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http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MAGRA-Thermomet...c#ht_2147wt_905

MagraThermometer1.jpg
 
do you know if these come up often malted? i'm interested in getting one but not for a while yet
I have bought a couple myself but it is a long and arduous process to get a good one.
Yes they come up often on the UK version of eBay but most folks will not send internationally and those that will, want stupidly large amounts for the postage. I had one chap quote a huge postage price and I asked him if he had taken the handle off to fit it in a smaller box, he had not. After taking the handle off the postage was a lot cheaper. Some folks are silly like that or couldn't be arsed dealing with you to get a good postage rate. Some couldn't be arsed to try and package it properly. Some will send throughout England or Europe but not to Australia - what's the bloody difference? Some will only post to UK. What's the difference in posting international or UK, they still have to go to the post office? The best postage I got was through http://www.transglobal.org.uk/ who use various carriers. You should be able to get a handpump posted for 60-80 pounds and delivered within a week (not 140-200 quid) with insurance, if the seller doesn't stick it in a huge box.

A reconditioned beer hand pump in Australia will set you back about $450.
If buying from eBay, watch for the brand of beer engine. HiGene for instance are not made anymore and parts are hard to come by (some parts are remanufactured though) where as Angram is a safe bet as the company still exists and parts are readily available (i.e to recondition a cheap one off eBay for instance). Colin Farrar Brewery Services recondition Higene and other types of hand pulls (usually replace the pump unit) but buying a new pump cylinder and more postage is not a cheap way to get an old Higene going again. If it has already been done then great. I think the pump I linked to has a CFBS sticker on it denoting it has been reconditioned, it would be best to check with the seller to see if this is correct as the photo is a bit blurry. Homark might be in the same basket as HiGene. I have a Higene pump that my folks gave me and it is missing the bottom cap from the pump, I have been unable to get one and thus the whole unit is useless unless I replace the whole pump cylinder unit (there are generic and brand name ones that can be retro fitted to older pumps). If you pay $200 for a beer engine you don't want to have to spend another $150 or more to get it going again. Angram pumps are the go, if they are physically in good nick, you can just replace the seals if needed. Slightly corroded or the paint flecking off the timber plinth is nothing to worry about; you can polish and repaint them.

The one in the ebBay link has a cooling jacket around the pump cylinder, the two John Guest fittings are for pumping in and out cooling fluid. The bottom barbed fitting is for the beer line. Water jacketed cylinders are usually more expensive/desirable. I don't think they are necessary.

Terms to use in eBay searches are: Beer hand pull, beer engine, beer pump. Minus clip "-clip" is good to narrow the search down.
Angram beer engines are easy to spot in photos as the will be a little oval brass disk on the front side of the wooden plinth. Even if they do not say it is an Angram (which they usually will) you will know it is one from the little brass plaque. The one I linked to is not an Angram but the cylinder looks to be in good nick and might be a retrofitted modern replacement by CFBS. I'd check with the seller.

If you don't want to get frustrated by numerous messages with twats on the other side of the world and then have some one 'buy it now' from under your nose, you can buy a reasonable EWL beer engine, brand new with hoses and fittings for 99 quid plus postage. I can provide photos of mine to those interested. I originally saw it on eBay and continued with the purchase through email. If anyone wants the sellers details flip me a PM and I'll send his name and email address.
If you have the patience, you might be able to get an old beer engine with a bit of character for a reasonable price from www.ebay.co.uk . Be prepared to send lots of speculative messages and get lots of knockbacks.

I am not saying the one I linked to in eBay is perfect, it just looks 'ok'; you would have to make further enquiries, as alluded to above, of the seller.

I hope this helps.
 
I kept trying to look at it but wouldn't open. Good buy for 20
 
I kept trying to look at it but wouldn't open. Good buy for 20
I think it will make my new kettle.

Looks to be an 18gallon, but not sure, most of the ones I have seen have not had the collar on top...
 
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