3 tier brewstand on crack....

I've already completed this build, but I'm bored so I figured I'd repost this here on HBT.

So, a few months ago I decided I wanted to go with an electric HERMS system. But first I needed a brewstand.

My main concern was size (twss). I didnt want anything that would take up a huge amount of room because I only have a 1 car garage and already have a 7.2 cubic foot keezer, a 5 cubic foot freezer, a mini fermentation fridge, and a boatload of tools, bikes, etc.

I found this (http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/yet-another-brew-rig-130761) design here on HBT and decided I HAD to steal it and tweak it for electric use. I can use it as a "2" tier stand as well with a march/chugger pump.

Being a cheapo, I didnt want to buy any steel for this project, so I started scrounging around. I had about 40' of 2"x3" rectangular tubing left over from my jeep project. This was wayyyy overkill for a brewstand, so I took a plasma cutter and sliced them in half lengthwise, so now I had 80' of 1.5"x2" C-channel steel. Good enough for me. My neighbor was also throwing out a bedframe at the curb. Score.

I used a portable-bandsaw to slice all of the pieces up to the correct size at my friend's house and brought them all home to begin welding. I suck at welding. I just dont do it enough to get much practice. So I figured if I was gonna learn to get better, this would be the perfect project to practice on.

2 nights later, I had this:



I took a few weeks off from the build to get married/go on my honeymoon...but I got back at it a few weeks later and basically finished this thing up.

Here she is in all her glory:


As a 3 tier:


As a 2 tier:




I sanded it down with a flapdisk on my grinder, then painted it with some Rustoleum Hammered spraypaint. That stuff is amazing. I had a few cans left over from painting my bumpers on the jeep.

A few cans of primer, and a can of the hammered stuff, here's where we are:

3 Tier


As a 2 Tier


All folded up to save space:




This was the first step in my electric HERMS build. After I built this stand, I started construction on my electric control panel. I'll make a separate thread about that in the next few days.

 

Looks really cool. I love the space saving aspect.

 

Thanks. It took a while to build, but was definitely worth it in the end. It's sturdy as all getout, and doesnt take up too much room in the garage/brewery when I need to fold it up to make room for other projects.

 

Thats pretty slick for saving some space in your garage!

 

On three tier systems with the boil kettle sittiing so low I always wonder how you completely drain the wort into the fermenters. Had this problem when I used a KAB4 burner so always put it on cinder blocks.

 

Mine sits much lower than this and i dont have a problem. The wort is above the pump, so it primes the pump and then the syphon effect takes over.

 

Yeah, with a pump or siphon it's no problem at all.

 

Subbed

 

With the proper motivation and skill (Durhamite has neither), I'm betting you could make it nest inside itself again and take up 1/2 the space shown here.

 

My lack of motivation and skill knows no bounds.

 

very well done! I like the space saving aspect too. Bravo!

 

Pics of the jeep?