My insane 25 Gal, 100 Percent Hard Plumbed Tri-Clover, Automated Tippy Build

I'm not sure. It's the lowest end model. It's probably not the best welder for stainless, but I think it would work great for mild

 

I'm not sure. It's the lowest end model. It's probably not the best welder for stainless, but I think it would work great for mild. I think it's the PA 140

 

This is probably the longest I have ever spent on one project! Agonizing. Lol

 

Wow this is sooo beautiful!
Congrats!

 

Thanks man!


I just found some stainless hinges at the hardware store for the lids.

What do you guys recommend to cut the lids in half straight? Maybe a metal guide on both sides of the blade?

 

I would use a metal cutting blade in a curricular saw and a guide on one side that that the saw table rides against. A guide on both sides could cause binding and accidents.

If you have access, a plasma cutter with one guide would be even better.

 

Ya' wanna' post up a pic of the stainless hinge you found?

If it's the hardware store "stainless hinge" that comes to mind, I would have concerns about it being stout enough...............Could be just me, that likes to make stuff "hell for stout", so I don't have to screw with it again!

Edit: Also, a circular saw blade will take out a pretty big "kerf" on that cut, and it might give you fits!

 

Not if you use the fiber blades made for cutting metal.

Another good option is a band saw with a metal cutting blade. Then you just draw a line and follow it slowly and carefully.

 

I'm not at my families home were my rig is being built today to take pictures. But the hinges are pretty stout. They are roughly 2 inches long and have some decent thickness.

I like the idea of the table saw of plasma cutter but don't have access to one. Maybe I can make a small wood jig to guide a cutoff wheel?

 

If you are using the smaller fiber cutoff wheel, like on a high speed air cutter, a jig might be a good idea.

If you have a steady hand with it there is another way that works good for me. Scribe a cut line on the lid with a sharp metal scribe. Very carefully lightly score the line with the cutoff wheel a few times tell you have a groove to follow. Then you can take a few heavier cuts to finish it. You will probably have some sharp edges that need to touched up with a grinder or sander. If you just have a square edge and only a small amount of burr that needs to be removed take a large drill bit, around a half inch or so, and drag it by hand along the edge to de-burr the edge.

EDIT: I just noticed that you said table saw. I was talking about what is often referred to as a skill saw. A table saw could work with the right jig but would be very dangerous if not set up just right. Also when you use fiber blades on table saws you get pelted with the metal dust and fiber dust. Sometimes the metal fragments are also hot and sharp.

 

Haha oops! Well I have a skill saw but it's pretty weak! I like your idea though of using that to archive a straight line. It would've really tough with a grinder

Thank you so much for your detailed response, definitely helped me out!

 

As mentioned above, by "Bookworm", I use a high speed grinder, ( pneumatic), and a thin fiber cutoff wheel.
Widely known as a "zizz-wheel", but I lay out mu cut line with masking tape, and make several scores to the edge of the tape before making my final cut.
Takes a steady hand, and some experience with said "implement of destruction", but I get good results!
The experience part comes from doing aircraft sheetmetal work for 30 years or so.

Just be careful!
You seem to have a handle on it so far, it's bitchin' build!

 

Thanks stealth, I just don't want to mess this simple task up. I would be so pissed if I cut a crooked line.lol

 

Do you think a grinder with a .040 wheel on it would be to thick of a cut?

 

Experience helps. Just over 20 years as an aviation structural mechanic in the Navy for me.

 

Thinner might be better but .040 would work. Just check how much overall play you have for the lid to fit the pot. If you have an air compressor I would look into getting the pneumatic tool made for this. With a little practice they work better than large hand held grinders for this kind of work.



Something like this can be had at one of the discount places for not a lot of money.

 

Ill pick one up. I have a small 10 gal compressor that might work slowly

 

That is alright you are going to want to use a light touch and go slow anyway. I do not recommend it but my cutoff tools always manage to lose their shrouds. More dangerous and hits you with more stuff but you can see what you are doing better. Use eye protection.

 

That will probably be slow with that compressor, but it will work. They generally use a lot of air.

 

The shroud and the safety lock come off of mine before I ever hook them up to the air line!

 

I understand. But what I do and what I recommend, for people that I do not know, are not always the same thing.

 

I cut the lid of my 200 L mash tun with a Dremmel type tool.





My 50 L mash tun has a small cutout.

 

I think my rig is crazy, then I see ClaudiusB's rig and it is so humbling. well I burnt my dremmel out so it went in the trash a few weeks ago.

Beautiful rig Claudius!

 

Seriously! That was the first I saw his setup. I just checked out his pics and I'm completely blown away. Wow!

 

You're gonna' cover that gap with a hinge, right?

.040 will be fine, and as mentioned in the post about"losing the guard...."
I would recommend leaving it on if you're not used to that type of appliance.
It's going to cut down on your view a little, but just reposition your noggin' where you can see the cut line.
Safety glasses and a face shield are the protective items of choice, as if that wheel shells out, the face shield does what it says, protects that "pretty face" of yours.

Iffn' you don't know already, cut left to right with that set up, score your cut line as mentioned, so you'll have a groove to follow, and give it hell!

Edit: Stay out of the plane of rotation on that wheel!

 

Thank you guys for your response, they have all been extremely helpful. I'm going to try to get some tools this week. But the heat wave has been keeping me out of the shop this week. It's been 110 degrees all week. Just way to hot for any work

 

So my brewing life just took another turn, Someone pushed my kegorator against the wall overheated and it burnt out. So i get to build another one of those too. Time to trick the whole brewery out.

 

My condolences... But on a selfish note, I'm really excited to see what you come up with! Subscribed!

 

Ha I am scared to see what I come up with. I need to get some beer going in the pipline!

 

http://www.storeitcold.com/

You know what you have to do...

 

You are a very creative guy, the result will be as the rest of your system.

What is the failure mode, any idea?
What happens to the compressor's thermal overload protection?

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

I havnt figured it out yet, It was just extremely hot near the thermostat and gave off a weird smell. I think some beer managed to get in between the drip tray and go inside the fridge, shorting out the thermostat on top inside. (mini fridge)

 

Getting ready to cut some lids. I decided to deal with the heat wave and get at it!

 

Looks great! Did you use the air powered cutting disk?

 

No I found a thin cutting disk for my angle grinder. I made a guide and ran it down the guide. It works great except for I didn't take in account of the slightly domed lid. It ended up working great. Definitely more stiff opening than expected

 

'cause the hinges aren't on the same plane.......?

I thought you had selected "piano hinge" , but I never considered the domed lid either!

Looks like it will work either way!................Now ya' just need some sexy stainless rivets to secure those hinges.......

 

I actually had a piano hinge at first (to thin) , but after I made the cutsI managed to pull off using three hinges.

I definitely need some sexy rivets...

The lid actually presses down the dome when I open it. This lid almost turned out to be a catastrophe. What I'm thinking is ordering a really thick piano hinge and running that the length of the lids (cost permitting)

 

I was trying to have this project done soon, but the way progress has been going, it's going to take a lot more time. I just put in a large order Monday for some volume sensors and also 3 more electronic valves.

 

Thanks to Marcb for the water filter!!! I managed to get some of the water lines in today, it takes a lot to get everything straight.