Post Your Ghetto Gear Thread. The < $2.00 Hopper

[Spork]

4. (adj.) jury-rigged, improvised, or home-made (usually with extremely cheap or sub-standard components), yet still deserving of an odd sense of respect from ghetto dwellers and non-ghetto dwellers alike. (From Urban Dictionary - Ghetto) http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ghetto

So, this forum is full of pic's of peoples shiny stainless stuff, and thats great. One day I might have more bling in my brewery than Liberace myself...
Meanwhile, I though a "Ghetto thread" (see above) might be interesting. It could help new brewers, or people considering brewing to see how things can be done for cheap. It might give more experienced brewers an idea on how to do something differently. It should be good for a laugh. It might even save a life!

I'll start the ball rolling:
Got my new mill a couple of days ago. Too tight to buy a handle and hopper. Hoping my power drill can run it OK. At least that inspired me to pull the drill apart and "fix" it. (Sort of, it was stuck in reverse, now it's stuck in forwards...)
Had a look through some threads. Couldn't find those big (15 litre?) Water bottles anywhere here.I have a few tools, but no workshop here, so making anything is difficult. I'll probably get around to having a mate help me make a timber one, or getting some sheet metal cut and bent.
Meanwhile, last evening while watching the telly and sucking a few beers, I decided to rig up a cardboard hopper, and frankly I'm pleasantly surprised at the result.
The cardboard was free, form a box that hadn't been recycled or rubbished yet. The grey tape was $2.00, and I didn't use the whole roll, so the hopper actually cost < $2.00. The only "tools" used were a pair of scissors and a biro. A ruler and set square could have been used, but I wanted to keep is simple.

The mill resting on the hopper, showing the driven side.

From what I've read, drill powered mills require a grain flow regulator, so naturally I included one in my design. In this pic. it is closed. I might have to adjust it as you can see it doesn't fully close the grain feed, but thats a pretty quick fix.

And with the grain feed fully open.

After I took these pics, I added more tape. The inside seams between side and end parts are now taped up, for added strength and to stop grains getting stuck in the gap. The top edges are also taped, and a bit more tape holding the hopper onto the mill also.
Tonight when Mrs Spork gets home from Hobart with my sack of grain I will test it out with a small amount. If that works then next brew day I will (attempt to) mill the entire grain bill using this. Pictures will be attempted if I have a free hand.

 

[Wolfy]

After I took these pics, I added more tape. The inside seams between side and end parts are now taped up, for added strength and to stop grains getting stuck in the gap. The top edges are also taped, and a bit more tape holding the hopper onto the mill also.

Unfortunately, I think you'll find with a couple of uses that the grain-dust will get under the edge of the tape and it will start lifting and the the hopper will start to fall apart.

But I guess I can add my old mill:

and sparge arm (with aluminum foil):

to the pics in the therad.
They work great, but were cheap/easy/free to make.

 

[bconnery]

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=17309

Second or so post in shows my kitchen strainer false bottom...

 

[Spork]

Hmm, might have to go all high tech like and whack some staples in there too.
Actually Wolfy, it was some great looking hoppers very much like your own that inspired me, but buggered if I can find anywhere selling those big water bottles around here.
Chickenfeed had some cheapie stools for $7-8. The two piece ones that join in the middle. I reckon I could use one of them, except I think the plastic is too brittle to cut easily.

 

[vic45]

On top of my (made from scrap and freebies) mill sits a large $9 stainless mixing bowl from chickenfeed with a slot cut in the bottom for grain feed.
Holds 6kg of grain and works spot on.

 

[kelbygreen]

haha wolfy thats one ghetto mill set up. even utalised a old cat scratching post for a "stand" and the cardboard shoot makes it all come together nicely

 

[Wolfy]

haha wolfy thats one ghetto mill set up. even utalised a old cat scratching post for a "stand" and the cardboard shoot makes it all come together nicely

Nothin 'old' about the cat scratching post, the cat bitches at me until I give it back when I finish crushing grain.

 

[kelbygreen]

haha well good use of whats at hand I say

 

[Tanga]

What an awesome idea for a thread. Win!

I'd love to see pics of your ghetto mill Vic. Way beyond my skills, but I can drool. =)

 

[Jace89]

Hahaha this thread is inspirational!

 

[TasChris]

I have a super high tech brew stand that I would like to share...

The set up was only temporary but 50+ brews later at two differnet houses its still esentially the same.

 

[Lecterfan]

I have a super high tech brew stand that I would like to share...

The set up was only temporary but 50+ brews later at two differnet houses its still esentially the same.

View attachment 47991

Awesome haha. yes, a great thread idea, I'll have to borrow a digital camera over the weekend to show my ridiculous set up. It's not just one thing or the other, the whole lot is ghetto for me hee hee.

 

[Spork]

TasChris - I love the black paint job on those kegs...
Good to see you have so much faith in a card table. Glad your kettle isn't on there

Keep the Ghetto coming folks.
I'm with Tanga, I'd love some pics of vic45's mil setupl too.

 

[TasChris]

TasChris - I love the black paint job on those kegs...
Good to see you have so much faith in a card table. Glad your kettle isn't on there

Keep the Ghetto coming folks.
I'm with Tanga, I'd love some pics of vic45's mil setupl too.

shhhh there not kegs B)

I still put the kettle on the table to run off into the fermenter, a little bit of risk....look at the legs on the table

 

[kelbygreen]

well my burner is a old BBQ sitting on the lid and the keggle is held up a few bricks but the burner sits on the lid, The lid is collapsing which is good as the slab in the sheds not level so you can kinda position the bricks so the keggle is lever lol.

The mash tun sits on the concrete as its easier to pour the water into and couldnt be stuffed moving it till I have to then it sits on the side tray of the BBQ, the pot sits on the cement to fill and the fermenter sits on a milk crate as the hose I gots not long enough

 

[Clutch]

Hmm, might have to go all high tech like and whack some staples in there too.
Actually Wolfy, it was some great looking hoppers very much like your own that inspired me, but buggered if I can find anywhere selling those big water bottles around here.
Chickenfeed had some cheapie stools for $7-8. The two piece ones that join in the middle. I reckon I could use one of them, except I think the plastic is too brittle to cut easily.

Try your local industrial estates, my mate owns a factory unit and he's got a water cooler and just buys the water from somewhere and chucks the bottles when he's done. Maybe try Officedorks?
Hell, if you're in Brisbane I'll give you one.

 

[raven19]

Nice topic.

My efforts thus far:
Monstor Mill made from odd bits around the shed.

Test tube holders alsomade from odd bits around the shed.

Drip Tray... nothing but the best.

 

[TasChris]

4. (adj.) jury-rigged, improvised, or home-made (usually with extremely cheap or sub-standard components), yet still deserving of an odd sense of respect from ghetto dwellers and non-ghetto dwellers alike. (From Urban Dictionary - Ghetto) http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ghetto

So, this forum is full of pic's of peoples shiny stainless stuff, and thats great. One day I might have more bling in my brewery than Liberace myself...
Meanwhile, I though a "Ghetto thread" (see above) might be interesting. It could help new brewers, or people considering brewing to see how things can be done for cheap. It might give more experienced brewers an idea on how to do something differently. It should be good for a laugh. It might even save a life!

I'll start the ball rolling:
Got my new mill a couple of days ago. Too tight to buy a handle and hopper. Hoping my power drill can run it OK. At least that inspired me to pull the drill apart and "fix" it. (Sort of, it was stuck in reverse, now it's stuck in forwards...)
Had a look through some threads. Couldn't find those big (15 litre?) Water bottles anywhere here.I have a few tools, but no workshop here, so making anything is difficult. I'll probably get around to having a mate help me make a timber one, or getting some sheet metal cut and bent.
Meanwhile, last evening while watching the telly and sucking a few beers, I decided to rig up a cardboard hopper, and frankly I'm pleasantly surprised at the result.
The cardboard was free, form a box that hadn't been recycled or rubbished yet. The grey tape was $2.00, and I didn't use the whole roll, so the hopper actually cost < $2.00. The only "tools" used were a pair of scissors and a biro. A ruler and set square could have been used, but I wanted to keep is simple.

The mill resting on the hopper, showing the driven side.

From what I've read, drill powered mills require a grain flow regulator, so naturally I included one in my design. In this pic. it is closed. I might have to adjust it as you can see it doesn't fully close the grain feed, but thats a pretty quick fix.

And with the grain feed fully open.

After I took these pics, I added more tape. The inside seams between side and end parts are now taped up, for added strength and to stop grains getting stuck in the gap. The top edges are also taped, and a bit more tape holding the hopper onto the mill also.
Tonight when Mrs Spork gets home from Hobart with my sack of grain I will test it out with a small amount. If that works then next brew day I will (attempt to) mill the entire grain bill using this. Pictures will be attempted if I have a free hand.

What is the birds nest for on the left of the photo? Years ago we had a gravel false bottom ( Yay Pumpy you were right all along), are you working on a twig version?

Cheers
Chris

 

[Spork]

haha, hmm, they use moss for filtering whiskey I think...
Some of Mrs Spork's crap on the table. Cuttings? Perhaps future kindling...

 

[Wolfy]

My efforts thus far:
Monstor Mill made from odd bits around the shed.

Test tube holders alsomade from odd bits around the shed.

Drip Tray... nothing but the best.

Sorry but the Mill hopper and Test tube holders are far too professional-looking to classify as 'ghetto'.
... the drip tray on the other hand, that one belongs here.