The full Monti

[GreenMonti]

Beautiful welding, wish I could come close to that quality. What are the plans for the seal weld where the tube meets the inside of the bottom.

Thank you for the kind words Kladue. I will purge the welds of course but, I plan to weld the inlet to the bottom before it gets welded to the kettle. This way I can weld the inside 100% without any question. I do plan on welding the outside as much as I can. On the very bottom it gets real tight up near the skirt weld. I am going to hang the tungsten out real far to get up as close as I can. We'll see how I do.......

 

[GreenMonti]

A little more progress today. I got a couple more pieces ready to be welded up.

First I got the hole cut into the T section for my pressure gauge mount.

My weapon of choice for this job.

I also prepped the end for the half coupling to be welded on. At first I was going to weld on a Swage Lock fitting but then......I wondered what I would do if I should ever need to replace something. SS is famous for seizing up, and since it will be in direct contact with my steam, I opted for something more removal friendly.
The coupling I cut in half and reduced the OD to match my tubing.

And just for kicks I thought I would show you my welder. I have mentioned in other threads that I have an old dinosaur for a machine. Well here it is in all its 1979 glory. No real options here. Just HF. Even on the inside it is just a bunch or resistors and contact blocks. Not one single circuit board. So just remember all you DIY weldors out there.....its not the machine that makes the weldor. Prost everyone.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

GM... You've got MAD skills. Most the time I have no idea what you are building, but it all looks like art to me.

 

[GreenMonti]

GM... You've got MAD skills. Most the time I have no idea what you are building, but it all looks like art to me.

Ha,Ha.
Well my friend, stay tuned cause this is my build thread. By the end of this I will have my new system. It may not work, but I'm excited to be building it. LOL.


Just joking. I gotta tell you, I followed your electric thread for the first few pages and I was totally lost. Its funny how different folks work in different mediums. Some work in oil....I work in pencil. I can fix what I screw up by welding it back together and cutting it again.

Did you do a build thread?? or just question threads?? I would like to see your setup. You've brewed on it, yes?

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Ha,Ha.
Well my friend, stay tuned cause this is my build thread. By the end of this I will have my new system. It may not work, but I'm excited to be building it. LOL.


Just joking. I gotta tell you, I followed your electric thread for the first few pages and I was totally lost. Its funny how different folks work in different mediums. Some work in oil....I work in pencil. I can fix what I screw up by welding it back together and cutting it again.

Did you do a build thread?? or just question threads?? I would like to see your setup. You've brewed on it, yes?

I have been brewing on it since February. But it is still very temporary. Most of the components are pretty much finished, I'm just fine tuning as I kind of "package" it. The vessels are still sitting on scaffolding and the electrics/control panel are on a piece of plywood.

I can hardly wait to watch your build progress. Do you have a completion target date in mind?

 

[GreenMonti]

I have been brewing on it since February. But it is still very temporary. Most of the components are pretty much finished, I'm just fine tuning as I kind of "package" it. The vessels are still sitting on scaffolding and the electrics/control panel are on a piece of plywood.

I can hardly wait to watch your build progress. Do you have a completion target date in mind?

Sounds a bit like my current setup. My MLT sits on my table saw, while my flash boiler is on the ground with about 5-6 feet of steam line into the MLT. My keggle is on a slightly moded turkey burner, my LG pump is clamped to my step ladder........Argh. It makes beer though. I can't wait for this to be done. I want a system again real bad. I miss my 3 tier, so simple.

Ha,Ha.....Heck no. That would mean I would have to plan, and budget this thing. I unfortunately have never done that in my life and I'm not gonna start now.LOL.

 

[cascadia]

GM, how far will your flash boiler be located from the mlt and boil kettle? You are working with 5-6' now. I assume you lose some heat as the steam travels that distance but one could tune the system to take that into account. Could it be further, 10'? Just have me thinking about a remotely located flash boiler outside the brewery.....

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Ha,Ha.....Heck no. That would mean I would have to plan, and budget this thing. I unfortunately have never done that in my life and I'm not gonna start now.LOL.

I hear ya... IMO, nothing will ruin a hobby faster than a budget and a schedule.

 

[ILOVEBEER]

Very nice welding skills.

 

[Merg]

Monti, I'm welding with a Miller Dialarc 250 (stick welder) from the early '80s (I think, I don't even remember), so I'm right there with ya. I actually had to fabricate a few parts for it, since they don't make them anymore.
My skills aren't anywhere close to yours, though. Keep up the good work, I'll be watching this as I'm quite intrigued by the idea of steam setups.

 

[GreenMonti]

GM, how far will your flash boiler be located from the mlt and boil kettle? You are working with 5-6' now. I assume you lose some heat as the steam travels that distance but one could tune the system to take that into account. Could it be further, 10'? Just have me thinking about a remotely located flash boiler outside the brewery.....

Yes, I am currently running 5-6' of steam line now. Though I am pushing a small amount of steam that distance. I would bet I'd be pushing my luck for boiling that far away. Just because of what you said. I would loose a bit to the steam line. Since I am not going full out with treated water to generate the steam with. I am not seeing the full potential of steam right now. I should see more power out of my steam if I was to de-aerate it. Steam can get pretty deep. I'm not doing any of that cause this is a simple home brew rig. I am also doing short run times and not very frequent runs of steam.

I'm setting my FB up just beyond a foot from the kettle and my MLT will be on the other side of the kettle. Though I don't plan on running the steam line all the way to the MLT. I am going to run it to the MLT recirculation line. My steam line for the MLT will do double duty, it will carry strike water, then I will make steam for the mash temps, then the same line will carry my sparge water.

I had several thoughts about placing my boiler remotely. This would solve a lot of problems with venting the propane. Then I thought about the steam vapors from my kettle and the MLT. I have to vent them anyway. I figure a hood over the brewing rig will take care of both needs. Just like a gas range in a kitchen.

 

[GreenMonti]

I hear ya... IMO, nothing will ruin a hobby faster than a budget and a schedule.

With my salery and my other hobby of reef aquariums......this hobby is a bad addition. Though I have been HBing longer then I have had a reef tank. So I can't just drop the brewing.

Very nice welding skills.

Thank you.

Monti, I'm welding with a Miller Dialarc 250 (stick welder) from the early '80s (I think, I don't even remember), so I'm right there with ya. I actually had to fabricate a few parts for it, since they don't make them anymore.
My skills aren't anywhere close to yours, though. Keep up the good work, I'll be watching this as I'm quite intrigued by the idea of steam setups.

What parts?

I have had a few issues with mine lately. A little tinkering and I have managed to keep it running. I am still in need of a resistor or two as my starting on the low amperage is getting really bad. If I am not maxed out on the low setting it wont start. I have to floor it and get it going and then I back off on the heat. After it starts it will run nice a steady with the smallest of arcs.

Not to be a cocky pric# but. My welder is the 310. I can get it down cold enough to weld razor blades together. I have to start the arc on the bench and then move onto the razors. These blades measure .010". As you can see I welded the cutting edges together, no filler. Just a fusion. I have to start on the table cause the HF is enough to eat the material away.

 

[ScottyBones]

awesome work Monti.
fabulous fabbing :rockin:

 

[bendavanza]

That's sick, man.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

GM - That's cool and all, but how do you shave with those blades?

Just kiddin... That is really amazing, I love to see stuff like this.

 

[kladue]

You could put a reducer on the top of the boiler and vent it outdoors or away from the brewing equipment in 4" gas vent pipe.

 

[GreenMonti]

I got it welded up. Now I must turn my attention to getting the bottom finished up by placing a drain fitting and welding in the new manifold.

Here is another shot of the concept.

This is how I will weld in the manifold to the bottom.

Here is how the T section finished up.

 

[Merg]

What parts?

I have had a few issues with mine lately. A little tinkering and I have managed to keep it running. I am still in need of a resistor or two as my starting on the low amperage is getting really bad. If I am not maxed out on the low setting it wont start. I have to floor it and get it going and then I back off on the heat. After it starts it will run nice a steady with the smallest of arcs.

Not to be a cocky pric# but. My welder is the 310. I can get it down cold enough to weld razor blades together. I have to start the arc on the bench and then move onto the razors. These blades measure .010". As you can see I welded the cutting edges together, no filler. Just a fusion. I have to start on the table cause the HF is enough to eat the material away.

Just a few interior connectors that had melted due to a fused lead, nothing major.
Yours is also a TIG, while mine's just a plain ol' arc welder It would probably turn those razors into a puddle (especially considering my welding skills). But it works well enough for my purposes - at least until I have enough money to throw at a MIG or TIG.

 

[klyph]

Wait is this a kettle or a mash tun?

 

[ClaudiusB]

I love your work

You should use your vacation time to tour the country and visit all the home brewers in need.
I got some sh*** work done in this town.

Keep up the great work.
ClaudiusB

 

[RegionalChaos]

Wait is this a kettle or a mash tun?

In his first post he states that he is starting with his kettle.

 

[klyph]

Seems like heating the base of the kettle to 212 degrees will take a LONG time to get 10 gallons boiling. Or am I missing something?

 

[MacBruver]

I'm kinda confused about that too. Steam jacketed kettles surround the entire kettle with steam for more heat transfer. Is this only going to be at the bottom or up the sides as well?

 

[pickles]

I thought I read early on in this thread that he was using this as a test and later jacket the whole thing. Or maybe I missed something too.

 

[BlueCollarBrewer]

Seems like heating the base of the kettle to 212 degrees will take a LONG time to get 10 gallons boiling. Or am I missing something?

Check this thread for his test kettle.

 

[GreenMonti]

Check this thread for his test kettle.

You beat me to it.

 

[GreenMonti]

Seems like heating the base of the kettle to 212 degrees will take a LONG time to get 10 gallons boiling. Or am I missing something?

I can't boil using 212 degree steam in this manner. There must be some sort of a temp difference. My keggle will be under about 6 PSI so my steam will condense at about 230 degrees. I was able to boil with steam at 0 PSI using direct injection (that one never hit the boards) but I had to superheat the steam to achieve the boil. But for every upside there is a down side. My volume increased during the boil. Not so good for us.

I'm kinda confused about that too. Steam jacketed kettles surround the entire kettle with steam for more heat transfer. Is this only going to be at the bottom or up the sides as well?

Mine, only at the bottom. The amount of liquid that I intend to boil this works just fine. I am and have been very happy doing 5 gallon batches, I do the occasional 10 gallon run. IF I were going to be doing larger batches all the time I would most certainly look very hard at a custom kettle build. Since I am a humble home brewer and the efficiency this will give me. I am just fine with its performance. I will need 1.5 pounds of propane to get to the boil from sparge temps and complete the boil.

I thought I read early on in this thread that he was using this as a test and later jacket the whole thing. Or maybe I missed something too.

If I made it seem that way sorry. This will be my system when I am done. One that I am going to use for a long time.






This is/was my test on this application. I welded on a piece of SS sheet metal to close in the bottom skirt area on another keggle. I placed a steam input and a drain and I fired it up. It worked. So I have decided I want my new brew setup to be done in that manner. Yes, traditionally steam jackets go up the sides as well. I don't have the patience or the cash "RIGHT NOW" to take on a build that involved. So, just the bottom will have to do.

This is the old setup.

This is the steam input

This is the drain

 

[GreenMonti]

This is the boil that gave me. I have 8 gallons in there

 

[GreenMonti]

I love your work

You should use your vacation time to tour the country and visit all the home brewers in need.
I got some sh*** work done in this town.

Keep up the great work.
ClaudiusB

Thank you ClaudiusB,

I would do that but............that would be a long tour and I don't have that much vacation time.

Cheers

 

[Gwitz]

Very interesting project Monti, did you attempt any other forms of steam heating? Namely coils guess, i worked at a micro brewery for a short time and they had steam coils in their MLT and BK. It would seem that might be a more efficient at transfering heat than even a full steam jacket. I understand at least one advantage to a jacket is cleaning is no more complicated than a regular kettle, while cleaning coils might be annoying.

I wasn't able to find any threads on the subject although i only did a quick search.