Small BIAB Winch

[wobdee]

Anyone have any ideas or links for a small electric winch you can install on a ceiling joist to haul up a basket or bag? Thanks

 

[geoffm33]

While not electric, am using this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CY100I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[david_42]

Electric winches are way overpowered and expensive for home brewing, I don't think I've ever seen one under a ton. They are almost exclusively 12 volt, which means having a battery and charger. I've used a light-weight block and tackle. Another option would be a hand-cranked strap or cable winch. They much less costly.

 

[z-bob]

I don't think the winch is the problem. What we need is a good portable sky-hook.

If you have a ceiling joist, how about just a single pulley?

 

[LLBeanJ]

This is probably about as small as you're going to find...

http://www.harborfreight.com/440-lb-electric-hoist-with-remote-control-60346-9096.html

 

[flars]

Light, hand crank, trailer winches are less than $25. Will have ratchet for anti reverse and holding in any position.

 

[soccerdad]

I have a wench that does all my heavy lifting

 

[wobdee]

Yeah, I may have to just go the pulley route something like Geoff's. How does that locking mechanism work for ya Geoff?

 

[geoffm33]

Works well, here is a video that shows it in use

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZcfJgkrZoA[/ame]

 

[wobdee]

Going with the Amazon pulley, thanks Geoff.

 

[geoffm33]

Excellent!

I just wish I had bought it along with my wilserbrewer bag way back when. Definitely tired of pulling the grain bag by hand.

 

[wobdee]

Yeah I think I may hook it up to my basket, pull it up and let it drain free without squeezing and see what happens. Or I may incorporate a pour over sparge with some tap water.

I usually pull the basket by hand then slide a grill grate under on top of the kettle and set the basket down to drain. I think a pulley system may be less hassle.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I had rigged up a pulley system. 2x4 with an eye hook in the middle, placed across the top step and adjoining brace of an 8 foot step ladder. The problem is I need 3 hands to
hoist and hold the bag while I tie it off after lifting.


Now I just muscle the bag out of the kettle, hold it as long as I can to drain, and drop it into a 5 gallon perforated homer bucked nestled into a 7.5 gallon fermenter. 15 minutes of gravity drainage and a 7.5 gallon dough in yeilds 7 gallons of preboil wort. A pair of vinyl gloves protects my hands from heat as I adjust the bag to get it into the bucket. My biggest grain bill this way was 27 LBS. for a 10 gallon batch. I have also considered using strap ratchets and letting it drain directly into the kettle, just not sure how to ensure the grains all drain into the kettle (the full grain bag assumes a natural shape similar to a hammer head)

 

[wobdee]

Received my little hoist from Amazon, looks like this will be the ticket.