg so they don't really move.

[HVB]

Put one of these over the end of your diptube.  Simple, inexpensive, effective...

 

https://www.homebrew...?productID=2050

So I dug this back out and tried it transferring from my fermenter to a keg.  In the past I used it in the keg with a keg dry hop and it worked much better this time.  One thing different was before there was only the bottom open because of how the keg diptube was in the keg but this time I had it so there was about 1" sticking below the raking cane.  I think I may have to try this more on hoppy transfers.  

 

TL/DR I take back some of my comment before but only if there is enough of the filter exposed.

[positiveContact]

So you must have trimmed the dip tube?

[HVB]

So you must have trimmed the dip tube?

The dip tube on teh keg was not trimmed when I used it so only the bottom had the filter.  In my fermenter I use a racking cane that I keep 1 inch off the bottom.  The filter was touching the bottom of the fermenter so it was open all around for 1 inch and worked fine.

 

I may not be doing a good job explaining

[positiveContact]

I get what you mean I think. It sounds like you need a tubular section of mesh hanging below the bottom of the dip tube or it clogs.

[HVB]

I get what you mean I think. It sounds like you need a tubular section of mesh hanging below the bottom of the dip tube or it clogs.

I have plenty of kegs with a cut diptubes and i will have to try it in there again.  Give it some more surface area.

[positiveContact]

the SS mesh tube in primary seemed to do the job so far.  i'm transferring to the serving kegs and some some hop stuff got through there wasn't anything big enough to clog up the works.  phew!

[positiveContact]

okay - so one keg is pouring fine.  the other seems clogged.  the only idea I have is to blast it out using beer from the non-clogged keg.  the only difference between the kegs is the dry hop so a small amount of mixing won't really matter too much.