Show us your sculpture or brew rig

[BrewerofBeer]

Cant upload via mobile???? Hmmm...

 

[edmanster]

I thought i'd whored my rig out in every thread possible, don't know how I missed this one.

_

jealous!!! i want to go electric and have my brew spot look like this..

 

[wncbrewer]

I almost have my wooden rig finished, 90% of it is made from lumber I had leftover from a recent home improvement project, eventually I plan on covering the outside with tongue and groove pine. The keggles are done except for sightglasses, which I will probably order today along with the march 809 and qd's. Could someone tell me what HERMS and RIMS stand for, ive deduced that they have something to do with recirculating the mash. And while your at it, I would also like to know what SWMBO stands for, again have deduced that it is a reference to the significant other, but cant figure out the ackronym

 

[grifter]

Descriptions & references, hope this helps mate:

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From www.urbandictionary.com

SWMBO:

Abbreviation for "She Who Must Be Obeyed"; used as shorthand for wife, girlfriend, etc. Usually pronounced "swim-bo".

The term originates from the H. Rider Haggard novel, "She" (first published 1886). The character Ayesha, known as She-who-must-be-obeyed, the Queen of Death, the White Goddess,of the lost city of Kôr who rules her kingdom with terror, She is the very image of the Femme Fatale. To disobey her or to scorn her is to earn & receive instantaneous death.

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From https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/RIMS#RIMS

Types and components of recirculating mash systems:

RIMS:

RIMS stands for Recirculation Infusion Mash System. This refers to a recirculating mash system in which the recirculated wort is passed over direct heat. The direct heat may be applied by an electric heating elment suspended in a tube after the pump. It may also be applied via direct heat under a metal mash tun (this would be called a direct fired RIMS to distinguish it from the previously mentioned version). In just about all RIMS systems, the pump operates constantly during the mash, and the heat (flame or electric) is cycled off and on to maintain the desired mash temperature. Common heating elements used in home-built RIMS systems are home hot water heater elements encased in a copper pipe with an inlet and outlet.

HERMS:

HERMS stands for Heat Exchanged Recirculating Mash System. In a HERMS system, the wort is passed through the heat exchanger, usually a copper manifold, that is suspended in hot liquid. Usually the hot liquor tank is used for convenience since water will be used for sparge afterwards. The most accurate and preferred method of mash temp control is inserting the temperature controller's sensor inline with the wort at the exit of the heat exchanger. The controller will then cycle HLT heating on and off to keep the wort returning to the mash tun at your setpoint.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Oh come on! You can't be plastering swmbo all over the place! It's a right of passage so to speak!

 

[Qeelin]

oh come on! You can't be plastering swmbo all over the place! It's a right of passage so to speak!

+1

 

[camiller]

Oh come on! You can't be plastering swmbo all over the place! It's a right of passage so to speak!

+1, com'on grifter, some things must be earned, edit SWMBO out of your post!

 

[wncbrewer]

How does one go about "earning" the right to an ackronym? Anyway, getting back to something relevant, as long as my pump is below the fluid level, do I need to do anything special to prime it? Seems to me like the valve on the outflow side would need to be cracked to bleed off any air in the system

 

[Qeelin]

Talk about !!

 

[dallasdb]

And while your at it, I would also like to know what SWMBO stands for, again have deduced that it is a reference to the significant other, but cant figure out the ackronym

Why didn't you just Google it?

 

[dallasdb]

Here's my homemade sparge setup. Just an old pie plate that I drilled holes in.

I really like this idea!!!

 

[wncbrewer]

Google search for rims turned up only rims, as in what tires are mounted on, and I figured swmbo was some inside code exclusive to this forum. Sorry for ruffling feathers, was just trying to sort out the jargon. I'll post pics of my rig as soon as it is a little more complete

 

[gobuchul74]

Here's my RIMS setup. Does the job nicely.

 

[Qeelin]

I really like this idea!!!

Cool, thanks. I just didn't want to spend the money right now for a sparge arm.

 

[wncbrewer]

Still have some work to do but getting close, I've done everything myself except for the counterflow which I inherited from an area brewer who upgraded to a plate chiller. Wood wasn't my first choice, but I don't have access to a welder and refuse to pay someone. The sightglasses, pump, qds, and other burner are on the way, other than that, all I have to finish up is the whirlpool and diptube in the boil kettle. Also need to finish hard plumbing for the hlt fill pipe and cfc. I know its a little bit hillbilly looking, but its a huge step up for me. Questions and criticisms are welcome...wnc

 

[Runtgun]

I've been a long time lurker of this forum and I finally registered with HBT. After seeing others build functional and often beautiful brewstands, I decided to take the plunge. I've never welded before, so I watched a few youtube videos and took some advice from older HBT posts. I picked up a mig welder and some stainless tubing. My plan is to control the morebeer low pressure propane burners with auber PID's and honeywell intermittent pilots. For now, I'll do the pumping manually (meaning with pumps, but without electric valves).

I'll post some more pics once I've ground out the welds and mounted the burners.

Thanks to all of you who went before and posted pictures of your rigs - I've taken ideas from lots of people.

 

[ILOVEBEER]

It has been months since I started. I added a bunch of things, since the original wet test drive reared several design flaw monsters I went back and welded steel tops and reinforced burner cages/supports. I added a water filter that I had laying around. I am ready to brew. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks to all that have helped me with this project.
Front View
Lid additions to all keggles. MLT loc line for sparge arm through top for heat retention while mashing
New top plates with heat shield to protect heat exchanger wires. The wires are wrapped in silicone hose in the tube
new sparge arm I made to replace original design
Control panel. QD for temp sensor on left side
40 plate heat exchanger. O2 setup with SS QD for easy removal of unit from heat exchanger

New mash paddle I made out of maple
Top view of burner plates. Below the 10" I had to make some reinforcements out of 1/2" x 2 flat stock. On my first test runm the flame was lapping up the keg. I added the 1/8" steel plates with 10" circles plasma cut out of them and fired it up...the steel was melting and I about cried. I added the supports between the original burner cage and the 1/8" steel and welded them up...fired it up and no more melting.

Two 6' sections of silicone 1/2" hose eah with a female SS QD are all I require for fluid transfer. Everything is SS or copper...no brass anywhere except for the two flared end caps. It took me a few months of seperate purchases but I managed to get rid of all brass.

This thing should give me years of trouble free service.

HOLY CRAP....cant believe this post is still going. Took a hiatus, but ready to brew magic gold again....nice rigs everyone has made since Ive been gone

 

[wncbrewer]

I've been a long time lurker of this forum and I finally registered with HBT. After seeing others build functional and often beautiful brewstands, I decided to take the plunge. I've never welded before, so I watched a few youtube videos and took some advice from older HBT posts. I picked up a mig welder and some stainless tubing. My plan is to control the morebeer low pressure propane burners with auber PID's and honeywell intermittent pilots. For now, I'll do the pumping manually (meaning with pumps, but without electric valves).

I'll post some more pics once I've ground out the welds and mounted the burners.

Thanks to all of you who went before and posted pictures of your rigs - I've taken ideas from lots of people.

Very well done, especially for a first time welding project. My first welds looked like bird s**t, and still aren't great.

 

[Hex]

Runtgun, Great start, welcome to HBT! I wish the rest of you lurkers would just man up and jump in, the more the merrier!

 

[toolboxdiver]

Here is my Space saver gravity system so far still have to build the bottom burner that will stack on this part to be storred away in a 16" X 36" area of the floor. Thanks to all the people on this great forum who gave me the ideas for this.

 

[Blane]

After nine months of messing around I finally got to the point where I could do some sea trials with no loss of life or property. My inspiration was based largely on this thread:

My new brew system, a brutus 10 with some nice modifications

Instead of gas, I went the electric route where I'm using a CFC as an external pseudo HERMS heat exchanger:

 

[ronstar55]

Just added the plate chiller. I think its finally finished.

 

[Rondacker]

After nine months of messing around I finally got to the point where I could do some sea trials ...

Kind of like having a baby?

... I'm using a CFC as an external pseudo HERMS heat exchanger:

That's a great idea!

Do you run the wort pump to heat the HERMS with one of the Love switches?

Nice work on the panel also!

 

[Rondacker]

Just added the plate chiller. I think its finally finished.

Where did you get the shelving?

 

[Blane]

Kind of like having a baby?



That's a great idea!

Do you run the wort pump to heat the HERMS with one of the Love switches?

Nice work on the panel also!

Your right. It is kind of like having a baby. After that much time, you just want to get it over with.

The water pump on the left looking at the front of the rig continually circulates the HLT through the annulas of the CFC. One PID controls the heating element for the HLT the other PID controls the wort pump on the right for the mash tun which flows through the inner tubing of the CFC. Worked pretty well. It brought 5 gal of 71* water in the MLT to 150* in less than 30 minutes with the HLT set at 170*.

 

[Rondacker]

The water pump on the left looking at the front of the rig continually circulates the HLT through the annulas of the CFC. One PID controls the heating element for the HLT the other PID controls the wort pump on the right for the mash tun which flows through the inner tubing of the CFC. Worked pretty well. It brought 5 gal of 71* water in the MLT to 150* in less than 30 minutes with the HLT set at 170*.

How do you use the chiller to cool wort?

 

[Blane]

How do you use the chiller to cool wort?

One of two ways. Fill the HLT with mostly ice and a little water and recirculated through the counter flow chiller as before. Or disconnect the HLT altogether and hook it up to the garden hose. I'll try both ways to see which works the best. My guess is the garden hose route.

 

[camiller]

Just added the plate chiller. I think its finally finished.

The mythological "finished brew rig"

So what's your next enhancement going to be?

 

[FireBrew63]

My "ghetto fabulous" brew rig made from old metal bed frames and self drill screws. Very sturdy. Practiced welding on the joints since the build and it is now even more sturdy. Cost of frame...about $30.

 

[TripleHopped]

My "ghetto fabulous" brew rig made from old metal bed frames and self drill screws. Very sturdy. Practiced welding on the joints since the build and it is now even more sturdy. Cost of frame...about $30.

I like the Cafe Du Monde pump holder.