Brutus/More Beer 1100 Hybrid Stand Complete

[builderguy]

Unbelievable....very nice Chris.

My buddy and I are starting the design process for a stand and plan on using HERMS. We are also planning to have a burner under the mash tun, but just for more complicated brewing or if we want two boils for a Parti-Gyle style brew day. Are you using the burner under the mash tun to control temps during mash? If not, what are you using that burner for since your using the HERMS coil in the HLT.

 

[cdburg]

Unbelievable....very nice Chris.

My buddy and I are starting the design process for a stand and plan on using HERMS. We are also planning to have a burner under the mash tun, but just for more complicated brewing or if we want two boils for a Parti-Gyle style brew day. Are you using the burner under the mash tun to control temps during mash? If not, what are you using that burner for since your using the HERMS coil in the HLT.

I really only use the burner under the mash tun to get the water up to strike temp. After I've doughed in, I use the HERMS coil to raise and/or maintain temperature.

I suppose that I could recirculate while using the mash burner on a low setting, but I haven't needed to do it. If I dial back the pump going through the HERMS (ball valve on the outlet of the March pump), and the water in the HLT is hot enough, I can raise the temperature pretty quickly.

 

[christmascity]

Hey bud this is awsome how much do all raw materials coast to get started, and could you please, send me the project design plans.

 

[cdburg]

I'm still trying to find the original cut chart. It's at my parents' house. I should be able to look for it this weekend. If I can find it, I'll post it.

If I can find it, it should help you with an idea of the raw materials cost. The price of stainless has changed since I built it, and I don't remember exactly what I paid anyway. Aside from some aluminum sheet for the control panel, the stainless was the majority of the materials cost.

 

[cdburg]

I finally had a chance to look for the cut sheet and the other information we used when designing the stand. It was all based off of Lonnie's Brutus 10 plans, so I recommend anyone interested in building something like it pick up a copy of them from Lonnie or BYO. We just made it a bit longer and wider, to accept the MoreBeer kettles. We also moved the gas beam to the front of the stand and changed the top a little.

The final stand has a few pieces that aren't listed on this sheet (the "arms" for the control panel, the supports for the tippy dump, the tippy dump kettle basket, plates for the casters and pump mount and the aluminum for the control panel box), but I believe this is everything for the stand itself. A lot of those pieces were designed on the fly, so I don't have documentation for them.

This should give everyone a good idea of the dimensions at least. Hopefully it helps anyone who wants to try something similar. If I need to translate anything, let me know.

• Color-coded stand piece listing
• Text listing
• Cut sheet

 

[cdburg]

I finally found a welder in the area to make a few changes I'd been wanting, so I thought it was time to add a few more pictures.

The design traps a lot of heat under the top of the stand, especially above the HLT, so I've had a bit of cracking. I wanted to strengthen those areas and incorporate the kettle spacers (to allow better airflow). The welder also drilled some holes above the HLT burner to let the heat escape better. I've only used it a few times since the upgrades, but it seems to work well so far.

I put up a few pictures at the URL below. Enjoy!
https://picasaweb.google.com/cdburg...&authkey=Gv1sRgCIeQv4SXtr6dag&feat=directlink

 

[dunleav1]

I finally found a welder in the area to make a few changes I'd been wanting, so I thought it was time to add a few more pictures.

The design traps a lot of heat under the top of the stand, especially above the HLT, so I've had a bit of cracking. I wanted to strengthen those areas and incorporate the kettle spacers (to allow better airflow). The welder also drilled some holes above the HLT burner to let the heat escape better. I've only used it a few times since the upgrades, but it seems to work well so far.

I put up a few pictures at the URL below. Enjoy!
https://picasaweb.google.com/cdburg...&authkey=Gv1sRgCIeQv4SXtr6dag&feat=directlink

I wonder if you doubled the 1.5" box steel instead of the angle steel if the cracking could have been avoided...
I will be making some modifications to modify my stand to handle the Blichmann kettle size instead of keggles. My current openings are 13" squares and I need to get them down to under 12". I as thinking the angle steel, but after seeing this I may go with doubling the 1.5 boxes instead.

 

[cdburg]

I wonder if you doubled the 1.5" box steel instead of the angle steel if the cracking could have been avoided...
I will be making some modifications to modify my stand to handle the Blichmann kettle size instead of keggles. My current openings are 13" squares.

The cracking was between the angle stock and the corner gussets cut out of flat stock. I don't know that doubling the tube steel would help.

The main issue is the heating and cooling of the joint between the angle and the flat gusset pieces and how that weakens them over time. If I were to redesign, I might leave the corners open, as long as there were enough of the stand to support the kettles. I'm also using a fan to cool the stand a bit more quickly, which I hope will help to keep the welds intact.

 

[dunleav1]

The cracking was between the angle stock and the corner gussets cut out of flat stock. I don't know that doubling the tube steel would help.

The main issue is the heating and cooling of the joint between the angle and the flat gusset pieces and how that weakens them over time. If I were to redesign, I might leave the corners open, as long as there were enough of the stand to support the kettles. I'm also using a fan to cool the stand a bit more quickly, which I hope will help to keep the welds intact.

Oh that's a better picture. Why didn't you just take the flat stock out? Was the angle steel large enough to support the pots? Ok, that's what you said above...

 

[cdburg]

Oh that's a better picture. Why didn't you just take the flat stock out? Was the angle steel large enough to support the pots? Ok, that's what you said above...

The idea behind the flat stock in the corners was to keep the flames from running up the sides of the kettles too much, especially with the jet burner. If this fix doesn't work, I'll likely cut them out but leave the newly added bars.

 

[wncbrewer]

Great build sir.....

I had two questions: did you use the temperature probes that came with the ranco units or did you use "aftermarket ones"? Also, how did you mount the pilot buner to the burner itself? I couldn't really tell from the pictures. I am planning a stand and will be borrowing a lot from yours. Cheers...wnc

 

[cdburg]

Great build sir.....

I had two questions: did you use the temperature probes that came with the ranco units or did you use "aftermarket ones"? Also, how did you mount the pilot buner to the burner itself? I couldn't really tell from the pictures. I am planning a stand and will be borrowing a lot from yours. Cheers...wnc

I did use the temperature probes that came on the Ranco units. Since I'm just putting them into the thermowells, I didn't see any reason to change them out. So far, they've worked fine.

To mount the pilot burner, we fabricated a bracket. The bracket is welded to the cross member supporting the burner. We then riveted the bracket the the pilot burner assembly. These aren't great pictures, but they may help.

Feel free to borrow whatever works for you. Make sure to look at the last few posts I made with the later changes to the build. Seeing the areas I've decided to change may help in your decisions.

 

[wncbrewer]

Thanks, so much. I hope to get started this coming week, and do a build thread when I'm all finished. Cheers

 

[wncbrewer]

Also, I may pm you when it comes time to wire the honeywell valve and pilot, that is really the only thing that has me intimidated at this point

 

[cdburg]

Also, I may pm you when it comes time to wire the honeywell valve and pilot, that is really the only thing that has me intimidated at this point

If you haven't already seen it, it might help you to look at the other thread I posted when I was wiring and had questions. I have a few pictures of my wiring in there and some responses from guys who actually knew what they were talking about. They were invaluable to me when we were setting it up.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/help-wiring-honeywell-y8610u-gas-control-valve-pilot-burner-72295/

Honestly, if you have any questions, I'd post them as a separate post on the board. Someone on this board will be able to help, and I'm guessing it will be pretty quick. I'd love to help personally, but it's been a while since we set it up, and I don't really remember too much about it. Wiring is not something I am great at. I can get by, but I'm by no means an expert.

 

[wncbrewer]

Ok thanks for the link, I hadn't seen it yet. I'm in the same boat, my only electrical experience has been in very simple circuits. My goal is to be finished by thanksgiving, but it will probably end up being christmas. Thanks again for the inspiration, help, and all the great ideas...wnc

 

[adamcr2006]

Do you have a total expense report for this project, by the way it is awesome

 

[cdburg]

Do you have a total expense report for this project, by the way it is awesome

Unfortunately, I don't have an exact amount. I never added everything up at the time, and I've lost some of the receipts and such.

I'd guess the original build cost around $4,500, including the purchase of the welder. I've probably spent another $750 on modifications and tweaks since I first built it. The total cost probably isn't much less than a new MoreBeer stand, but I got to build it how I wanted it. It also gave my step-dad a good project. It wasn't cheap, but I wouldn't change anything.

 

[dobbinsda]

The MIG welding was a learning on the job type experience for both my step Dad and me. The Hobart worked well, but we did get some spattering occasionally that required some clean up (lots of grinding). That may have been user error or may have been the machine. A TIG might work better, but I couldn't afford one.

Everything on the stand, including the repairs last weekend, was done with the Hobart, stainless wire and an Argon gas mix. For a smaller welder, it held its own.

First off your stand looks awesome! I was thinking of doing a Stainless build, but have been hesitant because the price of the TIG welder. I always thought it was necessary to use a TIG for SS, and a MIG wouldn't give you a strong weld. Apparently not? Any concerns about the strength of the weld? Or any insight on the use of the MIG for a inexperienced welder?

 

[cdburg]

First off your stand looks awesome! I was thinking of doing a Stainless build, but have been hesitant because the price of the TIG welder. I always thought it was necessary to use a TIG for SS, and a MIG wouldn't give you a strong weld. Apparently not? Any concerns about the strength of the weld? Or any insight on the use of the MIG for a inexperienced welder?

I have absolutely no concerns about the strength of the welds. You could park a truck on this thing. The MIG welds aren't nearly as pretty, and they likely don't penetrate as well as a TIG, but they are certainly very strong.

All I would advise is practice. Get some scrap and work on it. You'll find the settings on the machine that work for you and will also get used to the speed you need to move.

 

[SDBreWs0624]

like this alot