Cheap & Easy 10 Gallon Rubbermaid MLT Conversion

**FlyGuy** · 02-24-2007, 05:17 AM

You can buy Kewler Kit conversions that supply you with a pre-build bulkhead and faucet for converting a 10 gallon Rubbermaid beverage cooler into a mash & lauter tun. But off-the-shelf components from your local hardware store work just as well, and cost far less. I got all my parts at my local Home Depot for a fraction of the cost of a Kewler conversion kit, or other commercial products.

Parts List:

Here are the parts you will need for the conversion (see picture, left to right):

- Rubbermaid 10 gallon round beverage cooler
- all stainless steel ¼” hose clamps x 2
- brass square head plug (Watts A-737)
- ½” x 12” (or larger) braided stainless steel supply hose
- 3/8” female barb adapter (Watts A-298)
- 5/8” stainless steel fender washer (sometimes hard to find, but try Fastenal or read this thread if you are stuck)
- 3/8” MIP x 1-1/2” brass nipple (Watts A-786)
- seal from plastic spigot of cooler (shown below)
- Teflon tape (note: everything to the left of the tape in the picture above goes inside the cooler, and everything to the right goes outside)
- 5/8” O-ring (preferably heat resistant, if you can find one)
- 3 x 5/8” fender washers
- 3/8” threaded ball valve
- 3/8” male barb adapter (Watts A-294)

**FlyGuy** · 02-24-2007, 05:18 AM

Assembly:

Step 1 - Remove the spigot from the cooler:

- using a wrench to firmly hold the nut inside the cooler, remove the plastic spigot from the Rubbermaid cooler
- retain the seal from the inside of the cooler for use in Step 2 below

Step 2 - Inside parts:

Stainless steel braid
- cut the ends off the stainless steel braided supply hose using a hacksaw or rotary tool (my Dremel tool cut through the braid like nothing -- took about 60 seconds)
- using a set of needle nose pliers, grab the flexible hose inside the braid, and PUSH the braid off the hose (don't pull!)
- insert the brass square head plug into one end of the braid and secure with a hose clamp (or you can just crimp down the end, but then the braid may float up in your mash)

Bulkhead
- apply a few wraps of teflon tape to threads on the brass nipple
- slide stainless steel washer onto brass nipple
- securely attach female barb adapter to brass nipple
insert seal from plastic spigot on inside of cooler and insert brass nipple inside

**FlyGuy** · 02-24-2007, 05:19 AM

Step 3 - Outside Parts:

- pull brass nipple all the way through the hole in the cooler, and insert O-ring
- apply teflon tape to threads on nipple

- add fender washers as spacers to ensure a tight fit of the components once the ball valve is attached (mine needed 3 washers)
- attach the ball valve
- apply teflon tape to the male barb connector, and attach it to the bal valve

**FlyGuy** · 02-24-2007, 05:19 AM

Step 4 - Attach Stainless Steel Braid

- slip a SS hose clamp over the open end of the SS braid
- slide the braid onto the barb connector inside the cooler, and tighten the hose clamp

EDIT: The hose clamps didn't work. See my update here: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/253344-post62.html

The Finished Product

That's it. You now have a cheap MLT that was easy to put together. To be sure mine didn't leak, I filled it to the 10 gallon capacity with water, and let it sit for 45 minutes. Didn't leak a drop!

For additional details and some higher res photos, go to:
http://members.shaw.ca/Fly_Guy/mlt.htm

**Sir Humpsalot** · 02-24-2007, 05:27 AM

AWESOME!!!!!!!

What was the total bill?

**FlyGuy** · 02-24-2007, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toot

AWESOME!!!!!!!

What was the total bill?

Well, these are Canadian dollars, but here goes:

- Rubbermaid 10 gallon round beverage cooler - $34.99
- all stainless steel ¼” hose clamps x 2 - $0.66/ea
- brass square head plug (Watts A-737) - $1.09
- ½” x 12” (or larger) braided stainless steel supply hose - $4.99
- 3/8” female barb adapter (Watts A-298) - $1.72
- 5/8” stainless steel fender washer - $0.39
- 3/8” MIP x 1-1/2” brass nipple (Watts A-786) - $1.49
- 5/8” O-ring (preferably heat resistant, if you can find one) - $0.59
- 3 x 5/8” fender washers - $.29/ea
- 3/8” threaded ball valve - $6.89
- 3/8” male barb adapter (Watts A-294) - $1.89

Total cost: $56.23 CDN, which is about $8 USD.

No seriously, it would be about $46 US.

If you buy something similar from places like morebeer.com, it would be over $100. It took all of about 5 minutes to assemble everything (although I did do a few trips to Home Depot to find the parts to make it all work).

**Orfy** · 02-24-2007, 08:29 AM

Can I use this for the Wiki or do you want to add it?

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Converting_a_cooler_to_a_mash_tun

**FlyGuy** · 02-24-2007, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orfy

Can I use this for the Wiki or do you want to add it?

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Converting_a_cooler_to_a_mash_tun

Sure, add away. I'm not a wiki kinda guy.

**Orfy** · 02-24-2007, 03:31 PM

Thanks.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Converting_a_cooler_to_a_mash_tun

If you add it to your signature it'll help others.

Cheers.

Tony · 02-24-2007, 03:38 PM

Great posting FlyGuy!!! And good job on the mash tun!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

LinkBacks (?) LinkBack to this Thread: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/
Posted By	For	Type	Date
Sheppy Brew Links	This thread	Refback	10-26-2009 10:25 PM
HÃ¥ndbrygforum • Vis emne - Materialer til egen indsatssi	This thread	Refback	10-08-2009 06:38 AM
Going AG, but I might be stupid - MR.BEERÂ®	This thread	Refback	09-04-2009 04:52 AM
Who dugg: Cheap & Easy 10 Gallon Rubbermaid MLT Conversion	This thread	Refback	09-01-2009 12:46 AM
DIY mash/lauter tun question - MR.BEERÂ®	This thread	Refback	08-31-2009 10:52 AM
ryan.baxter's Network on Delicious	This thread	Refback	08-30-2009 11:43 PM
netfall's Bookmarks on Delicious	This thread	Refback	08-29-2009 07:42 PM
Mash Tun - HomeBrewChatter.com Home Brew Forum - Community Driven Beer Homebrewing Forums	This thread	Refback	08-28-2009 09:14 PM
HÃ¥ndbrygforum • Vis emne - Materialer til egen indsatssi	This thread	Refback	08-27-2009 09:16 PM
Going AG, but I might be stupid - MR.BEERÂ®	This thread	Refback	08-25-2009 08:20 PM
-the HOPS community- • View topic - The all grain grain bug has bitten me.	This thread	Refback	07-24-2009 11:52 PM
HÃ¥ndbrygforum • Vis emne - Materialer til egen indsatssi	This thread	Refback	06-16-2009 10:14 PM
Håndbryg :: Vis emne - Materialer til egen indsatssi	This thread	Refback	05-13-2009 09:55 AM
The Brewing Network • View topic - Equipment and Beersmith question.	This thread	Refback	05-12-2009 03:48 AM
Five Gallon Round Orange Rubbermaid / Gott Mash Tun Construction - BrewBoard	This thread	Refback	05-04-2009 03:46 AM
-the HOPS community- • View topic - The all grain grain bug has bitten me.	This thread	Refback	03-05-2009 08:01 PM
Five Gallon Round Orange Rubbermaid / Gott Mash Tun Construction - BrewBoard	This thread	Refback	09-04-2008 08:48 PM
View topic - Brew-kit Recommendations? :: Ale-ian Society :: Homebrew Club of Lubbock, Texas	This thread	Refback	09-04-2008 07:18 PM
Building a Mash/Lauter Tun \| The Frosted Brew: Homemade Beer Made Easy	This thread	Refback	09-04-2008 03:53 AM
10 Gallon Rubbermaid Cooler conversion - Homebrewing - Beer Advocate	This thread	Refback	08-27-2008 06:21 PM

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
CHEAP 10 Gallon Rubbermaid Water Cooler	rj_hockey	Equipment/Sanitation	8	05-27-2009 12:56 PM
Rubbermaid conversion	bbrim	Equipment/Sanitation	2	02-27-2009 09:30 PM
10 gallon and 5 gallon rubbermaid water coolers delivered for 68 bucks.	RedOctober	Equipment/Sanitation	6	12-12-2008 05:33 PM
Cheap & Easy 5 Gallon Rubbermaid MLT Conversion	Brutus Brewer	Equipment/Sanitation	1	08-29-2008 03:04 AM
conversion kit for 5 gallon rubbermaid cooler?	Steve973	All Grain & Partial Mash Brewing	2	08-09-2006 06:21 PM