$5.00 False Bottom Plan

[cadwaladr]

did mine using the stame method but on lexan. Had to drill 1800 holes due to the size (17")

 

[zzARzz]

Struck out on the splatter screen at ACE. Went to two stores and searched online.

Found the manufacturer's (Chef Craft) website link to the white splatter screen here: http://chefcraft.com/store/kitchen-gadgets/kitchen-helpers/microwave-splatter-screen-wht.html

It says you have to log in to view pricing, so I'm not sure you can order it directly or as a single unit, but they're also for sale on eBay here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-MICROWAVE-SPLATTER-SCREEN-SPLATTER-GUARD-Chef-Craft-9-Kitchen-Tool-Tools-/280859710761

 

[normnmiles]

Found the manufacturer's (Chef Craft) website link to the white splatter screen here: http://chefcraft.com/store/kitchen-gadgets/kitchen-helpers/microwave-splatter-screen-wht.html

It says you have to log in to view pricing, so I'm not sure you can order it directly or as a single unit, but they're also for sale on eBay here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-MICROWAVE-SPLATTER-SCREEN-SPLATTER-GUARD-Chef-Craft-9-Kitchen-Tool-Tools-/280859710761

Thanks for the link.

 

[BethelLight]

I actually got it from a "True Value" Hardware Store here in California. Sorry for the error. I hope this helps!

 

[bferullo]

"I used 3" of 1/2" braided tubing to hold mine in place and it is held snugly. "

Where did you get the tubing from? Home depot?

 

[zzARzz]

"I used 3" of 1/2" braided tubing to hold mine in place and it is held snugly. "

Where did you get the tubing from? Home depot?

Yes. In the brass fittings/plumbing section where you would get parts for bulkhead assemblies (like barb fittings, PEX elbows and pipe nipples).

 

[bferullo]

Home Goods had a 12 inch aluminum pizza pan. Hopefully its deep enough, there was no depth. I think its at least 0.4 inches. It was only 5 bucks. Started drilling. It isn't as pretty as pics on page one since i was eyeballing my lines with a little ruler help.

 

[bferullo]

I have silicone tubing i use to transfer wort from MLT to ketle. COuld I use some of that or will it just crush under the pressure of the grains? Its obviously not braided.

 

[Huaco]

I have silicone tubing i use to transfer wort from MLT to ketle. COuld I use some of that or will it just crush under the pressure of the grains? Its obviously not braided.

I think the idea is to cut it lengthwise and slip it over the edge of the FB.


Nevermind... I was thinking about a different FB thread. Sorry.

 

[bferullo]

I think the idea is to cut it lengthwise and slip it over the edge of the FB.

NOt sure I follow.. I must be missing something simple.

 

[Huaco]

NOt sure I follow.. I must be missing something simple.

Sorry... I was thinking of something else... See above. I edited my post.

 

[bferullo]

Its cool...appreciate the effort. Spikebrewing.com sells a FB that includes the tubing. theirs is silicone. I just assume it will crush under say 10+ lbs of grain.

 

[Huaco]

Well, if the grain is stirred and then allowed to settle, it would settle around that silicone tube and not crush it. If you put a brick on the tube, yes it will crush - because it is not supported underneath. But here, you really don't have too much weight pressing down on the tube itself.

 

[bferullo]

Here is my attempt. To recap:

12.5inch - ish aluminum pizza pan (I think its Pizzacraft brand) found for 5 bucks at Homegoods

Same parts as above, but used silicone tubing I had in place of the braided tubing.

Hopfeully it works!!!

 

[zzARzz]

The bottom looks great! I've found in my 5 gallon cooler I'm limited to about 8.5lbs of grain, so I'm planning a 10 gallon version of this FB using a stainless steel pan and copper 1/2" tubing held in place with compression fittings or possibly some sort of quick disconnects. The pan I have now, however, has worked so well I'll still use it for lower gravity brews.

 

[bferullo]

Thanks!!

I will find out tonight. I am brewing a batch that has a grist of 12.8 lbs. My overall deadspace was about 1/2 gallon.

Tonight is a Rye based beer so I hope not to have a stuck sparge. My buddy bought the ingredients, so I hope my fabrication doesn't screw up his brew.

Sidenote, I had someone tell me that using aluminum was a bad idea based on ionization. Now as a chemist, I don't think that really applies to the false bottom. Also people use aluminum boil kettles all the time.

Next time around I will be getting a stainless steel plate and have a buddy with a drill press makes the holes, but until then...I hope this works!!!

 

[zzARzz]

Thanks!!

I will find out tonight. I am brewing a batch that has a grist of 12.8 lbs. My overall deadspace was about 1/2 gallon.

Tonight is a Rye based beer so I hope not to have a stuck sparge. My buddy bought the ingredients, so I hope my fabrication doesn't screw up his brew.

Sidenote, I had someone tell me that using aluminum was a bad idea based on ionization. Now as a chemist, I don't think that really applies to the false bottom. Also people use aluminum boil kettles all the time.

Next time around I will be getting a stainless steel plate and have a buddy with a drill press makes the holes, but until then...I hope this works!!!

When I was doing my research I saw the aluminum vs. no-aluminum arguments, but as I didn't know if this project was even going to work I decided to go the cheap route. I also use an aluminum brew pot and I haven't had any problems with the material over the past 10 brews I've done with this setup. For me, the SS is more for aesthetics than anything. The only thing I've had to replace (and only once) so far is the 3-4" of braided tubing from the dip tube as the heat from the mash has loosened the seal around the PEX elbow. Other than that I've been really happy with how well this has performed for the price.

 

[bferullo]

Well, the rye beer was a total flop. I ended up with a horruble stuck sparge that was there no recovering from. I ended up using a kitchen collander and scooping ut the spend grains. It was a disaster. At first I thought it was the rye, but I am thinking something went wrong with the false bottom. There was a large grain stuck in the silicone tubing. So, grain got through. Oh well live and learn. Its not enough for me to give up on my cheap creation yet.

 

[zzARzz]

Well, the rye beer was a total flop. I ended up with a horruble stuck sparge that was there no recovering from. I ended up using a kitchen collander and scooping ut the spend grains. It was a disaster. At first I thought it was the rye, but I am thinking something went wrong with the false bottom. There was a large grain stuck in the silicone tubing. So, grain got through. Oh well live and learn. Its not enough for me to give up on my cheap creation yet.

Because aluminum pans are so light it may have floated up a bit when you put the hot liquor in the tun, allowing the grain to get through. If your tubing is pretty flexible (and more so when it's hot) that may have been the issue. The thick walled braided tubing I use is rigid even when hot so it holds the false bottom down snugly. When sparging I'll have about 1/2 a tsp of grain come through and that's it. Also (silly question, I know) did you drain it slowly when sparging?

 

[bferullo]

We did drain slowly, but I think you may be right abou the floating bottom. Gonna have to get a stainless steel one and have a buddy with a drill press drill it for me.

My brewing buddy thinks maybe the 1/8 inch holes are too big? Any thoughts on that?

 

[zzARzz]

We did drain slowly, but I think you may be right abou the floating bottom. Gonna have to get a stainless steel one and have a buddy with a drill press drill it for me.

My brewing buddy thinks maybe the 1/8 inch holes are too big? Any thoughts on that?

I used 1/8" holes on mine with 1/2" offsets per the article I based the design on here: http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue3.4/palmer_figs.html
I haven't had an issue with the holes getting plugged on mine after pulling it out when I brew (I check it each time to be sure). While doing researched I read many people have an issue with light false bottoms like these floating and causing stuck sparges, that's why I thought it may have been the prime suspect of your issues during your rye brew. An easy way to test that would be to heat 2-3 gallons of water to mash temps, put it in your mash tun, wait 10 minutes or so and check to see if your tubing is flexing too much when it heats up. If so, rigid braided tubing, PVC with some sort of rubber insert to maintain a good seal or copper tubing with compression fittings should solve the problem. Or you could find some sort of brass, copper or SS weights (such as a couple large SS washers where the PEX elbow meets the pan in your dead space) to solve the issue as well.

 

[bferullo]

thanks for your input. with a some tweaking I hope to fix it.

 

[Huaco]

We did drain slowly, but I think you may be right abou the floating bottom. Gonna have to get a stainless steel one and have a buddy with a drill press drill it for me.

My brewing buddy thinks maybe the 1/8 inch holes are too big? Any thoughts on that?

You want to stay below .100" 1/8" is .125. I drilled over 1,000 holes with #40 drill. That is .098".
Try to add as many holes as you can stand to drill. It is a long process, but well worth it.

 

[rex]

I made one of these tonight.

I couldn't find a pizza pan locally that wasn't coated...so I started poking around at work for something I could use. I ended up finding an aluminum (LianLi) computer case that was in the junk pile. I took the two removable sides.



Traced out my 11" circle
Cut using a jig saw
Drew my grid on with pencil
Drilled my 1/8 holes and my center hole
I sanded it down to remove any burrs
Fitted my elbow and tubing



Thanks OP!!!

 

[zzARzz]

That looks fantastic! I hadn't thought of using an old computer case, but that turned out really well.

 

[bferullo]

Be careful. I used aluminum and its lighter than SS, so it ended up floating when i added the water. Hence I ended up with stuck sparge due to grains getting under it. Although, this is only one of my many theories as to what screwed up that brew day. It was a BAD brew session.

 

[passedpawn]

Be careful. I used aluminum and its lighter than SS, so it ended up floating when i added the water. Hence I ended up with stuck sparge due to grains getting under it. Although, this is only one of my many theories as to what screwed up that brew day. It was a BAD brew session.

Rye is crazy sticky. You need to stir very well and perhaps go with a thinner mash (i.e., > 1.5 quarts per # of grain). My house beer is a rye IPA, so I'm using it all the time. I use a "Jaybird" false bottom. It's the greatest thing.

BTW, aluminum doesn't float (sp. gravity ~ 2.7). Must have had some trapped air under it.

 

[bferullo]

Ok, makes sense. Was just going off what others have suggested. Like I said lots of things went wrong the first time I used my aluminum bottom. How would one avoid air being trapped?

 

[Hop_Head]

I made one of these false bottoms using the microwave splatter screen and used it for the first time last weekend. It worked flawlessly and I got great efficiency hit my numbers spot on. I had to do a little modifying due to the fact that I only have a 5 gal igloo cooler, but nothing that was a big issue. I am hoping to brew again this weekend and will try to take some pictures to share what I did with mine. Thanks to all in the thread for the valuable information.

 

[bferullo]

So, it was the Rye. Just brewed with my "$5.00" FB this past weekend. Had great results. Only missed my estimated OG my 3 points. NO stuck sparges!!!