# AHBs biggest Bargains. What have you scored?



## GrumpyPaul (19/5/14)

This thread is the hotly anticipated sequel to my "AHB's biggest Tightarse" thread.

Whereas the tightarse thread delved into the psyche on the brewer and their propensity to not spend money.

This thread examines the luck and good fortune that tends to fall upon the brewing community who happen to stumble upon a brewing related item at a ridiculously cheap price.

In the past I have posted about my $15 March pump. This weekend the Wantirna trash and Treasure market was particular kind to me.

Picked up the big 10 gallon (so I guess about 37litres) urn on the left for $10. It has dual 1.8 kw elements
Picked up the smaller one which is about 7ltres for $5 - methinks it might make a nice little HEX unit one day






The later MrsGrumpy finds a lady with boxes labelled Craft Beer glasses at $1 per box of 2 glasses. Without any prompting MrsGrumpy goes the "how much for the lot" approach.

So for the princley sum of $8 I now own 23 of these




On a side note here is my urn collection to date

From left to right: future hex, current Biab/future HLT, future kettle.....all i need is a mash tun and 3v here I come.

(BTW - the middle one cost me $15 a while back)


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## mje1980 (19/5/14)

You've already got 3v


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## gsouth82 (19/5/14)

I've got some of those glasses. They were free with a six pack of craft beer at BWS a couple of years ago. They're quite a good glass. Great buy!


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## Not For Horses (19/5/14)

I got a couple hundred kilos of barley for the princely sum of 6 homebrews.
Granted I had to malt it myself but hey, that's what I do!


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## rheffera (19/5/14)

I picked up a single tap kegerator with custom woodwork, keg, lines, regulator, CO2, tap. stc-1000 and a 23l fermenter for $525. Bargain.


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## CrookedFingers (19/5/14)

Nice work up there !
Best I have done is a score off friends of my mum. An old couple who did K&K and were stopping due to age.

For $100 and a sixer of schofferhofer I got….

5 fermenters (still ok), 3 heat belts, 5 hydrometers, heaps of fermenter parts ( taps, orings, airlocks), about 500 old school longnecks, a few bottle cappers, and a bottle washer.


I promptly doled it out to mates who brew, so we all got a little pressie !

CF


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## warra48 (19/5/14)

A few years ago I scored a 30 litre keg, which already had the top opened up and a holes drilled for a tap and a thermometer.
It was gratis from a fellow AHB member, as he was about to move.
It's done sterling service in my brewery as an HLT.


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## sp0rk (19/5/14)

A couple of years ago I got 200+ pickaxe, tooths and oooold CUB longnecks, an 18 gallon keg (that was modded to be a fermenter) and a 60L pot made out of ally sheet for free
The bottles ended up getting donated to another AHB member for a couple longies of his AG Saison (which was quite nice) and the 18gal keg is serving as the kettle for my new 3V rig
the ally pot went on the hard rubbish pile when I decided it was a little too sketchy for me

Other awesome finds have been the free fridge that served as my old keg fridge and all the free POR from Manticle/MartinOC that serves as the majority hop for my Sheep Shagger Lager


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## Camo6 (19/5/14)

I scored an almost unlimited supply of brewing knowledge and advice from this very site for FREE!!!! That's right...FOR FREE!!!!

























(Admittedly it's cost me a fortune in bargains, bulk buys, special deals and fancy equipment, not to mention the countless lost man hours, time not spent with the kids and more than one spat with the missus but I wouldn't give it up for quids.)


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## pk.sax (19/5/14)

When I built my first 3v I still had my biab keggle. Good mate however gave me a half sized sankey keg. He'd chopped half out to make his keggle taller and welded the collar back onto the remaining keg.

It did faithful duty for a year as the perfect sized direct fired mash tun. I'm yet to make or find a more convenient thing for a single batch.


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## real_beer (19/5/14)

GrumpyPaul said:


> Picked up the big 10 gallon (so I guess about 37litres) urn on the left for $10. It has dual 1.8 kw elements
> 
> Picked up the smaller one which is about 7ltres for $5 - methinks it might make a nice little HEX unit one day


I'm using an old SS Urn that I got for 10 bucks from a scrapyard as a malt-pipe in my BM copy.


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## bullsneck (19/5/14)

A mate won a large alluminium pot at MB Beerfest a few years back. He was moving and needed space.

$40 later it was mine. Add $50 for a ball valve and a false bottom and I was the happy owner of a 62L mash tun.

I've since added insulation and a temp gauge. Looks the goods now.





A few days later a mate pops around with a gift. He's crafted a paddle for its maiden brew.


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## FirkinFantastic (19/5/14)

I scored a very nice 320 litre, not too old upright freezer for freeee. Add to that a fridge controller that my sparky father in law gave me for free. A few weeks earlier I scored a tub full of extension cords. With an onld enclosure and a couple of cable glands that I got from work for free = 320 litre, upright freezer westinghouse brew fridge. Free!!


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## heshtek (19/5/14)

Nothing too spanky but i got 2 fermenters with all the fittings a bench capper and 150 crown cap longneck bottles for $40 on ebay


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## menoetes (19/5/14)

Camo6 said:


> I scored an almost unlimited supply of brewing knowledge and advice from this very site for FREE!!!! That's right...FOR FREE!!


I got all of that and a borderline drinking problem too! A pretty great deal, no?


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## Pilchard (19/5/14)

Scored 5, 50l kegs from the boss, unmarked refill kegs, Free, lines, taps and gas less than 200 bucks. Still need a fridge and to make some great tasting beer but reckon I have worked out a free lesson with a member here, I actually vouched to pay for his grain bill to sit in on a session just to see how it is all done by a 10 year veteran. That sort of hands on information is priceless. Will also be taking around a few bottles on brew day for a critique of mine to try and improve my methods taste etc etc.


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## heshtek (19/5/14)

menoetes said:


> I got all of that and a borderline drinking problem too! A pretty great deal, no?


Amen to that bro and i'm only on 20 posts.


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## MastersBrewery (20/5/14)

I picked up a single tap (ek Tap) fridge with 2 cornies a micromatic reg and 6.8kg gas bottle last year for $80 with line and disconnects though the line was chucked, and the tap is in the "spares" cupboard also chucked the fridge got too many anyway


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## stux (20/5/14)

Scored a near new F&P 422B fridge for some brews. The fridge part wasn't working due to the fan not working. 

Repaired the fan by resoldering the red wire, and now it makes a perfect 5 keg beer fridge


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## spog (20/5/14)

Pub renovation,was headed for the bin.


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## Bingo002wa (22/5/14)

The shop I work at has a bottle shop attached and my boss occasionally dustributes for commercial beer companies. He let me grab a couple of empty 50 Lt kegs for the princely sum of nothing.


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## Pogierob (23/5/14)

Just scored this Birko immersion element for $20


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## CrookedFingers (23/5/14)

Where ????

I want one !!


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## Pogierob (23/5/14)

eBay mate. Some bloke in lyndhurst


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## CrookedFingers (23/5/14)

Nice one.


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## Truman42 (24/5/14)

When I first started BIAB I scored a 20 litre urn from the FIL. Then when I made my 3V system I found a steel framed bench at work in the skip which I turned upside down, fitted castors to the bottom, fitted ply shelves and now have a great 3V brew stand.



Also scored a number of CO2 fire extinguishers when we moved premises at work which I'm still using on my kegerator. I have never paid for CO2 yet.


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## Gavo (24/5/14)

Our old mate Chappo, some years ago passed a plate chiller and regulator on to me for nicks. Gave me the reg to help get started in kegging, then later gave me his plate chiller as he was going over to no chill. Still using both.

Anyone remember Chappo?
Where are you Chappo?


Cheers,
Gavo.


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## Yob (24/5/14)

Stacks of grolsch, free, 
loads of coopers bottles, free, 
70lt ali pot $40 
120lt ali pot $90 
1000lt tank and pump $70
There's more I'm sure..

Ooh.. Ed.. 2 andale florite taps $10 each 
2 andale florite at a market, $2 each 

I've given a shitload of stuff away over the years


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## aster1 (26/5/14)

got these 2 identical flooded fonts for $50, needed a clean up and slight repair, using 1 now on my keezer


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## fcmcg (26/5/14)

I scored 7 corny kegs for NOTHING , 10 years ago...
A mate was working in a bottle shop and got talking to a customer who had given up brewing and was going to throw them out...these days you'd sell them on ebay..but this bloke just wanted them gone..
They ware still in very active service lol


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## Midnight Brew (5/7/14)

Went to the tip today with the old man to get rid of some tiles and plaster. They had a little recycled goods shop on the side.

2x pint glasses
1x thick glass beer stein/mug
17x 200ml beer glasses
1x thick glass jug (the pub type)
1x glass washer commercial (those plunger type of things you use before it goes in the dish washer.
TOTAL $8


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## 2much2spend (5/7/14)

aster1 said:


> $(KGrHqJ,!qQFJVtCKeu5BSZJz2DgT!~~48_20.JPG
> 
> got these 2 identical flooded fonts for $50, needed a clean up and slight repair, using 1 now on my keezer


You bastard! 
That's awesome.


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## Burt de Ernie (5/7/14)

Just last night I stopped in at Manly Vale Dan Murphy's to pick up one of those Bridge Road 3x IPA and a Spiegelau IPA glass packs.

Unfortunately there were no packs left but there was a 1x Bridge Road IPA sitting next to the IPA glass on the Shelf.

I spoke to the manager who ended up charging me $2.45 for the IPA bottle (he scanned it in as a VB can) and gave me the glass for free.

Absolutely made my night.


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## Topher (5/7/14)

Stainless fridge, fits 4 cornies. $25bucks from EBay. 
The tap and drip tray are off a fridge I got free from a fellow ahb member. 

Of course I now have to buy more beer line, disconnects, taps(can't decide if I'm putting 3 or 4 taps on the front!), shanks, a manifold.....


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## CrookedFingers (17/8/14)

Just scored this SS bench with sinks. 3.3m long. 

FOR NIX !!

Far out. Happy days. 
Now I just need to build my brew cave so I have somewhere for it to go !

CF


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## Yob (17/8/14)

Speaking of stainless sinks.. Ive got a laundry tub sink under the house someone can have for nix if anyone wants one

pickup Ringwood


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## GrumpyPaul (19/10/14)

Good day at the market for beer stuff

MrsGrumpy found an bought me this Hop Plant $4




5 of these Cascade 400ml beer mugs $5

Box of 6 of these Matilda Bay 425ml glasses $5




25 of these 285ml Carlton Draught glasses $5




A big arse 25l Glass Demi john $30 (couldnt be bothered going out to the shed for a photo)

Computer fan and rare earth magnets for a stir plate


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## Mardoo (19/10/14)

So, time for the Draught clone then mate?


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## pk.sax (19/10/14)

Bring to Pete's christmas party


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## Flash_DG (19/10/14)

got these a few years ago. got rid of the large 50l bottle. Still have the 20l one (use it for starsan mix) and the 2 20l pyrex bottles. Haven't used the pyrex bottles yet been meaning to do a mead in them but just not got around to it.


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## sp0rk (4/12/14)

Just scored a free 8L kambrook urn from work because the thermostat/reset button seems to be dodgy
We lose 1 every year or 2 to the same issue, so I grabbed the latest one to die to see if I can rectify it
If I can get it working again it'll become a HERMs for my perpetually "almost finished " 3V setup


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## sp0rk (4/12/14)

Aaaand it looks like some of the wiring is fried :/
Will have a look at replacing the thermostat, if that's a no go, in the bin it goes

*edit*
Nope, too much fried and I can't even be bothered
Will keep looking for another small urn :/


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## angus_grant (4/12/14)

Quite a while ago I scored 4 working kegs for $120 off Gumtree. I rang at 6:45AM Saturday morning cause I knew people would be all over it.

His wife answered (cause the man was out walking) and I told her I'll take all the kegs and I'll be over in 30 minutes. I arrived at their house as he was getting home from the walk. Needless to say the wife had spent the morning answering the phone from all and sundry. He had 6 brand spanking new 23L kegs in his beer system so obviously wasn't short of coin.


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## buckerooni (4/12/14)

4 x 20L kegs for *free *off a bloke who had taken over the slurpee contract with 7/11. yippe yiyo!

combined with a fully setup 2 tap kegerator with co2 bottle in a 5 yr old whirlpool fridge in perfect nick for $350 it was a bargain bottle-to-keg supercheap quantum leap.


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## jonnir (4/12/14)

Just picked up what i think is about a 60-70L stainless pot that's bloody heavy duty for $20

Can't complain with that!


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## mckenry (5/12/14)

4 tap, brand new, still in box, with taps, Lancer SS flooded font. $150 from a pub in surrey hills (via ebay) outdoor bar project didnt happen. Parkes put me onto it


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## fraser_john (5/12/14)

4 x 22kg CO2 bottles, two full(with shrink wrap still on), two half full, $200, should have CO2 for life now. I don't know where they came from, I don't want to know, deceased estate is as much detail as I care for........


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## Mardoo (5/12/14)

fraser_john said:


> 4 x 22kg CO2 bottles, two full(with shrink wrap still on), two half full, $200, should have CO2 for life now. I don't know where they came from, I don't want to know, deceased estate is as much detail as I care for........


I'm often happy with others' good fortune. I will make a sincere effort in this case as well. 

That's a SCORE in all caps.


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## CrookedFingers (5/12/14)

fraser_john said:


> 4 x 22kg CO2 bottles, two full(with shrink wrap still on), two half full, $200, should have CO2 for life now. I don't know where they came from, I don't want to know, deceased estate is as much detail as I care for........


woah.
That's awesome.


CF


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## CrookedFingers (7/1/15)

If anyone is chasing Eco kegs, I just drove past 5 of them on the side of the road in ferntree gully
Cockerell st. 
Off mcmahons rd.


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## bigmacthepunker (8/1/15)

Discussing with a friend news boyfriend regarding HB, he advised that he had a unused starter, beer kit that was descend for the bin, he asked I'd I wanted it. I was very happy to take it off his hands for nix. Hydrometer was smashed, Dex had harden, as the rest was fine. The goop is old, but might put it to brew.


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## slcmorro (18/1/15)

Just hit up the local BWS... got the following beers with Best Before Dates of late Feb 15 -

12 x Lowenbrau, 18 x Karl Strauss Pintail, 32 x Sierra Nevada Pale, 2 x Atomic Pale, 2 x Sapporo 500ml cans, 4 x Becks 500ml cans, 4 x Larks Foot Golden, 2 x Strongbow Dry for the princely sum of $88.

Also hit Aldi and got 6 x Pils and 6 x Hefes for $15 each.

Enough to keep me and the moochers who come to the shed happy for a while... just when I was hoping to empty a keg or two as well. First world problems!


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## BottloBill (18/1/15)

$20.00 
Now to put it to use


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## jonnir (18/1/15)

2 x Celli Chrome taps with flow control and stainless spouts for $65


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## Tahoose (18/1/15)

slcmorro said:


> Just hit up the local BWS... got the following beers with Best Before Dates of late Feb 15 -
> 
> 12 x Lowenbrau, 18 x Karl Strauss Pintail, 32 x Sierra Nevada Pale, 2 x Atomic Pale, 2 x Sapporo 500ml cans, 4 x Becks 500ml cans, 4 x Larks Foot Golden, 2 x Strongbow Dry for the princely sum of $88.
> 
> ...


I thought you brewed beer?? Pretty cheap for that lot however


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## slcmorro (18/1/15)

Tahoose said:


> I thought you brewed beer?? Pretty cheap for that lot however


I do indeed. However at 30L + for around $100 or so considering the quality/variety/portability of the above, I think I'm still in front 

Just because you brew doesn't mean you shirk the commercials/crafts or a great bargain.


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## Tahoose (19/1/15)

I agree, pretty good bargain. I think the last 20 bottles of commercial beer that I have bought have cost me $200 plus.. 

I'm putting it down to research and development...


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## woodie (19/1/15)

I got a kegerator, 2 FV and a keg for $250 and sold my old fridge for $150 same day.


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## srm (19/1/15)

I picked up a brand new 10 inch water filter and two 10 inch carbon filters, all still in plastic wrapping, all for $0.99 on ebay.


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## BungBrew (23/1/15)

Scored a bargain on Gumtree

Hardly used 30L fermentor
Heat pad
PET bottles and bottling accessories

Bargain at $20


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## Moad (23/1/15)

Recently scored 40 Grolsch bottles for the price of handing 4 back full of my finest.

Some new seals and they are good as new...

I will be hunting down some more grolsch bottles, SO much more convenient to use especially when just for half a dozen or so of left overs after kegs are filled.


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## Weizguy (23/1/15)

Seems that one of my best bargains was a pair of Andale 2-tap cobra (*edit: FLOODED) fonts and (Applied Beverage brand) S/S ice bank (or glycol) chiller with a few bits missing for $95 on eBay, not to mention the 2 Micromatic V-roto taps for $125 (linky).
And the 6-line brass gas splitter with check valves as a gift from MHB.


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## Pogierob (13/3/15)

2.6kg keg king c02 bottle. Regulator and a keg coupler (haven't checked what type as I cornie) 
$60...
Insert happy dance here...


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## spog (13/3/15)

$ 60.00 ! You lucky bugga.


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## acarey (13/3/15)

Ek tap $15 off gumtree. Stoked, now just need 2 more!


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## BottloBill (29/3/15)

Scored a brand new unopened coopers kit + big dub 20lt stainless pot for $25


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## jlmcgrath (29/3/15)

Lucky to get 2 different brewing, stands from work before they got cut up and recycled. Gonna pass the tan one on and keep the stainless one


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## Edgebrew (30/3/15)

Almost brand new birko heat wand for $5 (pickup) off gumtree.


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## DU99 (30/3/15)

a fisher and paykel 400 litre all fridge.."FREE"..works really good,it replaced my kitchen fridge


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## DU99 (5/4/15)

two 425 perlick series taps (brass colour)


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## slcmorro (5/4/15)

DU99 said:


> two 425 perlick series taps (brass colour)


Price?


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## DU99 (5/4/15)

had to put new rings thru them.$5 per kit..thats all it cost


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## slcmorro (5/4/15)

Cracking score!


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## spog (6/4/15)

DU99 said:


> had to put new rings thru them.$5 per kit..thats all it cost


Faaarrrrk.


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## luggy (6/4/15)

26 litre urn, $40

New HLT, stoked the taps not welded in so I can put in a ball valve :kooi:


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## Yob (6/4/15)

Autoclave Free.

Thanx Camo :beer:


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## DU99 (11/4/15)

Went into local coles "supa Store" scored the mat for 50 cents and the weather station $1...
bought 2 mats and 4 stations in total


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## spog (11/4/15)

Tsunami ?


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## DU99 (12/4/15)

going to put the outdoor sensor in fermenting fridge saves going outside to check


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## luggy (7/5/15)

Picked this up for $40, stainless quick disconnects thrown in for free.
Gotta love it when you go to pick up something off gumtree and it turns out the bloke works for coke B)


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## Mardoo (7/5/15)

BeerBelly false bottom from Fents for nix. Thanks mate!!!


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## technobabble66 (7/5/15)

Brand new Zip urn (read identical to Birko), for $63 on eBay 2wks ago. Not tested it yet but was told by the guy it worked - still has the wrapping on it!
That makes 3x 30L urns (other 2 were $80 & $70) I have, to cover the MLT, HLT and Kettle. 3V here we come!

Plus a perforated Aluminium pizza tray to attach bolts to as a snug false bottom. Picked up yday for $12 and a 5min drive to the wholesaler. Just gotta work out how to reduce it's diameter by 5mm...

Edit: plus lots of bottles from Yob, Manticle and DU99 - thanks guys, it's still greatly appreciated!! B)


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## Danwood (7/5/15)

Mardoo said:


> BeerBelly false bottom from Fents for nix. Thanks mate!!!


It was YOU !

I PMd Fents 2 minutes after you did apparently, after he mentioned he had a spare.

I've been waiting for them to come back in stock on the BB website for ages. Patience....


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## BottloBill (29/7/15)

13 packets of beer mix which I scored for $20 off Gumtree. I have never tried them, but for a redback I will make use of them


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## Papa Lazarou (29/7/15)

BottloBill said:


> 13 packets of beer mix which I scored for $20 off Gumtree. I have never tried them, but for a redback I will make use of them


I got some of these for $1 each when target cleared them out, let's just say the back lawn got quite a lot of beer out of it.


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## Tahoose (29/7/15)

Might be worth using instead of dme for yeast starters.


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## sp0rk (28/2/16)

Just picked up nearly full (like used maybe once or twice) containers of Starsan (1L) and PBW (1.8kg) for $25 from a buy swap sell page on facey
would've been $110 new from Craft Brewer


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## BottloBill (3/4/16)

This little beauty caught my eye on the side of the road (hard rubbish pile) just around the corner from home.....Thankyou I'll take thatB)


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## GrumpyPaul (9/4/17)

Cant beleive its 2 years since I started this thread.

Recently bought something on ebay cost was $449 - tried to use a 5% off coupon code but it would work.

Wrote to Ebay - they apologised and said they would credit the 5% discount to my Paypal account in the next week.

Seems someone at ebay made a mistake in my favor.

What should have been a $22.45 credit has turned out to be a $224.50 credit just made.

looks like someone at ebay gave me 50% instead of 5%


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## mtb (9/4/17)

Five cornies for $100, perfect condition, no seal leakage or the like. I'd call that a win


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## Grott (9/4/17)

8 cans of Thomas Cooper IPA, Wheat, Sparkling Ale and 7 cans Thomas Cooper Australian Bitter = 31 cans with 2017 dates at $5 per tin. Out of Canberra (mtb) with free delivery to Adelaide. They were dented stock at a courier company and would suggest insurance issue.

All cans sound with no issues to date with quality.


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## Benn (9/4/17)

2x industrial exhaust fans; "free" from the scrap metal pile at the local tip. Upon closer inspection, one has a blade missing and vibrates like a bastard, the other must have a worn bearing because it also vibrates alarmingly. ....maybe I can make 1 out of the 2? maybe I'll get an electric shock? All I know is the price is right.


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## wide eyed and legless (12/11/18)

Bunnings, bless em, 60 litre esky $50, knocked them down to $40! Ripper.


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## DU99 (12/11/18)

being thrown out Makita 6316D Cordless Drill needed a new battery.....works well ..also smaller model drill needed battery also


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## Coalminer (13/11/18)

Bunnings for sure
Bought a 6 station electronic irrigation timer for the garden $22.50
Thought later I should get a spare at that price so I got a second $22.50
Told a friend about it the next day and he went to get one
They were marked $225.00


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## JDW81 (13/11/18)

70L Blichmann mash tun, complete with false bottom, auto sparge arm and dial thermometer for $150. Blood brilliant pieve of kit.

I reckon is was good karma for the brewing stuff I gave away (bottles/quick disconnects/old 20L urn)


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## Wolfman1 (13/11/18)

86 grolsch bottles for $40 with 2 bags of spare silicone seals


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