Weldless brew stand.
- Thread starter Bender
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SanMarzano
Well-Known Member
OP
OP
I am elated and embarrassed to say that 2 1/2 years after starting this thread I have finally finished my rig. In my defense I was working a job that required long hours and travel, I gutted and rebuilt my retirement home, sold my former home. I've converted the rig to natural gas and tomorrow I take it for my first retirement brew session...
dogbar
Well-Known Member
Congratulations!
Bender,
Congratulations on both counts. We also have a second home on a lake in the mountains of N GA and NC that may be our retirement spot. I may build a small electric brewery for there. A guy has to stay busy in retirement. But I have at least 10 more years before reaching that stage.
Congratulations on both counts. We also have a second home on a lake in the mountains of N GA and NC that may be our retirement spot. I may build a small electric brewery for there. A guy has to stay busy in retirement. But I have at least 10 more years before reaching that stage.
gifty74
Well-Known Member
I found a material generally referred to as "strut" (many brand names, including Power Strut, Unistrut, etc) that to me makes a stronger build. The gauge of steel used to make it is over twice as thick as the angle pieces used in these builds, and it's formed in a shape that is very strong. On top of that, it is much less expensive. I called the local electrical supply yesterday and they sell 10' sections of the Power Strut for $9.85. With 4 sticks you would be out the door for right around $40 and that would easily cover a 3 station single tier stand. The angle is over twice as expensive at $11 something for 6'. They make tons of brackets and fittings to connect it, and with some bolts you would also have a weldless stand. They even sell pipe brackets that link into the strut channel and could be used to easily mount a March pump pretty much anywhere on the rig. I'm cutting everything tomorrow and should have it together by the weekend. I'll post some pics of what I'm talking about. Has anyone used this material for a weldless stand?
I know exactly what you're talking about. They use it to mount HVAC stuff in warehouses (like the ones at my place of employment). It's a U-channel with elongated holes in it (some that I've seen has the elongated holes). They also use it to hang fire-sprinkler pipe, etc. I've long thought about using that stuff. Good to know it's relatively inexpensive.
Edit: see, this guy used the stuff (from this thread)
http://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/attachments/f51/44964d1327518461-weldless-brew-stand-stand3.jpg
I asked the same question recently when I saw the stand in the attached thread. I knew I had seen that stuff before and it does make a nice stand. You can also buy it at Home Depot or Lowes which is where I saw it. It is definitely less than the slotted angle. There is a nice photo of one in this thread and he even posted photos of his parts after I inquired:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/show-us-your-sculpture-brew-rig-46578/index214.html#post4408618
This Google search also yielded more photos:
https://www.google.com/search?q=uni...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
gifty74
Well-Known Member
Yes, exactly. It comes in 2 main sizes, and I selected the flatter (1" flat x 1 5/8" wide) as it's still strong as heck and the taller stuff seems a bit overkill.
gizmodog51
Well-Known Member
kudos...
very innovative and i like thinking outa the box!
hell, you should market it...
great job:rockin:
GD51
very innovative and i like thinking outa the box!
hell, you should market it...
great job:rockin:
GD51
gizmodog51
Well-Known Member
you are an example of perserverence! enjoy the efforts of your labor in the first cool one you drink!
ger-er-dun!
GD51
My brother works for Tyco and uses tons of Unistrut. We built my fermentation chamber out of Unistrut and 5/8" plywood. The corner pieces and connectors is what can get pricey.
gifty74
Well-Known Member
Correct. They winged connector pieces are made out of some super heavy duty stuff. I'm going to go for it though. The strut is so cheap that it'll still be relatively cheap with the more expensive connectors. One thing I changed my mind on, I had built a single station stand a few years ago out of the thinner 1 5/8" x 1" stuff and this time I'm going with the 1 5/8" square stuff. I think it'll make for much cleaner joints (where 3 pieces come together at a corner) and should look a little better. It's not that much more expensive. Just FYI, the 1 5/8" square strut is rated to handle a 1,690 lbs over a 24" span. The beam deflects only .060" at that loading. Pretty hefty stuff. It can handle 680 lbs over a 5' section. With vertical supports this will handle anything anyone would want to sit on it brewpot wise.
I've had been designing a system using channel strut and found the fittings here.
http://www.strutchannelfittings.com/
I have not bought any yet but them seem to have a great assortment.
Also, if you want to design via CAD you can download the CAD files from Cooper which makes a brand of strut.
http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/b-line/products/bolted_framing.html
http://www.strutchannelfittings.com/
I have not bought any yet but them seem to have a great assortment.
Also, if you want to design via CAD you can download the CAD files from Cooper which makes a brand of strut.
http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/b-line/products/bolted_framing.html
mdfairbairn
Well-Known Member
pnh2atl said:
Amen - This is awesome!!
Chrisharvey
Well-Known Member
dannedry said:Sure... the rigid pipe is all 1/2" black pipe and all these parts except for the 3 hoses and needle valves were all from lowes:
Brass valve 1/2" F npt on one end and 3/8" M flare on the other (x1)
12" black pipe nipple (x1)
2" black pipe nipple (x2)
1/2" black pipe tee (x2)
1/2" black pipe 90* (x1)
1/2" x 1/4" black pipe reducing bushing (x3)
1/4" needle valves (x3) that I got online
1/4" brass close nipple (x3)
1/4" F x 3/8" F coupler (x3)
And then the hoses I got online from some RV parts dealer
I didn't see the need to run it all the way across the stand... I wanted to allow room for me to get my keggles under the rig from the back side for storage, and if I had run the manifold all the way across, it would have just been one more thing to maneuver around, plus why spend the extra on longer pipe?
Hope that helps!
Mug,
For the gas line do you know where I can find them?
seedubxj said:
You're talking about a stand that has to support 50-100lbs (or more) of boiling hot wort, not to mention the heat also weakening the metal. I'd say that "overkill" should probably be a bare minimum.
OP
OP
Agreed. The first time I ran my rig up to boiling it started to sag so I added additional bracing. I usually fill my HLT so I have lots of hot water for cleanup. I estimate the total load on the rig at 250 lbs including the keggles.
DakotaRules
Well-Known Member
I have 3 keggels (15.5 gal) and I error on safety.
1 gal on water = 8.32lbs
8.32x45gal=374.4lbs
I never boil them full but you should get the point.
1 gal on water = 8.32lbs
8.32x45gal=374.4lbs
I never boil them full but you should get the point.
Ok, so I ordered all the material from McMaster this morning. The original post states the following measurements:
54 inches long by 16-1/2 inches deep and 21 inches high
So should all my cuts be based on these? Meaning, cut as described, or cut a bit less and have the overlap of material stacked/butted make up some of the length? (specifically in the 16.5" cuts) Does that make sense? It does in my head, but who knows...
54 inches long by 16-1/2 inches deep and 21 inches high
So should all my cuts be based on these? Meaning, cut as described, or cut a bit less and have the overlap of material stacked/butted make up some of the length? (specifically in the 16.5" cuts) Does that make sense? It does in my head, but who knows...
OP
OP
Looks good. You're going to want to add another brace in the back center.
OP
OP
My x-ray vision is weakening with age.
SuckaMooHudda
Well-Known Member
Anyone do this build as a basement setup? Wondering how you ventilated? I am thinking of building this with the natural gas burners and I plan on buying one or two range hoods for venting with an additional fresh air return. Any help advising if this will work or not would be greatly appreciated.
Dukeman9988
Well-Known Member
I have been using this as a basement set up. I built a hood out of wood and bought an inline fan on eBay, goes right out the dryer shoot.
SuckaMooHudda
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the reply. I appreciate it. Any way you could post some pics of your setup and hood, please?
Dukeman9988
Well-Known Member
SuckaMooHudda
Well-Known Member
What size fan and what is the CFM rating on the fan? I am really sorry for all the questions but I am obviously paranoid about carbon monoxide/ lack of oxygen, etc.....as I know nothing about HVAC and the likes
Dukeman9988
Well-Known Member
If I remember correctly it was around 750cfm and is 6", bought it on eBay for 70$ or so. I have a carbon dioxide detector right by my brew stand and I have never got a hit in the 10 times or so that I have brewed on it.
Dukeman9988
Well-Known Member
Also, I just keep my storm doors open going into the basement to make up for O2
SuckaMooHudda
Well-Known Member
Duke- i was actually thinking of doing 2 runs....one exaust fan and one in the opposite direction pulling in fresh air from outside to the stand. I would think that'd work, huh?]Thanks for all the help on this so far. Appreciate it.
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