Building A Mash Tun

[Pennywise]

My advice, don't try and drill holes. The really really thin drill bit you'll need will just keep snapping.

 

[TasChris]

I found that it was difficult to get a good seal against the wall of the esky as the plastic always starts to bend and warp if you apply to much pressure especially when hot.
I found if I put a 2 inch by 2 inch square of stainless on either side ( with a hole drilled through) of the esky wall it helped to spread the load and I could then get a better seal. I also use silicon washers made from silicon bakeware every where, cheapest way.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Siborg]

I found that it was difficult to get a good seal against the wall of the esky as the plastic always starts to bend and warp if you apply to much pressure especially when hot.
I found if I put a 2 inch by 2 inch square of stainless on either side ( with a hole drilled through) of the esky wall it helped to spread the load and I could then get a better seal. I also use silicon washers made from silicon bakeware every where, cheapest way.

Cheers
Chris

Good idea... I'd just need something capable of drilling through stainless steel! I'm a little lacking in the power tools department at the moment... working ones anyway.

I ended up throwing the pipe cutter to the shitouse... Actually keeping it to get my money back tomorrow. The f**king thing fell to pieces! Went up to the 24hr Kmart in Burwood and got 12 hacksaw blades for $6! Ok, there is probably better quality blades out there, but these worked a treat. I did half of a pipe with the cutting tool which shall remain nameless ( :angry: ), and finished up the other half and the whole other pipe with the hacksaw... Was a far cleaner cut and I ended up cleaning up that piece of shit's mistakes with it too.

Gonna finish up the middle piece tomorrow.

Upon advice from you guys, I've shortened all the pipes a little to get em away from the walls. The two long pipes are 35mm away (not quite half of 80mm, but close enough) and I didn't measure the short ones, but they sit a little more comfortably rather than smack bang up against the wall.

Will post the final pics tomorrow and see if I can get that thread to stop leaking with a bit of thread tape.

p.s. I pickled the brass and I'll probably do the same with the copper to clean off any oxide and other shit (markings etc) as per John Palmer's "Bible"

 

[rude]

I found that it was difficult to get a good seal against the wall of the esky as the plastic always starts to bend and warp if you apply to much pressure especially when hot.
I found if I put a 2 inch by 2 inch square of stainless on either side ( with a hole drilled through) of the esky wall it helped to spread the load and I could then get a better seal. I also use silicon washers made from silicon bakeware every where, cheapest way.

Cheers
Chris

I did the same with the silocone bakeware used a wad punch to make the washers

 

[Siborg]

I did the same with the silocone bakeware used a wad punch to make the washers

hmmm. might have to see if I can get some of it on the cheap at the W that is Big

 

[Pollux]

Sweet jesus, how rough were you with that pipe cutter? I did all my cuts and mine is still in one piece and looks as it did when it came out of the pack.....

 

[Siborg]

Sweet jesus, how rough were you with that pipe cutter? I did all my cuts and mine is still in one piece and looks as it did when it came out of the pack.....

Not that rough... was taking my time with each cut... believe me. I reckon it was just a cheap as shit tool.

The cheap ass hacksaw blades did the trick. Did em all in 1/4 of the time it took. A vice (not overtightened) also helps. I was using .91mm thick hardened copper by the way... not the soft, bendable stuff.

I'll upload the pics in a min and you can all see the finished product.

 

[Pollux]

Ahhh, that would make a difference, mine wasn't hardened, I bent it into shape using just my hands.....

 

[Mobbee007]

Am planning my first mash tun & this info & advice has been invaluable just 1 question is there any difference in effectiveness between slots & holes? I work in a huge engineering company so could do either?

 

[Siborg]

Am planning my first mash tun & this info & advice has been invaluable just 1 question is there any difference in effectiveness between slots & holes? I work in a huge engineering company so could do either?

Rex... I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter, just as long as they are fine enough to stop grains from getting through.


I've had a bit of a thought about my design and had another read through Palmer's section on manifolds and I reckon that the original way is a bit inefficient because it has a long way to travel before it reaches the outside of the esky. I went out and grabbed a couple more T joins and I think this might be a little better (excuse the dodgy editing):

This would provide a more direct means of exit for the middle pipe, and they all have roughly the same distance to travel to the exit.

Any thoughts?

 

[mxd]

looks good well done.

 

[Supra-Jim]

It's looking good there Siborg. You've got to be itching to get some grain in there and give it a good run!!

Cheers SJ

 

[Siborg]

It's looking good there Siborg. You've got to be itching to get some grain in there and give it a good run!!

Cheers SJ

He'll yeah. I'll need a heat source for the keggle too. And a chiller or a cube... Soon

 

[absinthe]

a note on the pickling of brass fittings.. if you are concerned with lead leaching then i hope you have no brass fittings in your house. as chlorine would leach lead much faster than wort. and if you live in areas who have chloramine in the water then its even worse

 

[zoidbergmerc]

They actually sell pipe with holes in it like that at work down stairs in irrigation.

Looks pretty sweet though, I might make something like this too, I've got an old eski that the handles are broken on, so it's pretty useless as an eski.

 

[Wolfy]

This would provide a more direct means of exit for the middle pipe, and they all have roughly the same distance to travel to the exit.

Any thoughts?

As per my previous (probably not very well explained suggestion) I think that drilling out the top t-piece is easier than adding 3 more t-pieces to get direct-to-outlet flow from the middle leg of the manifold.

Here's mine (saves trying to explain):

And pulled apart for cleaning:

Have to agree with the hacksaw though, much easier than trying to use the pipe-cutter, and probably the best option if you don't have access to more professional tools.

 

[Siborg]

Hmm... good idea. Thinking outside of the box there!

I ended up doing it the way I posted. I scored a flanged nut from beer belly and there are no leaks at all. I end up loosing ~1.4L deadspace, but I'm not too concerned seeing as its my first crack at something like this. I'll probably upgrade to something better/ more efficient when I can afford it in the future.

 

[jiesu]

What would be the advantages to using a slotted pipe over a false bottom? It looks to me to be less effecient and a shitload harder to clean?

 

[praxis178]

What would be the advantages to using a slotted pipe over a false bottom? It looks to me to be less effecient and a shitload harder to clean?

That was my concern too, so I went with a falsy, home made just to keep it kosher, but all stainless perforated plate (1mm, I just measured them, holes), and misc threaded SS fittings, all told about $30 or so from the local irrigation place. The perforated plate was out of their bumpster, and cleaned up a treat with the gernie and a long soak in Sodium percarbonate.....

 

[mxd]

What would be the advantages to using a slotted pipe over a false bottom? It looks to me to be less effecient and a shitload harder to clean?

I always assumed price and "jams" and damage (i.e too much weight, or force) ?