I've got to get my hopstopper built this week. I've got some SS mesh from McMaster, 12"x24". Ballpark, what are the dimensions of a properly-sized hopstopper? Should I plan on making it pretty much as big as possible, use all my material up?
hopstopper users...
- Thread starter the_bird
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Mine is about a 5"x7" rectangle with a domed top, and it works great. I think the real ones are about 8" in diameter, also domed.
OP
OP
How fine a mesh is yours? The material I got is a bit finer than I expected (so I'm thinking of erring on the "big" side).
FWIW, the diameter of the screen on my hopstopper is about 9 inches.
Caught me just in time...kettle will be full of wort in about 15 minutes....
Caught me just in time...kettle will be full of wort in about 15 minutes....
the_bird said:
Mine is standard window-screen mesh, which I believe is #18.
I plan to make mine today or tomorrow and I'm thinking of using a a piece 12" x 16" and fold it in half so that I only have to sew up 3 sides. I see that the hopstopper is round and sits horizontally but there's no reason it can't be rectangular and vertical. I'm just happy I found someone with some spare stainless wire because buying a whole roll is NUTS. More to come...
Well it has to have some (3rd) dimension because of the dip tube.
OP
OP
I'm not going to sew it; I have enough to spare where I'll fold it over on top of itself a couple times and crimp it down. Maybe I'll figure out a way of holding the crimp down in a few places (maybe drill a hold and use some small SS bolts), but sewing it up seems like such a PITA. Then again, I haven't started working it yet, so I don't know how well the crimp will hold, or if it's going to want to revert to its flat state.
Incidentally, the 12x24 piece from McMaster was like $12, plus $4.50 shipping, if anyone's looking to make one. They also sell a 12x60 piece for $20, but note that my piece was shipped flat - if they send the bigger piece flat, I bet shipping would be absurdly high (and they don't tell you ahead of time how much shipping is).
Incidentally, the 12x24 piece from McMaster was like $12, plus $4.50 shipping, if anyone's looking to make one. They also sell a 12x60 piece for $20, but note that my piece was shipped flat - if they send the bigger piece flat, I bet shipping would be absurdly high (and they don't tell you ahead of time how much shipping is).
You can probably use the bend in the dip tube to create the third dimension.
Check out McMaster-Carr www.mcmaster-carr.com for stainless mesh.
Check out McMaster-Carr www.mcmaster-carr.com for stainless mesh.
the_bird said:
The crimp will hold if you squeeze it in a vise, or gently hammer it. I folded mine 3 times, and it's holding fine.
OP
OP
evanmars said:
That's where I bought it (thanks to Yuri!)
Now, I need to find my dip tube; I got a new one, bigger diameter than the one I have at present, but it seems to have disappeared in my basement cleaning...
Jester4176
Well-Known Member
I seem to remember this being covered before, but can the wire mesh from skillet splatter screens be used? And is there a DIY on how to attach the screen to the dip tube so there won't be any hops bypassing the screen? I've built my CF chiller thanks to the Chairman's DIY, and want to get this screen built so I can brew soon.
OP
OP
Jester4176 said:
My plan is to cut a small slit in the screen where I want the dip tube to enter, insert the tube into the screen, and hose clamp it in place. If I do the cut right and get the clamp tight enough, I should be able to get enough of the screen under the clamp so that there is no gap.
the_bird said:
This is the weakest part of my design. You'll find that the screen will flop around and fatigue there very quickly, leading to a failure. When I crimped my edges, I left a space undone and wrapped that part around my tube and hose-clamped it on, not great but it works. I'm still trying to figure out a better way to get the screen attached. It could be one of those things you need to redo once per year.
Definately make a paper version and experiment with tabs that will be clamped to the tube.
olllllo said:
That's a good idea, but even then, if you get the maximum amount of screen wrapped around the tube (heh) it's still only a dozen or so wires in total - flimsy at best. There has to be a better way.
Fit a T to the tube and you have a lot more surface area to spread the load.
I'm still working on mine, but I'm really confident it will be the cat's ass. It will require getting some thin stainless wire to sew it up, but it should have a ton of surface area and attach quite well to the dip tube. Pics and such to come later tonight.
Cheesefood
Well-Known Member
I'm using the "Lintscreen in a Lintscreen" design. Interested in seeing how it works.
OP
OP
Before I found this mesh, I was temped to buy a small SS-mesh bowl from Target and try and somehow close off the opening. I still think that might work for someone.
The option I was considering is taking two splatter screens and sew them together leaving the round frames intact to keep the screens spaced. Then you can run your dip tube through the top screen using a male adapter with two locknuts to camp down on the screen. Of course, these things are only 18/2 stainless which will rust in time (just like most cooking stainless).
To your idea, the mesh colander capped with a splatter screen would work as well. These ideas are far different than a false bottom because they don't allow anything to sneak under the mesh.
To your idea, the mesh colander capped with a splatter screen would work as well. These ideas are far different than a false bottom because they don't allow anything to sneak under the mesh.
I sewed up my square hop filter last night.
It's a 24" x 12" piece of 60x40 stainless mesh. The edges were all pre folded like a hem by 1/4" and then the whole thing was folded in half.
I left one corner open for inserting the dip tube.
Here's with the tube inserted into the corner. I guess you can say this is a diamond shaped filter. It's just so much easier to clamp it down where there is no bulk of material.
Side shot showing how the dip tube separates the two layers to keep it from collapsing on itself.
This is just a touch under 300 square inches of filtering surface area which is way more than hopstopper.
By the way, I have enough material for at least one more in case anyone wants to bribe me. I mean, the sewing is pretty labor intensive so it will take a little $$$ but not as much as the hopstopper.
It's a 24" x 12" piece of 60x40 stainless mesh. The edges were all pre folded like a hem by 1/4" and then the whole thing was folded in half.
I left one corner open for inserting the dip tube.
Here's with the tube inserted into the corner. I guess you can say this is a diamond shaped filter. It's just so much easier to clamp it down where there is no bulk of material.
Side shot showing how the dip tube separates the two layers to keep it from collapsing on itself.
This is just a touch under 300 square inches of filtering surface area which is way more than hopstopper.
By the way, I have enough material for at least one more in case anyone wants to bribe me. I mean, the sewing is pretty labor intensive so it will take a little $$$ but not as much as the hopstopper.
OP
OP
Nice, Bobby!
So, how are you actually connecting the screen to the dip tube? Is there a hose clamp or something I'm not seeing?
So, how are you actually connecting the screen to the dip tube? Is there a hose clamp or something I'm not seeing?
yeah sorry, I show the clamp in the first pic but didn't actually put it on for the rest.
Beer Weevel
Well-Known Member
The Hopstopper actually uses a compression fitting where it screws to the 1/2 npt coupler in the kettle wall so you don't need to disassemble the screen and tube every time it's installed and removed for cleaning.
Right on. I was considering doing the same after I saw how difficult it is to rotate the dip tube inside the mesh. It's a learning process. It still down't make the HS worth $60. He gets $55 for just the screen. I'd be willing to sell the sewn screen for $30 shipped.
You also aren't going to be able to use an immersion chiller with the hopstopper in there. Another thought to ponder.
Dude, I don't know that that's entirely true. It only rises as high as the dip tube so the IC would just have to stick up a little higher. Either way, I have a CFC so I wasn't planning on using the IC anymore.
Bobby_M said:
Okay...wait and see.
Lil' Sparky
Cowboys EAC
Bobby, it looks great! Where did you get your SS materials?
Cheers
Cheers
Thermal inversion layer?
Stainless came from Mcmaster but I can't help on the source for stainless wire. It was given to me from someone who works on airplanes. Search for lockwire. I mean, Mcmaster has it but the quantity is cost prohibitive. Actually, now that i look at it, they have 1/4lb rolls for under $10. I'm using what appears to be .032" diameter, but you can def get away with something half as thin.
Todd
Well-Known Member
this turned out much better than mine, I used 30x30 .23 wire and it is super, super stiff. I think it will filter pretty decent though.
Can I ask how much your wire cost? I went off a suggestion from the green board and I really wish I would have gotten the finer material.
Can I ask how much your wire cost? I went off a suggestion from the green board and I really wish I would have gotten the finer material.
It was something like $4.50 a square foot at Mcmaster.com. The mesh size is 60x40 which really means it is just like 60x60 but with more open area. It's about the same mesh as the filter that's in my funnel.
fifelee
Well-Known Member
Come on Dude, cough it up. Why cant we use hopstoppers and immersion chillers. I am trying to decide between doing whirlpool/diverter plate and making a hopstopper. Does the cold break clog it up?Dude said:
fifelee said:
No, the majority of the coils on the chiller won't go far enough into the wort to chill it. The arm of the hopstopper prevents it from submerging into the bottom of the kettle.
freyguy
Well-Known Member
Another thing to keep in mind, is that I often have caught my grain bag on my hopstopper. I suppose this only would effect extract brewers that steep grain. But just wanted to let you know that the less sharp points and things to catch on, the better. And, I kinda like mine in a circle because I can stir around it to make sure nothing settles on the bottom. Just my two pennies to add to some of you guys designs. 
I certainly didn't build a keggle to continue brewing extract but it's a valid point (except that even now I clip my grain bag to the side of the pot so it sits off the bottom). There's really no way of getting around a dip tube in a keggle anyway unless you siphon out. So, in that case you can IC cool, whirlpool and siphon out or you go with a bulkhead, siphon tube, hop stopper, and CFC or plate chiller. Two different ways to skin a cat.
Todd
Well-Known Member
Bobby_M said:
From what I hear cold break from an IC is enough to clog the hopstopper. I built mine so I could use a plate chiller.
