Framework For A Herms Brewery

[chrisfromperth]

Greetings all.

I'm planning to weld up a framework on wheels for my HERMS setup. I'm a fair sort of welder (well, nothing has fallen apart ... yet) and a local steel supplier has a sale on - lots of steel to choose from. In the absence of a civil engineering degree, I'm confused as to what size square section I should be using. Smaller is cheaper, and I don't want to over-engineer and make it too heavy. But it'll have to carry anywhere up to 90kg of gear and fluids. So my question:

What size steelwork did you use to build your frame?

I'm thinking of going for the 20x20mm, 1.4mm thick, but am I thinking too small ?

Chris

 

[Tony M]

Chris,
Mine is a simple gravity system with 65L pots and it is built from 25X25X3 angle. I can wheel it about and doesnt seem to complain too much. Cheap & easy.
If you want to look, PM me.

 

[delboy]

that should be fine as long as you weld in some gussets on the corners for strenth and if you are going to push it round i would not do so when it is full .

and try not to buid it top heavy .

remember if it dont look safe then it probablly isnt .

delboy :beer:

 

[Justin]

I'd think 20X20mm, 1.4mm would be plenty strong enough.

Just make sure you have the necessary braces/supports needed, you could build it out of paddle pops as long as you have braces in the right places. Basically what I'm saying is that should be fine. I wouldn't try to suspend all your gear full of liquid on a 1.5m length with no support in the middle. Add a down support in the middle and your laughing.

The only problem you might have is that I'd guess the 1.4mm would be pretty easy to blow through. Depends on your welding experience I guess but I don't think anyone will dispute that the steel will be strong enough as long as you build it right.

Cheers and good luck. Justin

 

[chrisfromperth]

Thanks guys. The takeaway message seems to be to brace it a lot, and don't move it while full! I think that the 1.4mm will be OK to weld - I've done 1.2mm before with minimal problems. Any hassles and I'll borrow a MIG welder.

The design will be on 2 tiers - electric HLT and mash tun at the top level (March style pump slung well underneath the mash tun to get a good head), the MT gravity feeding a kettle on the bottom level.

Cheers

Chris

 

[PistolPatch]

Just make sure you have the necessary braces/supports needed, you could build it out of paddle pops as long as you have braces in the right places.

Chris, I do a lot of work on steel frame houses and have actually been meaning for weeks to post a new topic here called something like, "Free Brewstand Material," including photos of what is thrown out after one of the above has been built. It is a brewer's paradise - no welding required just a few tech screws. You could probably build 20 stands from what is left over on just one house.

You should definitely ask before taking away these, 'scraps.' No builder or, 'steel framer,' that I know would refuse you, yet, they will be delighted to know they have contributed in some way to beer-making!

(I meant to take photos today but after 11 hours of working forgot yet again! Next chance for photos is Wednesday so have just set an alram in my phone and will stop then, no matter what, to take some photos!)

Steel frame houses are starting to become more common in Perth so do a search on, 'steel frame,' or 'metal truss,' and ring the companies to find out where they are having some houses built - use whatever excuse you have to!

Then, if you go and have a look, you'll see how they brace them and how easily it is done. Look at the zig-zag frames above a garage door entrance and you'll see what I mean though you will not need anything like this.

The materials vary greatly in thickness but it's perfect for a brewstand. You could probably even build a house with it

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers
PP

 

[delboy]

PP you old scrounger what an idea although it would be a bit of a "chunky monkey"
using steel frames from house consrution but simple and cheap .

42x19 fence railing work well to using poly joiners and tec screwing gussets on all the insides of the corners.

$1.98 per meter seconds in zinc plated is cheap.

but whats free is cheaper.

delboy

 

[Trough Lolly]

You bloody welders make me jealous - almost as much as sparkies and fridgies!

Why oh why did I do IT at uni?!?! :huh:

 

[homebrewworld.com]

Howdy,
I hear DEXION is a great cheap product for the herms framework.
Nuts and bolts..no weld

 

[Doc]

You bloody welders make me jealous - almost as much as sparkies and fridgies!

Why oh why did I do IT at uni?!?! :huh:

[post="122333"][/post]​

Because then you can score 19" computer racks for your brew stand and you can add and remove sliding shelfs, fixed shelves, power boards etc etc wherever you want with no welding

Doc

 

[Trough Lolly]

Yes, Doc, I saw that neat little pickup of yours in an earlier thread - quite handy!! Where I am, they use Hallam racks - C and B Class for security so they cost a bomb and don't ditch the buggers...

TL

 

[delboy]

TL you might not be able to weld but i am sure you could come up with a shithot computerised controll system.


what about a usb cup warmer so you can enjoy english ales at the correct temp LoL

DELBOY

 

[PistolPatch]

Without pictures, I may have given the incorrect impression of the steel frame material being massive. Most of it is about 0.8mm so very easy to cut with tin snips and screw with tech screws. Cheers.

 

[delboy]

PP yes your right it is thin but chunky

32x70x.08 ? :blink:


delboy

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Have working on, installed, destroyed, removed, relocated 19" racks for the last 17yrs, it never occurred to me to grab some and make a 3 tier brewery.

Damn you Doc..... :angry:

Could have made a hundred or so of them setups over the years... h34r:

 

[spog]

driving past a motorcycle shop yesterday i saw a heap of metal shipping frames stacked outside,if you have a store near you check it out,could be very handy?

 

[mika]

Greetings all.

I'm planning to weld up a framework on wheels for my HERMS setup. I'm a fair sort of welder (well, nothing has fallen apart ... yet) and a local steel supplier has a sale on - lots of steel to choose from. In the absence of a civil engineering degree, I'm confused as to what size square section I should be using. Smaller is cheaper, and I don't want to over-engineer and make it too heavy. But it'll have to carry anywhere up to 90kg of gear and fluids. So my question:

What size steelwork did you use to build your frame?

I'm thinking of going for the 20x20mm, 1.4mm thick, but am I thinking too small ?

Chris

[post="122264"][/post]​

I would have gone 25sq, for no other reason than I tend to think in multiples of 25 (25, 50, 75, 100) and generally nothing less than 3mm, but then aybe my welding skills aren't as current as yours

But the big Question Chris... When's the brewday ??

 

[chrisfromperth]

I've checked with the supplier and the 25x25 is currently $20 for a 6.5m length, so I'm going for that. Where I work has a proper industrial grade metal dropsaw, so I'm cutting it up precisely using that (unless I can con the workshop boys to do it for me ... and the welding too). The thickness is 1.6 mm which isn't difficult to weld (3mm - what're you building - a rifle safe ?)

Someone mentioned Dexion - yep, great stuff and you can change it without cutting and welding. Possibly even cheaper than the bargain steel I'm thinking of.

When is brewday? Well, this setup won't be launched for months. I'll still be using the piles of bricks and slabs for a while yet.

On tap right now : 2 IPAs and a Belgian strong ale. No beer under 6.5% at the moment - what a shame. :chug:

Chris

 

[BigAl]

Chris,

My 3 tier setup uses 35 x 35 x 3mm, overkill plus initially. It weighs alot, but now that im going for 80L batches with 98L boil pot, 70L mash tun plus a "mini me" platform for me to stand on and stir the mash, there must be close to 300kg, so im happy with the weight of the steelwork.

With my skills I would still be a bit concerned with welding 1.6mm thick with an arc welder. Especially if your trying to weld a butt joint against the rounded corners of the SHS tube means there is a small gap to bridge and its easy to blow holes trying to weld it.

I would go minimum 2mm thickness, unless of course you can get your hands on a mig, which a child can weld any thickness

Al

 

[Tony]

im planing on using 40 x 40 x 2mm RHS but i do 50 liter batches and there is a lot of weight involved.

plus you have a bitgger surgace to work with when bolting, welding and sitting things on the frame.

Hey trough lolly..... im an electrician that can weld, tig, use a plasma hehehehe. Its great.

I cant fix up my computer when i poops its self though.

cheers