some pics of my new brew stand

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sam

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2004
Messages
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Location
Bridgewater, NJ
Thought I'd share...

The stand was built with perforated angle iron (McMaster calls them "steel slotted angles"). I've got a McMaster warehouse less than 5 miles from the house so I picked everything up at Will Call. Here are the McMaster part numbers...
  • 8968K26 2 Each 1-1/2" X 1-1/2", 6’ length | $17.32
  • 4664T65 6 Each 2-1/4" X 1-1/2", 6’ length | $66.54
  • 4664T22 16 Each Steel Corner Plate, 6"x 6" | $35.52
  • 4664T61 1 Pack Bolts W/nuts & Washers | $12.89
  • 8789T42 4 Each 400 lb. capacity caster | $91.84
The stand itself (no burners, pumps, etc.) was built for less than $225 ($230 if you count the $5 metal cutting abrasive disk for my miter saw). You could probably find cheaper casters and I don't think the corner plates are even needed as this thing is rock solid. I sat 3 kegs on it and filled all with water then I jumped up and stood on it... didn't even creak.

brewstand1.jpg


brewstand2.jpg



Took it for a test spin yesterday. I'm not finished building my mash tun so I used my Igloo with a piece of cement board underneath to protect it from the heat. Worked well... I can't wait until I have all the burners plumbed!

brewstand3.jpg


Some more pics from my brew day are posted here:
Samuel W. Scott's Photos - Brewing Stuff | Facebook
 
Nice job. You can turn that bottom area into a handy shelf for storing gear by throwing a sheet of plywood down there, or use painted expanded steel like I did.
 
Sam, welcome to Homebrewtalk.

Your sculpture is awesome and one of the lowest cost frames I've seen so far. Any plans to paint or powder coat that bad boy. Not that it matters. Totally cool.
 
Finally, someone didn't make a sculpture out of railroad rails or skyscraper I beams.

Welcome to homebrewtalk, my ass! He's been here just about as long as sause, and his first post is FOUR YEARS after registering?

Awesome.
 
Damn Sam, You really were saving up for your memorable first post. Now that you have a cool brewstand, hopefully you'll post more often.
 
Nice work Sam,

When I was a kid I built tons of stuff with an erector set, I never built a brewing rig, but you nailed it !

Too cool !:mug:
 
When I was a kid I built tons of stuff with an erector set, I never built a brewing rig, but you nailed it !

I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking it. Great job! Can't see what else you decide to add on/change this as you start using it. Keep us posted- Welcome back!:mug:
 
Finally, someone didn't make a sculpture out of railroad rails or skyscraper I beams.

Welcome to homebrewtalk, my ass! He's been here just about as long as sause, and his first post is FOUR YEARS after registering?

Awesome.


homebrewtalk1.gif



Ha! I was wondering if someone would notice that. I've been lurking here for quite some time, huh?! I've gotten tons of info from you guys over the years and really appreciate it. Sorry I haven't contributed much but I've been busy soaking up all the info.

Yes, they're banjo burners. No plans for painting. I think it's all zinc plated. I know it'll corrode/rust some, especially where I made the cuts and around the burners, but I'll see how she holds up. The most expensive part of the stand was the stupid casters. If it gets too nasty, and as long as the casters hold up, I can just replace the rest of it for about $140.

By the way, besides the stand, my favorite gadget is the sight glass on my HLT (built from info found on this forum!). I love that thing!

Thanks again!
:mug:
 
homebrewtalk1.gif



The most expensive part of the stand was the stupid casters. If it gets too nasty, and as long as the casters hold up, I can just replace the rest of it for about $140.

:mug:

Casters were the biggest ticket item on my stand also...
 
Sam,

Nice job kind of looks like my frame. I built it from uni-strut or sometimes called super strut. It is very strong and was under $150.00. Sorry about the picture but it is the only one I had right now. Anyway it should get the message across.
To me this is one of the best ways to put a frame together without welding or other costly materials. This also gives you the ability to reconfigure the frame at anytime depending on your personal needs. It should work out great.:mug:

IMG_5664.jpg
 
I know these all look pretty straight forward, but how about a simple write up on these weldless brew stands? Sounds like something I would be interested in putting together myself.
 
homebrewtalk1.gif


No plans for painting. I think it's all zinc plated. I know it'll corrode/rust some, especially where I made the cuts and around the burners, but I'll see how she holds up.

Do yourself a favor, get some engine paint. It's expensive in auto stores usually, but I scored a few cans for a project I was working on for dirt cheap at Ollies (bargain outlet).
 
I know these all look pretty straight forward, but how about a simple write up on these weldless brew stands? Sounds like something I would be interested in putting together myself.

+1 on this...I'd really like to see an in-depth write up on the design and build process. I have a friend with access to a ton of old bed frames. I was thinking about cutting the frames, drilling some holes and bolting it all together. But before I get started it would be nice to see some in-progress pics and notes.
 
I think it's great. I am looking to go a similar route and use unistrut like harley03 did.
 
I really like unistrut. I recently used it on my new rig, and it's sturdy as hell. I doesn't even flinch at the heat and weight of 2 full kettles with burners blasting. Plus, it's got holes for mounting gadgets, and has unique hardware for a clean install! I got a 10' section at HD for like $30. The guy even cut it for me so I could get it in my car. I guess that's kind of expensive, but I think it's cheaper than buying angle iron from HD, and the holes are already drilled.
 
I think you might find bed frames hard to drill... especially if you have welded it or otherwise heated it a lot. Even a dull drill will heat it to the point you won't be able to drill it with a normal bit.
 
Bedframes are a nightmare to drill even with brand new carbide bits and tons of cutting oil. You HAVE to weld it if you use bedframes.

Why were those casters so expensive? What's wrong with the $8 specials at Lowes?
 
Ebay is a great place for casters, I bought some from this guy.

I got 4 250lb swivel (two locking) and adapter stems so they'll go into 1.5" square tubing for 23 bucks shipped.
 
The reason those casters are so expensive is because they are weight rated. You wont see a certified weight rating on the cheaper casters. Which is fine as long as you are not required to meet MIL or OSHA standards.
 
Yeah, ya don't want to skimp on the casters. That's one of those things you need to put some money into. If one or two of those things fail with a kettle of boiling wort, you're screwed.

I was at ACE today, and they had hellacious casters with 8" wheels....but they were like $35 a piece.
 
The reason those casters are so expensive is because they are weight rated. You wont see a certified weight rating on the cheaper casters. Which is fine as long as you are not required to meet MIL or OSHA standards.

I don't know.....BREW standards can be pretty strict....:D:mug:
 
excellent job. I was thinking of building something like this, but was worried about strength. I may revisit the idea now that I've seen yours
 
Here's an updated pic with the burners plumbed out. I've got 3 batches through her so far. No rust yet but the zinc plating has burned off. Apparently, when that zinc plating gets hot it gives off some nasty fumes. Keep well ventilated. Once the plating is burned off it should be safe. I had the rig in my back yard the first 2 batches and watched from the comfort of my living room most of the time because it was so cold out.

brewstand4.jpg
 
Sam,

Nice job kind of looks like my frame. I built it from uni-strut or sometimes called super strut. It is very strong and was under $150.00. Sorry about the picture but it is the only one I had right now. Anyway it should get the message across.
To me this is one of the best ways to put a frame together without welding or other costly materials. This also gives you the ability to reconfigure the frame at anytime depending on your personal needs. It should work out great.:mug:

IMG_5664.jpg

I have some uni-strut on the way (hopefully). I believe the "U" shaped pieces, which presents some challenges for my build.

Do you have any more pics of this rig Harley03? They would be helpful for designing my build. I'm curious about how to construct the corners and cross supports.

My original design was for slotted angle iron, but my brother-in-law said he could get uni-strut for a fraction of the price or free!!!
 
ShaggyT,

Let me check when I get home tonight to see if I have any more pics. I beleive I do. This stand works very well and is sturdy enough to do anything you want.
I picked up most of the uni-strut when is was on sale at Home Depot. If you can get this stuff go for it!! The only thing I am trying to figure out now is how to mount the electrical boxes etc. to the frame so they are out of the way.
 
This just gave me a lot of inspiration Sam. It looks awesome. Thanks!

Cool, thanks! I've got a little write-up on my brew stand here with some more close-ups of the corners and bolt positions. I also posted some detailed pictures of my keg to mash tun conversion. (I love my mash tun!)

It looks a little different now... The picture below is pretty accurate even though it was taken 6 months ago. I added some switched outlets (still saving up to buy another pump), wind screen (just pieces of cement tile backer), and some handles on the sides. I've got about 15 ten gallon batches on it now...

brewday.jpg
 
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