Mini Keg Tank

[Mike Bean]

Ok, instead of giving advice this time, I need some advice.

I have been thinking about making a keg fuel tank using one of the mini beer kegs you can get at the stores.

Does anyone know what kind of alloy they are made from and can you recommend one beer from another if the containers are different.

I would like to TIG weld the parts on, is this going to be possible or is brazing only going to work? If TIG, what rod would you recommend?

Thanks in advance!

Mike Bean

[Fudd]

Mike! hold off as I'm right there. I was getting my party keg ready to tig weld it. Mine was a Hienekin with a green plastic ring at the top. I very carefully used a box knife to cut the plastc ring and I JUST barely puntured the keg side wall. My feeling is they are way to thin and in a rollover situation you will be riding a crematorium. Take it from an old undertaker and don't use these. I admit they are cute as hell. I took the advice of one of the regulars here and ordered a pretty little spun aluminum real fuel tank from coyote-gear. $129 + shipping. even includes the mounting straps. Search the posts for fuel tanks. I should be getting mine in the next day or two.

[Mike Bean]

Bummer... I did not think there were that thin. Now I wonder what the Finn Kool guys where using when they were building theirs.

Maybe your knife was too sharp? :laughing: Actually did you do any destructive testing with the keg since you cut it open. Why not bend test it or something and see how strong it really is. I may be too soon to call it unsafe. Maybe get one fill it with watch and throw it around and see what happens... Make a video of it for us to watch.. :laughing:

I really like the look of the actual keg. Maybe I can build one from scratch in sections.. I dunno... Anyone...?!?!

Mike Bean

[BuddhaBomb]

Initially, I thought about the party keg idea too. After going to the store and checking them out (the hiney one) and being able to "oil can" the side, I figured it was on the thin side and probably not in the best interest of my medical health.

I've seen the Finn-Kool ones and some others that were made for either the midget or Jr. dragster crowd... in the end, I also bought one of the 1 gallon dealios from Coyote. Since I just bought it, I would be interested to see how long until you get yours Fudd. (They say they ship within two days)

As far as TIG rod, when welding aluminum I have always used ER-4043 and it has done good so far. For steel, I use ER-70-S2... from mild to 4130. TIG welding something that thin would be interesting...

[Fudd]

I wouldn't mind doing a little testing on this empty Hienie. Maybe we can all come to a consensus as to the safety of these little kegs. The money I was going to spend on a digital camera I have spent on my BSR. :) Anyway I will see what I can do and post some video here. In the mean time Mike if your heart is set on a keg go to some auto swap meets in your area. I think you call them flee markets in your part of the country. I was just given an old Hamms tapper keg but I'm hanging on to it for the moment. If you know any beer sales guys ask em to check way back in the warehouses. If my wheels and tires get here along with my tank I may be able to test drive mine for the first time this weekend. http://barflyracers.com/images/icons/angryfire.gif

[c.schulz]

Go for it mike. I bought a empty keg from a home brew supply house and a filler neck from speedwaymotors.com. Gave it to a friend to weld together. Let me tell a tig wont work. The metal is about .010 thick. So he silver soldered the neck and bung in and came out well. This was his first try and he ended up with a small dent from cutting out for the filler neck. But all is well as I will bondo and paint the piece.
All the parts cost me about $35.

Chris

[billetboy]

heres my keg a friend of mine paid 50 cents for it its aluminum and holds 2.5 gallons

[ckoczara]

Ok, instead of giving advice this time, I need some advice.

I have been thinking about making a keg fuel tank using one of the mini beer kegs you can get at the stores.

Does anyone know what kind of alloy they are made from and can you recommend one beer from another if the containers are different.

I would like to TIG weld the parts on, is this going to be possible or is brazing only going to work? If TIG, what rod would you recommend?

Thanks in advance!

Mike Bean


Hey Mike;

The Heineken keg can has a plastic cartridge inside the keg. If you pry off the dispense area cap and look inside, you can see it in there. It is actually quite large. I have no idea how they got it inside the keg, but it is glued in as well.

So first you have to figure out how to get that out, as it will melt when you fill the keg with gas. I stopped when I got to this point. C. Schulz did this already, maybe he has some advice.

[c.schulz]

Here ya go Mike
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4900
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/967,58_Filler-Neck-Twist-Caps-with-Steel-Bungs.html?itemNo=filler neck
<A href="http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/991,,_NPT-Female-Weld-Bung-Fittings-Steel.html?itemNo=1/8"%20bung">http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/991,,_NPT-Female-Weld-Bung-Fittings-Steel.html?itemNo=1/8"%20bung

Chris:thumb:

[Speeddy]

It depends on what type of welding machine you have mine will weld at 3 amps.It also has a water cooled rig for welding up to 400 amps with a foot pedel for heat control.

[canman]

Mike,

I made one and was mounting it on the bar stool and barely put a scratch on it. Well the damn thing leaked and after thinking about it I ditched the idea all together. I think it's very dangerous especially since you near the exhaust. Someone can easily get burned if they hit it and pierce the tank. Just to thin...

canman:eek2:

[Speeddy]

I agree it's too thin.

[T_Racer69]

I was going to weld it, but just cut the cap off the old fuel tank, riveted and jb welded it to the top. Put a filler plate, riveted and jb welded, where the spout came out. made a piece for the bottom for the pet cock. This was on a Coors keg. Sadly, Bud light does not make a mini keg, that I have found.
Looks ok, will sand and polish more. No cartridge inside, and seems to be flexible enough. My brackets dented it a little, but looks no worse for the wear. Will get pics up soon enough. Finishing the wheelie bars, and diamond plate trim.

Travis

[T_Racer69]

Well, as an update. I was taking it to a friends house, and noticed it leaking. I had used JB weld on the top and sides, but used JB weld Quick on the bottom, where the fuel petcock is. This had actually softened up and was leaking past it.
What I did was mount the petcock to a piece of thin steel, then riveted this to the bottom of the keg. This was so that I could tighten and secure the petcock with a nut, then fasten the whole thing to the keg. But apparently, the JB Quick does not hold up as well to gas. I may have put it into action to quick, or not prepped well enough. But I used regular JB weld on the tops and sides with no problems.
The Coors keg only has a rubber plug on the side where the spout would be, no CO2 that I could see when I got mine. (A plus if you are trying to make a mini keg gas tank.) So I had to make a plug for the side, and used std. JB weld. still works good, and has the same pressure on it as the bottom.
I am going to redo the bottom, and fab up another braket for holding it, as I just don't like mine right now.

Travis

[c.schulz]

Regular JB weld wont hold up to gas for a long period of time. Is there another alternative?? A higher level of JB or something Comercial that the pros use to seal automotive tanks.

Chris

[BuddhaBomb]

There are alot of sealers on the market that are designed to "seal" leaks and cracks in fuel tanks... maybe one of those might be a better alternative. Similar to this one, I'm thinking of.

http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/epoxygas.htm

[Mike Bean]

What you should do is get a sealant that you pour into the tank and roll it all over to seal the inside and then you can use JB Weld for cosmetics on the outside unless you can find something that will hold up to the gas.

Mike Bean

[c.schulz]

Ive been looking for filler necks and what would be a good bounding putty like material? These tanks are just to thin to weld.

Chris

[ckoczara]

Ive been looking for filler necks and what would be a good bounding putty like material? These tanks are just to thin to weld.

Chris

Hey Chris;

When I built my dad's 64 Plymouth, I used a compound called RayCrete. This is an A/B material that can even be applied under water. It is completly fuel resistant. In fact, I used it to seal up a sump that I put in the gas tank of that car. That was 5 years ago and still no issues.

I think I got this stuff from Eastwood. www.eastwood.com (http://www.eastwood.com)

The sealer Mike is talking about is from Resto Motive Laboratories. AKA; Por-15. I also used this in conjunction with the RayCrete. I have a bunch of catalogs for the Por-15 stuff. If you want, I can drop one off for you.

www.por15.com (http://www.por15.com)

Regards;

Chris :wave:

[c.schulz]

Hey Chris;

When I built my dad's 64 Plymouth, I used a compound called RayCrete. This is an A/B material that can even be applied under water. It is completly fuel resistant. In fact, I used it to seal up a sump that I put in the gas tank of that car. That was 5 years ago and still no issues.

I think I got this stuff from Eastwood. www.eastwood.com (http://www.eastwood.com)

The sealer Mike is talking about is from Resto Motive Laboratories. AKA; Por-15. I also used this in conjunction with the RayCrete. I have a bunch of catalogs for the Por-15 stuff. If you want, I can drop one off for you.

www.por15.com (http://www.por15.com)

Regards;

Chris :wave:


Thanks for the offer Chris. The POR-15. I have info on but will look into the Raycrete from Eastwood. I may put together a tank for my wagon or if its worth it maybe even sell few.



Chris from "O"

[bowersboatworks38]

Mike we did keg tanks, first 2 were Coors and last two were Hienys. First 2 been done over a year and I wouldn't change them. We also made smallplates for outlets, used brass fitting from Loews and cut the neck out of the discarded tank. All was JB'd. The end hole was closed using a chrome snap-in cap from Loews. Had a leak issue once and a little dab od JB later and it was gone. Little trouble compared to the racing tank I brought for my daughters that leaks all the time. Do one and have fun. Lynn