False Bottom Purchase

[SAMPLER]

Looking to pick up a false bottom and need some input. I'm handy and can build one DIY style but was thinking about buying something like this.....

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Wayne1]

Midwest sells a 12" Stainless Steel false bottom for $29.00

That is the least expensive, full false bottom that I am aware of.

It is designed to fit in the base of a 10 gallon Gott Cooler.

 

[Mongo64]

I think if you tell us what you plan to use it in someone could give you better advice.

 

[Mirage]

Jaybird makes some nice ones I am told too!

 

[the_bird]

I haven't used Jaybird's, but I got the chance to look at it up close on Saturday (Paulthenurse has one). It's really solid, it's a heavier gauge of stainless than I thought. Felt very solid, it wasn't going to buckle even under fifty pounds of grain. I know PTN loves it.

 

[SAMPLER]

Looking for it to fit a Sanke and I do 10 gal batches mainly with an average of 28# of grain. I would like something nice and strong but I'm also faced with a limietd budget.

 

[Elshauno]

I use this false bottom in my sanke with no problems though I did add a 3/8 stainless steel washer and stainless clamp to make sure it never moves. http://oldsite.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4468

 

[dobeluvr]

+1 for jaybirds's

 

[GNBrews]

I just picked-up one of the 12" ones that Midwest sells (like the OP's/Wayne's photo) last weekend. How do you keep the darn thing from coming up off the bottom of the mash tun, getting one side propped-up and letting it fill with grain during stirring? I had my first ever stuck mash yesterday because of that thing. My hose braid never suffered from that problem.

 

[Elshauno]

You need a stainless compression fitting that comes off of the bulkhead fitting Tighten the compression fitting a quarter turn past hand tight Get a 3/8 hose clamp and 3/8 stainless washer to keep the plate from coming up. Ive done that and not had a stuck sparge going on 20 all grain batches. And stir gently in small strokes so as not to take a chance disturbing the pipe.

 

[GNBrews]

Use metal tubing?

 

[Jaybird]

I want to thank you guys for all the props on the False Bottoms.
Anyway I can't compete w/ a $29 domed false bottom, I would love to be able too, I just cant "YET"! Except the ones I build are a bit stronger, as people have mentioned and I don't think you guys want me to make them out of any thinner or weaker material. I love the material and the system I am using for the coolers and the kegs as does so many others.
Hay If I can help please let me know, I would love to put one together for you.
Cheers
Jay


Hay Bird did you see the Cheese Molds I made PTN out of this stuff, for his SWNBO?

 

[the_bird]

Hay Bird did you see the Cheese Molds I made PTN out of this stuff, for his SWNBO?

He was raving about them when he was showing me the false bottom, but we weren't at his house so I didn't get a chance to check them out. Said that they loved them.

 

[darkdog50]

The only reservation I had about Jaybird's FB, was the size of the perf-holes. The 11 1/2" domed one I currently use in my combo/MLT-BK has 3/32" holes, which keeps most of the debris from my pellet-hops from getting into my carboys. I am currently in the market for a FB to use in an old Sanke conversion, which will then be my exclusive BK ( thereby avoiding the need to do an "intermediate" wort transfer during vorlauf ). I am hoping to get a decent yield of my home-grown leaf hops this fall, which may block some of the crud from the pellets, so the 5/32" holes should be OK. One consideration which makes Jay's 15" FB nearly mandatory, in my case, is that the old "resurected" Sanke has a bunch of small ( and one not-so-small ) dents in the bottom. I'm afraid the 10-12" 18 ga. FB's will not make a good bottom-seal. A cardboard mock-up ( 14 3/4" ) of Jay's 15-incher fits right on the weld-line of the keg, above the bottom radius, thereby avoiding all the dents. I tried to pound out the dents with my auto-body backing-irons ( 4# ) and got no-where.

JMHO, D-Dog