Anyone else have an aluminum brew rig?

Besides staiinless and regular steel has anyone fabbed their rig out of aluminum? I picked up some 2"x2"x1/8" wall aluminum tube this weekend and plan on using it for my brutus like stand. The plan is to have wind shields plus a stainless angle ring or stainless angle legs for the kettles to rest on. None of the aluminum should be touched by the flame, but are there any other considerations with an aluminum stand? I won't be using gas rail, but just regular gas pipe and fittings for fuel supply.

use The Search Luke!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/aluminum-brewery-stand-feasibility-172198/

for example

I wouldn't use it but thats your decision.

From Allexperts.com

Aluminum Alloy 6061-T6 is a solution annealed and aged product. That means that the sheet is heated to put copper and magnesium etc. into solution and then rapidly cooling to trap these element in this supersaturated condition. The sheet is then aged at 320F to precipitate out a fine distribution of copper rich particles that give the alloy it's strength. Now if you heat it to 325F (note: this is higher then the initial aging temperature of 320F) you are continuing the aging process and will result in it being overaged and lower strength. Aging improves strength but eventually reaches a maximum where the particle size and distribution are optimum. Aging beyond this time and temperature decreases the effectivness of the particles and strength falls.

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Below is a discolored stainless steel stand from a burner. I bet it took alot more than 320 F to discolor the stand. I don't know how long I would trust 15gallon Keggles full of water and wort with aluminum exposed to these types of temperatures. Hopefully you can keep the aluminum from being exposed to temperatures above 300 F.

My 2 tier is made from aluminum for the upper teir it doesn't get direct heat though I have anormal bayou stand on the bottom there is a build thread in the photo gallery I would link but I'm on my phone and it would probabaly confuse it

Sawdustguy said:

Below is a discolored stainless steel stand from a burner. I bet it took alot more than 320 F to discolor the stand. I don't know how long I would trust 15gallon Keggles full of water and wort with aluminum exposed to these types of temperatures. Hopefully you can keep the aluminum from being exposed to temperatures above 300 F.

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I've never actually seen it done, but i've heard that even a cheap propane burner will turn an empty aluminum pot into a pile of goo. I think you could build a stand fine, but you'd definitely need to insulate anything near a propane burner.

Aluminum transmits heat wayy to readily. If you plan on running your wires through the frame I would defiantly recommend against the aluminum, that much heat could potentially melt the coating on the wire.


-tHeo

Given that some have build propane-fired wooden brew stands, aluminum is definitely possible.

Here's my thoughts on gas fired burner stand materials.

Stainless Steel: Awesome! Just because you can heat it to 1000F, doesn't mean you want to. Try to isolate the heat as much as you can from the stand.

Mild Steel: Awesome! Make sure it doesn't rust! Make sure the coating can handle the temps. See note on stainless above.

Aluminum: Cool, but be really careful how hot you get it. Beyond the melting concerns, it's going to conduct that heat throughout the stand. Plan well.

Wood: I think it's crazy! Some people do it, and I haven't heard of a fire. Then again 1 in 4000 babies are born without an anus, and I've never personally met one of them. I'd imagine burning down a wooden gas powered rig is more likely than being born without an anus, but it isn't a risk I'd take personally. Good luck!

Rough size will be 60"l x 24"d x 30"h, so I have a bit more room compared to a brutus. Along the lines of wood protection I was planning on some 17" dia x 4" high windscreen/shields that would also be used to support the 16" dia keg. This will isolate the keg and heat from the aluminum frame (in theory...). I also plan on a 18" dia cylinder that will go the full height of the keg to keep the hot gasses in contact with the keg sides and provide some additional heating efficency.

No wiring or gas will be run within the tubing either.

And I'd let my rig burn just to save that 1 of 4000 baby...

WPStrassburg said:

... And I'd let my rig burn just to save that 1 of 4000 baby...

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Anorectal anomalies are correctable with surgery... I was just trying to make the point that just because 5 people mount gas burners in a wood frame, and they don't burn, doesn't mean that there is no risk that they will burn.

Sorry for going a bit

WPStrassburg said:

... I also plan on a 18" dia cylinder that will go the full height of the keg to keep the hot gasses in contact with the keg sides and provide some additional heating efficency.

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How do you plan to do this and still have access to the valves? Just curious, I'd love to be able to utilize that wasted energy in my rig.

diatonic said:

How do you plan to do this and still have access to the valves? Just curious, I'd love to be able to utilize that wasted energy in my rig.

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Horseshoe shaped slots at the bottom of the cylinder. all my connections are right above the point where the skirt hits the keg body, so the slots will only be ~3-4". I don't want any heat rolling out from under the skirt either, so I'll be cutting rectangular "windows" in the skirt to vent the gasses where I want them and keep them away from valves and other trim.