Alternative False Bottom

[big d]

gday all.
im after a bit of advice.i recently purchased a rubbermaid cooler to mash in and have set it up with outlet tube and ball valve but no false bottom as yet.what im thinking of doing is a similar set up to a bazooka screen only to do this i will buy one of those supermarket s/s colander strainers.i will cut away the plastic from the mesh and roll it into a tube crimp one end and use a s/s hose clamp to attach to the outlet tube.ive posted a few photos of the current set up minus the screen which i hope to do tomorrow.the outlet tube maybe too long at this stage so can be shortened.
does anyone see any problems with this over a s/s false bottom to suit the cooler which i eventually want to fab up.
any thoughts/help appreciated

regards big d

 

[big d]

another view

 

[big d]

last pic

 

[siiren]

Big d, I have exactly the same setup as you, and used the same idea for a bazooka. I attatched a 1/2" threaded T to the ectention piece, and used the replacement mesh from one of those camping mini grill things.
all in all, cost about 5 bucks.
I rolled the mesh to fit the thread, and took off to my local plumbers to have the mesh spot welded. They tolt me the mesh was too fine to weld, and said to use araldite, which they use when fixing food grade mesh utensils. I was a little concerned, but tried it then when the glue was dry, boiled them in water for half hour to leach out any surface chemicals. attatched them to both ends of the t piece, and have just finished my first partial mash (hard + expensive to get grains up here) and it worked perfectly.
However I never calculated the efficiency, but the gravity (Mash) ended at 1.028 for about 10L water - 2kg pale.
No glue taste in the wort, and the mesh worked wonders.
Anyone have any ideas about why I shouldn't use araldite? I can imagine quite a few out there!! :wacko:

 

[Batz]

I just rolled it up and folded over the end , bought a big strainer from a kitchen shop
big d ,what are those stainless fittings?
Like the look of them better than what I have

 

[kbekus]

My thoughts exactly - where to get nice stainless fittings please?

 

[GMK]

BIgD

That looks like the 5 gallon Rubbermaid.
If so, the plastic Phills bottom at 35.00 (from Grain & Grape fits beutifully)

Just find/buy a ss Nut and Tail fitting - give me the diameter and i might still have one - and attach a food grade hose from the fitting to the 90 degree elbow that goes thru the False Bottom.

Works a treat.

I had one of these setups but battered it for a 75ltr Electric copper washer and then bought the 10 gallon Rubber Maid.

Hope this helps.

 

[big d]

thanks ken it is the 5 gallon.i plan on getting a proper false bottom eventually when ive got grain supply sorted out.will check out grain and grape.
when i get it i will see how i go for s/s fittings.if no luck will give you a pm.
kbekus and batz
fittings are instrument stuff.
swagelock fittings
s/s 316 turnflo teflon seated ball valves
a long tube that has something to do with a thermowell i think.
all this stuff comes from a place that rhymes with lurk.
gotta watch ones self. :unsure:

 

[big d]

well its all done now.rolled up a screen mesh and its in place.will trial a partial mash of 2kg of jw pale malt tomorrow

 

[big d]

last pic

 

[Jazman]

only think i would be worried about is it seems you will loose a bit of space with the filter sitting up from hte bottom but a false bottom would be good latter on in doing a manifold at the monment with me cheap 25ltr esky and later on i would buil opn with a false bottom

 

[big d]

thanx jaz.reckon i may have to tip the last bit out into a strainer/colander.its only a make do sort of thing at the moment until i get a false bottom to suit.either that or will have to put a bend in the tube or some sort of elbow to lower the screen.

 

[Jazman]

could use some analed copper thats what in going to do and bend it my self by squashing one end then fill it will sound and squash the other end then bend it to suit so the tubing wont kink

 

[Batz]

How it perform big d ?
You crank it up today ?

 

[big d]

yep i gave it a burl today batz.what a drama.thought i would give the cooler a quick clean up and the bloody thing starts leaking around the tap.geez this didnt happen yesterday on the trial run. no worries re adjust the o-rings and try again.leaking even more. bummer.tried this about 5 times until i got a decent seal.
mmmmm gotta get a better seal.
doughed in the partial mash of 2kg and were away.
90 minute schedule no worries.
water hovering around the 80deg mark for sparge in the pot.add sparge water check temp of grain and bugger if i can get it to around 78deg.add more and just cant get the grain sparge temp up around the 76-80 deg mark.
this was measured in the grain bed by the way.
anyway keep on sparging until finished.in my mind anyway.
boiled up with coopers llme and a boston cream ale bag plus ibus to 25.
how does this sound to you mashers
o.g at start of sparge was 1.050
o.g at finish was 1.015
after boil and grumpys bag added the o.g was 1.064 in the fermenter. dunno but gee it smelt great.

any thoughts fellas
cheers
big d B)

 

[big d]

the partial mash

 

[big d]

end result hope it works out ok :chug:

 

[JasonY]

big d, one thing I have done in my last 2 brews to get the mash up to 76deg after 90mins is to draw of the wort in 5 - 8L batches into a 10 SS pot and boil it up. Once it is boiling I add it back to the mash. Keep doing this until I get the mash temp to 76degC. Once its there I leave it for 10 mins for mashout and start the sparge with my 76degC water. Seems to be the most convenient way without piss farting about with sparge water temps .....

 

[Jazman]

sounds ok big d


and with the sparge water i check my temp in the hlt then keep it constant while sparging

 

[jayse]

bigd
adding either some runnings that have been boiled or just straight boiling water is what i used to do before my herms setup.
you can mix it all up with some boiling water untill you hit 78c then let sit for ten minutes then start to sparge with your 78c water you have ready.
i never have had a prob adding boiling wort or water into the mash to heat it up, it works a treat.