Cutting Stainless Steel

[kf4zht]

A couple good friends of mine requested that I do a new non-automotive project for them... A keg grill.

They had a keg that was left by the PO of their mountain property, so its free. I need a way to cut the keg in a fairly straight half. As I understand my O/A setup will only work on regular steel, so that is out. Other than that it's between the sawzall or grinder. Anyone have any other suggestions or experience?

[Greatlakeoffroad]

plasma cutter.......

[Old Scout]

TAKE YOUR STOLEN KEG BACK TO THE BREWERY! :flipoff2:

[Alex123456]

Are keg's stainless? I thought they were aluminum.

[mondtster]

Are keg's stainless? I thought they were aluminum.

Every one that I've ever seen is aluminum. Can you imagine how heavy a stainless steel keg would be even when empty? :eek:

[JeepinDoug]

As I understand my O/A setup will only work on regular steel, so that is out.

Huh?

Stainless steel is non-ferrous (the good stuff anyway, lol) but it still melts. Infact the melting temp is lower than mild steel, most commercial grades, 300 series and 303. Plasma or O/A will work fine. Personally I'd prefer the cleaner cut and control of a zip wheel.

[Brad]

Every one that I've ever seen is aluminum. Can you imagine how heavy a stainless steel keg would be even when empty? :eek:

They make stainless ones too ;)
I agree with Doug, cut off wheel.

[300sniper]

Are keg's stainless? I thought they were aluminum.

i thought they were aluminum also. this morning on the news they were talking about how they were being stolen and turned in for recycling. they said they were stainless steel. the beer companies were loosing millions on lost kegs.

a sawzall would do it or a cut off wheel in an air angle grinder would work also. o/a would work but would be a bit much for the thin material. a plasma would make short work of it.

[sn0border88]

I would sawzall, keep the stainless from gettin all fawked from heat. Definatly not o/a or plas.

Know anyone with a bandsaw?

[george.arnold]

Stainless melts more than it cuts with O/A. its pretty nasty. i'd just use a cutoff wheel.

[Static-XJ]

Huh?

Stainless steel is non-ferrous (the good stuff anyway, lol) but it still melts. Infact the melting temp is lower than mild steel, most commercial grades, 300 series and 303. Plasma or O/A will work fine

You can't cut it just like plain old carbon steel with an oxy-fuel setup. All you would do is melt it.

I've heard laying some plain old carbon steel or iron over the stainless will allow it to be flame cut. The molten steel or iron will basically negate the effect of the chromium-oxide layer, allowing the stainless (under the steel or iron) to be flame cut. Oxy-fuel cutting is an oxidizing process, the high chromium content of stainless steel prevents it from oxidizing. Stack cutting with steel or iron is going to contaminate the stainless though. Never tried it myself, but I would assume a preheat would need to be maintained in both the carbon steel, and the stainless.

Regardless, all the kegs I've ever had experience with have been aluminum.

[sn0border88]

regardless if you can flame cut it or not your going to have to spend alot of cleanup time with a grinder to smooth it out and then after that more time with the grinder to make it fit right again. Just sawzall/grinder and forget about it.

[mondtster]

They make stainless ones too ;)
I agree with Doug, cut off wheel.

Apparently they do make stainless ones. I've just never seen one.

There was an article in the local newspaper about the keg thefts that have been occurring lately and it said they were stainless in their article as well. Maybe stainless kegs are more common than aluminum ones? :confused:

[kf4zht]

I was figuring that the answers would be plasma or cutting wheel.

Most kegs are stainless steel, at least all that I have seen except one that was plastic. Most were made in south carolina.

The keg is not stolen, it is at least 2-3 years old and was bought by the PO of the house, so there is no way to tell what place it was from. I will say the old beer that was in it smelled terrible

[Old Scout]

Apparently they do make stainless ones. I've just never seen one.

There was an article in the local newspaper about the keg thefts that have been occurring lately and it said they were stainless in their article as well. Maybe stainless kegs are more common than aluminum ones? :confused:

They stopped making aluminum kegs back in the 50's! There all stainless! :shaking:

[472Scout]

They stopped making aluminum kegs back in the 50's! There all stainless! :shaking:

Didn't know you were that fawk'n Old. :flipoff2:

[DavidVanVorous]

They stopped making aluminum kegs back in the 50's! There all stainless! :shaking:

Im not an expert but that *may* depend on the brewery. Certainly know that Coors, Bud and Miller ran Alum into the '70s as all the 3.2 beer in CO that I consumed until I turned 21 was sold in Alum kegs... :D:D

On an aside, the SST kegs apparently work well for DIY fermentation stacks. Did a *G* job welding in the fittings on a set up a cohort at work was using based around "purchased" SST kegs.

D.

[Rockrunner86]

I took my BBQ keg to Steel Co. (local steel yard) they cut it in half for me on their huge band saw.

[carwash]

if it were me, i would do the same. go to your local steel supply place, they have bandsaws that will cut it easy and it will be perfectly straight.
might cost you 20 bucks, but worth it.

[JeffX]

Huh?

Stainless steel is non-ferrous (the good stuff anyway, lol) but it still melts. Infact the melting temp is lower than mild steel, most commercial grades, 300 series and 303. Plasma or O/A will work fine.......

Oxy-Acetylene will NOT cut Stainless or Aluminum. It will melt it, though. ^That^ is bad advice.

....

I would recommend the metal shop band saw option. You could also cut it with a angle grinder cutoff wheel.

EDIT:

Sh1t! I just though about this some more. The keg has an "inner layer" as well. The giant band saw is sounding better and better....

Also, if you have a friend with a $1M laser cutting system, that'll do the trick..... :D

[solarpower]

stainless brings the sux, unless your welding it...then it's a dream.

cutoff wheel will work better than a sawzall. a bandsaw will be ideal but you will need to find a steel supplier with a decent size saw. stainless plates are sheared at most of the suppliers I've seen.

I would get about 3-4 cutoff wheels, and wear a face shield cause the steel itself does not actually cut like a carbon, it's melted then ripped into itty bitty little pieces of stainless. You will see what I mean. There is no sparks really, just a little glowing spot at contact of wheel. You will benefit by having a friend along to help hold the keg when you are nearing the end.

A nice straight clean cut will save the grinding and shaping. The less you have to do to stainless the happier you will be. I promise.

[sn0border88]

a bandsaw will be ideal but you will need to find a steel supplier with a decent size saw. stainless plates are sheared at most of the suppliers I've seen.



Plates are sheared, but almost anywhere has to have a large bandsaw for big square tube or structural steel c channel or I beams.. A keg should fit in one of those.

[solarpower]

Plates are sheared, but almost anywhere has to have a large bandsaw for big square tube or structural steel c channel or I beams.. A keg should fit in one of those.

But do you think they would be willing to put the risk of wasting a good saw blade on a piece of stainless??? They shear stainless because it's faster, they CAN, and because it eats saw blades.

read my first line again.

[sn0border88]

I cut alot of stainless on our bandsaw, fine tooth and slow it down with lots of coolant and I dont go through alot of blades.

[u2slow]

Air shears? (the kind that removes a strip of metal)

That's what I used to cut thin-guage SS (22 or 24ga.) for my kitchen backsplashes.