What you need:

Our gauges are made with hardware store supplies. We opted for soft vinyl tubing surrounded by a copper tube. The vinyl will tend to get soft during a brew session and eventually the boiling liquid it helps measure will cloud the tube; however, it is inexpensive and easy to replace.

The gauge costs about $10 to make. It may not look as nice as commercial gauges you can get from homebrew supply shops; however, it is another homebrewed home brewing toy we built ourselves.

Essentially the purge assembly is two valves that allow the flooding of the input side of the pump with liquid. Flooding the input side of the pump ensures no air reaches in the impeller.

Read more for the details.

Though there are many ways of converting a keg, to convert yours as we have, you'll need some string, a Sharpe, Dremel tool, heavy-duty cutoff wheels, a 7/8" hole saw, electric drill and various types of sandpaper.

The entire process takes about 4 hours -- from start to polished finish.

• Ball valve: 47865K23
• Close nipple: 9151K79
• Lock nut: 50785K144
• O-ring: 9559K64
• Hole saw: 4008A16

I wish I knew who originally posted this but, thanks!

Description	Item Number	Price as of posting	Image
Ball Valve Brass Ball Valve 1/2" NPT Female Connections	47865K23	$4.71
Close Nipple Nickel-Plated Brass Threaded Pipe Fitting 1/2" Pipe, Fully Threaded Nipple, 1-1/8" Length	9151K79	$2.54
Lock Nut Extruded Brass Threaded Pipe Fitting 1/2" Pipe Size, Locknut	50785K144	$1.36
O-ring TeflonŽ O-Ring As568A Dash No. 117	9559K64	$6.56 (10)	Looks like an O-ring.
Hole Saw Built-In Arbor Hss Bimetal Hole Saw 7/8" Dia, 1-7/8" Cutting Depth, 3/8" Arbor Shaft Sz	4008A16	$6.58

Determine where you wish your fitting in your vessel and cut a hole with the hole saw. Remember you want to use high pressure and low speeds when cutting stainless steel. You should also apply a light oil to the area to prevent the saw and metal from overheating.

Use an 80-grit sandpaper to knock off any rough edges.

Put the close nipple through the hole. An o-ring on each side of the nipple will hold it in place.

Thread the lock nut on the inside of the kettle and the ball valve on the outside. Do not over-tighten against the keg wall or the O-ring will squish out of place and may allow leaks.

If you have any questions, comments, or other means of making bulkhead fittings, please add a comment!

There are two basic types of quick disconnect systems: cheap and expensive. I went cheap. As a result of my frugality, I assumed a bit of a maintenance responsibility. Both construction details and my required maintenance are described in more detail below.