Marc77
Well-Known Member
First off...this is long, I'm sorry but I'm trying to lay this all out there so people don't have to ask for details. If needed I can update the post. So! here's what I've got swirling around in my head. I want to build a fermentation chamber and put that on casters. But then put some shelves and a top on it to use as my brew top for when I move to an all electric build.
Casters on 4x4's by 6 or 8 feet (because I have a few laying around for a trellis that never got build) which 2x4's spanning across for structure. A 1/2" plywood piece across the bottom, then 2" rigid insulation. 2x4's up the sides, doors, hinges...the normal fermentation build.
Here's where it gets to where I have questions. So I've got the rigid insulation and then the top 1/2" top. I'm going to try and make this look somewhat nice but I was thinking about putting a few shelves on top of this to store hoses, camlocks, scales, etc. Basically all the brewing stuff that I have to searching for every brew day because my wife "had to find a spot for it". After the shelves comes the top that I want to put my HLT, MLT and BK on. Eventually I'll be moving to electric so that will be fine to have it sitting on the top.
I was thinking my chugger pumps in the middle but have been debating putting them off to the side and doing a tippy dump somehow in the middle. I guess I could put the MLT on the left or right side though. For the shelves I was thinking two rows of a 2 x 10 board turned upright. Then doing 4"'ish shelves. But in the middle leaving it open for the chugger pumps. So left two shelves, one big open spot in the middle and then right side two shelves or some combination depending on where the MLT ends up. Two computer fans going in the back where the chugger pumps are to have air circulation.
Here's where my problem is and where I'd like suggestions although I'd like suggestions on the overall design too. I'd like to have lift hinges like there are on coffee tables where the entire top of the fermentation chamber foam and all comes up and then I can run a hose from the plate chiller into my carboys and fill them up. No leaning over to pull the carboys out, fill them up and then putting them back in. I'll be doing 10 gallon batches so this adds a lot of weight to it which is why I'm thinking with all that weight (12 gallons of wort plus all the equipment weight) that I can't do lift hinges. Maybe a board that I can pull the chugger pumps out to have access to the fermentation chamber and then just run a hose down to the carboys?
I'm also thinking about dividing the fermentation chamber into two sides and having a spot for lagering if I want or if I decide to do two batches I can have different temps.
THERE! I've had the thought dump...suggestions, recommendations, scrap the project, sounds good, enhancements? Put them on me!
Casters on 4x4's by 6 or 8 feet (because I have a few laying around for a trellis that never got build) which 2x4's spanning across for structure. A 1/2" plywood piece across the bottom, then 2" rigid insulation. 2x4's up the sides, doors, hinges...the normal fermentation build.
Here's where it gets to where I have questions. So I've got the rigid insulation and then the top 1/2" top. I'm going to try and make this look somewhat nice but I was thinking about putting a few shelves on top of this to store hoses, camlocks, scales, etc. Basically all the brewing stuff that I have to searching for every brew day because my wife "had to find a spot for it". After the shelves comes the top that I want to put my HLT, MLT and BK on. Eventually I'll be moving to electric so that will be fine to have it sitting on the top.
I was thinking my chugger pumps in the middle but have been debating putting them off to the side and doing a tippy dump somehow in the middle. I guess I could put the MLT on the left or right side though. For the shelves I was thinking two rows of a 2 x 10 board turned upright. Then doing 4"'ish shelves. But in the middle leaving it open for the chugger pumps. So left two shelves, one big open spot in the middle and then right side two shelves or some combination depending on where the MLT ends up. Two computer fans going in the back where the chugger pumps are to have air circulation.
Here's where my problem is and where I'd like suggestions although I'd like suggestions on the overall design too. I'd like to have lift hinges like there are on coffee tables where the entire top of the fermentation chamber foam and all comes up and then I can run a hose from the plate chiller into my carboys and fill them up. No leaning over to pull the carboys out, fill them up and then putting them back in. I'll be doing 10 gallon batches so this adds a lot of weight to it which is why I'm thinking with all that weight (12 gallons of wort plus all the equipment weight) that I can't do lift hinges. Maybe a board that I can pull the chugger pumps out to have access to the fermentation chamber and then just run a hose down to the carboys?
I'm also thinking about dividing the fermentation chamber into two sides and having a spot for lagering if I want or if I decide to do two batches I can have different temps.
THERE! I've had the thought dump...suggestions, recommendations, scrap the project, sounds good, enhancements? Put them on me!
