DIY custom element guards.

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DIY custom element guards.

Postby MacStill » Fri Oct 05, 2012 2:49 pm

Hi all,

I thought I'd share with you something I've been mucking around with, it's a nice solution to the expensive and bulky element guards out there and you can make them in a few minutes by yourself.

The first pic shows you all the bits you need, the cost is well under $20 for everything shown & you can get it all from a decent hardware/plumbing store.

List of bits.
16mm cable gland
32mm end cap
32mm piece of pipe
50x32 mm reducer
50mm end cap
SS 25mm BSP socket
1 x SS screw

IMG_0891.JPG


Pretty easy to figure out how it goes together, just drill/cut,grind a 16mm hole in the 32mm cap & a 32mm (1" BSP) hole in the 50mm cap
Weld the SS socket to your keg & the element goes through the 50mm cap & screws into the socket.
Drill a 1/8 hole for the retaining screw

Put it together like this and you have a very sleek element guard you built yourself for under $20 :dance: :D :dance:

IMG_0890.JPG


Enjoy!
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby Merlot » Fri Oct 05, 2012 5:22 pm

Very nice Mcstill... you make everything look so easy :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby emptyglass » Fri Oct 05, 2012 7:21 pm

Looks good Mac.
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby Kimbo » Fri Oct 05, 2012 8:31 pm

WineGlass wrote:Looks good Mac.

+1 to that, what a brilliant idea :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby JayD » Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:35 pm

Good work... :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby Goldie » Sat Oct 06, 2012 6:24 am

:text-goodpost: :obscene-drinkingcheers:
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby MacStill » Sat Oct 06, 2012 10:57 am

Here's a pic of the element fitted to the guard :D

IMG_0892.JPG
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby vooharmy » Mon Oct 22, 2012 4:53 pm

I dont get where the 32mm piece of pipe goes

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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby Ryan » Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:01 pm

A 32mm end cap doesn't fit onto a 50mm to 32 reducer, you use the 32mm pipe as an adapter, which you basically don't see. Buy the parts and you'll see :) if not ill take some pics of the one I bought off Mac
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby vooharmy » Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:10 pm

Like this? Does the pipe need to be soldered in, or is it a tight fit?

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Last edited by vooharmy on Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby MacStill » Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:13 pm

vooharmy wrote:Like this? Does the pipe need to be soldered in?

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No!

just use a short piece of 32mm pipe, as in this pic in this thread ;-)

Image
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby vooharmy » Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:16 pm

Ok sorry im thick =( I understand now! Is the gasket still in there?

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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby MacStill » Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:22 pm

I used the gasket outside the housing and a little thread tape just to be sure :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby vooharmy » Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:31 pm

Its a pretty tidy solution! Great work mcstill.

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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby nevalicious » Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:05 pm

Thanks for the idea for this McStill.

Whipped one up after work this arvo!

Admittedly not as shiny as yours, but its not the look I'm chasing. Besides, I needed to rivet it to hold it together. 50mm to 32mm was tight, the 50mm cap was tight, the 32mm was not, and neither was the inner piece. Meh, still looks the goods to me!
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby Kimbo » Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:30 pm

thats the shit mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby BigPa » Sat Oct 27, 2012 5:52 pm

Now that is cool.....
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby vooharmy » Sat Oct 27, 2012 7:19 pm

Still looking for electrician who will wire mine. Guess ill probably just start soldering wires and see how I go.

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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby MacStill » Sat Oct 27, 2012 7:21 pm

Surely there's someone around lismore that can help voo out :think:
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Re: DIY custom element guards.

Postby vooharmy » Sat Oct 27, 2012 8:12 pm

Moving in a week perhaps ill have better success on the gold coast.

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