To all/any Melvico owners

[luthierzan]

Hi there
I was hoping to build my own "Melvico" style bottle filler as I heard that these things were quite good. But when I do searches on them the picture always show a bottle in place so I can not see how the thing works.
If any of you melvico owners could post a few pictures of your filler that would be awsome! Close ups would really be awsome! A decription of how it works and why you think it works so well would be really really awsome.

Thanks David Oh

 

[robster]

Just scored one at a local homebrew gear swap. Once I figure the durn thing out, I'll try to remember to post photos. PM me if I forget after a few weeks!

 

[luthierzan]

nice score!

 

[robster]

Ok, I'm a rookie at uploading pix, so the first photo is after I disassembled, cleaned and reassembled it.
Second photo is the beer in line where the fill tube connects (I think there may have been a gasket at one point, won't know until I try to use it)
3rd photo is the regulator with two gas out lines, one goes to the keg and the other goes to the valve on the left of the block for purging and pressurizing the bottle. valve on right side is for releasing pressure as you open the beer valve (the one on top of the filler, which is attached to the keg)
4th photo is a little closer look at the bottle height adjustment and locking mechanism. Hope this helps, I have not had a chance to use the filler as I need to replace a couple of fittings and the tubing.

 

[fartsnostink]

i have a question, is the block a milled piece of plastic? My first thought was stainless 303, but a piece that big would be expensive.
thanks
Jason

 

[robster]

It is plastic, a dense, heavy type. It serves the purpose well enough.

 

[luthierzan]

I believe it is a chunk of UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) polyetheline. Great/easy stuff to work with. Easy to find/buy, check ebay

 

[fartsnostink]

Thanks for the quick and insightful replies. From what I see on the bay its about $25-35 for the piece i will need...seem right?
Luthierzan any picks of the finished project, or tips for a fellow builder?
thaks
Jason

 

[luthierzan]

Jason, unfortunately I never followed through with building one. I was planning on moving into a house at the time and wanted to build one, but I moved into a condo instead. I do not have the space for such a device now, so I went different route.

If you decide to make one, take lots of pictures of the construction, as I am sure others would appreciate seeing them.
David Oh

 

[fartsnostink]

well i have some blocks UHMW on the way. i have never put plastic to the mill, should be interesting to see the chips fly. my bottle support is a little different than the melvico design, though starting with ball valves if anyone has some 1/4" stainless 110 or 12v valves i would be interested, maybe trade for a milled block?
jason

 

[robster]

I'll try to post pics of my melvico block, if that would help.

 

[luthierzan]

I have worked with UHMW many times making jig fixtures for the shop. It is easy to work with, but just watch the RPMs on your tools. Too fast and it melts and hardens it which makes it really hard, almost cristaline like.

 

[fartsnostink]

it's strange, the things that BEER makes me do!

jason

 

[Lennie]

At least it doesn't make your farts stink.

 

[fartsnostink]

The plastic has arrived, as i draw this up, I have a couple of questions...
Where the valves are threaded into "the block" is the plastic threaded, or is there an insert?
What have you done to seal the bottle against the block?(I was thinking of a carboy bung)
As for the tube into the bottle i was planning to either use a corny dip tube or 1/4 stainless tube from the beer in valve to bottle with a clear tube extension
Now i do have a usage question, when filling the bottle just as you reach the top, do you turn off the beer in and allow the bottle to continue to vent before removing the bottle?
The main push here for this is my son, he's now getting really good with making his root beer but wants bottles for friends. We tired a poorman's with the party tap and it was harder than i thought to hold back 30 psi.
jason

 

[robster]

The plastic is threaded. When I got the melvico, it had nothing to seal the bottle so I trimmed a carboy bung down. You could use a dip tube, but the original just has a 1/4" tube that's basically pressure fit into the block. To turn off flow, I close the pressure release ball valve first, then shut off the beer flow, it seems to be easier to get the right fill that way.

 

[fartsnostink]

Robster thank-you for the insite and guidance
jason

 

[fartsnostink]

i'm nearing completion but i do have questions on the guage
is it brass or stainless at the pipe fitting?
what is the max pressure the guage reads?
thank-you
Jason

 

[robster]

Pretty sure it's brass. the gauge is like a secondary on a regulator, up to around 100. The first time I used my melvico, I just turned on the gas. It was set to 40psi.
The bottle in the melvico held, but i was a little gun-shy. Not sure what bottles are rated at, but I'd suggest keeping it around 5 or less for bottle filling!

 

[fartsnostink]

i'm guessing that may be the reason it was at a swap meet, i know holding 40psi is hard and often messy!
thanks jason

 

[greytgal]

I have a Melvico I purchased years ago........ just wondering what they are worth now and where I could get the written instructions on usage. I've misplaced mine and am considering selling it since I no longer use it.
thanks
Lila

 

[passedpawn]

 

[wilceaser]

Seems simple to me, Put bottle in flush, fill, cap, drink!..It also helps that I can understand der deutsch.

 

[fartsnostink]

here's what i found from a google image search
cheers
jason

 

[greytgal]

Hi there, do you have the web address for this.
thank you

 

[fartsnostink]

i'm not sure about posting live links.
in google click images
and search"melvico counter pressure filler"
or
add www. to the front of,

google.ca/search?q=melvico&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7RNRM_en&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=-Cv7T9SnOcLX0QGY-oX5Bg&biw=1280&bih=603&sei=_iv7T9CHBfCQ0QGZ-P3SBg#um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us%3AIE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7RNRM_en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=melvico+counter+pressure+filler&oq=melvico+count&gs_l=img.3.0.0i24l2.15844.18266.0.20391.6.1.0.5.5.0.250.250.2-1.1.0...0.0.ctFH-1bBH1s&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=4fda98c5bb98c057&biw=1280&bih=603

it should be the first picture.

left click the picture
should open larger image
right click on image and choose "save picture as..."
then you can save it

jason