I made my own drill powered cleaner.
Purchased:
1/4 inch aluminum rod ($3.72 for 3 feet)(only used about 1.5)
2 pack of 3/4 inch external tooth lock washers ($1.07/2 pack)
4 pack of screw protectors ($0.97/4 pack)(only used 1 but they don't sell just one at Lowe's)
Supplies on-hand
1/4 inch nuts
1/4 inch washers (1 inch diameter)(you should use 3/4 inch)
shammy (car drying thing) (you only need a few strips)
Tools:
Knife
Die for cutting threads to match whatever nut you have
Wrench for tightening the nuts
Cut threads onto the rod, clean the threads then build a sammich in the following pattern:
Nut, washer, lockwasher, shammy, shammy, shammy, shammy, lockwasher, washer, nut, screw protector.
Trim the shammy so that it is slightly larger than the inside diameter of your largest carboy. (Excessive shammy length will slow the shammy down and your drill will try to wind it around the rod)
I chose shammy because of the way it adds weight when it's wet. I believe shammy would be safe to use on plastics but I haven't tried it yet, I only have one plastic carboy and it's full of fermenting apfelwein right now. Don't go any bigger than 1" for the washers, your carboy neck isn't much bigger.
Put a gallon of warm soapy water in your carboy, slush it around to make sure the krausen is wet. Wait about 2 minutes, then start your drill. I use my drill on the lowest setting to prevent shammy wrap. I've got to rack some beer on Tuesday and, with my wife's help, I'll post a vid of the device being used. I might even take it apart and put it back together for the same vid, it only takes a minute...
Here are a few pictures
Purchased:
1/4 inch aluminum rod ($3.72 for 3 feet)(only used about 1.5)
2 pack of 3/4 inch external tooth lock washers ($1.07/2 pack)
4 pack of screw protectors ($0.97/4 pack)(only used 1 but they don't sell just one at Lowe's)
Supplies on-hand
1/4 inch nuts
1/4 inch washers (1 inch diameter)(you should use 3/4 inch)
shammy (car drying thing) (you only need a few strips)
Tools:
Knife
Die for cutting threads to match whatever nut you have
Wrench for tightening the nuts
Cut threads onto the rod, clean the threads then build a sammich in the following pattern:
Nut, washer, lockwasher, shammy, shammy, shammy, shammy, lockwasher, washer, nut, screw protector.
Trim the shammy so that it is slightly larger than the inside diameter of your largest carboy. (Excessive shammy length will slow the shammy down and your drill will try to wind it around the rod)
I chose shammy because of the way it adds weight when it's wet. I believe shammy would be safe to use on plastics but I haven't tried it yet, I only have one plastic carboy and it's full of fermenting apfelwein right now. Don't go any bigger than 1" for the washers, your carboy neck isn't much bigger.
Put a gallon of warm soapy water in your carboy, slush it around to make sure the krausen is wet. Wait about 2 minutes, then start your drill. I use my drill on the lowest setting to prevent shammy wrap. I've got to rack some beer on Tuesday and, with my wife's help, I'll post a vid of the device being used. I might even take it apart and put it back together for the same vid, it only takes a minute...
Here are a few pictures