Sanke Tippy Dump MLT

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lschiavo

lschiavo

This space for rent.
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This is my dead of winter project that I am just starting now. Yooper wanted to replace her 10 gallon cooler MLT with a sanke. I thought that was a good idea so I got a keg and thought I would build them both at the same time. I am just starting tonight.

These will be tippy-dump. I am cutting out the bottom of the keg and using the 2in tri-clamp for a bottom drain. I will make this work...not exactly sure how yet. Here come some pics from todays progress with one of the kegs......more to follow....
 
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Thanks for the pics! I love "picturing" what you're doing. I also love the "I will make it work but I don't know how...............". Bob did the actual LOL thing because we know it's true!!!!!! It will work and work well.
 
FYI, I did burn through 3 sawzall blades. I should have been able to do it with two but I was impatient. I think a sawzall would cut the top very well also but I had the shear. I'm stickin' with that now.
 
Never thought a shear would work.. an angle grider zips right through. Cool design !
 
Now I'm gonna have to remember to grab my shear next time. That looks a lot cleaner than the angle grinder cuts and just as fast.

How were the edges when you were done? Need dressing to remove the sharp edge or is it pretty smooth already?
 
yjfun said:
Now I'm gonna have to remember to grab my shear next time. That looks a lot cleaner than the angle grinder cuts and just as fast.

How were the edges when you were done? Need dressing to remove the sharp edge or is it pretty smooth already?
Click to expand...

Quite smooth and the shear cuts upwards so the small burr was on the top and easy to file off. I'm very happy with the cut. This is only my second... Much cleaner than my first attempt with a plasma cutter.
 
Yooper said:
Thanks for the pics! I love "picturing" what you're doing. I also love the "I will make it work but I don't know how...............". Bob did the actual LOL thing because we know it's true!!!!!! It will work and work well.
Click to expand...

I appreciate your misplaced faith in me;)
 
lschiavo said:
I grew up on Old Milwaukee. We called it "Old Mud" and it was always best nearly frozen and stashed in a snowbank. Ahh, the good old days:mug:
Click to expand...

Haven't had any old mil for a couple years now. When I first got married, bought a house, it was the best quality, cheaper beer I ever found.
 
I have made some progress. Yooper may be back from Texas any time now and I do not want to dissapoint her...


A mock up on my bench:
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A few pieces of strut and some nut and bolts...

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Hardware PRON.
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Here she is dumped. Not the best picture. I can take more and this is just a trial. Any suggestions are welcome.
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How wel did the nippers work on the stainless top? My nippers seem too weak to attemp a cut like that. I may just be under estimating the tool too. So could you look at the ratings on the tool and give me some idea of the max cut or how ever they rate the strength please. Thanks in advance.
Bob
 
Rbeckett said:
How wel did the nippers work on the stainless top? My nippers seem too weak to attemp a cut like that. I may just be under estimating the tool too. So could you look at the ratings on the tool and give me some idea of the max cut or how ever they rate the strength please. Thanks in advance.
Bob
Click to expand...

I did not think they would work either. I was amazed. It cut like butter. One thing I am doing here is removing the collar from the keg. It gives a little extra room for the tool but looking at another keg, I think it would still work without removing the collar.

My shears are Milwaukee 6850. They are listed 18 Ga. and 4A.
 
Here are a few more pics:

I plan to use the false bottoms from our 10G coolers. Of course, I will have to plug the center hole and I was thinking of installing a stainless bolt through the bottom of the keg so I can attach the FB with a wing nut. Yooper's keg already has a hole in it anyway.

2012-03-13_13-24-21_275.jpg


Here is the plan for the bottom. I'll transition to copper here and fit a ball valve and QD or hose barb. I will have to cut the top on Yoopers stand so the the valve will pass through.

2012-03-13_13-25-00_879.jpg


Another shot of the dump action. It works well and is quite solid.

2012-03-13_13-25-23_714.jpg
 
Subscribed. In the middle of receiving my last needed sanke and building my two tier. Thought about this but hate the prices of sanitary fittings, what did it run you for the clamp and the nipple if you don't mind me asking?
 
phoenixs4r said:
Subscribed. In the middle of receiving my last needed sanke and building my two tier. Thought about this but hate the prices of sanitary fittings, what did it run you for the clamp and the nipple if you don't mind me asking?
Click to expand...

About $25 plus shipping. Actually cheaper than I was expecting.
 
Hey, I just saw this. It's looking great! I already have a hole in my brewstand, so it might be just fine.

This is very cool!!!!!!!!

We should be home next Monday evening. I'm dying to brew, but I have to work on Thursday and Friday next week, so it might be Saturday by the time I can get to brewing. I'm also trying to wrap my head around slaked lime and reducing alkalinity to avoid having to buy water since the last time, I suspected the RO machine at the store wasn't maintained.
 
Yooper said:
Hey, I just saw this. It's looking great! I already have a hole in my brewstand, so it might be just fine.

This is very cool!!!!!!!!

We should be home next Monday evening. I'm dying to brew, but I have to work on Thursday and Friday next week, so it might be Saturday by the time I can get to brewing. I'm also trying to wrap my head around slaked lime and reducing alkalinity to avoid having to buy water since the last time, I suspected the RO machine at the store wasn't maintained.
Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, I do remember the hole in the stand maybe it will work out. It shouldn't take long to set up. Let me know when you want to get together.
 
lschiavo said:
Now that you mention it, I do remember the hole in the stand maybe it will work out. It shouldn't take long to set up. Let me know when you want to get together.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking Tuesday or Wednesday next week would work for me, depending on your work schedule. I have something to give you, anyway, so we'll have to get together soon.

Did you make your MLT the same way?
 
lschiavo said:
Really? What do you think the issue would be?
Click to expand...

The keg when full of spent grain is really heavy. Our dump arms are pretty stout and you can feel the stress. I'm not saying it won't work. Just saying that long term it doesn't look up to the task.
 
Yooper said:
I'm thinking Tuesday or Wednesday next week would work for me, depending on your work schedule. I have something to give you, anyway, so we'll have to get together soon.

Did you make your MLT the same way?
Click to expand...

Oooh, a gift from Texas! But probably not seafood:mad: I'm exited! Work is pretty slow right now so we should be able to make one of those days work.

My design will be a little different because of my stand. All I did so far is remove the spear from the keg but I have a solid plan so it should not take long once I get started.
 
OneHoppyGuy said:
The keg when full of spent grain is really heavy. Our dump arms are pretty stout and you can feel the stress. I'm not saying it won't work. Just saying that long term it doesn't look up to the task.
Click to expand...

I see your point and I have not tested it loaded yet (at least the keg wasn't loaded:drunk:). I did use 1/2" hardware because I know there will be some weight in there. Those strut angles are quite stout. If I see any issue, I can add a backer plate behind the skirt for some extra rigidity I guess. Maybe I'll test with some water first. Thanks for the input.
 
I think I might have to add something like that to my MLT. I hate scooping out the grain. I would add some type of hitch pin on the pivot so the MLT could be removed quickly and easily.
 
nyer said:
I think I might have to add something like that to my MLT. I hate scooping out the grain. I would add some type of hitch pin on the pivot so the MLT could be removed quickly and easily.
Click to expand...

Yes, my thoughts exactly. I bought some pins. I just used the nuts and bolts for the mockup.
 
I can picture a pin I saw at lowes that would be perfect, it's long enough to reach through both brackets and it has a nice handle on one end with holes in the others for a key. I think it's used for farm equipment and should be very strong.
 
lschiavo said:
Oooh, a gift from Texas! But probably not seafood:mad: I'm exited!
Click to expand...

I'd LOVE to bring you back some seafood. Unfortunately (well, actually, fortunately for us) it's over 80 degrees and I just have no way to keep it for 3-4 days for the trip home. We cooked up some random stuff we still had yesterday- one live blue crab, one small flounder, some other stuff- and it was awesome. I do wish I could bring home a sack of oysters, though. :(

With the removable pin, that could mean that I could still use my old MLT (I'm thinking for real small grain bills, like a 5 gallon mild), as well as emptying the MLT and then hosing it out. You know what might be helpful? (Just thinking out loud here). One of those "handles" like you put on the side of the canoe with some weld or some rivets? Does that make sense? One of those on each side near the top might make handling it and lifting it easier, if it's doable. My friend Roger put them on his canoe, to carry it down to the river. Would that be something that might work?
 
nyer said:
I can picture a pin I saw at lowes that would be perfect, it's long enough to reach through both brackets and it has a nice handle on one end with holes in the others for a key. I think it's used for farm equipment and should be very strong.
Click to expand...

A single pin was my first thought. I could not find anything like you describe around here but it sounds like it would work great. I did find some 3/8 rigid conduit that fits through the holes in the strut angle (old lighting fixture downrod with a flange on one end). I may end up using that with one key.
 
Yooper said:
I'd LOVE to bring you back some seafood. Unfortunately (well, actually, fortunately for us) it's over 80 degrees and I just have no way to keep it for 3-4 days for the trip home. We cooked up some random stuff we still had yesterday- one live blue crab, one small flounder, some other stuff- and it was awesome. I do wish I could bring home a sack of oysters, though. :(

With the removable pin, that could mean that I could still use my old MLT (I'm thinking for real small grain bills, like a 5 gallon mild), as well as emptying the MLT and then hosing it out. You know what might be helpful? (Just thinking out loud here). One of those "handles" like you put on the side of the canoe with some weld or some rivets? Does that make sense? One of those on each side near the top might make handling it and lifting it easier, if it's doable. My friend Roger put them on his canoe, to carry it down to the river. Would that be something that might work?
Click to expand...

I guess I will just have to visit you guys out there someday to get some of that seafood.

Yes, you should be able to swap out MLT's. The only issue may be the false bottom. I was planning on modifying it for the keg but we may be able to keep it useable in both.

Handles would be very "handy". I was planning to run to Ace and get something when we put this together. I was thinking of at least a handle on the back of the keg for something to hold onto while tipping the keg. We could add one on the front also for carrying.
 
I think it's awesome. I'd recommend putting a hefty handle on the top on the far side of the opening to initiate the dump process and keep it controlled as you lower it to the garbage can. You'll also do well if you make a curved piece of stiff rubber and attach a handle like a hoe to squeegee the grain off the walls.

Also, don't overlook the plumbing when considering the dumping action. It may seem odd, but attaching the output ball valve to the front of the stand and then connecting it to the tun with silicone tubing would be one way to avoid having to notch out a large portion of the stand.
 
stamandster said:
Looks great! How did you get the last bit of the collar off?
Click to expand...

Ahhh, someone noticed:) That took a bit of trial and error. I finally noticed after way too much grinding that the weld that attaches it to the keg is at the very end of the collar and is quite thin. I just ground that edge until it was loose. I think when I cut mine, I will just grind the collar off instead of the sawzall cutting.
 

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