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ScubaSteve · 11-23-2008, 03:20 AM

So I started building a new rig. I used to have a wood rig that was more than enough for my purposes, but I was moving, and in the spirit of shedding unnecessary items and conserving space in the new home, I sold it.

You can see my build of the wooden rig here:http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/scubas-herms-build-36267/

Wood is a really underrated medium in homebrewing. If you put some thought into your design, it will serve you for years!

Back to business!

ScubaSteve · 11-23-2008, 03:42 AM

I "acquired" a really well built SS cart. I just knew it had potential for brewing purposes. I put all my vessels on it in all sorts of configurations, but I was never satisfied....I would stare at it trying to figure out how to make it work. Finally, I just put all my toolboxes on it and used it as a rolling cart for projects.

After I moved (and no longer had a rig), I looked at it again. It's just wide enough to fit 2 sankes on top:

More Pics:

Beefy shopping cart wheels (spider webs included):

So, what I think I'll do is have the HLT on the top left, the BK on the top right, and the MT on the bottom. I'll leave room for either my 10 gallon Coleman or Sanke MLT. Truth be told, I like the cooler better, but it's not as uniform as the SS keg MLT.

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**BlindLemonLars** · 11-23-2008, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

Wood is a really underrated medium in homebrewing.

You're not kidding! This is my latest build.

ScubaSteve · 11-23-2008, 04:05 AM

I guess you can call this a 2-tier rig....but that's okay with me.

My philosophy changed after having a 1-tier:

-Using more height (gravity) to flood the hell out of the march pump. If I want to prime my tubing, it'll be a snap.

-Using gravity to drain the bk through a CFC. I can also use my pump for this, but I don't have to. I used to use a B3 50' 1/2 " IC.
(that's a different discussion, which I can comment on outside of this thread)

-Not worrying about having my HLT higher in the air. It's really well supported by side rails, it's heated in place, and I have a sight gauge to tell me how full it is. I mean, come on....we all know what hot water looks like! It's not that high anyway, but it saves MEGA space being stacked....

-Here's the big one! Not worrying about having my BK in the air! I know some folks may wonder about this....I started using fermcap-s, and now I don't worry about boilovers! I realize I don't need to look into the BK anymore worrying about foam, so now I just toss my hops in and stir. I can still see in the keggle on my toes, so it's not a problem. At flameout, I whirlpool and drain to the CFC. I plan on integrating a hopback that goes on/off with QD's for easy removal.

The advantages? I have a rig that takes up a hell of a lot less space than my single-tier:

I know it's not as pretty, but it does the same thing in a compact, shiny package! I still have my pumps, but I can also use gravity, because it's free!

ScubaSteve · 11-23-2008, 04:27 AM

I realized (luckily) that this thing was built out of SS tubing. If I were to integrate burners and heat the thing up, the tubing might explode. See this thread for more info! : The Northern Brewer Homebrew Forum :: View topic - EXPLOSION! On National Homebrew Day - Converted Keg

So, I drilled out the SS with a Dewalt titanium split-tip bit. The black moly bit I used barely scratched the 316 SS. Man, SS is a hard metal! Note the small hole...

Here's another pic, showing the orientation of the SQ14 burners I plan to use:

And another:

N5629 · 11-23-2008, 04:38 AM

When you say whirlpool at flameout, forgive my ignorance, but just what the hell does that mean?

ScubaSteve · 11-23-2008, 05:25 AM

Sorry, I notice I use quite a few acronyms, etc. When you're done boiling your wort, you turn off the burner and get ready to cool the wort. That's flameout. Before you do that, you can take a sanitized spoon and create a strong whirlpool, and that will cause all the particulate hop debris to concentrate and settle in the middle of the kettle. If you drain the kettle with a dip tube placed near the inner wall of the of the kettle, you will avoid that pile of debris, and it won't make it into your beer....and that generally equals clearer beer.

N5629 · 11-23-2008, 06:26 AM

You can always tell the quality of a hobby/obsession by whether or not the uninitiated can tell what you are talking about. The obtuse the nomenclature, to more involved and interesting the hobby.

In one of your earlier posts on this thread, you refer to a cooler MLT as being not as uniform as the SS keg MLT - is that a temperature thing or a matter of aesthetic?

ScubaSteve · 11-23-2008, 12:29 PM

I think the SS MLT is going to be more aesthetic in this rig. But, experience shows that the cooler will hold temp within 1 degree well over an hour on a cold day.....so I'll make sure I leave room for either MLT, and maybe allow for an upgrade to a rectangular cooler in the future. I'm a batch sparger.

LooyvilleLarry · 11-23-2008, 01:07 PM

Damn. Stole my idea! I saw these at Sam's club and thought that might work well! I think they were around $65 or so.