Keg - bead blasting?

[Vincent]

I've got three ex commercial 50L kegs (sourced legitimately) that I'm in the process of converting. 

Anyone here had any experience bead blasting kegs? I thought about sand blasting but I thought that might be too abrasive. 

I would like to get them all looking the same, a matt-like finish without going down the route of sanding, buffing, polishing etc

Cheers, 

Vincent. 

[Chris Banks]

I have had a couple of used kegs I have converted into yeast propagators etc bead blasted externally prior to electro polishing internally and externally and the finish is exceptional (albeit matte) even prior to e/p.

I also see no problem with any media blasting as long as it was done carefully by an experienced operator and the blasting media was completely new and iron free (or if the media is recycled it can only have been used on non ferrous metals).

Polishing electro or otherwise gives a surface that is much easier to clean and keep clean.

(electro polishing is only suitable if your keg is clean of stickers,paint etc and reasonably blemish free getting rid of these defects prior to e/p normally requires media blasting).

I use -

Andre at  - http://www.jetblast.co.nz/ for media blasting.

Bruce at - http://www.marineanodising.co.nz/index.html for electropolishing.

Or if you have a local chrome plater or other metal finishing type business - they normally have tradesmen whom are normally extremely proficient with manual polishing gear.

Otherwise you could have at it with the elbow grease sanding, buffing, polishing routine.

[Vincent]

Thanks Chris, I'll keep them in mind for future work.  

I spent a bit of time on one of the kegs this morning, sanding/rough polishing and I will give it another go over tomorrow. It polished up a lot easier that I thought. 

The one of the right looked like the one on the left this morning.  You may recognize the false bottom Chris, it fits perfectly.  Cheers.