Starting my beer sculpture

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Frige

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Joined
Sep 5, 2012
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Location
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After a lot of research I finally got started on my 3 tier brew stand. Its a little overkill as I am using 4 inch tubing, but I had it left over from a carport project and free is good. So all I have invested so far is time and electricity.
It will be a gravity based system at first but there is always room for improvement.
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I had the wheels laying around as well
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If all else fails I can use it as a skateboard
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So far so good it is even level. LOL
 
Wow, big steel there. I uses 2 inch and thought that was overkill. In the last picture it looks kinda crooked.. Does it sit level?
 
Im using a cheapo lincoln 180. It has plenty of guts for most of the stuff I do and I use the 75/25 argon mix. I am self taught welder so dont make fun of my dirt dobbering LOL.
I checked the level and its right on the money. The leaning is me, I had to drink a brew after all that work.....:D
 
Today I am going to get some steel for the burner boxes. I am thinking 2 inch angle iron spaced so the keg will sit in sit inside the box to prevent tip over. Any criticism is welcome as I am just winging it here.
 
Looking good. When I was thinking about making a stand very close to what you have here I was going to hang the kegs by the handles instead of sitting them on a platform, that way I wouldn't have to worry about tip over and all you would have to do is mount the burners under the kegs at the right distance. I was just going to make a "J" type mount or even a "L" type mount just big enough to fit through the handle area, lift the empty keg up and slip the handle over the mount... done. :)
 
A little progress. I had to buy some tubing but all he had was 17 foot stick of 1 1/2 11 gauge. Made most of my fire boxes but I am short 1 13inch piece. Still need to find one more keg. :D

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A little more progress. I also got a burner delivered yesterday so I will start mounting that as well. I probably shouldnt have worried so much about the supports, but I braced it real well so it will not sag in the future. I could probably park my truck on it...
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Yeah you probably don't need the bracing, and may well end up cursing quite a bit when you have to move the BT. . . but hey, Overkill Ain't . . . :D
 
Got back to work this weekend. Doesnt look like much work but I boxed in the tubing.
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And I made brackets for the BK.
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I am going to use the burner box that came with the burner. Less fabrication.
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Yeah, I dont think it will ever sag. Could use it as a dolly for a car when your not brewing on it. Looks good though, even them chicken poop welds...
Wheelchair Bob
 
Hey what do expect from a self taught half drunk with a home depot welder? LOL The fun part is when my shepherd puppy (who is not afraid of anything) is trying to steal my leather gloves right off of my hands while Im welding....
 
Thats the best kind of project if you ask me. Repurposed and reused material and the dog helpin out. My dogs are too old now to get up and help, they just hang out and eat mostly. I may just have to get a puppy soon to bring the pack back up to strength. Keep the pics coming on the stand.
Wheelchair Bob
 
for future reference, if you cut the ends of a box at 45 degrees you don't have to weld plates to close the ends.
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Now that would be way to easy. People who know me say I over engineer everything.
 
A little more progress. I decided to make the hlt electric, since I have all this stuff laying around anyway. I found a tstat from a warmer and mounted it in a box with a contactor. I used a lighted switch so I will know when its on.
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Since I have a little room I decided to put a vent hood over the bk that way I can vent the carbon monoxide outside and be able to brew in the a/c. I know, I know next I will getting a easy chair and big screen tv...LOL
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Well I think I am finished with the welder. And just when I am getting better at it. Burner is installed, made a stand for the propane bottle, and put in a stainless heat shield.
And yes I have a helper.
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Getting closer.
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The Bk is done and cleaned out. I went ahead and ran a stainless tube up through the middle to improve efficiency.
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Might make a dry run tomorrow. Later I will automate the burner with hot surface ignition and so forth.
 
Frige,
Can you explain the stainless tube in regard to improving efficiency? I am assuming that you are refering to heat transfer but would like for you to clarify and explain it please.
Wheelchair Bob
 
What I did was cut a hole in the bottom of the keg and weld in a stainless tube. The exhaust gas can flow through the tube and end up going into the exhaust hood. I figure giving the wort more sq inches of heat and getting rid of the exhaust. I work on commercial water heaters and boilers and that is the norm so I figured it will work here as well. I will take a couple of detail shots later.
 
Cool! I figured it would work. Still trying to finish it up along with working and 10,000 other projects.
 

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