shortyjacobs
Well-Known Member
OK, so not really "Incredible".
I think this is a first here, but I could be quite wrong....(also, please excuse bad grammar....been brewing all day, have had a few )
So here was my problem. I wanted to go AG, but didn't have the room to store a sculpture. I didn't have the money for a compact, pump powered unit. What I needed was an invisible gravity powered AG system.
I realized that I only ever needed ONE height difference, (not two, as is given by a permanent 3 tier system) Since I don't fly sparge, I never need to be transfering from one kettle to the next to the third at the same time.
So I bought one of these: A 2000 lb Winch. I could have bought one of these: (an actual hoist), but it was more money, and I got the winch for cheaper. The winch is NOT rated for hoisting, but it's rated for 2000 lb of winching, and I figured 200 lb of hoisting wouldn't be too bad. Sure enough, I can hang my fat butt from it, and it doesn't budge, and I don't use it to suspend loads for any amount of time, so I'm OK with it.
I rigged up my winch as such:
I attached some threaded rod, nuts, chain links, hooks, etc. as such:
Making this:
The hooks can hook onto the handles of my HLT (5 gal pot), my MLT (7.5 gal pot), or BK (15.5 gal keg).
Finally, I have a dolly I can put everything on, as such:
(wheels of dolly)
So, first stage, I heat up my MLT with water in it, then use my hoist to lift it off the burner, then move the dolly to center the table on the dolly under the MLT, then lower, and wrap in a sleeping bag to hold in heat, (I lose 1 deg F per hour)
After the mash, I transfer the 1st runnings to the BK.
Then, I pour in my sparge water:
I think this is a first here, but I could be quite wrong....(also, please excuse bad grammar....been brewing all day, have had a few )
So here was my problem. I wanted to go AG, but didn't have the room to store a sculpture. I didn't have the money for a compact, pump powered unit. What I needed was an invisible gravity powered AG system.
I realized that I only ever needed ONE height difference, (not two, as is given by a permanent 3 tier system) Since I don't fly sparge, I never need to be transfering from one kettle to the next to the third at the same time.
So I bought one of these: A 2000 lb Winch. I could have bought one of these: (an actual hoist), but it was more money, and I got the winch for cheaper. The winch is NOT rated for hoisting, but it's rated for 2000 lb of winching, and I figured 200 lb of hoisting wouldn't be too bad. Sure enough, I can hang my fat butt from it, and it doesn't budge, and I don't use it to suspend loads for any amount of time, so I'm OK with it.
I rigged up my winch as such:
I attached some threaded rod, nuts, chain links, hooks, etc. as such:
Making this:
The hooks can hook onto the handles of my HLT (5 gal pot), my MLT (7.5 gal pot), or BK (15.5 gal keg).
Finally, I have a dolly I can put everything on, as such:
(wheels of dolly)
So, first stage, I heat up my MLT with water in it, then use my hoist to lift it off the burner, then move the dolly to center the table on the dolly under the MLT, then lower, and wrap in a sleeping bag to hold in heat, (I lose 1 deg F per hour)
After the mash, I transfer the 1st runnings to the BK.
Then, I pour in my sparge water: