1) I don't have welding skills and could not (honestly -could not find one) find someone to do it.
I did not weld a single stitch of this badboy, I also do not have a wleder and I don't have time to find one or the money to pay one.
2) I simply didn't want to spend my brewing weekends building equipment - I would rather brew.
I have only spent about 12 hours actually building this and about 8 hours drawing blueprints and researching parts.
I totally understand your points but I could not get the CFO to sign off on a Top Tier and I wanted one so bad I could taste it so I just starting drawing and buying pieces here and there and this is what I have come up with so far. I plan to add a second burner in the near future, went the funds are present... and a gas manifold will come with the burner because the second will be a smaller burner and will require a lower pressure regulator so I will make a cool manifold with seperate shutoffs and what not..
I built the self for the mash tun to day, pics are below. I also decided to try it out so I ground up some grain that I had in the closet and made a belated Oktoberfast tonight. I cannot believe how that banjo burner boils 6 gallons of wort! WOW!
Also I do not have a sheet metal brake so I used a piece of angle iron and a hammer to make the 90 degree edges which adds strength and takes care of those nasty sharp corners.
Here is the shelf I built.
Here is the first go around an the new BEERTREE! That is what I am calling it, I thought it was both obvious and fitting!