Tap Shank Confusion

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kevsticle
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Tap Shank Confusion

Post by kevsticle » Thu May 04, 2017 7:17 am

I have scoured the internet and cannot find any information on this!

Looking at Intertaps to go on a chrome tower I recently purchased. I can see how easy these (and similar) taps are to fit through a hole ie side of fridge etc but my tower has two threaded holes that look to be standard size (I think my old Dalex would screw in but haven't tried it yet). All the pipe connections I see for steel taps are barbs that screw on the end of the shank but on my setup the shank would be screwed into a hole with a thread that matches it. I assume a Dalex with its push fit would just screw in after attaching the beer line but no idea how to fit these style taps!

Am I missing something here? Is there some kind of adaptor available that sits in the seat of the threaded hole on the tower and provides connection to the beer line?

Hoping somebody can advise!

Cheers.

jaroporter
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Re: Tap Shank Confusion

Post by jaroporter » Thu May 04, 2017 9:14 am

have you got a link to the specific tower you purchased?
dazzled, doused in gin..

kevsticle
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Re: Tap Shank Confusion

Post by kevsticle » Thu May 04, 2017 11:47 am

Sort of:

https://www.brewfitt.com/shop/cobra-2-o ... e-led.html

Mine doesn't have the LED option other than that it is identical but I only have the tower and clamp - it has a brewfitt sticker on it so it should literally be that tower (-LED's as I said).

I didn't buy it from them it is new unused from Ebay.

One of the pics shows the holes where the taps screw in. Standard pub stuff, surely?

Thanks!

jaroporter
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Re: Tap Shank Confusion

Post by jaroporter » Thu May 04, 2017 12:16 pm

yep, standard pub tower. but then you might need standard pub taps to go with it, rather than the intertaps. not sure myself as i've only used the perlick/intertap/CMB types, but sure someone else will shortly be able to advise if there are adaptors or equivalents.
dazzled, doused in gin..

f00b4r
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Re: Tap Shank Confusion

Post by f00b4r » Thu May 04, 2017 1:00 pm

Give the Malt Miller a ring, they sell the bits for the Intertaps. I think it is the ones labelled short shanks but they will know for sure.

kevsticle
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Re: Tap Shank Confusion

Post by kevsticle » Fri May 05, 2017 10:40 am

Hi,

Thanks all for your advice! I have been talking to Rob at Malt Miller as suggested and he has been very helpful. No solution as yet though.

For anybody having the same issues I thought I would post an update as I know how frustrating it is when trying to find an answer and you just find the question with no conclusion!

The US standard - I believe (which the Intertap etc taps use) of 1 1/8 -18UNEF is where the issue comes in as our standard towers here are 1/2"BSP. I have been unable to find an adaptor so far but if I do I will post another update.

Once again thanks everybody for your help!

Kevin.

f00b4r
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Re: Tap Shank Confusion

Post by f00b4r » Fri May 05, 2017 10:54 am

Ah, didn't think about your tower fitting being a different thread size but it's something good to point out for others to avoid.

Fil
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Re: Tap Shank Confusion

Post by Fil » Sat May 06, 2017 4:40 pm

your probably better off sourcing ex pub dalex style taps via ebay, a bit of patience and you should find some chromed versions at a reasonable price eventually, If intent on using the style over function US/EU style taps remember to get wash bottles to rinse out the spouts with after each session otherwise fungus gnats will deposit microlife up there which if left unchecked will gunk up the tap. Or you can buy little silicone baby booties to fit over the taps to try and prevent the inevitable.

Then once a connecting fitting has been sourced your then faced with the problem of attaching a beer feed securely, 'Proper' dalex style taps have a simple JG fitting in the rear (many fonts require an elbow stem fitting in the tap to direct the beerline down the fonts neck without kinking.. Might be easier to simply import a US font too??

imho your much better off buying dalex style taps with the removable spout for easy between session soak cleans.. Function wins over style,,
ist update for months n months..
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kevsticle
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Re: Tap Shank Confusion

Post by kevsticle » Wed May 31, 2017 9:38 am

Thank you all for your help. In the end I sourced some nice standard UK bar type stainless taps on the Bay.

Just have to find the time to get it all assembled now!

Kev.

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