Do you need a 1 off Stainless part built for your system? Let's discuss it.

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@Jaybird

Do you have the capability to make something like a custom diameter stainless cake pan? I.e. flat circular bottom and straight sides maybe 1/2” to an inch tall.

I see a lot of people looking for mash caps in custom sizes.
 
Jaybird said:
Thanks for the BUMP! REALLY don't like the new system here that it doesn't alert you when you have a reply to one of your threads! Uhhhgggggg Let me check it out.

DO you have a post # I can look at?

Cheers
Jay
Click to expand...
When I get a chance I will send a picture of what I am thinking about.

David
 
JDXX1971 said:
Yeah, @Jaybird is this something you can do?
Click to expand...

I don't see why not You are talking about a just a solid SS disc with a ring welded to it to form a stainless dish? do you have any pictures? Not really needed but would be cool. Does it need to hole liquid 100%? meaning does the entire perimeter need to be welded? Just keep in mind a 10" disc is 31" of welding by hand. So labor wouldn't be cheap. How thick of material are you thinking? 18 gauge? 16 gauge? Or even thicker than that?

Cheers
Jay
 
Jaybird said:
I don't see why not You are talking about a just a solid SS disc with a ring welded to it to form a stainless dish? do you have any pictures? Not really needed but would be cool. Does it need to hole liquid 100%? meaning does the entire perimeter need to be welded? Just keep in mind a 10" disc is 31" of welding by hand. So labor wouldn't be cheap. How thick of material are you thinking? 18 gauge? 16 gauge? Or even thicker than that?

Cheers
Jay
Click to expand...

Yep that's it. Example of the shape....

upload_2018-6-1_13-6-55.jpeg


The main use is in low oxygen brewing. It floats on the mash to prevent oxygen from diffusing into the wort. Commercially available cake pans max out around 12-14" so those of us who have larger mash tuns (mine is almost 19" across) have to get very creative.

It would need to be water tight so it remains buoyant. Thickness not important at all. Very likely it would also need a hole punched in the center of 13/16" to accommodate the mash recirculation return, although that may be optional.

I’ve also been informed that there is a demand for these in rectangular coolers as well.
 
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Jaybird said:
I don't see why not You are talking about a just a solid SS disc with a ring welded to it to form a stainless dish? do you have any pictures? Not really needed but would be cool. Does it need to hole liquid 100%? meaning does the entire perimeter need to be welded? Just keep in mind a 10" disc is 31" of welding by hand. So labor wouldn't be cheap. How thick of material are you thinking? 18 gauge? 16 gauge? Or even thicker than that?

Cheers
Jay
Click to expand...


Hello Jay,

Yeah I guessed fully welded would be expensive. For me a 17.5" diameter disc with a 1" rim tacked on would suffice. I think with some luck I could solder it up water tight.

Probably still gonna be more than I want to spend though.
 
mj1angier said:
Would a deep dish pizza pan work? Might be tough to find in SS but they do come in larger sizes:

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/am...minum-straight-sided-pizza-pan/124HA4020.html
Click to expand...

20” is too big for me. That’s also Al and not stainless.

The reason I was asking for custom sizes is because there aren’t enough sizes commercially available in cake and pizza pans. Some people have been fortunate enough to have their equipment needs match available sizes, but there are a lot of people who haven’t been so lucky.
 
schematix said:
20” is too big for me. That’s also Al and not stainless.

The reason I was asking for custom sizes is because there aren’t enough sizes commercially available in cake and pizza pans. Some people have been fortunate enough to have their equipment needs match available sizes, but there are a lot of people who haven’t been so lucky.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was thing of those needing a $15 part vs a $$$ custom part
 
mj1angier said:
Yeah, I was thing of those needing a $15 part vs a $$$ custom part
Click to expand...


Yes, I really want it to be a $15 part but it just is not working out that way. I have found a serving platter and a kettle lid that "might" work for me. They are $30 and $65 respectively. Meh, I would rather have a custom part that is to my specs than what I have found. So that leaves making it myself or having someone custom fabricate it. Welding is probably gonna be too expensive and I am thinking about soldering anyway, so I think I am going to visit my local sheet metal shop wizard and see what he thinks.

Aluminum is out of the question for me. Yuck!!!:eek: What were you thinking?:confused::p No, really though, I cant solder it so it is no use to me, and..............Well its Aluminum, Yuck.:D

Sorry to hijack @Jaybird.
 
To make this economical you would need someone who would do metal spinning or metal drawing. Spinning has the advantage of no custom tooling, but requires more labor. Drawing is quick, but would require a custom die to fit any size.
 
NeoBrew said:
To make this economical you would need someone who would do metal spinning or metal drawing. Spinning has the advantage of no custom tooling, but requires more labor. Drawing is quick, but would require a custom die to fit any size.
Click to expand...

Which is not economical because we’re talking unique custom sizes. That totally eliminates the drawing method due to tooling and production quantities. Spinning would work for circular ones only. Spinning equipment isn’t terrible common for 1 off manufacturing either. If you knew a guy who could spin on a whim then yah, that could work.

The whole point of this ask is that other options have been looked into and are not economical.
 
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I've been dealing with the same issue--including a lauter cap when xfering from mash tun to boil kettle. I have a 10-gallon Spike kettle; also have a 5-gallon stainless kettle, the usual economy model. Turns out, the lid from that kettle will float on top of the wort. Now, it runs into trouble when it rises and bumps into the whirlpool port, but I just kind of worry it past that.

Pic below. Also a pic using that lid as a mash cap w/ a BIAB setup.

Jaybird, there's also the need for a mash cap, so yes, it needs to float. A deep-dish pizza pan is a nice mental image of what it needs to do, i.e., the sides are analogous to the sides on a boat, so it displaces enough to float and keep the wort from continuous contact w/ the air (and O2).

BTW, I have a square Igloo Cube cooler and have been diddling with a mash cap idea for that--using 1" foam board to both isolate the mash from atmospheric oxygen, but also help insulate it. I've been wrapping it with Saran Wrap as I'm not 100 percent certain there's no issue with that foam board. Pic also below.

lautercap.jpg

mashcap.jpg


foamboardmashcap.jpg
 
I also used a lid. I have to put mine in handle side down though due to the shape. I also had to light weight my fittings as much as possible to keep it from tilting and taking on wort.

IMG_0200.JPG
IMG_0202.JPG
 
I have a SSbrewtech brew bucket (3.5 gal) that I use for kombucha. Is it possible to modify the lid (remove maybe 4-5" inch circle) and place maybe #300 stainless mesh on it? That would be cool to be able to use the lid instead of cheese cloth as a cover.
 
schematix said:
Yep that's it. Example of the shape....

View attachment 573083

The main use is in low oxygen brewing. It floats on the mash to prevent oxygen from diffusing into the wort. Commercially available cake pans max out around 12-14" so those of us who have larger mash tuns (mine is almost 19" across) have to get very creative.

It would need to be water tight so it remains buoyant. Thickness not important at all. Very likely it would also need a hole punched in the center of 13/16" to accommodate the mash recirculation return, although that may be optional.

I’ve also been informed that there is a demand for these in rectangular coolers as well.
Click to expand...
How about ordering a 20" square, 1/2" thick polypropylene cutting board and cutting a circle out of it to float on your wort? Looks like about $45 plus your time for trimming it round: https://www.cuttingboardcompany.com/1-2-thick-white-custom-cutting-board/

Or try your luck finding a ready-made cutting board large enough to get a 19" circle out of.
-PP is the most food-safe plastic there is
-Light enough to float, won't need vertical walls to float the way a stainless pan would.
 
Jayjay1976 said:
How about ordering a 20" square, 1/2" thick polypropylene cutting board and cutting a circle out of it to float on your wort? Looks like about $45 plus your time for trimming it round: https://www.cuttingboardcompany.com/1-2-thick-white-custom-cutting-board/

Or try your luck finding a ready-made cutting board large enough to get a 19" circle out of.
-PP is the most food-safe plastic there is
-Light enough to float, won't need vertical walls to float the way a stainless pan would.
Click to expand...

Good idea I will have to check this out. I have some HDPE cutting boards at home that I can test for buoyancy. Density is only slightly less than water so with weight of fittings it may be close.
 
Alt said:
Jay, my thoughts are with you, your family and employees this night. May you all weather the fire storm knocking on Redding. Know too well the angst.

Alt
Santa Rosa, CA
Click to expand...
Thank you Alt! We are displaced as we are under evacuation I am sure you what that's all about. We are safe! I have all my important stuff, ya know Wife, kids, animals and picts! We had to leave just about everything else behind.

Thank for you thoughts!

Cheers
Jay
 
Jaybird said:
Thank you Alt! We are displaced as we are under evacuation I am sure you what that's all about. We are safe! I have all my important stuff, ya know Wife, kids, animals and picts! We had to leave just about everything else behind.

Thank for you thoughts!

Cheers
Jay
Click to expand...
Every appendage is crossed for you and everyone else in Redding while the Carr fire burns. And @Alt, hope you managed to avoid disaster from last year in the Tubbs fire.

Cheers,
Gaz (Petaluma, CA)
 
Just about to ask about a part but it seems like the timing isn't right..

When all is good again and you're no longer threatened by the fire let me know.

Cheers!

Stu
 
I'd ordered some stuff from Jaybird via Amazon (had a gift card) prior to the fire taking hold, and happy to say they shipped out yesterday. So assumedly our favourite stainless nut is back at work, and hopefully back at home safe and sound. (Probably needs a spot of time to deal with stuff before jumping back into custom jobs I'd think.)
 
Placed an order online tonight after calling the store earlier in the day to confirm a particular part is available. Spoke with Becky and she reported Victor, co-owner with Jay, didn't yet know the status of his home, but that everyone else in the store still had theirs.

Also contributed $50 to the fund NorCal started to help reequip local home brewers who lost everything. Like so many in my community found out this past year, insurance probably won't replace all. The home replacement costs today grossly exceed what most reasonably expected and were insured for. If you can afford to do so, please help. There is a 'product' link https://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/Carr-Fire-Victim-Homebrew-Equipment-Fund.html on their homepage where you can enter a dollar amount to place in your cart.
 
Stu Alp said:
Just about to ask about a part but it seems like the timing isn't right..

When all is good again and you're no longer threatened by the fire let me know.

Cheers!

Stu
Click to expand...

Stu
No time like the present. We are back to work. Well most of us anyway. Super happy to help you with a design or a build. Shoot me a PM and lets see if its in our wheelhouse.

Cheers
Jay

Alt said:
Placed an order online tonight after calling the store earlier in the day to confirm a particular part is available. Spoke with Becky and she reported Victor, co-owner with Jay, didn't yet know the status of his home, but that everyone else in the store still had theirs.

Also contributed $50 to the fund NorCal started to help reequip local home brewers who lost everything. Like so many in my community found out this past year, insurance probably won't replace all. The home replacement costs today grossly exceed what most reasonably expected and were insured for. If you can afford to do so, please help. There is a 'product' link https://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/Carr-Fire-Victim-Homebrew-Equipment-Fund.html on their homepage where you can enter a dollar amount to place in your cart.
Click to expand...

Thank you guys! I really to be honest am totally blown away by the generosity of this forum!

As for Victor's house they were able to get in yesterday to start the clean up. Loads of stuff there that needs to be cleaned up. they of course lost all their food all his beer. Lots of outside damage. Pretty much every one of his trees are gone, all his landscaping is gone water line issues ya da ya da ya da. Then YESTERDAY when they are there trying to clean up the fire rose its ugly head again just above his house so they ended up having to leave yet again! His wife is just devastated with all the losses as you can imagine but at least the house is standing and just some smoke damage inside.

At his point really we can use the business! Our walk in traffic has come to a halt, to be expected.
So feel free to hit me up you guys! I am happy to help.


Cheers
Jay
 
Hi Jay glad you guys are mostly ok.

I was wondering if you could help me with a stainless steel coil. I have the Brewmaster 1/2 barrel conical from ssbrewtech. I occasionally do 5 gallon batches but the not able to use the conical for those. I wanted to know if you could make a coil like the picture attached except that it sits about 6 inches lower. So when it comes off the wall of the conical it is angled downward. Also attaching a crude drawing of what I was thinking. Let me know what you think.

Thanks Sean

upload_2018-8-17_9-47-20.png


upload_2018-8-17_9-44-9.png
 
gloval11 said:
Hi Jay glad you guys are mostly ok.

I was wondering if you could help me with a stainless steel coil. I have the Brewmaster 1/2 barrel conical from ssbrewtech. I occasionally do 5 gallon batches but the not able to use the conical for those. I wanted to know if you could make a coil like the picture attached except that it sits about 6 inches lower. So when it comes off the wall of the conical it is angled downward. Also attaching a crude drawing of what I was thinking. Let me know what you think.

Thanks Sean

View attachment 583893

View attachment 583892
Click to expand...
Sean
Thanks for reaching out. Unfortunately we don't have a way to bend the stainless in a coil.

Cheers
Jay
 
I've been using a weedless bulkhead, a 1/2 - 1/4 NPT adapter and a keg post fitting that has 1/4" NPT threads to piece together a spigot that takes a ball lock disconnect. I use one on the bottom of my fermonster and one in the lid. Works great but the pipe threads and all the pieces are a PITA to deal with. I have the 3D solid model to combine them into one piece, just lacking a CNC lathe to make em. I need 4 but I'm sure others would be interested. Makes cold crashing under CO2 simple, transfers couldn't be easier (get all of the beer and none of the trub and easy start/stop) and since it's a closed environment you can keep the yeast in the fermenter if you're going to repitch or wash at a later date.

Shoot me a PM with an email address and I'll send the file over.

UDMfnb1.jpg


SkUktAx.jpg


zX0H67D.jpg
 
schematix said:
Creative solutions welcome, but I can’t think of a way to do this without it floating on the surface of the mash.
Click to expand...

I was just reading back through this thread to see what awesome stuff others are working on. The comments about extended welds are spot on, round wouldn't be too bad with a rotary table but rectangular gets tricky with flushing the back side with Ar. It would however be easy to tack weld something together and use a food grade silicone sealant to make it water tight. Then the only challenge becomes rolling the ring to make it round.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0063U2RWU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
 
Last edited by a moderator:
GPP33 said:
I've been using a weedless bulkhead, a 1/2 - 1/4 NPT adapter and a keg post fitting that has 1/4" NPT threads to piece together a spigot that takes a ball lock disconnect. I use one on the bottom of my fermonster and one in the lid. Works great but the pipe threads and all the pieces are a PITA to deal with. I have the 3D solid model to combine them into one piece, just lacking a CNC lathe to make em. I need 4 but I'm sure others would be interested. Makes cold crashing under CO2 simple, transfers couldn't be easier (get all of the beer and none of the trub and easy start/stop) and since it's a closed environment you can keep the yeast in the fermenter if you're going to repitch or wash at a later date.

Shoot me a PM with an email address and I'll send the file over.

UDMfnb1.jpg


SkUktAx.jpg


zX0H67D.jpg
Click to expand...
PM Sent. Lets chat about it.
Cheers
Jay
 

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