Mash Tun Esky - Need help

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

Hi Guys,

Ive been reading up on making a mashtun out of my 36L esky. I have a 15mm hole where the bung was and a washer to the outside.

I watched this video and thought I had it figured for a trip to bunnings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABOfNX7W5so

I had little success, but had a look anyway.

Probably help if I put up some pics of what I looked at.

This - I thought this connector would work given my hole is 1.5mm and theres a spacer in the middle. Might need some washers though?

For the inside, I guess this T join is needed. I need what is called in the video a 'hose barb' X 2 to connect to the braided shower/gas fitting to the T fitting at each end. I couldnt find these, Sounds way too american, what do we call them? I assume a 15mm braided fitting is required? Or is it best to get larger/smaller?

Then I should need a female tap like this one ?

Any help much appreacited.

Cheers,

 

[mje1980]

Can't check YouTube on my phone, its too frustrating but go to waterwell or similar and grab an irrigation bulkhead fitting. Very easy to fit, watertight and you can get plastic valves to fit. Cheap and reliable.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

What you want is an external thread T peice with some flange nuts to suit.

Screw on a flange nut up to the T, poke the thread thru the esky wall from the inside. Then screw another flange nut from the outside to seal it up againtst the inner wall.

On the inside you will have the top of the T against the inner wall. What you need now is 2 stainless braided hoses( same as used to conect toilet cisterns ). Cut the one end off each, push the braid back toward the nut you have left on and poke a knife thru the braid as close as possible to the nut and cut the inner tube and pull it out.

Now screw each braided hose the the T peice and crimp/block the free ends.

 

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

What you want is an external thread T peice with some flange nuts to suit.

Screw on a flange nut up to the T, poke the thread thru the esky wall from the inside. Then screw another flange nut from the outside to seal it up againtst the inner wall.

On the inside you will have the top of the T against the inner wall. What you need now is 2 stainless braided hoses( same as used to conect toilet cisterns ). Cut the one end off each, push the braid back toward the nut you have left on and poke a knife thru the braid as close as possible to the nut and cut the inner tube and pull it out.

Now screw each braided hose the the T peice and crimp/block the free ends.

Ahh I get what your saying. Don't actually need to remove *both* the ends of the cistern pieces, screw them in and crimp the free end ? I thought that made more sense when I was looking at everything in the hardware.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

The cistern hoses have an inner nylon tube. Just remove one end of each, push the braid back towards the remaining nut so you can open up the braid to stick a knife in to cut the inner nylon tube

 

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

Gotchya - I'm going to take the esky up to my local hardware store, they have gotten me through much worse than this.. bunnings staff half the time don't seem to know what time it is..

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

The external thread T peice will make life real easy.

You may need to make up a washer from one of your missus silicon baking trays. But she will be cool with that cause she will understand that a leak free esky tun is way more important than some stupid cake.

 

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

The external thread T peice will make life real easy.

You may need to make up a washer from one of your missus silicon baking trays. But she will be cool with that cause she will understand that a leak free esky tun is way more important than some stupid cake.

Lol

Yeh far enough - the only prob is that I got an angled outlet (esky design) so I'll probably have to get a connector and run a hose/tap that way. Luckily I've got some silicone hose coming, only prob is its 1/2" - will have to get an adaptor of some sort.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Make a new hole at the other end.

Most T peices will be like this

Want you want is a T made from ext threaded pipe as it will give you more length to poke thru the esky and mount a tap

 

[Motabika]

G

 

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

Make a new hole at the other end.

Most T peices will be like this

Want you want is a T made from ext threaded pipe as it will give you more length to poke thru the esky and mount a tap

Mmmk I will drill a new hole I think. Do you just use a standard piece and file out the hole, or is there a drill bit that you used?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Either drill & file or buy a drill bit to suit.

You will need a silicon washer to seal it properly.

 

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

Either drill & file or buy a drill bit to suit.

You will need a silicon washer to seal it properly.

Yeah cool - I think drilling a hole is going to make life much simpler, at least I'll know all the bits fit. I'll probably do the old manual way with a large drill bit and a file. Any suggestions for a valve. I kinda like the circle tap valves

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I just use a ball valve.

 

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

Oh Man.. DIY Sunday.. Thought i rooted my 36L esky by drilling a hole too large, and got my brother to fetch a 44L one from kmart for $39.. turns out I needed a extender anyway, which had a 300mm lug on it. The washer from the new esky fits pretty snug on the t join to the inside, but there is a slight leak which I should be able to correct with a steel washer (The T of the pipe is making the washer not 100% compressed, so a extra flat support should correct this). If it doesn't work, I got some silicone as backup.. but I have a feeling it will.



Don't think this job is something that is done the same by anyone, depends on what bits you can fetch and how it all works out in the end.

Got a 36L and 44L mash/lauter Tun now though, so I guess that something .It won't be sealed on the outside, just the inside the way I have it configured, which hopefully works so I can transfer the kit in between each esky.. or buy the same gear and use the 44L for 2 X 19L batches, and the 36 for 22Litres

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Pics or you didnt build it.

Did you use flange nuts.. ?

 

[lswhi3]

hey man, i just recently did the same project. you can see what I did here:
https://www.facebook.com/luke.st.stephen/media_set?set=a.10202069549245272.1073741828.1383251361&type=3

 

[lswhi3]

leaks about 200ml over a 1 hour mash with 30L in it and retains heat with 2C loss.
Water safe silicon, rubber washers over vinyl pipes.

 

[mje1980]

Don't think this job is something that is done the same by anyone, depends on what bits you can fetch and how it all works out in the end.

Absolutely. The fitting I mentioned earlier went in the hole already there and sealed watertight. Took 5 mins. I used the thread on the inside to screw in my copper manifold.

 

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

Hi guys,

photos as requested - the external hole is pretty ghetto - but it was the best I could do with the hexagonal extender lug, about 30mm wide (as seen in photo 3)

The washer is the original off the esky, and at the moment it is not sitting flush on the T join.

Its dripping about 1 drip every 3 seconds.. so I am going to try and fix this firstly with a steel washer sitting below the washer, at the T - hopefully this works, if not I purchased some silocone and may have to stick it on.

Basically I have to get it sealed on the inside, as the outside does not have an option.

Anyway, I now have 2 eskies with the same size holes, so hopefully it all goes to plan and I'll have two tun/lauters - I'm yet to crimp the ends of the braids, but will probably just get small round screw clips, unless someone has another option?