Hb79's Mash Tun

[Pennywise]

Finally got to getting the mashtun put together and leak free, am going to give it it's first run on over the weekend. Just thought I'd put up some piccies for anyone interested, and thanks to those who posted questions before and those that answered some of mine to help me get this thing up and running.

Inside, I know I'll need to get the manifold away from the sides more than it is, but I think ATM it'll do fine.

The tap, I got one of these because If need be it'll have other uses in the future should my brewery expand

Now, all suggestions about the leak from the tap area where it meets the esky went out the window when I discovered that the hole I drilled for it was considerably larger than the actual threaded pipe. But thanks to Ross anyway for pointing me in the right direction if the hole hadn't been so big, if I hadn't fluffed that up a 20mmx5mm o-ring would have sorted it. So silicone it was

Any major flaws that any one can point out? I'm hanging to use this baby, even gonna kick the missus out to do the shopping so it'll just be me and mashy

 

[yardy]

looks good hb B)

 

[Steve]

Nice

I personall would have put put an extra cross bit in the middle going from the middle piece to the piece the furthest from the fitting. Is it easy to take slide out of the fitting for cleaning? It looks right up against the side.
Cheers
Steve

Edit - show us a pic of the underside too

 

[raven19]

No flaws from first impressions.

Keen to hear how your efficiency goes with this one!

 

[Pennywise]

Yeah, very easy to take out, the T-piece at the tap slides in and out of the nut which has a nylon type washer thing in it, and because the elbows are loose enough the whole thing swings at the same T-piece. I was thinking of putting another piece of copper somewhere but looking at most other peoples tun's they have the same amount so thought that'd do. Will take a pic of the bottom tonight, but basically I started drilling holes in 2 of the pieces and broke the drill bits so I went out and got untra thin angle grinding discs and finished it off with them about an inch apart.

Raven, hopefully I get the 80 odd I've been getting with my crappy stock pot and steeping bag strainer. But I suppose as long as it's predictalbe I'll be happy even with low 70's.

 

[Steve]

and finished it off with them about an inch apart.

you may find 10mm apart would be better, get as many as you can into it.

 

[Pennywise]

Mmmm, I still have plenty of copper pipe left over so might have to fix that then. Stupid me bought 2m of the **** thinking I'll just make it . Obviously I have about a meter and a half left

 

[Steve]

Mmmm, I still have plenty of copper pipe left over so might have to fix that then. Stupid me bought 2m of the **** thinking I'll just make it . Obviously I have about a meter and a half left

Take a pic tonight and post it. I'll do the same to show you how close the slits are on mine.
Cheers
Steve

 

[yardy]

a few pics and info here Mash Tun Manifold

cheers

 

[Pennywise]

Nice job Yardy, thats the same esky I have too, looks like I'll have to put a few more slots in mine. Also for now my only means of temp measurement will be a little hand held thermomerter that Ross sells, it's quite accurate so should be ok till I can fit one to the esky itself.

@ Steve, I'll take the pic tonight but prolly wont get to post it till tomorrow as my internet at home is shocking. I'm talking half hour at least to upload the photo onto a hoster. I'll put it up first thing.

 

[HoppingMad]

Looking schmick HB.

I don't use eskies myself (keggle with a false bottom for me) so useless on the advice front but just wanted to say great to see you plunging head first into All Grain world!

Welcome to the dark side! h34r:

Hopper

 

[Steve]

HB, theres a pic of mine in this thread:

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...amp;hl=Manifold

Cheers
Steve

 

[warra48]

I have exactly the same mashtun.

Here's how I made my manifold. I used John Palmer's How To Brew to get the spacings correct according to the book. The cuts in the pipes are about 1 cm apart.
It sits totally flat on the bottom of the mashtun, leaving only about 200 mil of dead space.

 

[Pennywise]

Looking schmick HB.

I don't use eskies myself (keggle with a false bottom for me) so useless on the advice front but just wanted to say great to see you plunging head first into All Grain world!

Welcome to the dark side! h34r:

Hopper

Ha ha, well after trying your beers I couldn't really not plunge in :icon_cheers: . Although ATM it'll only be half size batch's due to lack of pot size. It'll be great for full batch partails though.

 

[Pennywise]

I have exactly the same mashtun.

Here's how I made my manifold. I used John Palmer's How To Brew to get the spacings correct according to the book. The cuts in the pipes are about 1 cm apart.
It sits totally flat on the bottom of the mashtun, leaving only about 200 mil of dead space.

Nice work, how far off the bottom is the tap? I would have thought even with the manifold sitting on the bottom the amount of wort you can't get out due to it being higher than the manifold wouldn't change? Or do you tip it forward a bit to get the last bit out?

 

[warra48]

Nice work, how far off the bottom is the tap? I would have thought even with the manifold sitting on the bottom the amount of wort you can't get out due to it being higher than the manifold wouldn't change? Or do you tip it forward a bit to get the last bit out?

The tap is higher than the manifold, but you'll notice I have an elbow from the manifold level going up to the tap level. It drains as it sits to about litre, but if I tip it forward, I leave only about 200 mil behind. The syphon action will drain it out even if the tap is a little higher than the manifold. That's why I use some plumbing tape to make sure it doesn't leak around where I slot the elbow into the tap outlet.

 

[brettprevans]

im not sure about the silicon. was it food grade? anyone got any comments on this?
other than that, it looks great

 

[Pennywise]

im not sure about the silicon. was it food grade? anyone got any comments on this?
other than that, it looks great

The silicone is as food grade as I could find. Selleys 401, which is heat resistent up to something like 200 deg and good for incidental food contact. I hope this is ok, I think I remember someone saying that 401 is ok on here not long ago :unsure:

 

[brettprevans]

not sure. hope its ok for you. hate to think that someone jumps on and says it will kill you. im sure it will be fine.

 

[Pennywise]

If they do can they do it soon, I don't really want it to kill me either. Kinda freakin' me out now