OVHA Chat

I have ordered a kit to put a valve onto my keg. It's just one of those standard brass ones with the red washer from Northern Brewer. Does anyone who has done this before have any advice on drilling the hole?

For instance, how high of a hole? Do I need a step drill bit? Do I spray it with something while I am drilling?

Suffice it to say I am not very mechanically inclined, so any advice would be great.

Bring it by, I have everything we need to put one in. I've done several.
As for the location, that depends on what you are going to be using this kettle for.
Don

If you are using it with a false bottom for mash, I would say as low as you can go. If it's for a boil kettle, a little higher will help if you are doing the cold break there. I can just open my valve up after running the wort chiller and it drains off the top of the break.

Excellent ... thanks everyone. Don, I will probably take you up on that offer once the valve comes in some time time week.

FYI, a step bit is the best way to do this. SS kegs are a bitch to drill through!

I used a bi-metal hole saw on my keg, just at the level where the bottom curves up making the perpendicular side. This is at the right level for drawing off the cooled wort after boil, and a bazooka type screen bent downward, the siphon flow continues during the sparge to suck it it all up.

A step bit works great for this too, and you can pick one up for a few bucks at Harbor Freight.

The thing to remember about drilling stainless is that every rotation of the drill bit needs to be cutting. Once it spins around without the cutting edge into the metal, it will heat up the surface and harden it. The bit will then quickly dull. The use of cutting oil on thin stainless is not needed either as the oil will only the accelerate the potential heat treatment process. Make sure constant pressure is used but be careful not to break the bit, and use a consistent speed. I agree, once a good hole is started, the stepbit works great.

I once spent 45 minutes on one keg hole. NOT a good time. Once it heats up and hardens you are screwed and then you get really pissed off. I had a dull step bit... A nice sharp cobalt will go through like butta'.

Chris Norrick wrote:I once spent 45 minutes on one keg hole.

Kinky.