Disclaimer: I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to DIY projects. I've made a fermentation chamber with an AC unit, insulated my boil kettles, and have done a decent amount of woodworking as a youth (skateboard quarterpipe, beer pong table, cornhole boards, etc) but I'm pretty rusty since I haven't done it in a while, so please have patience with me. If you give me advice I can probably figure it out though, and since many of you are such masters of DIY stuff, I humbly implore you to help me for whatever reason, boredom, kindness, etc. Also, I am aware that my picture sucks and looks like a nutsack. Enjoy!
My cooler mash tun sucks. I need to get one that's the right size and shape. I currently brew 5 gallon BIAB batches. I split the grain into 2 nylon bags, mash both in a cooler, and sparge each bag in my two five-gallon brew kettles. Then I do a split boil on my stove top. It's necessary for me since I'm confined to an apartment. With my new cooler, I'd like to design a framework that clamps my two bags in place and holds them while I stir. It's very difficult and tiring to hold a 6 lb bag of grain in place with one hand, and stir it with a paddle in the other. My buddy I brew with moved so I need to be able to do it myself.
There's my idea. I chose rings because I thought that maybe someone would know of a part or object that's premade, and would make a good set of clamps for holding a bag open and in place. Otherwise I could make a square frame out of wood, or use a square one if there's a better premade object available. I would line the inside of the frame with foam strip or something spongy to give traction and give.
Then the frames would be held in place by a beam running between, or two parallel beams running on the outsides instead if more strength was needed. The beams would fit in notches I would make in the edge of the cooler with a rasp, unless there is a more elegant way to do this.
Anyways, let me know if you guys have any ideas.
My cooler mash tun sucks. I need to get one that's the right size and shape. I currently brew 5 gallon BIAB batches. I split the grain into 2 nylon bags, mash both in a cooler, and sparge each bag in my two five-gallon brew kettles. Then I do a split boil on my stove top. It's necessary for me since I'm confined to an apartment. With my new cooler, I'd like to design a framework that clamps my two bags in place and holds them while I stir. It's very difficult and tiring to hold a 6 lb bag of grain in place with one hand, and stir it with a paddle in the other. My buddy I brew with moved so I need to be able to do it myself.
There's my idea. I chose rings because I thought that maybe someone would know of a part or object that's premade, and would make a good set of clamps for holding a bag open and in place. Otherwise I could make a square frame out of wood, or use a square one if there's a better premade object available. I would line the inside of the frame with foam strip or something spongy to give traction and give.
Then the frames would be held in place by a beam running between, or two parallel beams running on the outsides instead if more strength was needed. The beams would fit in notches I would make in the edge of the cooler with a rasp, unless there is a more elegant way to do this.
Anyways, let me know if you guys have any ideas.
