Server Rack Brew Stand

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milldoggy

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All,
I am scoring a free server rack tomorrow. I want to convert it to a brew stand. Just wondering if anyone has done this before and has any pics. I searched and did not turn up much. A few references, but no pics. I think the materials are strong enough. Thinking I will lay it down, add some casters, add some beams for the keggles and a way to hold the burners.

Thoughts. I will add some pics tomorrow.
 
While you are taking pictures, take some measurements of the structural components of the rack. How thick is the steel?

Also, what kind of weight does this thing normally support? How many servers, and how heavy are the servers?
 
I have 4 and use them for brew closets. I never thought of using one for a brew frame. Subscribed.
 
Hmmmm...it just might work. Of course it would take some modding to mount the burners etc. btu I'd love to see the finished product.
 
A server rack will definitely support the weight (IT guy here) but are we talking about a 2-post or 4-post rack? A 2-post will definitely get tipsy unless you turn it on its side like you mentioned. Since you're talking about just tipping it and putting on some casters I assume that its a 4-post, which should work just fine.
 
Server racks are built to be upright when loaded. You can probably make it work if you tip it sideways but will most likely need to add some reinforcement.
 
Server racks are generally pretty tough. I've got 7 in my office, and they hold 42U. Each U could potentially be a 30 pound server.

What would be kickass would be to get a crappy old server and just put your burner on top of that, with sliding rails and everything :)
 
Have a coworker who took a rack home to modify for brewing. He cut a hole in the top where the fan/exhaust holes were and mounted a burner. Then below that he has a small shelf on rails that holds his cooler MLT and at the bottom he has another burner mounted for his BK. He then pumps the wort to his ferminator so he never has to life anything. Pretty slick set up I hope to mimick when I go AG. Weight shouldn't be an issue, storage arrays weigh a TON!
 
ok here are my spoils, I wish I had storage facility. This was a large IT company that moved and just left everything. I happen to know the IT manager and he just let me have free rain(sp?) They must have had 15 4 post, 15 2 post, 4 post with the swivels, whoe 4 post rack spins out, servers(3 year old), tripplite power strips, server pull out mounts, APC up the ying yang with brand new batteries in box next to them, telco punch downs, things I am not sure of, etc. The swmbo cut me off after 2 hours of work. Think I may sneak back tomorrow for more surge bars and maybe a 2 post and another cabinet door.

4 post cabinet - steel. couple shelves
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close up
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door
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8.5" fan housing, figured they would be good wind shields, plus surge bars, screws, mounts, other stuff

think the BG12 burner would fit nicely in those fans. the housing is about 4-5 inches tall

image0034.jpg



so you think I should go vertical? That is an interesting idea. I have two keggles(sending to the welder next week) and one 70 qt mash tun. the SWMBO would prefer vertical, b/c it would take up less space. think I could make it work with a few pumps and a ladder.

I might be able to score more of these for a fellow HBT member if you are in the philly area(KOP). I do not want to take advantage of my gracious friend, but I will find out when is the last day we can get stuff if you are interested. He is a beer lover and probably would take some homebrew for the effort of letting us in.

should be a fun move from extract to AG. Just need my job to give me a few weeks off to do all this.
 
Ahh - That's not a "Server" rack per se' - It's a Middle Atlantic brand rack, commonly used for audio/visual installs. I've laced miles of wire in those things building board rooms and auditoriums!

FWIW, they cost a bloody fortune new, and are built to take a beating!

Nice score :mug:
 
Wow nice score.

I have 4 similar cabinets that I turned on their side added casters and heavy duty top and turned them into work benches / tables. I love em!!!

I thought of converting one into a brewstand, but the dimensions aren't exactly what I want so decided not to hack it up.

Someone mentioned a ferm chamber... would be easy to insulate.
My advice... grab all you can without wearing out your welcome.

Ed
 
if you have the time and the space, I'd pull what ever you can and sell some of them off.

I've loaded 1000#+ of amplifiers in those racks and sent them across the country. They'll be fine with a full keggle.

B
 
so I sketched up a concept for going vertical. Forgive my drawing, my first sketchup experiance.

rack.png


Thinking cut the top, HLT sticking out the top. Cooler MLT under it, but space it so I could switch to a keggle MLT when I score another keg. BK underneath. I have a nice heavy duty server pull out shelf at work that I can use. it held two 50lb servers, should work for the BK, I think if I pull it out, I would support over shelf that was sticking out.

I was thinking of closing off the sides and back. To contain the heat and block wind. For the burners, those fan housing would fit a 6", but if I close off the sides and back, wonder if I even need heat sheilds around them. I need to do some research on burners, but I was thinking something like the bg-12. Should I go High pressure or low pressure?

I would like to attach some casters to the back, so I can tip back and roll it into place. Attach a handle to make it easy to move.
 
Burner question. I think I want to use low pressure so I do not have crazy flames going up in the cabinet. I spent the last 2 hours searching and reading and my head is spinning. Can someone help me out? I will have two burners. From what I read, I need to convert my 20# LP tank to low pressure. I can do this by using a 2 stage regulator coming right out of the tank. Should I also order a needle valve to control the flame? The other option I see is high pressure into the manifold, then use something to convert to low pressure. Can I just use a 2 stage for each burner, then wire in a needle valve or ball valve to control the flame? Also, do I need a pilot light, there will be no automation. can I just light it with lighter manually?

Thanks in advance.
Should I just go high pressure?
 
I can't answer your propane questions... I'm all electric. My only experience with burners is a turkey fryer.

But... In your design, I think it may get crazy hot in that cabinet with sides and a back... Could it get hot enough with two burners to melt a cooler?
 
Might get two hot in there, maybe I should just close off around the burner sections. leave the area around the cooler open and add some hardi backer or concrete board to insulate the heat from teh boil below
 
You might make your side panels "ventable", so you can close it up as needed.

Another concern about the enclosed rack I would have is carbon monoxide gas.

Ed
 
sorry to stir up an old thread, but I just aquired a full size IBM cabinet and i want to go all grain. Any pics of the finished product? I want to make sure i can use this thing before i lug it home.
 
I know this is an old thread but if someone does build a server rack brew rig. I have built a controller to go with it. I was planning on building a server a few years ago and had this sitting around when I started building my e-brew rig. I think this would compliment a server tower brew rig.

IMG_5026.jpg
 
You want a free rack, I went the electric route

So did I, that is my electrical control panel. I had seen this thread a while back when someone had revived it, and was waiting till I had a picture of my server control panel to add to the thread.

It looks like others are interested in a server rack brew rig, but have not done it yet. If you are going electric it seems like your choice of materials becomes even easier and a free server rack would make a fine triple tier to be complemented by a server control panel. I have been using a triple tier since I started all grain but am about to go to a new custom 2-tier rack.
 
I ended up doing a kal clone single tier. The wife has been bitchen for the last two years to get rid of the rack. Looking to give it away to a good home. Even have 4 sliding shelves
 
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