Buffers Brewery Pressure Barrel “Bung”

[Buffers brewery]

Having fought most of the battles with my King Kegs that most of you with plastic pressure barrels have already fought, got the T shirts and video, I’ve just completed a project to, hopefully, improve the reliability of my kegs regarding leaks.
I posted some pics of a prototype cap I had produced using aluminium plate and part of the original cap. Well, I’ve refined that a bit further and thought I’d share with you the result...

I made a couple of silicone rubber moulds to cast the collar and top from acrylic. The collar moulding had to be finished (cut and drilled) so it could act as a clamp on the barrel neck.

The collar is screwed on to the barrel neck and the clamp tightened to remove any play in the threads.

I used 2mm thick nitrile rubber sheet to make a washer/gasket that sits on the barrel neck face,

The top casting, which was just a 10mm thick disc, had to be drilled out for the securing bolts and also holes for the pressure gauge assembly and a Schrader valve for leak testing and injecting CO2.

Wing-nuts and washers clamp the top down,

and that’s it, the Buffers Brewery Pressure Barrel Bung!
Not a rubber band in sight and you can see the join between the lid and barrel neck for leak testing.

 

[Sandozer]

That is a seriously good looking piece of engineering mastery ! Did you work on the rigs ? Looks Mil grade to me :)

 

[Clint]

:tinhatoes it work...?

 

[Buffers brewery]

:tinhatoes it work...?

So far so good. Only time will tell I guess. I’m hoping that by getting rid of those soppy rubber bands it’s got to be an improvement!
Ask me again in a couple of months

 

[Buffers brewery]

For those who like videos.......don’t get your hopes up

 

[Sandozer]

Brilliant job on the cap, neat engineering. thumb

 

[Buffers brewery]

Brilliant job on the cap, neat engineering. thumb

Thanks.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Buffers brewery have you considered making these for sale, i am sure there would be interest as KK leaks is a subject that comes up often?

 

[Buffers brewery]

Buffers brewery have you considered making these for sale, i am sure there would be interest as KK leaks is a subject that comes up often?

It’s a thought. However, I have only just started using my first one (number 2 is under construction) and would like to have a bit of experience before offering to supply others. Interesting question though and would be interesting to find out how many of the forum might want to try one. Is there a way of taking a survey?

 

[samale]

That's pretty cool
Well done

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It’s a thought. However, I have only just started using my first one (number 2 is under construction) and would like to have a bit of experience before offering to supply others. Interesting question though and would be interesting to find out how many of the forum might want to try one. Is there a way of taking a survey?

To sell here you must be an advertising sponsor but like the bulk hops buying threads if you are only selling to members and only covering costs plus a little for your time i don't think there would be any problem.

If anyone is interested add your name to this thread.

 

[Clint]

....my Wilko barrel is currently on death row.
Say here if you want to save it...

 

[Buffers brewery]

....my Wilko barrel is currently on death row.
Say here if you want to save it...

Do you know if a standard King Keg screw cap fits your Wilko barrel?

 

[Clint]

I replaced the Wilko with a 4" king keg to see if things improve...

 

[Buffers brewery]

I replaced the Wilko with a 4" king keg to see if things improve...

....and did they.....

 

[Clint]

The jury is still out...when it had the black stuff in I was forever adding gas and getting furious about it. I've since cleaned it and had a faff with it and it "seems" to hold pressure..although I've only tried with oxi gas and one gas bulb...

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Excellent looking bit of kit. Top stuff.

 

[Clint]

...5,4,3,2....

 

[Buffers brewery]

Just got another King Keg. Thought you might be interested in my “fettling” experience.
The first picture shows how flat the “as delivered” keg sealing face is...

....answer is, not very. I put some water colour paint (blue) around the rim and a piece of picture glass on top. The dark blue shows contact area. Not a lot. So rubbed it down with W&D on a sheet of glass.

...so, after a while you get a feel for the shape of the neck face. You can see there are “hollows” at the seam on both sides, more on one side than the other. It took quite a bit of rubbing down to reduce.

...so, I’ve had enough! I’ve managed to get continuous contact with the glass the whole way round but it’s still a bit light on one side.
Thought. This distortion of the neck face, while probably quite small, could contribute to the leakiness of the King Keg.

 

[Sandozer]

Just got another King Keg. Thought you might be interested in my “fettling” experience.
The first picture shows how flat the “as delivered” keg sealing face is...
View attachment 25970
....answer is, not very. I put some water colour paint (blue) around the rim and a piece of picture glass on top. The dark blue shows contact area. Not a lot. So rubbed it down with W&D on a sheet of glass.
View attachment 25972
...so, after a while you get a feel for the shape of the neck face. You can see there are “hollows” at the seam on both sides, more on one side than the other. It took quite a bit of rubbing down to reduce.
View attachment 25973
...so, I’ve had enough! I’ve managed to get continuous contact with the glass the whole way round but it’s still a bit light on one side.
Thought. This distortion of the neck face, while probably quite small, could contribute to the leakiness of the King Keg.

I must be really lucky not to have had any gas leaks from the neck seal. Have had them from the tap seal, the beer line to the tap (o-ring) and the schrader valve.. I am terrified to try that in case it`s bad news !