Scrapyard Brewing ( brew stand build on the cheap )

I started a single tier brew - distill stand build a few weeks ago, with the goal being able to brew by the end of april for the first time. I going to try and keep a record of the build here.I will document the price of components, and the current progress on the brew stand in this thread. Prices and components will be updated when the build is complete.

I would like sugestions for critical pieces of equipment which I should build or buy.

For the stands frame I used about 60' of unistrut which my neighbor donated.

 

Right now im looking for some of this u channel silicone stuff to line the cuts on the kegs with and on the cut out piece to make a lid out of it. I plan on riviting it in place with stainless rivets.
I cant seem to find it by the foot anywere, anyone know were I can.

 

Im also thinking of hanging my burners, and wind gards with chain. Any opinions on this?

Also how should I insulate my mash tun?

I was thinking of putting the keg in one of these options
plastic barrel, steel box, steel barrel, wooden box.
All of them would be about 4" larger than the keg, with the dead space filled with some sort of insulation.

 

Chain? Clankity clanky clank....
Sounds like something I would spend too much time on and then wish that I had gone the standard route.

If you shield the mash tun sides from burner heat with a skirt of some sort, you could insulate with almost anything, but I would not use plastic or wood just in case your heat shield fails. Keggles appear to have a built in heat skirt of sorts but that should be extended wider to prevent heat from contacting the insulation if it does rise up the sides of the keggle MT.

 

I wouldn't mind finding some of that edging stuff either!

 

You can get it in minimum 10 foot lengths from mcmaster-carr. Search for trim molding, or this link may work

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/119/3767/=m1agko

I'd think it might make it a pain to clean the kegs if you're ever dumping liquid back out the top.

 

I like the wind guard idea as it saves you propane, but I think mounting them rather than hanging them will be your best bet.

Oh, we need pics or will consider this build 'fantasy only'! lol

 

Kegs on stand

 

BobbyM has it on his site, I just got some the other day for my keggle.

 

Update: I laid the decking today, and am wondering were to mount my pump.
Should I mount it in the middle under the mash tun or somewhere else?
The mash tun wont be fired currently, I plan to add a third burner in the future to fire it.

I plan to hard plumb the propane to the burners with 3/8" soft copper coming off of the Tee's from the 1/2" black pipe.

Would this be a acceptable method?

 

Im trying to run my copper like this stand which keeps it nice and clean but i cant figure out how to get from the black pipe to the needle valves to the burners.

 

The needle valves I'm using are like these.
They are 1/4 inches F x 1/4 inches MNPT.

 

I fond some 1/2" valves on ebay they look like this,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-DN15-St...427?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b54f086b

Does anyone know if they would be ok for propane?

 

This is what the stand looks like after the work I did today.
I got all of the black pipe installed and a bracket made for the pump.
Ive installed in the the middle of the tand for now.

Any suggestions for valves?

 

How do you get it to stay on the ceiling like that? :cross:

 

Crazy glue,

Pictures from my ipad have been posting upside down for some reason.

 

The acceptable way of using soft copper for gas lines is that you Flare the ends and use flared fittings. That is how most trailers are pipe.

 

If you ever look at a valve and it has a say for example 300 WOG the WOG ( means Water Oil Gas at 300 psi )

 

Why use soft copper? Black pipe will be rigid and hold the burners in place. Also copper is $$ where steel is not. A pilot gas line is usually soft copper so you can adjust the placement of it. Or is this what you are referring to with the soft copper?

 

Im going to go with black pipe, fittings are easier to find and its a cheaper stronger method of plumbing the stand.

 

Finished up the plumbing for the propane, if the Bg14 burners I got have 3/8" flare fittings for the orifices. Im still waiting for my burners to come in the mail.
One of the cool things is that I was able to make the burner height completely adjustable.

The flow of parts to the buners is:
1/2" tee > 1/2" wog type needle valve > 90 degree elbow with male thread on one side > 3/8" flare x 1/2" MIP fitting > 3/8" flare x 3/8 flare swivel fitting > 3/8" flare fitting on BG14 burner.

 

Sounds like it's coming totether like to see the results when finished

 

Sounds like its coming along. Can't wait to see pics. I finished my stand but now want to be able to adjust each burner with a needle valve so may soon be adding those.
How much did you end up getting your needle valves for?

 

They were $40 for 4 of them shipped from Ebay.
Do a search for needle valve lot.

 

Water distillation apparatus.

 

Counter flow chiller

 

4 kegs sitting on the stand, its made to use 3 at a time.

 

How the burners will mount and a needle valve.

 

How the black pipe was mounted to the stand

 

Mounting of water distiller to keg

 

Digital thermometer mounted on water distillation apparatus

 

Mash tun manifold.
Im a little confused on where I should drill the holes in the pipes, am I supposed to drill holes in all of the pipes or only the ones which run left to right?
Maybe only the five center ones which run from left to right?

 

Mash tun drain assembled, still need to cut the slots in pipe.

 

Details of propane connection

 

Burner number one on its mounts.

 

Propane connection to burner number 1

 

Burner number 1 mounted

 

Burner number 1 on high.

 

Burner number 1 on medium.

 

Burner number 1 on low