5-10 Gallon Single Tier Strut Build

[rgauthier20420]

You Tech Saavy types and your screen shots............Harrrumph!

This put a smile on my face.....

On topic, is it bad that I now want to return all of my slotted angle steel and get this stuff? Damn you!

 

[BugHunter]

This put a smile on my face..... On topic, is it bad that I now want to return all of my slotted angle steel and get this stuff? Damn you!

Nah, i had the same reaction when designing my system. I was originally going for welded steel but lack of access to a welder, or a willingness to trust one of my friends to my steel piping, precluded anything but a strut stand. Finding this design type was a godsend.

One thing to keep in mind is the 'zinc' coating on the metal. I'm actually going to be stripping the coating off of the top cross beams for the HLT and kettle burners, as well as the first 14-16in of each end of the long top bar, so I don't have to worry about burning it off. A good soak in a bucket of muriatic acid (20-33% HCl) should do the trick. Strip the coating, rough with sandpaper, and a coating of spray-on header paint and it should be good to go.

 

[rgauthier20420]

Nah, i had the same reaction when designing my system. I was originally going for welded steel but lack of access to a welder, or a willingness to trust one of my friends to my steel piping, precluded anything but a strut stand. Finding this design type was a godsend.

One thing to keep in mind is the 'zinc' coating on the metal. I'm actually going to be stripping the coating off of the top cross beams for the HLT and kettle burners, as well as the first 14-16in of each end of the long top bar, so I don't have to worry about burning it off. A good soak in a bucket of muriatic acid (20-33% HCl) should do the trick. Strip the coating, rough with sandpaper, and a coating of spray-on header paint and it should be good to go.

Yeah. I've made some good progress on the stand in the recent weeks, but I'm buying piece by piece almost so it's slow going. I won't be getting the burners and gas lines until about a month from now either. I brew in the garage, so I'll be able to roll the rig into the driveway and just burn off the zinc. Then I'll remove other stuff and paint it in BBQ paint. Not trying to thread jack, but here's a quick pic. Still some supports to put one, but like I said....piece by piece.

 

[BugHunter]

Well I just got my message from Stout letting me know that the vessels have all been shipped freight and should be to my house by next Thursday. I'll make sure to do a proper 'unveiling' as soon as I get them. Edit: I also just got confirmation that my Brewers Hardware order shipped and will be arriving on Thursday. Halloween should be good this year ;-)

 

[BugHunter]

I just got confirmation that both the tanks and Brewers Hardware orders have been delivered to my house. Tonight, after the family trick or treating, I should be able to let you all know how everything looks. I won't be able to get it all put together tonight (like an idiot I forgot to order any silicone tubing with my orders), but I should be able to rough everything into place over the weekend.

 

[rgauthier20420]

What size casters are you putting or have you put on your rig? I figure if all 3 vessels are full (15G HLT, 10G MLT, 15G BK, plus metals and stuff) and giving 8lbs per gallon and let's say 100lbs for rig and accessories we're looking at around 420lbs or so.

I'm looking at putting 2 3" 175lb test casters with brakes and then 2 3" 175lb test regular casters. That's a total of 700lbs of capacity. Not to mention there's never going to be a time when every single vessel of mine is going to be full. What are you thoughts?

 

[BugHunter]

Everything came in today and looks great. I'll be setting up most of the system this weekend and uploading a video hopefully some time tomorrow. There are a few loose ends I have to purchase yet (I forgot the silicon tubing... oops), but other than that everything's in order.

 

[Daves69]

Everything came in today and looks great. I'll be setting up most of the system this weekend and uploading a video hopefully some time tomorrow. There are a few loose ends I have to purchase yet (I forgot the silicon tubing... oops), but other than that everything's in order.

Shiney! Looks amazing, makes my rig look blah!

 

[Daves69]

What size casters are you putting or have you put on your rig? I figure if all 3 vessels are full (15G HLT, 10G MLT, 15G BK, plus metals and stuff) and giving 8lbs per gallon and let's say 100lbs for rig and accessories we're looking at around 420lbs or so. I'm looking at putting 2 3" 175lb test casters with brakes and then 2 3" 175lb test regular casters. That's a total of 700lbs of capacity. Not to mention there's never going to be a time when every single vessel of mine is going to be full. What are you thoughts?

These are what I bought for my stand http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DD1F6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[rgauthier20420]

These are what I bought for my stand http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DD1F6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Those are pretty heavy duty. Nice!

 

[BugHunter]

I've actually been trying to find some good casters and don't have any for the stand yet. They're on the to-do list and those ones are definitely nice. As promised here's a video of the system. Sorry it's a little dark; I filmed this after dark yesterday after I got home. I don't mention it because I didn't notice, but I apparently forgot to order 3 female threaded to tri-clamp adapters for the pumps as well. That's why these things are a work in progress though, right?

 

[rgauthier20420]

I kept waiting for the women to ring the door bell with your pizza.....BUT SHE NEVER CAME!!!!

 

[Ttownbrewer]

Everything came in today and looks great. I'll be setting up most of the system this weekend and uploading a video hopefully some time tomorrow. There are a few loose ends I have to purchase yet (I forgot the silicon tubing... oops), but other than that everything's in order.

Are the kettles all 15 gallon? The BK seems short, and the HLT is tall..

Have you considered putting the HLT on the right side, an the BK on the left?

I like the strut BTW!

 

[BugHunter]

Are the kettles all 15 gallon? The BK seems short, and the HLT is tall.. Have you considered putting the HLT on the right side, an the BK on the left? I like the strut BTW!

The vessels are all 15g, though my batch size won't go larger than 10g for most batches to account for grain bills and boil-over negation (plus potential for future upgrade, though that's a low consideration). The BK looks short because the MLT is a bottom-outlet vessel and has a couple inches of skirt. The actual 'bottom' is 2-3 inches above the stand face. The BK has a nearly bottom-outlet setup with it's domed bottom but it's actually on the edge right where bottom domes out. I'm guessing you see the HLT as taller because it's narrower. That'd throw the perspective off. As for the process flow going from right to left... I never really thought about it. I suppose it's an artifact of our left-to-right reading method and way of thinking but most processes tend to go left-to-right here in the States. I'll have to map out hose lengths for the two layouts and give that one some thought.

 

[BugHunter]

Well things are progressing, just a little so lower than I had anticipated. A load of coursework and house chores have been getting in the two way of further progress but I should still be on track for an inaugural brew the weekend after the 18th. As you can see one of the HLT pump outlets doesn't have any silicon tubing connecting it to the MLT... Yah, I ordered 2 feet fewer hose than I needed so for now I'll be doing process swaps and use the HLT return for the sparge pump after mashing. It's not ideal, but until I get more hose on order it'll work.

 

[BugHunter]

Just an update: The fIrst flame test came out flawlessly.



Now to get the other burner installed and put this puppy through it's paces.

 

[thadius856]

Any progress?

As a side note... I find it funny that you went with those wheels. I was really worried when first reading the reviews over a year ago. People were saying they were failing way below their rated load and that you should de-rate them 75%.

That would mean...

Max load, four 4" casters - 275#
Max load, four 3" casters - 150#

I've had 425# of beer alone in my keezer on 4" wheels (probably closer to 550# all accounted for) and right now 180# of beer in my fermentation chamber on 3" wheels. The wheels still look great, have no flat spots, and haven't even marred by hardwood floors after a year of use.

 

[BugHunter]

Just a quick update for those of you who're following along with this build and wondering where the heck I vanished to. I started brewing professionally on a 20-bbl system and between that and still attending university full-time my available homebrewing time has been practically nil since late Spring.

I certainly haven't abandoned this rig (it's bloody expensive!) but it is on the back burner. I'm working on a revamped process and stand to incorporate everything I've learned brewing professionally, so is that something you'd be interested in seeing a write-up and mock-up of?

Cheers,