Wood Brutus 10

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AtomicGecko

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Joined
Apr 3, 2010
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Location
Bossier City
Have been doing a lot of research through the beer forums...I really like this design. I have started building. Since my talent lies more in wood working rather than metal working I built the frame out of wood. I did find a few example of Wood Brutus 10s to follow. Yes I use propane and my current rig is wood. With air gap and some metal shielding there is no problem. The picture below chronicles the build to date. I'll post picture as I progress and funding allows.

Starting to put together the frame... squaring the corners
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Top and bottom frame constructed
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Attaching the vertical supports
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Basic frame constructed
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Fitting the wind screen/heat shield. Yes it is stainless sheet...some recently acquired scrap cut and fitted in a trough shape. The burners will go inside.
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Added a top rail
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Added casters
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Applied stain
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Applied 2 coats of polyurethane
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1 1/2" angle iron will serve to support the keggles. It is cut to length and drilled for...1/2 x 4" bolts will attach to frame...cross members are coming that will go width wise across the angle iron support.
2011-10-26_19-23-23_375.jpg
 
Installed the side rails tonight. Will buy 1 1/4" square tube as the cross members to support the keggles when payday hits.
2011-10-28_19-45-20_921.jpg



This is the last picture for now. Will post more as I do more.
 
Very nice work!
No offense to Lonnie... His system is excellent
What defines a Brutus Clone?
 
I'm building a wood brutus type rig as well and I think I got a little overzealous with the size of it. I used 2x6's as the top and bottom and mitered the corners like you did. Instead of nails I used lug bolts (got a whole bunch for free and they look cool). I wasn't planning on doing a top rail but I like the idea.

What's the purpose of the stainless basin and what kind of burners are you planning on using? Two of my burners are going to be the BG14's and the center burner on the mash tun is the six inch mulit hole burner. My whole system will be low pressure since I'm using the honeywell 8200 valves.

I was looking to cut down my rig's size to closer to what you have there but was worried about scorching the wood. Care to share your measurements? I plan on staining and coating it and lining the interior with aluminum flashing. I thought it might help also if I put a spacer behind the aluminum to keep it off of the wood about a 1/2". Also, I was planning on using aluminum for windshields around the burner.

My keggles will actually be inset enough that the valves come out just over the top edge of the wood stand (much like ScubaSteves wood rig). I've been out of the country for quite awhile now and can't wait to get back and finish what I started. I've been buying the parts over the last several months so they'll be waiting for me when I get home... STOKED!! :rockin:

EDIT: How do you plan on mounting your burners?
 
I think what define a clone is cloning his process. Looking at RIMS systems and HERMS systems I like the direct fired mash. This is actually a clone of of another wood Brutus I found on HomeBrewTalk. I bought the plan's to Lonnie's system through BYO and loved the simplicity of the process. My brew rig has gone through many iterations and I think his process may be the best marriage of simple process/design and automation.
 
@ Collinsbrew....

Sure, the overall dimensions are 66" long, 24" wide, and 24" tall. I used 2x4s for the framing. It's actually a little taller since it's on casters. I copied rhutter's design (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/wood-frame-brutus-rims-project-171462/). He suggested making it a little longer to give more space between keggles so I did. The length of his is 60".

The Stainless steel basin is going to be the windscreen/heat shield. I happened to get it as scrap for free. most of it was already pre-bent so a little extra cutting and bending and ...voila...a little overkill but it was free. Also since the vertical studs are on the inside where the basin mounts it creates an insulating air gap.

My current stand is made of wood with much less gap but shielded with tin you make ducts from. no problem with scorching. Also knew the 2x4's would be plenty strong since the load is well distributed...plus I got the 2x4's as scrap too...gotta love free stuff.
 
I plan on mounting the burners to the basin using L-brackets. That basin is some pretty stout stuff. I plan on using black iron pipe as the gas line which will also provide some support. I'll have to cut holes under the burners to allow for good air flow.
 
A minor update. Installed the cross members to support the keggles. Up next is to buy my burners...thanks everyone for the advice. I am going to go with the 10" banjo's for all of them. Here are a couple of new pics.

2011-11-17_17-07-09_549.jpg

2011-11-17_17-07-40_675.jpg
 
Immediately following in your footsteps, been looking for a great wood structure to go off of and build mine. This one is perfect, how do you plan on installing the burners? And I see you got that metal shield from scrap, if I wanted the same thing is that available for purchase anywhere? What would you use to substitute if you didn't find that?
 
I've seen it in Home depot and Lowes for the sheet steal. I'm planning on cutting hole in the bottom in the diameter of the burners and then attaching with L-brackets. The burners will be basically resting on the bottom...the holes are to allow for good air flow for combustion. The sheet steal I have on there is pretty stout stuff and will support the weight of the burners. As a substitute I'd install a second rail and run cross members to support the burners. The angle iron for the second rail and cross members don't have to be as large as the primary rail...I'd use 1/2" stuff...since all it needs to support are the burners.

:mug:
 
I've been working on my stand for a little over a week off and on and have made some progress (here). I have some 1.5" square steel tubing to make the crossbeams. The inside width of my stand is 24" so I'm planning on cutting the beams at 26" and notching out my 2x6's an inch on each side and an inch and a half deep to make them flush with the top. The beams will be spaced 12" to hold the keggle and to make room for the burner. Each set of beams will be placed 8" from each other. My concern here is that the heat transfer from the steal might scorch the wood where it's notched and set in. Anyone see this being an issue?
 
My previous stand is wood too. No issues with scorching. My current design and old one utilizes an air gap and I find this works very well. The only concern I have is my banjo burners I have on order puts out quite a bit more heat. There's another guy on the forum with a wooden Brutus 10 clone. I copied my dimensions from him and I don't think he's reported any issues.
 
I was thinking that the heat could transfer enough down my crossbeams and scorch the wood where it's set into the notches. I'm not that worried about it as it would cost me about $5 to replace the 2x6's and do something different if that were the case.

On a side note, it's annoying that neither of the big box hardware stores carry 1.5" steel square tubing and that they charge so much for the smaller stuff.
 
New update: Put together my gas manifold. set it in place but not attached yet. Still waiting for my burner from Agri-Supply...ordered in December and then they went back order...were supposed to be here end of January and now I got an email pushing till mid February :mad: Oy!! I may start working on my control panel next. The only down side is now I need to start dis assembling my old brew bench... guess I'll have to go old school on brewing.

Here are some pics of my new manifold.

2012-02-11_17-15-07_357.jpg


2012-02-11_17-15-24_224.jpg
 
Well after nearly 3 months waiting my burners arrived! Installed them this weekend and hooked up the gas valves. Now to start working on the running wire and building my control panel.

WoodBrutus10Burner3.jpg


WoodBrutus10Burner1.jpg


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Did you drill out the propane orifice or did you buy them for low pressure? I drilled mine out and it's working for me but I'm thinking I can still work it to get a more efficient flame. I may just suck it up and buy the low pressure orifice, they're less than $10 a piece I think.
 
I just bought the low pressure orifices. They were $7 a piece at Brewer's Hardware. (http://www.brewershardware.com/Valve-and-LPG-Orifice-for-BURN10.html)

I read a lot of post about drilling them out. Since I didn't have the right drill bit I figured by the time purchased the bit and valves it would be as cheap and easier just to buy the low pressure valves.

Glad yours are working...I like doing for myself whenever I can too...the tinkering for me is half the fun in the brewing hobby.
 

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