Boots Barrels

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bitter_dave
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Boots Barrels

Post by bitter_dave » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:52 am

I'm going to have a look at some secondhand boots barrels tomorrow (v. cheap) that I found in the local classifieds.

I appreciate that boots stopped selling HB equipment some time ago; given this, is there any thing I should look out for? I'd hate to buy them and find out that it was impossible to buy parts etc. :unsure:
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Andy
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Post by Andy » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:55 am

Ebay sometimes had boots barrels/spares coming up. Or try your LHBS ?

KingKegs have readily available (and cheap) spares, usually a few of those on ebay....
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Post by bitter_dave » Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:01 am

Wow, that was quick andy - cheers. group hug/socialism etc etc :lol:

I think I'm probably just going to get them, unless anybody has horror stories, which I think is unlikely. A lot of the spares for these things seem to be fairly generic, so it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm a bit too poor for buying new stuff I'm afraid :( .
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Post by bitter_dave » Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:03 am

QUOTE (Daft as a Brush @ Apr 28 2006, 08:59 AM) I've never seen anywhere selling Boots Barrel spares, JohnMac has one, he maybe able to help.
any tips john?
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Post by Andy » Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:14 am

QUOTE (bitter_dave @ Apr 28 2006, 10:01 AM) Wow, that was quick andy - cheers. group hug/socialism etc etc
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nott ... 953430.stm


:lol: :unsure: Image
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Post by johnmac » Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:23 am

I have two of the nice aluminium barrels from Boots. I've searched extensively for new cap O-rings - no luck. However, I don't believe that this is a problem because with careful use, they don't show any signs of wearing out.

If you are buying plastic barrels, you may find the O-rings are a different size again, and possibly available as "Brewcraft" spares. I suggest you phone a couple of the large homebrew shops and ask for advice.

If the barrel has an aluminium injection valve to take large CO2 bottles, be aware that these are very prone to corrosion and even when new they can be leaky. That's fixable with vasaline. The barrels were sold with no injection valve supplied. If it comes like that, just fit a Hambleton Bard valve.

Taps are easily replaced.

I would say that a Boots barrel in good condition is worth having and a superior product to the King Keg.
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Post by Jim » Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:31 am

You can still get spares for Boots barrels from other sources. They just stamped their name on barrels made by other home brew manufacturers. Have a search round the online home brew shops. The taps are standard and I'm sure you can still get new lids and O rings. I'll see if I can find a link when I get home.

Incidentally, I'm still using an original Boots barrel and it's showing no signs of trouble!
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Post by johnmac » Fri Apr 28, 2006 11:05 am

No problems if you're buying plastic barrels:

http://www.hopshopuk.com/cgi-bin/browse ... rrelspares

But if anyone can find spare O-rings and caps to fit the aluminium barrels, I'd be delighted to hear about it.
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Post by bitter_dave » Fri Apr 28, 2006 11:19 am

Thanks for your help guys; think I might pick 'em up :)
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Post by bitter_dave » Fri Apr 28, 2006 11:26 am

QUOTE (andy @ Apr 28 2006, 10:14 AM) QUOTE (bitter_dave @ Apr 28 2006, 10:01 AM) Wow, that was quick andy - cheers. group hug/socialism etc etc
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nott ... 953430.stm


:lol: :unsure: Image
:lol:

What beautiful irony :P
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Post by Reg » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:05 pm

Still got a boots plastic pressure barrel from the 1990s and it still works. :D
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Post by bitter_dave » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:32 pm

Bugger :angry:

Just got a call from the woman I was supposed to be buying the barrels off - she's sold them to sombody else, despite the fact she told me I had first refusal.

:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:
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Post by Andy » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:35 pm

Nuke her house from orbit! :angry:
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Post by bitter_dave » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:37 pm

She's off my group hug list :angry: :P
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Post by bitter_dave » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:38 pm

QUOTE (andy @ Apr 28 2006, 01:35 PM) Nuke her house from orbit! :angry:
Maybe I'll puke on her house with ronnie corbet :P
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