3 tier rig build started

Williams 728
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i was thinking about using my drill for right now, but i am not sure if it will have the power to lift it at full weight. i could also use an air gun. i have our shop right next door, or i could always use the air system from my jeep
 
Your 3 tier setup is looking real good jonp9576
Curious to see how the Boil Kettle lift works out for you.


Cheers
BeerCanuck
 
ok, didnt make any progress today, but we did get a great deal on a used mig welder. i've never used one before. it was a ton of fun. i build a cart for it. tomorrow i'll weld the BK lift together and give it a test run with about 10 gals of water. i figure that will be the most it will ever have to lift
 
today i welded the BK stand onto the lift. i put a big bucket of sand on it that weighs about as much as 10 gals of water. it lifted just fine using the air gun.

Apr10_0002.jpg


then i decided that a well oiled air gun is going to shoot oil into my wort. so i decided this would be a hand wratchet job

Apr10_0003.jpg


here it is all welded into place

next up burner placement and gas lines
 
Sorry, I've not really done my homework on 3 tier rigs, but what is the purpose of lowering and raising the 1st tier? Is it so you can raise it at the end so you can siphon to carboy? I've seen other 3 tier rigs, they dont have this feature, how do those work?
 
JesseRC said:
Sorry, I've not really done my homework on 3 tier rigs, but what is the purpose of lowering and raising the 1st tier? Is it so you can raise it at the end so you can siphon to carboy? I've seen other 3 tier rigs, they dont have this feature, how do those work?
Click to expand...

1) It's built high enough to gravity drain (makes things really high).
2) Use a pump.
3) If you chill w/ a CFC, you can use a wort wizard to vacuum the wort out. I did this when I had my 3-tier before I bought a pump.
4) Lift the kettle up and pour/drain when you're done.
 
well said sparky.

i plan to put a ball valve into my BK. at the burner height its too low i wanted an overall lower height. so not i can raise it up the foot or so needed to drain right into my fermenter. also, i can raise it up pretty high to give me some nice aeration while transferring.
 
jonp9576 said:
then i decided that a well oiled air gun is going to shoot oil into my wort. so i decided this would be a hand wratchet job

Apr10_0003.jpg
Click to expand...

I'm sorry to hear that. How bad was it hand ratcheting to the level you'll be lifting to? Have to thought about attaching a low speed high torque AC Motor to it. then just an on/off switch or momentary PB to lift?
 
from burner height to the top of my fermenter is only a little over a foot. it wont be too bad to ratchet it. less than a minute
 
today i drilled the BK and put in the sight glass and the dump valve. i also re fitted the glass and balve on the HLT and the mash tun.

this thing just needs some burners and some new paint and its ready to brew

Apr14_0001.jpg
 
Have you tried a cordless drill? Some of them are very torquey and should be able to raise the kettle. You can buy a socket adaptor pretty cheap. I wanted to do something similar to my stand, maybe I'll mod it some day. I don't get the siphon pull I'd like to when I transfer to the carboy. So it's either that or a pump.
IMG_3306.JPG
 
yes, with the burners turned down. they are 250000btu burners, and they were on pretty high so the flames would come up in the picture.


as far as the cordless drill. it wont fit. its pretty tight under there.
 
so the wheels are on. its now mobile. i dont have a pic of that yet. but there are some corrections that need to be made.

May09_0002.jpg


the top tier was too close to the burner so i have to wither raise it up or weld something to the bottom of the keg to get it up from the burner.

May09_0003.jpg


i might go with welding something on the keg so it doubles as a heat sheild. the heat melded the cover right off of the ball valve handle.
 
so here we are, maiden voyage. since i melted part of my mash tun yesterday this is just an extract batch, but its in use right now, so thats all that matters.

May10_0001.jpg
 
3 major things stuck out in my head.
1. the gas controls are too close to the burners. they are very hot so i was controling the flame with my foot trying to turn the knobs with my shoe. also, i would like to move the gas lines further from the burners.
2. my original concern was height, but i have chosen to forget about that i plan to move the top level up to make it easier to access the bottom level.
3.finally, along the lines with moving the top level, the lift system is sub par.
it took about 10 minutes to move it up the 10" so i could drain directly into the fermenter.

what i am thinking about doing is keeping true to one rule that seems to apply to everything. KISS. i tried to over engineer it and while it worked, it was too much.

i am thinking about pulling all of the levels apart. leaving the base and main "mast" in tact. then i plan to put the levels back on in kind of a "spiral" 3 sided configuration. this will leave nothing under the top level and nothing right above the BK level. also, i plan to move all 3 levels up 10-12" to eliminate having to move the BK when its time to drain into the fermenter. with no moving parts it should make brewing a little easier.
 
also, as far as the burners go, these are from drywall heaters so they are really meant to be used either all the way on or off so lowering the flame created some inconsistencies with the burner sounds and i am sure it was burning very inefficiently. i might go to a banjo burner or something with more precise control.
 
I think the sprial thing is great. If I were to rebuild mine (you know I will someday) I will probably do that. Sometimes paint falls from the HLT burner into the boil kettle, and I do not like having the HLT in my way for looking into the Boil kettle. I would at least put the boil kettle in the middle, facing front, and then MLT HLT L-R. Then I could have more room for building a rising boil kettle fixture.
 
yes, i felt like i was being blocked from my bk by my hlt. i'll make some cuts and move some stuff around saturday and maybe give it another go sunday
 
so here we are now.

May16_0002.jpg


the bottom tier is just above fermenter height. the second tier is off to the side so the valve from the mash tun is right over the bk. and the top tier is on the other side so the ball valve from the hlt is draining right into the mast tun. i'll post more pictures once the burners are placed and i put the mash tun bk and hlt onto it.
 
as far as you melting the handles on your ball valves... if you welded couplers in the side you could just put a nipple on it to move the ball valve out from the kettle wall....
 
jonp9576 said:
i started my rig build today. i stole some ideas from other rigs on here.
i am using 2" box for the bottom and the "mast." the burner plates and cooler holder will be made from 1.5" box.

tips? ideas?

Mar28_0001.jpg

24' cut down to pieces
Mar28_0002.jpg

bottom frame tacked
Mar28_0003.jpg

ugh, its been a while. its getting ugly

Congrats on you as a do it yourself person and don't laugh at that old "Lincoln Buzz Box" is a work horse.
I still have my dad's Dayton 90 amp 4 tap "Buzz Box". Hell back in 69 I took pre 64 T Bird riveted rims and made reversed rims with all the rivet holes and the centers trued up and welded with this Dayton welder. Dad RIP I still have this welder even with a loaded to the max 1991 Miller Syncowave 350 Tig, 2002 Miller 251 Mig with 30A Spool gun as my hobby welders. The Dayton will always be in my life, hell I ran a stick thru it back in 04 two after dad passed away. We all started equal and learned, don't forget where you came from.
Weld on and be proud vs a buy it only person like a Sabco system buyer of big dollars no talent and equipment to build. The manufacture and workers feed their family from these hard earned dollars. If you have the talent go for it and build what you want for a brewery. Hats off to you sir.
Mar28_0004.jpg

this thing is older than my dad, and it still works like a champ. if only i was any good at using it.
Click to expand...

So what, new isn't better these days.
 
i guess new isnt better. the mig machine we just got has some years on it too. it kicks some ass. and it was cheap. great tool to learn on
 
jonp9576 said:
i guess new isnt better. the mig machine we just got has some years on it too. it kicks some ass. and it was cheap. great tool to learn on
Click to expand...


Well it's my fault I should of stated with the same "Buzz Box" machines as there are millions of them around that are still working and in use. My old HS english teacher "FUDD" had a way of turning around anything you could write down into what it did not mean at all and 180 degrees off. Newer machines can have failures of the PC boards, feed rolls,torch housing wearing out as well a motor failing or a diode failing. And one must add cooling fan, all that are not on a "Buzz Box". I have had the Red as well Blue Migs and Tigs fail over the years.

Congrats on your "it kicks some ass". "and it was cheap", I could never find a "cheap" Tig and Mig Miller in the size of welders I have. I must of been shopping for welders in the wrong welding supply shops.
 
one possible problem i found is the bottom burner placement. as you can see its not right in the middle. does anyone see this being a problem being off center a couple inches.
May20_0002.jpg
 
i could change the mounting plate for it and move it out to the middle. i might try it out once and see how it goes
 

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