MLT question - drill the tubing?

I'll be finishing my 5 gallon Rubbermaid MLT project tomorrow. I have a false bottom and will be picking up some high-temp tubing. Something I'm not clear on - do I put 1/8" holes in the tubing also?

Edited - the tubing that runs from the false bottom to the valve... should that be perforated also?

I haven't seen your design, but in my head the tubing should go on the outside of the MLT, connected to a hose barb. At least, that's the way it is on mine.

Also you shouldn't need high-temp tubing. The tubing you can get in the plumbing section of Home Depot or Lowe's will work fine.

I'm refereing to the tubing that runs from the false bottom to the barb on the inside of the mash/lauter tun.

No, you want that tubing to be airtight - as the level drops below the outlet valve, you'll have a siphon going (assuming that you have a hose on the outlet) and that siphon will continue until the liquid reaches the first opening which allows air to enter. Punching holes in the tubing will just allow air to enter earlier, stopping the siphon at a higher liquid level, and thus leaving more liquid in the MLT; i.e., more dead space. You want the liquid being sucked out right up to the point where the entrance to the dip tube in the false bottom is uncovered.

That makes complete sense. Thanks...

in fact, to get the most out, the tubing on the outside should hang lower than the bottom of the cooler, too. Keep that siphon as long as you can.

And if you're using plastic tubing rather than copper or stainless, make it as stiff and as short as possible, and you WILL need to use clamp on both ends. The tubing will get softer in the heat of the mash, and can pop off with stirring, which of course is a real drag.

Also - it helps to keep the end of the outside tube under the surface of the wort in the kettle as the level in the MLT gets low, in order to prevent air from getting into the tube from the outside if/when the flow slows to a trickle.