New Paddle/spoon Needed - Suggestions?

[warrenlw63]

what glue?

Mine is actually pinned with smaller dowels and not glued at all. He's a clever one that Borret.

Edit: Pic.

Warren -

 

[Screwtop]

Purfekshun Wassa.

Actually I used a little dab of aquadhere, threw the liquid nails out there to lip a few, but the fishing wasn't all that good. Oh and the handle has a steel brad and a bit of liquid nails, it came off.

Edit: about the handle

 

[warrenlw63]

:lol: Sounds like you've fared better than if I'd made one Screwy. Way beyond my scope.

By the looks of things the handle on mine is pinned as well. My guess is young Borret knows his onions... The paddle has served me well. Been using it over a year with no signs of wear or stress.

Warren -

 

[eric8]

I have another question. Do you need holes in the paddle? If so what for? Just to make it easier? :huh:
eric

 

[Borret]

Ahrrrrrr, and they be in there pretty darn tight too Warren ol son. Glad it's still hanging in there.
All pieces fit together tight to start and then the wooden pin are hammered in tight. When it's wet it will obviously swell too making everything that bit tighter again.

There be a few Borret prototypes floating round this country.

Brent.

 

[brettprevans]

I was thinking about Tony s/steel paddle. Im thinking I might draw up some plans for a paddle that you can select to have holes covered or uncovered by another plate in front of the blade. like the click pens (you know push the top botton down and pen clicks into place, push the side button and the pen retracts), obviously I wont ge arseing around with springs but you get my drift. that might take me a bit longer than 1 weekend though. I think Im going overboard. but i love the idea.

 

[Guest Lurker]

The holes make a big difference in breaking up the mash, rather than just pushing it in front of the paddle. They also help with mixing in the kettle. The only time I can think you might want to cover the holes is whirlpooling, but that also works with holes.

 

[chovain]

that might take me a bit longer than 1 weekend though. I think Im going overboard. but i love the idea.

Overbooard? Perhaps. But that's why half of us do this, isn't it? HB just wouldn't be as fun if you didn't get to make cool toys that you just happened to dream up one day... I just wish I knew how to work with metals beyond basic soldering .

 

[eric8]

The holes make a big difference in breaking up the mash, rather than just pushing it in front of the paddle. They also help with mixing in the kettle. The only time I can think you might want to cover the holes is whirlpooling, but that also works with holes.

Time to get out the drill and holesaw then. .

 

[Tony]

Love the glueless dowls with the little wood pins. great stuff.

I think the holes are necessary as said above. It lets some mash pass through and busts up the little dough balls. If i find a big one i fush it up against the side of the tun and it squashes through the holes. really kills the doughballs.

a moving plate sounds cool but will just be an extra unnecessary nook and cranny to clean out afterwards.

cheers

 

[brettprevans]

The only time I can think you might want to cover the holes is whirlpooling, but that also works with holes.

you could make it your standard measuring device...1 shovel of this and 3 of that etc :lol:

whirlpooling was what I was thinking of. I'll think about it and see. I might just end up doing it for bling factor.

 

[chovain]

The holes make a big difference in breaking up the mash, rather than just pushing it in front of the paddle. They also help with mixing in the kettle. The only time I can think you might want to cover the holes is whirlpooling, but that also works with holes.

To expand on this, imagine pushing your hand through a big pile of sand (hand flat, fingers together). You'd end up moving a big pocket of sand from one end of your stroke to the other, while slightly mixing around the sand just to either side of your hand.

Now, if you do the same thing with your fingers separated, you get much more mixing happening (lots of little swirls between your fingers), and much smaller unmixed pockets.

You obviously don't want the holes to be big or too small. More smallish (but big enough to let a rush of grain through) holes are better than having fewer big holes (a single hole taking up most of the face won't work too well.

 

[Tony]

mine has 16mm holes in the end and i find them to be perfectly biggish smallish

as for dimentions as requested earlier, its made from 3/4" SS pipe, 1 meter long.

the paddle end is about 75mm wide and 120mm high

Just me but i wouldnt use my mash paddle thats been in the mash with all those unboiled bugs in my sterile boiled wort to wirlpool.

but i dont wirlpool either :lol:

cheers

 

[Screwtop]

From my experience using both types of mash paddles described above plus the dreaded plastic spoons and mash paddles available from your typical HBS (why do they all seem to break in the same spot). I believe a dowell type paddle is best for the mash, used for a light stir at mash in it's a very gentle way of ensuring there are no dough balls and stabilising the mash temp. Also for a gentle stir before recirc/sparging. Haven't had a stuck or slow sparge plus eff is up using this method of very little stirring. For the kettle a bladed type of paddle is best, for a gentle pre-boil stir to distribute sugars prior to taking the pre-boil SG, and without airating the wort, then for whirlpooling post boil and before taking the OG sample for a gravity test. For airating the wort once chilled prior to pitching yeast a bladed paddle with holes works well to get air into the wort.

Screwy

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

I thought Tasmanian oak was actually a eucalypt, anyone? I was looking for an american oak plank from a wine barrel to make a paddle out of, could anyone help?

Dan

I have an unused oak plank. Can't remember if its French or American.Around 3 years old though. 1000mm x 100mm x 12mm.Don't know what it would cost to get it to you.

BYB

 

[SJW]

Hold the phone boys. I just picked up the same wooden type as Sammus from ALL PRO the same place I got the Sodium Bi from in Sandgate for $12. Now al I need to do is get the hole saw to it. Too easy.

Steve

 

[Lukes]

I have a home made stainless scrap (@ 6.00 a kg) job that could double as a shovel.
I had to cut a bit from the blade to use as a patch somewhere else and never did cut down the other side. :huh:

My wooden one ended up looking like the roof of a euro brewery that open ferment and the plastic one "snapped"

- Luke

 

[PistolPatch]

Have just been corresponding on a different problem with some great AHB thinkers. As a postscript I added...

BTW though, how come no one answered my question on AHB as to why traditional mash paddles are designed the way they are? I didn’t say it on the forum but traditional mash paddles are totally useless compared to my potato masher. Seriously, everyone commented on it at the last brew day...

I honestly have to say that traditional mash paddles are the worst thing to stir a mash with. Where did this paddle evolve from? It must have had a purpose at some stage in brewing but not one person has been able to tell me what that purpose was.

Anyway that was my email. Let's look at this thread....

One person above mentioned smashing doughballs against the side of the tun. I must say that I nave never seen a doughball in my mash whether that be a batch-sparge or BIAB But if I ever got one wouldn't it be easier mashing it out against the bottom of the tun rather than the side? Yes - it would. Obvious stuff.

I've also seen a few people commenting above on how we can spend money on brewing and justify it because it is just a hobby. I have a field of now obsolete parts (you'd be amazed.) I love experimenting and a good 80% of my experiments fail. I do post the results. Those who like spending money on brewing have a lot more worthy things to spend their money on - JG fittings, temp controllers, dedicated plumbing, cleaning manifolds, disconnect de-pressurisers and so much more.

So, why am I posting here? Because I absolutely know that my mash paddle works better than a traditional one.

Crucify me if I am wrong.

Spot ya,
Pat

 

[benhobbs]

Have just been corresponding on a different problem with some great AHB thinkers. As a postscript I added...
I honestly have to say that traditional mash paddles are the worst thing to stir a mash with. Where did this paddle evolve from? It must have had a purpose at some stage in brewing but not one person has been able to tell me what that purpose was.

Anyway that was my email. Let's look at this thread....

One person above mentioned smashing doughballs against the side of the tun. I must say that I nave never seen a doughball in my mash whether that be a batch-sparge or BIAB But if I ever got one wouldn't it be easier mashing it out against the bottom of the tun rather than the side? Yes - it would. Obvious stuff.

I've also seen a few people commenting above on how we can spend money on brewing and justify it because it is just a hobby. I have a field of now obsolete parts (you'd be amazed.) I love experimenting and a good 80% of my experiments fail. I do post the results. Those who like spending money on brewing have a lot more worthy things to spend their money on - JG fittings, temp controllers, dedicated plumbing, cleaning manifolds, disconnect de-pressurisers and so much more.

So, why am I posting here? Because I absolutely know that my mash paddle works better than a traditional one.

Crucify me if I am wrong.

Spot ya,
Pat

Maybe some manifold/false bottom designs may not like the direct pressure being applied to them by your masher, hence the traditional mash paddles breaking the dough balls up against the side of the mash tun.

Cheers
Ben

 

[Doogiechap]

Have just been corresponding on a different problem with some great AHB thinkers. As a postscript I added...



I honestly have to say that traditional mash paddles are the worst thing to stir a mash with. Where did this paddle evolve from? It must have had a purpose at some stage in brewing but not one person has been able to tell me what that purpose was.

Anyway that was my email. Let's look at this thread....

One person above mentioned smashing doughballs against the side of the tun. I must say that I nave never seen a doughball in my mash whether that be a batch-sparge or BIAB But if I ever got one wouldn't it be easier mashing it out against the bottom of the tun rather than the side? Yes - it would. Obvious stuff.

I've also seen a few people commenting above on how we can spend money on brewing and justify it because it is just a hobby. I have a field of now obsolete parts (you'd be amazed.) I love experimenting and a good 80% of my experiments fail. I do post the results. Those who like spending money on brewing have a lot more worthy things to spend their money on - JG fittings, temp controllers, dedicated plumbing, cleaning manifolds, disconnect de-pressurisers and so much more.

So, why am I posting here? Because I absolutely know that my mash paddle works better than a traditional one.

Crucify me if I am wrong.

Spot ya,
Pat

I like your mash paddle Pat and I'll be buying one too !
It's easier to use than my 'traditional' exotic pine jobby .....

Cheers
Doug