Need Help/Advice Assembling My Top Tier Stand

[amrmedic]

Ok, I have it configured the way I want. I am building my manifold. In the video they say not to use teflon tape on the brass piece that attaches to the black iron tee, but in the video they have applied tape to it. I am confused.

Also, are the black iron pieces hand tightened only?

Also, on the needle valve, I can not tighten it completely as it binds up the air damper. Is this ok?

On a different note, I found it well built, but I had to retap some of the threads as they were messed up on the T-slot pieces.

Also, the cooler stand didnt come with instructions, but I figured it out after a few trial and errors.

 

[ehedge20]

Well if you posted the link to the video or even to the manufactures web site so we know what product your actually talking about, maybe then someone might be able to provide you with an answer.... Just a thought.

 

[amrmedic]

Well you may want to re read the title of this post. That should answer your question. Its called Top Tier and most everyone knows who makes it. So the people who read the title and understand it are the ones who can help me.

 

[audger]

everyone knows who makes it

apparently not. il guess that this is what hes talking about
http://www.homebrewers.com/product/TTSTAND/TopTier-Modular-Brewing-Stand.html

but as the OP, its nice when you dont make people trying to answer your questions guess at what your talking about. one link would have eliminated confusion.


i dont know exactly how these are assembled or what specific parts you are talking about, but any NPT pipe connection that needs to be sealed needs teflon tape. NPT threads are not designed to seal by thread interference alone. i hope they arent using black pipe on any parts that touch beer/wort, as black pipe rusts almost instantly.

 

[amrmedic]

As I said, I really needed the advice of someone who owns/assembled one of these. That's why I didn't attach a link or video. Someone who reads this and owns one will know what I am talking about. It was written in haste as I was in mid build. I appreciate you guys stopping by and trying to help.

It is the Blichmann Top Tier brew sculpture/stand. The black iron pipe is used as a LP gas manifold. Blichmann included some written assembly instructions and there is a YouTube video from them on assembling it. But these are brief.

I always get nervous when assembling anything doing with the gas and could possibly blow up.

Thanks

 

[samc]

1. What about Blichmann support? (my own experience with another product tells me they don't offer much)

2. Black pipe needs to be wrenched tight, not hand tight. Teflon tape for gas is ok as it is thicker, but Rectoseal for gas or similar works better IMO. As to the brass, you would not tape a flared end, only the end that connects to the black pipe or use pipe dope.

3. Is your air shutter provided with a spring? Usually if you tighten the valve or orifice down without a spring the damper will not move. On some burners they have screws in the burner end to tighten the damper and no spring.

I don't have a Top Tier, you don't need to have one to know what you are talking about, being nice to other posters would be cool as well.

 

[amrmedic]

I am a very nice person. And it is easier for someone who has built one to be able to give advice. On the burner they have a spring and the needle valve screws onto the nozzle which in turn screws onto the burner with a spring. But if you tighten the nozzle/valve combo, the air damper will not move.

Blichmann support is a joke. They seem bothered by you asking them questions. The instruction manual supplied with the system/burners/cooler plate do not cover everything. There were no instructions included with the burners to assemble them. You have to go and watch a brief youtube video which barely covers it. Some parts have no instructions.

The Top Tier is built solid and is really nice. However Blichmann has no interest in supporting its products. They like your money, but do not want to hear from you.

Thanks again.

Sorry if I was a little snippy earlier. I was at work and I was frustrated with Blichmann and the lack of support.

 

[RiverCityBrewer]

On the gas manifold, use gas rated (usually yellow) teflon tape or gas rated paste (sometimes called pipe dope) and crank it tight with a wrench. For the needle valves, turn the orifice tight into the flare of the needle valve (no tape needed), then put the spring in place and screw the whole assembly into the burner. Turn it in until the spring is compressed enough to hold the damper in place and your needle valve input is facing the direction needed to connect the gas supply line. It does not need to be tight into the burner to work correctly, but you should have to spin it in a few turns to correctly compress the damper spring. I didn't use tape at the orifice/burner connection, but I suppose you could if it bothers you.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Joe

 

[Mojoe4]

You need to put tape on the brass pieces where they connect to the iron pipe.
As Rivercity said tighten the iron pipe parts with a wrench.
You want to make sure you don't have any leaks.

I used a spray bottle with soapy water to make sure I didn't have any gas leaks.

 

[Catt22]

On the gas manifold, use gas rated (usually yellow) teflon tape or gas rated paste (sometimes called pipe dope) and crank it tight with a wrench. For the needle valves, turn the orifice tight into the flare of the needle valve (no tape needed), then put the spring in place and screw the whole assembly into the burner. Turn it in until the spring is compressed enough to hold the damper in place and your needle valve input is facing the direction needed to connect the gas supply line. It does not need to be tight into the burner to work correctly, but you should have to spin it in a few turns to correctly compress the damper spring. I didn't use tape at the orifice/burner connection, but I suppose you could if it bothers you.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Joe

You have a lot of nerve answering the OP's question directly, concisely and in detail, but you failed to beat the guy down at all. Not very impressive IMO. I know you can do better. BTW, got any good beer on tap?

 

[RiverCityBrewer]

You have a lot of nerve answering the OP's question directly, concisely and in detail, but you failed to beat the guy down at all. Not very impressive IMO. I know you can do better. BTW, got any good beer on tap?

I know, I'm a jerk... I've always got good beer on tap, stop by sometime.

 

[yellowthere]

being nice to other posters would be cool as well.

I don't know some of these guys are being rather penisy right out of the gate. Ehedge20 started out attacking him because he couldn't be bothered to read the thread title. Google is very, very easy to use. Help the guy or don't.

I didn't realize that blichmann was so bad with customer support, that makes me seriously hesitate buying a stand from them now.

 

[flyfishnc]

I have the TopTier as well and when I emailed Blichmann, I received a prompt and very helpful response... When my initial regulator was bad, they sent me another one right away. I would say there support is great as they have answered a few questions (over multiple emails) about my stand's setup and even gave me a few pointers.

Granted, the youTube video or manual doesn't step you through every screw turn or leg assembly but you should be able to put it together correctly after viewing the video or reading the manual. What other parts are you having troubles putting together? Are you sure your manual was complete? Mine had instructions on the burner assembly.

The stand is very solid and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a brew 'tree' setup.

 

[Mojoe4]

I have emailed Blichmann as well and he replied very fast. He was very helpful even when he found out I bought the kettle second hand on ebay.

 

[urbanathletics]

Blichmann support rocks. I have emailed them several times and they always get back to me within the day, anyone who says otherwise probably hasn't dealt with them before.

Love the Top Tier system. The system is pretty cheap for what you get. Brewed over 60 batches on it and am glad I bought it everytime. If you haven't tried using it don't hate on it, its a sweet system. The burners are super quiet and much more powerfull than bango or any other turkey burners.

Shoot me any questions, I would be happy to help out.

 

[samc]

Blichmann support rocks. I have emailed them several times and they always get back to me within the day, anyone who says otherwise probably hasn't dealt with them before.

That makes zero/zip/no sense.

 

[urbanathletics]

I will type slower...

Lots of misinformation in these threads from people who have no experience with whatever the posted issue is, but still want to put their two cents in. The only bad mouthing of Blichmann support seems to come from those who haven't actually dealt with Blichmann Engineering (you?).

Although, if you have had a bad experience chime in, the more accurate info the better.