Got the pics restored. Hopefully this type of build offers a no-weld option (even though welding IS freakin' sweet ). I've since made a few mods, mainly to the janky heat shields....so I will post pics soon.
Last edited by ScubaSteve; 04-25-2008 at 12:52 AM.
If I used that concrete impregnated board as a heat shield... could I basically use a sheet of it, cut holes for the keggles to sit in, and use it so protect me working above... then screw some to the inside of the brew rig to protect the boards from burning? I am leaning more toward a direct fired mash tun with a Love controller and solenoid to control the flame, using a March pump to continually circulate the mash.
You could definitely place a full sheet on top to keep the fumes down.., but what I've found is that it traps and intensifies the heat the rig is exposed to. Durarock is fireproof, but it turns cherry red where the fiberglass fibers are heated. It offgasses a lot of nasty fumes too. I'd only use it in the hotspots of the rig. I put a 12" ducting reducer on each banjo....they're big enough to nestle the burner down into and shield the burner from wind. I don't have to turn them up, and it makes them really efficient. They also drastically reduce the radiant heat, so the durarock on the inside boards only gets a bit hot, but it doesn't smoke.
As I read all the posts about blocking off heat from the burners, whether to protect the rig or the brewmaster, I am reminded about a recent thread about carbon monoxide (CO) that I read in another thread. Be careful- carbon monoxide comes from incomplete combustion, and starting to wall off the burner is a step in that direction. Be sure your burners have a completely open path for the combustion air, and that you're using this thing in a well-ventilated space. If a garage or basement -anywhere indoors- I also believe that a CO detector (the Kidde Nighthawk is highly regarded, at $42 on Amazon) is essential.
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“Malt does more than Milton can / To justify God’s ways to man”
-A. E. Housman (1859–1936). A Shropshire Lad , 1896.
Any update on how well the durarock is holding up? I may need to apply a bit of this to my metal stand to protect my rubber tires on the bottom tier...
Well....unfortunately I sold the rig before we moved . I will tell you this....I brewed quite a few batches on this rig and the durarock showed no signs of breaking down. You can use it to back a flat surface (wood in this case) but it doesn't bend and doesn't do well around moving parts. You're probably better off protecting your wheels with aluminum sheet or something else. Diamond plate, maybe?
Well....unfortunately I sold the rig before we moved . I will tell you this....I brewed quite a few batches on this rig and the durarock showed no signs of breaking down. You can use it to back a flat surface (wood in this case) but it doesn't bend and doesn't do well around moving parts. You're probably better off protecting your wheels with aluminum sheet or something else. Diamond plate, maybe?
I was planning on installing a flat square of it across the opening, but only the part around the lowest tier.
[IMG][/IMG]
Depending on the stability of the rock, I wasn't going to back it with anything, just mount it underneath with either several small brackets. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't something that was only going to last for a few brews before it burned out.
I think if you install an aluminum wind shield around the burner, you'll also block most of the radiant heat. You should be pretty good with that. Durarock is pretty cheap.....I bought a 3' x 4' sheet for around $12.....you can also get tiles...maybe you should look into that. Just ask for fireproof backer board, and the clerk should be able to point you there.
). I've since made a few mods, mainly to the janky heat shields....so I will post pics soon.
. I will tell you this....I brewed quite a few batches on this rig and the durarock showed no signs of breaking down. You can use it to back a flat surface (wood in this case) but it doesn't bend and doesn't do well around moving parts. You're probably better off protecting your wheels with aluminum sheet or something else. Diamond plate, maybe?
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