False Bottom DIY????

OK I want to go with a false bottom but I can not justify paying more for a mesh screen that sits in the bottom of the keg than for the keg and fittings themselves together.

$100 for a false bottom??? Not happening.

So where can one purchase the materials to make your own false bottom?

That sounds like you'd need some seriously strong industrial equipment. You'll need a sheet of metal of some kind. and then some kind of metal auger/punching tool that will allow you to create a pattern of holes throughout the bottom. Then you'll need to have a welder to weld on a few 'legs' to keep it up off the bottom of the mash tun/boil kettle. Either that or some kind of round metal stretching/press type device to just push the outer ring downward a bit to create the same thing. Add on top of that the need to precisely cut the sheet metal to a round shape exactly the size of your kettle. There may be some pre drilled/punched metal you can buy somewhere but hten you still need to cut it to size and weld on some kinds of legs on the bottom to raise it a small distance off the bottom of the kettle. If you have the tools and know how, by all means, do it and post the pics, we love them

Oh but some people do use something more cost effective, a bit of wire mesh connected to the outlet valve, its not as effective as a false bottom as it has a bit more of a chance to get a stuck sparge, but it still works great, my first cooler style mash tun used one w/ great effectiveness. only one stuck sparge that I recall. My keggle w/ a false bottom is SO much nicer imho

Haven't got pictures of mine to hand, but I did something along the lines of this:

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/equipment.htm

...but used a vegetable steamer to save having to drill all the holes:

http://www.asia.ru/images/target/photo/51537415/Vegetable_Steamer.jpg

I don't know how my efficiency compares to other false bottoms, but it seems to work fine and cost around £5!

They don't sell perferated SS material???

akthor said:

They don't sell perferated SS material???

Click to expand...

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?sortby=holesize&step=2&id=1002&showunits=inches

google online metal suppliers for cheapest possible place. but after you figure in shipping and what not, it might be cheaper to just buy a FB.



-=Jason=-

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00137QCH4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Not sure if this is thick enough, but the price is good.

Can anyone chime in if this is thick enough and the right size perfs???

It's the right size perfs, but it's less than 1/32" thick. You'll need something to brace it up.

I would go at least 1/16th thick. From what I can tell, 80% of the cost of a premade FB is the metal itself. Then you have to cut it into a circle.

I know you said DIY, but not all of them are over $100

I am actually getting ready to use something like this for a Rubbermaid MLT

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/11-sanke-stainless-steel-false-bottom.html

Although I will probably be going with the 9" for around $25 plus shipping.

Thats not a bad price.

Wouldn't you have to buy the dip tube adapter to go with it? (+$17.95) Even with that it's far less than $100.

Also, it says it's a flared dip tube. Can anyone who has one tell me which end is flared (both)? You might be thinking that the end that goes into the adapter is obviously the one that is flared but the description says, "and Includes a flared dip tube to eliminate dislodging when stirring the mash." To me, that sounds like its flared on the end that is under the false bottom to keep it in place.

This is what I use.

http://climaxhomebrew.com/index.php...roducts_id=2&zenid=u3qso8nkc7gp15a0hhj39cmn33

Not cheap, but also not $100.

How can you flatten a colendar from bowl shape to flat?

ultravista said:

How can you flatten a colendar from bowl shape to flat?

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Some of us can just wander around in R & D and find materials. For others http://www.mcmaster.com/#perforated-metal/=aylc2y This may help.

Check out this thread. It is possible to DIY false bottom.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cut-keg-top-false-bottom-192413/

I bought mine here. I think its cut with waterjet no burnt edges from a plasma cutter.

http://ihomebrewing.ca/stainless-steel-false-bottom.html

Ace_Club said:

Check out this thread. It is possible to DIY false bottom.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cut-keg-top-false-bottom-192413/

Click to expand...

yep I am revisiting this for my boil kettle too! just waiting for the temps to come up a bit...but I will use a tri-clover clamp vs. a bung...

I just built a copper tubing manifold that several people on the forums posted, and it works fantastic. If you are trying to keep your cost down, I built mine for under $30 and I just fly sparged over 6 gallons in less than 15 minutes. I would highly recommend it.