Brew stand build. Couple of questions and advice needed

[Rys06Tbss]

I havnt brewed in over two years and really want to get back into the hobby. I currently have a single tierish brew stand that holds my Boil pot and Mash tun. My RIMS tube is mounted to the stand as well. I have a secondary stand that I had made to fit over my turkey fryer burner. so I can put a keggle on it but I have just been using my extra fryer pot to heat the sparge water.

My Plan is to switch to all electric with HERMS, but in the mean time my stand will have two burners for my HLT (and maybe HERMS) and boil pot just tacked into place. I plan on doing a two tier tippey style similar to if not exacatly like more beers.

I had a few questions and opinions needed. Im going to use mild steel. I dont care about the stainless bling factor. I plan on going with 1.5 square tubing but I dont know about wall thickness. 1/8 is going to be WAY overkill. But Im thinking something like 12-14 ga sould be strong enough. I just have a small 90 amp flux core welder Ill be using fot this project.

For the people that have made a tippy dump, how did you accomplish it. I was thinking about making a cage for my mash tun to hold it in place and wanted to use bearing blocks to for the tipping portion. I still need to figure out a way to keep it locked when I want it fixed.

Does anybody have any decent suggestions on decent cheap steel? Everything online looks cheap till you add the 150 dollars for shipping.

Im more than sure this has all be beaten to death on here before, but any links to builds to help inspire me would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance
Ryan

 

[texasbrewer73]

Can't say I know anything about a tippy dump, but as far as the steel for a stand goes, I went with 2" mild steel - 14ga. That's to brew 10 gals on. A local trailer retailer/fabricator welded it all up for me based on the specs I gave them. After labor, it was $300. Like yourself, I didn't care about the stainless bling factor - just wanted something functional and relatively inexpensive.

 

[rtt121]

I built mine with 1.5 inch mild steel. I dont think 1/8 inch is overkill.

Also shop around locally. I did not think I had a supplier until a I really looked. It was a 45 minute drive but worth it. It is way cheaper than ordering online... one of the few times that'll happen. I think I paid ~$180 for 8 10' lengths.

 

[IndyBlueprints]

Looks like these guys have what you need, and can cut it to size as well. Are they close:

www.ancosteel.com
1050 South Lake Street, Aurora, IL 60506

 

[Phlox]

I got my steel from a local yard, they sell off cuts and overstock cheep. They had a bunch of welded seam mild steel 2" square tube, I think it's .090 wall, that I picked up for mine. I flux core welded on a 115v machine. I would feel comfortable with 1bbl pots, it ended up weighing in at ~170 lbs (3 station). Best part is the 4 corner posts are the perfect size for scaffolding legs, for leveling.

No solution for a tippy dump though, I take my whole mash tun to the dump site. The grain held too much water for trash bags to handle, even after a good wringing out. This was with a 10 gallon cooler, up to a 33 lb grain bill. Not ideal. Originally I was planing a tippy with a turnbuckle clamp (I was ultimately height limited), similar to a T-bolt type hose clamp, mounted at just over center line. You likely wouldn't need bearing blocks, rod in tube should be sufficient.

-Mike

 

[Rys06Tbss]

Thanks for the response guys... Once again, life has gotten in the way. I was originally planning this stand before my daugher was born. She passed at three days old. Now were going to be purchasing a new home within the next couple months so my brew equipment is now in a storage unit. I will hopefully revisit this task in a few months once we get unpacked and get our lives back together again. Thanks for the advice. Ill try and update once I figure everything out once again.

 

[IndyBlueprints]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I'll keep you and your family in my prayers.

Allen.

 

[bardb]

So sorry for your loss

 

[nobadays]

heartbreaking.... sorry for your loss.

 

[rtt121]

Very sorry for your loss. I will keep you and yours in my thoughts.

 

[Rys06Tbss]

Thanks for the thoughts... this has been a tough and. Trying time

 

[Ameritoon]

Sorry for your loss, pal.

Tippy - Dippy thread - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=207473

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Can't say I know anything about a tippy dump, but as far as the steel for a stand goes, I went with 2" mild steel - 14ga. That's to brew 10 gals on. A local trailer retailer/fabricator welded it all up for me based on the specs I gave them. After labor, it was $300. Like yourself, I didn't care about the stainless bling factor - just wanted something functional and relatively inexpensive.

I know I'm resurrecting this, hope that's OK (please let me know, anyone). Just got a quote from a welder, all in (materials and labor) of 2" square 16 gauge mild steel, welded, for $500.

I got 2 quotes on stainless. The least expensive was $388 for 4 x 20', which covers my needs. Then a welder handling stainless.

I was settled on stainless, but it's very hard on my budget to go this way. My first stand was mild steel, I built it, it rusted like crazy. But it handled kegs and all brewing parameters beautifully. I don't know what it would look like now, but in the 5 years or so of its use, it was fine.

I don't want to go the coating road for mild. So it's untreated mild, or stainless.

Can anyone advise - $500 for a mild steel complete job, v. $388 + welding labor for stainless.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Thanks for the response guys... Once again, life has gotten in the way. I was originally planning this stand before my daugher was born. She passed at three days old. Now were going to be purchasing a new home within the next couple months so my brew equipment is now in a storage unit. I will hopefully revisit this task in a few months once we get unpacked and get our lives back together again. Thanks for the advice. Ill try and update once I figure everything out once again.

I just read this and I know it's belated - and I hope it doesn't bring back pain - but I grieve for you and your wife, Rys. I hope you've found a way to get at least some healing from this terrible, terrible loss. My heart goes out to you.

 

[rtt121]

Rys06Tbss I hope you and yours are in a better if only slightly better place than in December.

@Gadjobrinus I can only say my experience has been very good with little to no rusting with the mild steel COATED with paint. Not sure why you wouldn't consider a coating? I just used high temperature spray paint in black. I will say that the mild steel that was cut and not used, I saved. All of that is in the corner of my garage and it is rusted badly.

 

[Rys06Tbss]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I still think about her multiple times a day. We’re in our new house now and starting to get life back together. I have some material now for a stand so I’m just going to be making a single tier stand now. What a difference having a three car garage makes for space. Oh and accepting with to allow me to put a brewery in that space. Once I get caught up with chores I’ll be sure to make sure to update the thread with my build progress.

Ryan

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Rys06Tbss I hope you and yours are in a better if only slightly better place than in December.

@Gadjobrinus I can only say my experience has been very good with little to no rusting with the mild steel COATED with paint. Not sure why you wouldn't consider a coating? I just used high temperature spray paint in black. I will say that the mild steel that was cut and not used, I saved. All of that is in the corner of my garage and it is rusted badly.

Hi Rtt, thanks for the post. I've just heard so much about how the flame takes it off immediately anyway, and paint rubbing off otherwise, etc. Most I've read said that by the time they get done with a powder coating, they might as well have gone ss. Maybe I should just wait to go stainless.

Rys, I don't have any words to express how my heart truly cracks for you, buddy, as I write this. I hope you and your wife find that life finds its way to give you blessings and peace as time moves along.

 

[rtt121]

I did not pay for powder coating. I just used spray paint have been more than happy with 60+ hours of flame. That being said it is a HERMS and the only thing I am flaming for the most part is the boil kettle. I will take pics if you want to see them.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Thanks, Rtt. I have only heard people talking of problems with flame. These are banjos, and they kick it out.

 

[rtt121]

Am aware of banjo burner.

Picture attached. Some minimal rusting nothing 1 hr of sanding and respraying wouldnt renew.

Most of the **** you see is burnt on wort from ******* boilovers

 

[day_trippr]

I agree, powder coating that would have been a horror show
Better to go nekkid than have that stuff fuming up your brew days...

Cheers!

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Thanks Rtt. Sorry, I didn't say it right. I'm sure you were aware of banjos, I just meant to say I'm burning direct flame and I've heard people say that fries the paint off almost immediately; but hadn't seen much from electric people so figured with electric systems, it's not an issue.

Boilovers, lol. My "Black Stag" imperial stout wouldn't keep in the kettle unless I begged it.

 

[nubrun]

I know I'm resurrecting this, hope that's OK (please let me know, anyone). Just got a quote from a welder, all in (materials and labor) of 2" square 16 gauge mild steel, welded, for $500.



I got 2 quotes on stainless. The least expensive was $388 for 4 x 20', which covers my needs. Then a welder handling stainless.



I was settled on stainless, but it's very hard on my budget to go this way. My first stand was mild steel, I built it, it rusted like crazy. But it handled kegs and all brewing parameters beautifully. I don't know what it would look like now, but in the 5 years or so of its use, it was fine.



I don't want to go the coating road for mild. So it's untreated mild, or stainless.



Can anyone advise - $500 for a mild steel complete job, v. $388 + welding labor for stainless.

I just paid $268 for 40 feet of 2x2x.120 304SS. I am lucky and have a TIG welder to weld it so that only cost me about $25 in 308L rod for the welder. So all in on the frame I am about $300. I went SS for the exact reasons you mentioned, I didn't want to keep having to coat it, or worry about it rusting. The material cost is cheap when you factor in the cost of your labor to build it. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1505056409.178821.jpg

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Thanks Nubrun. That's a beautiful stand! I'm accumulating this project piecemeal, as I can, so it's going to take it's time anyway - so wanted this one to be right. I've learned so many design ideas in a very short period, and it's to all of you guys I owe my thanks.

Rys, I don't want to intrude on your thread any longer, and thank you for your indulgence. Peace.