frame complete

nathan · 12-09-2008, 05:46 PM

Yesterday I got all the tools I needed together and in the freezing cold I finished welding the pot supports in the metal portion of my new single tier (taken months so far, bit by bit).

After these photos I finished most of the wooden base, which adds about 17 inches of height. I chose a wooden base so I could easily alter the height if I change pots without needing to chase down friends with welders to borrow again, as that has delayed me quite a bit.

I should have the structure done in a week, then on to some detailing and plumbing the gas and then I can give it a test drive by January.

Now that I live alone without many distractions, it's easier to get some work done out in the garage. After shaping metal, then welding and doing carpentry all day, I felt like a manly man! (my gallery has some early pics)

Yes, that is a blichmann 20g, fully loaded (haven't set it up yet, but will when stand is ready). I have a converted keg HLT (eventually electric with electronic temp control), a converted keg boil kettle, and the blichmann for the mash.

Displaced MassHole · 12-09-2008, 05:55 PM

Looks pretty sweet bro, I'm still scrapping together all the steel for my stand bit by bit. Post some results with the use of that blichmann. I'm curious to see if their worth all that $

nathan · 12-12-2008, 01:18 PM

nathan · 12-12-2008, 01:23 PM

I spaced and didn't take a shot with the pots in place, but this is really close to done.

the top is aluminum and bolts to the stand. The heat shields are just strips of 22gauge sheet steel, I roll them up a bit, then put them through the top hole, and they spread out and stay in place under the angle iron and on top of the small steel brackets I welded in for the burners to mount to. This way if they end up destroyed by the heat, I can just toss them. I may just use some cheap aluminum flashing next time, though.

I test fired one burner under a keggle, and you could barely tell there was a fire beneath it if you were moving your hands around in the air above. Of course, you'd burn the crap out of yourself if you touched the metal top or keggle, but I'm mentioning this because it should keep the efficiency high. I used to wrap my turkey fryer with foil, and then the pot with a layer that overlapped the fryer base to keep all the heat. This should work similarly.

My brother is coming down tonight and tomorrow we'll try and get the gas plumbed. I also need to order pumps and tubing and whatnot... build the herms coil, a sparge setup...

nathan · 12-12-2008, 01:24 PM

btw, more pics in gallery

TommyBoy · 12-12-2008, 01:41 PM

I have seen where somebody made a tabletop out of stainless and used a flapper disc on an angle grinder to put a design on the surface. The guy just sanded the whole top with a 12-14" random circular motion. Looked awesome and you really can't screw it up.

nathan · 12-12-2008, 02:38 PM

Mine's aluminum (got the sheet for free), so I could screw it up with just about anything. Aluminum is SOFT! on the bright side, it cuts with a jigsaw and sands smooth in a jiffy.