No More Lifting Heavy Carboys and Buckets?

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jakecpunut

jakecpunut

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Well since my back isn't what it use to be and since I now ferment in a chest freezer and there's even more lifting involved, I decided to get some items to help me lift! Maybe a waste of time and maybe over complicating it but what the heck... worth a shot!

I've not gotten it all hooked up yet, but here's the video talkin 'bout it!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
First, start the video at 5:30 unless you want to hear him talk about DJ's on Youtube. I will refrain from comments on that part of the video.

Second, it's a simple manual pulley system using a brew hauler around carboys with a rope loop attaching the two handles.

I think your system will work fine so long as you find a way to balance the loop. Otherwise I see a lot of liquid pouring from a tipped carboy.

Have you thought about using cornies to ferment? Lighter...have handles already...wouldn't tip when you attach a pulley...OR you could just push it out of the corny with pressure...just a thought.
 
dkershner said:
Have you thought about using cornies to ferment? Lighter...have handles already...wouldn't tip when you attach a pulley...OR you could just push it out of the corny with pressure...just a thought.
Click to expand...

Yup, pushing beer around with CO2 pressure is the simplest approach. :)
 
dkershner said:
First, start the video at 5:30 unless you want to hear him talk about DJ's on Youtube. I will refrain from comments on that part of the video.

Second, it's a simple manual pulley system using a brew hauler around carboys with a rope loop attaching the two handles.

I think your system will work fine so long as you find a way to balance the loop. Otherwise I see a lot of liquid pouring from a tipped carboy.

Have you thought about using cornies to ferment? Lighter...have handles already...wouldn't tip when you attach a pulley...OR you could just push it out of the corny with pressure...just a thought.
Click to expand...

Ha... you didn't like the music part of my video?

Yeah I'm going to test it out full of water this weekend.. if it's too much trouble or to clumsy I'll just ditch it.. but I thought since the stuff was free it would be worth a try?!

Yeah actually I have and may end up going that route! I know others have mentioned better bottles but it's still pretty heavy and still an awkward lift out of a chest freezer... IMO.
 
JOHN51277 said:
Yeah, use the better bottles and just use the Co2 to transfer to the kegs in the keezer.
Click to expand...

Thanks... yeah just as I was saying in the other reply, I thought about better bottles but it's still pretty heavy and with my lower back the way it is, it's not good to lean over in the chest freezer for much weight at all.
 
Pushing the beer out with a racking cane and CO2 would be much easier and also much safer. One thing that would concern me is how you plan to fasten the screw eye to the exposed rafter. It's not good practice to use a screw eye this way for an overhead suspended load and this is even more important when that load is a glass carboy. It would be better to use a saddle type bracket with a bolt through it horizontally. This way the stress would be carried by the shear strength of the bolt and not by only the wood screw threads of the screw eye. Pulling straight down on a screw eye like that is not a lot different than pulling straight out on a nail. More than likely, the screw eye would hold the load, but if it should happen to fail, the result could be catastrophic. It would also be a good idea to spread the load over two or more of the ceiling joists. You could do this with a piece of plywood. The plywood would also allow you to use an eye bolt, nut and washer instead of a screw eye which would be a much safer method.

Yeah, the video was kinda lame. Reminded me a lot of the Craigtube stuff.
 
Catt22 said:
Pushing the beer out with a racking cane and CO2 would be much easier and also much safer. One thing that would concern me is how you plan to fasten the screw eye to the exposed rafter. It's not good practice to use a screw eye this way for an overhead suspended load and this is even more important when that load is a glass carboy. It would be better to use a saddle type bracket with a bolt through it horizontally. This way the stress would be carried by the shear strength of the bolt and not by only the wood screw threads of the screw eye. Pulling straight down on a screw eye like that is not a lot different than pulling straight out on a nail. More than likely, the screw eye would hold the load, but if it should happen to fail, the result could be catastrophic. It would also be a good idea to spread the load over two or more of the ceiling joists. You could do this with a piece of plywood. The plywood would also allow you to use an eye bolt, nut and washer instead of a screw eye which would be a much safer method.

Yeah, the video was kinda lame. Reminded me a lot of the Craigtube stuff.
Click to expand...

Well along with some good advice from some of you... looks like the good ole criticism is alive and well here at homebrewtalk!

Guess my vids should be straight to the point and no humor or fun involved haha.. geeeezzzzz
 
Hey Jake,
If you do not have the ability to use CO2 or gravity to rack, you could pick up a peristaltic pump to move the wort into the fermenter and all so to transfer from the fermenter in to your corneys for kegging.
 
You think those little carboys are heavy???? Try lifting a sanke with 11 gallons of liquid into a 15CF chest freezer....hahaha I sympathize with you...I just might steal your pulley system.

Good Luck
 
wilceaser said:
Hey Jake,
If you do not have the ability to use CO2 or gravity to rack, you could pick up a peristaltic pump to move the wort into the fermenter and all so to transfer from the fermenter in to your corneys for kegging.
Click to expand...

THANKS! Something else for me to look into!! Mucho appreciated!
 
ILOVEBEER said:
You think those little carboys are heavy???? Try lifting a sanke with 11 gallons of liquid into a 15CF chest freezer....hahaha I sympathize with you...I just might steal your pulley system.

Good Luck
Click to expand...

hahah.. don't even wanna think about it! I have my 15 gallon keg ready for an HLT and wort boils. I'll definitely be installing a ball valve and maybe getting a pump for that as well!
 
jakecpunut said:
Well along with some good advice from some of you... looks like the good ole criticism is alive and well here at homebrewtalk!

Guess my vids should be straight to the point and no humor or fun involved haha.. geeeezzzzz
Click to expand...

What? You don't enjoy Craigtube? WTF?
 
Thanks for all the positive comments and suggestions! I've rigged up the pulley and tested it out! Works great! Check out the video...

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I am watching you second video here and am wondering if you could cover that long bolt with a piece of conduit to help that hook slide?
-CH
 
My back would not let me lift kegs that high ether. I had a pulley for a while but it was not as nice as yours and the rope cut my hands. So now I have a hoist that I have been using for years not only for home brew, but for store bought kegs also. It is an electric hoist I got from Harbor Fright years ago, here is a link to the new version http://www.harborfreight.com/110-volt-440-lb-capacity-electric-hoist-with-remote-control-40765.html

I have a J hook in each floor joist, each rated for more than I will ever need, from them there is carabiner rated for more than I need, with a pipe connecting them that the host is attached to. I have no worry's that I will ever over load this setup. I have a nail in the floor joist a few feet away from the hoist that I attache the hook on the host to then the hoist lifts itself in between the rafters when I don't need it.

CIMG2976a.jpg
 
Kegerator said:
My back would not let me lift kegs that high ether. I had a pulley for a while but it was not as nice as yours and the rope cut my hands. So now I have a hoist that I have been using for years not only for home brew, but for store bought kegs also. It is an electric hoist I got from Harbor Fright years ago, here is a link to the new version http://www.harborfreight.com/110-volt-440-lb-capacity-electric-hoist-with-remote-control-40765.html

I have a J hook in each floor joist, each rated for more than I will ever need, from them there is carabiner rated for more than I need, with a pipe connecting them that the host is attached to. I have no worry's that I will ever over load this setup. I have a nail in the floor joist a few feet away from the hoist that I attache the hook on the host to then the hoist lifts itself in between the rafters when I don't need it.
Click to expand...

Sweet! I looked for some sort of small electric winch but then ran across the freebie pulley at work. I would love to have something like you have and may go that route at some point! Thanks for sharing! Anything to save the back right? :)
 
ClaudiusB said:
jakecpunut your setup looks good:mug:

Here is a setup shortyjacobs made
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/incredible-invisible-ag-sculpture-picture-heavy-157905/


Cheers,
ClaudiusB
Click to expand...

I thought my ears felt hot.... :mug:

After reading this:
Catt22 said:
Pushing the beer out with a racking cane and CO2 would be much easier and also much safer. One thing that would concern me is how you plan to fasten the screw eye to the exposed rafter. It's not good practice to use a screw eye this way for an overhead suspended load and this is even more important when that load is a glass carboy. It would be better to use a saddle type bracket with a bolt through it horizontally. This way the stress would be carried by the shear strength of the bolt and not by only the wood screw threads of the screw eye. Pulling straight down on a screw eye like that is not a lot different than pulling straight out on a nail. More than likely, the screw eye would hold the load, but if it should happen to fail, the result could be catastrophic. It would also be a good idea to spread the load over two or more of the ceiling joists. You could do this with a piece of plywood. The plywood would also allow you to use an eye bolt, nut and washer instead of a screw eye which would be a much safer method.
Click to expand...

I think I'm going to modify MY lag-screw to the rafter design and go with a U-shaped bracket as well....
 
I have a bad back, a temp controller, and a chest freezer. As I move to 10 gallon batches I am not wanting to lift fermenters into the chest freezer. I totally sympathize with you! My plan is eventually to build a ferm chamber, and have door that swings out, and have my fermenters on wheels. I'll just push them in!
 
My plan is eventually to build a ferm chamber, and have door that swings out, and have my fermenters on wheels. I'll just push them in!
Click to expand...
RegionalChaos my original 1995 fermentation chamber was similar to your idea.
Doors on both sides and sliding window to take samples from the conicals.
I installed the fermenters empty and filled them through a fill hole.
The system was not flexible enough and I went with a glycol chiller.

CoolroomFrontView-1.jpg


CoolroomSideView-1.jpg


Cheers,
ClaudiusB
 

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