Jaybird's Stainless False Bottoms

[Jaybird]

I have sold several to people on this forum. They may chime in, if not I will be happy to shoot them a PM later and ask them to. As far as I know they are very happy with the set up. I have sold 10 or 15 through my store to people here local and everyone seems to think its the way to go in a cooler.
Jay

 

[klyph]

I still don't understand why the keg mash tuns have the pickup on the side with a false bottom. Wouldn't it make sense to put the drain in the center bottom below the false bottom?

 

[Jaybird]

I still don't understand why the keg mash tuns have the pickup on the side with a false bottom. Wouldn't it make sense to put the drain in the center bottom below the false bottom?

Yep it does and thats the way my system is set up. There are some who direct fire their mash tuns and dont want to directly fire the 1/2" stainless pipe that would come out from the bottom of the MLT.

 

[klyph]

Ah, I see.

 

[elpresidente]

I have sold several to people on this forum. They may chime in, if not I will be happy to shoot them a PM later and ask them to. As far as I know they are very happy with the set up. I have sold 10 or 15 through my store to people here local and everyone seems to think its the way to go in a cooler.
Jay

Ok, great! Well I think I am leaning towards this raised false bottom setup...it just looks like the easiest IMHO as far as setup and clean up especially for a virgin ALL GRAIN brewer such as myself. I want to keep it as simple as possible for my first few AG batches.

I think I will want to piece together some type of pick up tube though because I do not want to leave anything behind...did you have any pick up tube assemblies yourself for sale that would go along with this raised false bottom?

 

[Jaybird]

Ok, great! Well I think I am leaning towards this raised false bottom setup...it just looks like the easiest IMHO as far as setup and clean up especially for a virgin ALL GRAIN brewer such as myself. I want to keep it as simple as possible for my first few AG batches.

I think I will want to piece together some type of pick up tube though because I do not want to leave anything behind...did you have any pick up tube assemblies yourself for sale that would go along with this raised false bottom?

you bet. I can put together anything you need. All I will need from you is a measurement from the top of the coupling to the bottom of the cooler and I can build it for you .
Cheers
Jay

 

[adx]

I'd let you know, but I haven't used mine yet. Hopefully soon!

 

[Jaybird]

Does anyone here currently have this setup? I am just curious because I have seen a bunch of manifolds and false bottoms but I have never seen one like this...but it looks like it will work pretty well. I am just debating whether I want to go with a regular false bottom and pick up tube OR go this route with the raised false bottom for ease of use. It seems like the raised one would be easier to assemble/take apart and clean but I am wondering how well it performs compared to the non-raised false bottoms.

I'd let you know, but I haven't used mine yet. Hopefully soon!

adx is one of the people that bought the stand off system for a cooler.
Bud you need to get to brewing
Jay

 

[adx]

adx is one of the people that bought the stand off system for a cooler.
Bud you need to get to brewing
Jay

It's my sister's fault. She was suppose to bring me a 10 gallon cooler at Christmas and forgot it. Now she needs to get her butt here with my cooler!

 

[Jaybird]

It's my sister's fault. She was suppose to bring me a 10 gallon cooler at Christmas and forgot it. Now she needs to get her butt here with my cooler!

I'm thinking she needs an A$$ woopin

 

[darkdog50]

Jay, here comes one from left-field. I have an old converted keg, that I used many years ago as an MLT, but it had a mickey-mouse screen that sat on top af a set of pins, about 2" above the bottom of the tank. I could never get the screen to seal right, and there was too much dead-space below the screen, in any event. I currently use another converted keg-tank, for both the MLT & BK, but for reasons I will go into in a separate thread, I need to add a separate BK to my setup. The BIG problem, is that the dip-tube inside the tank consists of an SS 1/2" nipple to the center of the tank, an elbow & a short 1/2" nipple to about 1/4" from the bottom. If possible, I would like to keep the dip-tube as-is ( i.e. non-removeable ). Soooo-- first question, when installing your FB, does it fold hinge-up, hinge-down, or no difference? Second, do you have any "scraps" from a larger ( than 15" model ) that could be used, as a "quarter-round" piece? The total assembly would then consist of a half-round part, with two hinges attached, a 15" dia. quarter-round piece attached to 1/2 of the half-round part, and a second 1/4 round piece with a 1/4-1/2" tab on one straight surface, so as to overlap the other 1/4 round part? That way I could insert the assembly in from the top of the keg, then wrap it around the 1/2" pipe, without removing the pipe ( no laughing, please ).

 

[Jaybird]

Jay, here comes one from left-field. I have an old converted keg, that I used many years ago as an MLT, but it had a mickey-mouse screen that sat on top af a set of pins, about 2" above the bottom of the tank. I could never get the screen to seal right, and there was too much dead-space below the screen, in any event. I currently use another converted keg-tank, for both the MLT & BK, but for reasons I will go into in a separate thread, I need to add a separate BK to my setup. The BIG problem, is that the dip-tube inside the tank consists of an SS 1/2" nipple to the center of the tank, an elbow & a short 1/2" nipple to about 1/4" from the bottom. If possible, I would like to keep the dip-tube as-is ( i.e. non-removeable ). Soooo-- first question, when installing your FB, does it fold hinge-up, hinge-down, or no difference? Second, do you have any "scraps" from a larger ( than 15" model ) that could be used, as a "quarter-round" piece? The total assembly would then consist of a half-round part, with two hinges attached, a 15" dia. quarter-round piece attached to 1/2 of the half-round part, and a second 1/4 round piece with a 1/4-1/2" tab on one straight surface, so as to overlap the other 1/4 round part? That way I could insert the assembly in from the top of the keg, then wrap it around the 1/2" pipe, without removing the pipe ( no laughing, please ).

YES!
Brother I built cheese molds from this stuff for a guy here on HBT, we can build your false bottom design, no problem
Call me tomorrow at the store 530 243 BEER. We can discuss your situation, and build a false bottom to fit your kettle.
Cheers
Jay

 

[darkdog50]

Jay, thanks for the update. I get the impression, from reading the posts on this thread, that most of your customers are putting your FB's into converted kegs. I measured my old keggle today, and found that the interior diameter is "almost" exactly 15". Is your "standard" FB exactly 15", or slightly smaller? When I look down the hole of my keg, I note several small dents, right at the weld-line. I'm afraid a true 15-incher will not fit snugly at the weld-line, and trub will squeeze through. BTW, my current combo MLT/BK has a domed ( 5/8" h ) screen, 11-1/2" diameter, with integral dip-tube ( 1/4" ), all SS. It just fits through the 11-1/2" circular cut-out in the top of the keg. The perfs in the screen are 3/16", on 1/8" centers. I have had it so long, I can't remember who fabbed it up for me, but it does a great job keeping the grain ( and flour ) out of the wort during vorlauf, and also keeps most of the spent pellet hops out of the wort during cool-down. I use an external counter-flow chiller, rather than an immersion chiller.
Do you assemble your FBs with SS pop-rivets? It occurs to me, that a simpler fab of a 3-piece FB, might be to simply shear one of the two half-circle pieces into quarters, then rivet a small rectangular piece to one of the quarters, to achieve the overlap (??).
D-Dog

 

[Islandboy85]

How thick are your FB, I found some online that average one to one point two millimeter thick.

 

[Jaybird]

Jay, thanks for the update. I get the impression, from reading the posts on this thread, that most of your customers are putting your FB's into converted kegs. I measured my old keggle today, and found that the interior diameter is "almost" exactly 15". Is your "standard" FB exactly 15", or slightly smaller? When I look down the hole of my keg, I note several small dents, right at the weld-line. I'm afraid a true 15-incher will not fit snugly at the weld-line, and trub will squeeze through. BTW, my current combo MLT/BK has a domed ( 5/8" h ) screen, 11-1/2" diameter, with integral dip-tube ( 1/4" ), all SS. It just fits through the 11-1/2" circular cut-out in the top of the keg. The perfs in the screen are 3/16", on 1/8" centers. I have had it so long, I can't remember who fabbed it up for me, but it does a great job keeping the grain ( and flour ) out of the wort during vorlauf, and also keeps most of the spent pellet hops out of the wort during cool-down. I use an external counter-flow chiller, rather than an immersion chiller.
Do you assemble your FBs with SS pop-rivets? It occurs to me, that a simpler fab of a 3-piece FB, might be to simply shear one of the two half-circle pieces into quarters, then rivet a small rectangular piece to one of the quarters, to achieve the overlap (??).
D-Dog

This is kind of what I was thinking. I weld everything together. So all I would have to do is weld a tab on one side of the FB then on one side of the 1/2 and your good to go. I get these cut @ 14 7/8 then during cleaning them up they end up @ 14 3/4 so they sit on the radius of the kettle.

How thick are your FB, I found some online that average one to one point two millimeter thick.

the ones I build are 16 ga. They are really beefy (is that a word?)

 

[Islandboy85]

Beefy would be an appropriate word.

 

[Islandboy85]

I have not done anything to my kegs yet. What would you recommend for the cut out size? Also, would you recommend a weldless kit or welded fittings to go along with your false bottom?

 

[Jaybird]

I have not done anything to my kegs yet. What would you recommend for the cut out size? Also, would you recommend a weldless kit or welded fittings to go along with your false bottom?

Cut opening about 10-12" that is really the norm. Weldless and welded both work killer. As far as dip tubes, I build to fit so really dosen't matter. I like the welded myself, but thats just me. There are several entire systems here on HBT that are weldless.
Jay

 

[Islandboy85]

Do you weld in a male or female fitting?

 

[Jaybird]

Do you weld in a male or female fitting?

When I make a kettle I weld in a full coupling (female on both sides)
Jay

 

[darkdog50]

Jay,

Thanks for the update. Three pieces, all welded! Let me count my mad-money, and I will PM you when I'm good to go. BTW. for IslandBoy's benefit, I did a quick conversion check, and found that your 16 Ga stock is equivalent to 1.5189 mm.

D-Dog

 

[Jaybird]

Jay,

Thanks for the update. Three pieces, all welded! Let me count my mad-money, and I will PM you when I'm good to go. BTW. for IslandBoy's benefit, I did a quick conversion check, and found that your 16 Ga stock is equivalent to 1.5189 mm.

D-Dog

Sweet bro it will be fun puting it together.
Keep me posted.
Jay

 

[Islandboy85]

Thanks Darkdog50. That is pretty impressive compared to some of the others I have seen! I need to start my build now. I have a friend who said he will plasma cut the two kegs and weld two fittings in for my valves for $50. Maybe I should add more fittings for thermometers and a sight glass...I'll have to check how much he would want to weld the extra fittings. Then...I will get a Jaybird false bottom.

 

[snowdaddy]

Looking for a 15" hinged with diptube hole. How do I go about ordering?

 

[Jaybird]

Looking for a 15" hinged with diptube hole. How do I go about ordering?

I just shot you a PM
Jay

 

[cyberbackpacker]

Jay,

What are the FB hole diameters (the perforated hole diameters), hole centers, hole pattern (staggered, straight), and % open area?

Thanks.

 

[Jaybird]

Jay,

What are the FB hole diameters (the perforated hole diameters), hole centers, hole pattern (staggered, straight), and % open area?

Thanks.

Hmmm. There the size and shape that works best for FB's Not really sure off hand. 5/32 hole size I will tell you that, and I build them out of 16 ga stainless.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

I have had several requests for stainless dip tubes. I am working w/ a company here locally on pricing....I have a few really KILLER designs that I am in the testing mode on right now for boil kettles and for those of you who whirlpool.
More to come.
Cheers
Jay

I realize it's only been about 10 days since you mentioned this, but I'm in the market for a SS dip tubes/FB combo for a boil kettle. Just curious what you were working on in that arena and what the timeline looked like.

 

[darkdog50]

Hmmm !

Cyberbackpacker raises an interesting point. As I mentioned in my 1/16/10 post, the hole pattern in my "all-purpose" domed FB is 3/16" dia. on 1/8" centers, more precisely, a "diamond" pattern, with the 1/8" dim. on the long axis of the diamond. Have any of you long-time equipment mavens done a comparative study, on the best pattern to use, for both optimum vorlauffing & sparging? I realize that that is a loaded question, as the rate of run-off materially affects ability of the screen to trap chaff, flour & pellet-hop residue, and avoid mash compaction. I currently use ball-valve metered run-off, with matched ( pump-rate) sparge. I will be soon converting to a dual-pump matched sparge/run-off.

D-Dog

 

[Jaybird]

I realize it's only been about 10 days since you mentioned this, but I'm in the market for a SS dip tubes/FB combo for a boil kettle. Just curious what you were working on in that arena and what the timeline looked like.

I am looking at about a week out for the material to get to my store. I will post up some picts when I get them in stock.
Cheers
Jay