Introduction: Beer Tap Handle Fire Iron (And Other Wonderful Tools!)

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As we continue to outfit and break in our new Teardrop Camp trailer it was glaringly obvious we were in need of a good fire pit tending tool. After a typical fruitless online and local search I arrived at the realization that perfection must be made, not procured - so my quest began for a design that would be functional, yet uniquely stylish.

Great ideas always seem to come while in quiet contemplation at the local watering hole - and there the answer presented itself - Beer Tap handles! A little web surfing revealed a plethora of possibilities and a worthy candidate was found and acquired.

While my design utilizes a welder, I don't see it as absolutely necessary - there are probably other ways to construct this design using only mechanical means.

Step 1: Parts and Tools

For this project I used the following items:

  • Beer Tap Handle (wood)
  • 3/8" - 16 x 24" All Thread Rod
  • Loctite "Red"
  • 3/8" - 16 Nut (optional)
  • Ikea Allen Wrench (From some far gone furniture build)

Tools:

  • Welder
  • x/x Wrench (optional)

American beer tap handles typically attach to the bar/kegerator/tap with a ferrule threaded to 3/8"-16. The ferrule is attached to the tap handle with a wood screw approx. 1" long. I make note of this because this is adequate for bumping coals and small logs around a cozy outdoor fire - but not for lifting giant logs out of the way. 3/8" all-thread is pretty stout at 24" long so for my situation this all adds up to a useful adequate tool.

Step 2: Assembly and Final Thoughts

I like a fire iron to have a poker as well as a drag hook so I used one of what seems like oodles of left over Ikea hex wrenches; it seemed just the right size and plenty stout enough to use.

These are the projects I'm thankful for my humble $90 HF flux core welder. I'm as novice a welder as they come but so many times I needed to just tack something together that epoxy or JB Weld just didn't seem enough for. A couple beads of weld and the all-thread and Ikea wrench are now one.

(If you are welder-less {as I was for so many years} possibly a product like JB Weld High Temp Putty might work.)

After cooling, I dribbled some Loctite Red onto the other end of the all-thread, then threaded the rod into the beer tap handle. Once fully inserted the Loctite should keep it secure. You could also use a 3/8" nut as a jam nut instead.

I don't see the need for a sharpened point so I left it blunt. You may feel differently and a couple minutes with an angle grinder should get you the shape you like.

So another piece of our camping puzzle is solved - now to win that auction for the 6-pack of tap handles so I can make a matching set of weenie / marshmallow roasters! I'll let you know how it goes...

EDIT 11-29-14: Just made a pair of burger flippers - these handles just have oodles of uses!!!