My first DIY Mash Tun

[Kemah]

Just getting back into brewing after 8 years. Let me know what you think of this. I plan to record a lot of my brewing activities to post on here.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4ekQeTp-ns]DIY Mash Tun - YouTube[/ame]

 

[JoeyChopps]

I think that anti vacuum tube is a cool idea and ur mini hack saw is cute

 

[Kemah]

Thanks, I am trying to remember where I saw that but it seemed like a great idea and really easy to do. I will be trying this thing out on Friday, and it is my first go at all grain brewing.

 

[RumRiverBrewer]

Assuming you have a hose connected to the faucet on the outside, I think the vacuum tube is going to work against the siphon you're trying to create. True, it's going to allow air to flow given a stuck sparge, but the point is to get the fluid out, thus the slits on the bottom of the tubes. Let us know how it works out.

 

[Kemah]

I had thought about that and my solution was just a cap that I could slide on if needed, but isn't most of the process done by gravity not siphon?

 

[RumRiverBrewer]

Siphon, with the slits on the bottom will get the most fluid out as possible, which is the goal. The cap is a good idea. I too am looking forward to a Friday brew day :rockin:

 

[RumRiverBrewer]

Start with the cap on, hose on the faucet 1' minimum to get a good siphon and you should be good to go. Your manifold looks good.

 

[socalboomer]

Mine's not siphon, it's straight down flow. Siphon implies an "up-down" flow and you'd need to start the siphon. This empties out the bottom of the MLT down, I'm assuming, to the boil pot at a lower level - which is what I do.

True, it uses Archimedes' principles, but since there's no lifting of the liquid, it's not really a siphon. Siphon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -

the word siphon usually refers to a tube in an inverted U shape which causes a liquid to flow uphill, above the surface of the reservoir, without pumps, powered by the fall of the liquid as it flows down the tube under the pull of gravity, and is discharged at a level lower than the surface of the reservoir.

 

[RumRiverBrewer]

With a tube connected to the faucet, extending below the level of the cooler (really, the slits in the manifold) you have a siphon... With the slits on the BOTTOM of the manifold, the fluid must flow up and and into the inlet slits, and discharges BELOW that point. Try it out and decide for yourself - which is a better and FASTER flow: no tube or with a tube on the faucet? It'll be slower and much more aerated w/o the tube, which is what you don't want.

 

[brewser7]

Thanks, I am trying to remember where I saw that but it seemed like a great idea and really easy to do. I will be trying this thing out on Friday, and it is my first go at all grain brewing.

I'm going Lowes tomorrow to pick up the materials to build my mash tun. How did this work out for you? If you had to do it again, would you still do the vacuum tube?