Mash tun construction

[D-brewmeister]

I just bought a length of stainless steel braided faucet supply hose, which I intend to become the screen in the bottom of my 10 gal mash tun. Just one question: how do I get the fittings of the end of the hose without fraying the braid too much?

 

[snaproll]

I just bought a length of stainless steel braided faucet supply hose, which I intend to become the screen in the bottom of my 10 gal mash tun. Just one question: how do I get the fittings of the end of the hose without fraying the braid too much?

In the past I have had occsaion to cut braided steel hose and I have found that tapiing it with tape of some kind and then using a cutoff wheel and a
die-grinder works pretty good.

 

[D-brewmeister]

Thanks for the advice. Would probably work well, if I had the tools. Oh well.

 

[Tom]

I've also heard that a good hatchet will work!

 

[cletusp]

cut co kitchen scissors, they will cut anything cleanly

 

[wilserbrewer]

Once the briad is free of the inner tubing, it can easily be trimmed w/ scissors. To cut the ends of the braid, I have found a pair of tree trimming lopping shearsmake easy work. Hatchet, hacksaw, dremmel, a giinsu knife, perhabps even a box cutter, they dont cut that hard, easy clean up w/ scissors.

 

[pericles]

I used a hack-saw. It doesn't fray the wires more than a little bit and, since you're going to wrap one end around the out-port and crimp the other, that little bit isn't a problem.

 

[BrewThruYou]

I used a hack saw on my first braid. It frayed the end a lot and took a while. On my second braid, I borrowed a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade. It took care of each side in about 3 seconds and had much less fraying. There was still some fraying, but nothing like the hacksaw.

 

[Brewfat]

Tin snips worked well for me

 

[WhiskeySix]

Tin snips worked well for me

I tried tin snips. Barely dented it. Lots of the "stainless" braided washer hoses are actually silver colored vinyl. Real stainless steel braid is pretty tough to cut. Hacksaw, cut off wheel, sawzall yes. Scissors, box cutters no. A box cutter? Really? For real stainless STEEL?

 

[DirtyJersey]

I used a hacksaw as well. It took a good deal of time to cut through the braid and tube. I suppose my blade could have been dull/old, but it was harder than I thought it would be. Whatever frayed ends were left over, I snipped with regular scissors. I then took a pair of plyers and folded the end into itself, so I was left with a rounded edge.

I believe there are a few good videos on YouTube on this topic too. Give it a search!

 

[Brewfat]

I tried tin snips. Barely dented it. Lots of the "stainless" braided washer hoses are actually silver colored vinyl. Real stainless steel braid is pretty tough to cut. Hacksaw, cut off wheel, sawzall yes. Scissors, box cutters no. A box cutter? Really? For real stainless STEEL?

My braid is stainless. You need better snips.

 

[PVH]

If you haven't yet, consider making the SS braid crush proof like this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/mlt-cooler-conversion-crushproof-braid-122433/

I recently used my MLT for the first time after employing this method and it was fantastic.

 

[Northcalais40]

12" shears (for metal), as easy as snipping the threads off after sewing on a button

 

[wilserbrewer]

I tried tin snips. Barely dented it. Lots of the "stainless" braided washer hoses are actually silver colored vinyl. Real stainless steel braid is pretty tough to cut. Hacksaw, cut off wheel, sawzall yes. Scissors, box cutters no. A box cutter? Really? For real stainless STEEL?

OK, I just walked out to the garage and cut a real stainless steel washing machine braid w/ a cheap chinese plastic razor knife box cutter http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/phrase/2389/box-cutter.html w/out much fraying, yes it took a couple of minutes with fair effort, and yes scissors will easily trim the frayed ends.

 

[WhiskeySix]

OK, I just walked out to the garage and cut a real stainless steel washing machine braid w/ a cheap chinese plastic razor knife box cutter http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/phrase/2389/box-cutter.html w/out much fraying, yes it took a couple of minutes with fair effort, and yes scissors will easily trim the frayed ends.

Well now I have to try it. I've always used a cut off wheel on stainless braided oil lines. I have a hose waiting to be cut.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Whiskey, While the razor knife cut the braid, I must admit it wasn't easy, had to work the blade pretty good...there are better options, I did it out of curiousity.

 

[WhiskeySix]

I tried a razor knife. It was hard but it did cut. I didn't cut all the way through. Just enough to get through the braid then I used an old chisel. hammered right through. It made a nice, clean cut. I tried it without cutting the braid first with the razor knife and it didn't work. Once I scored through the braid with the razor knife the chisel worked great. This was not a nice sharp chisel. Not rounded but I wouldn't use it on wood.

My 10 gallon Rubbermaid mash tun is now complete. 1st all grain next Saturday!