ElDuderino
Well-Known Member
I just finished putting together a little two burner brew stand and want to share the details in case anyone else wants to adopt/modify what I've done. I developed my design with help from brew sculpture pics on this site.
I don't plan on doing herms/rims but wanted to be able to do two batches concurrently or just one and be able to heat water for the second sparge while starting to bring the first half of the drainings to a boil. I made it short because I don't have a pump or immediate plans to get one and so I lift twelve to thirteen gallons of water and wort.
Here is a sketch up with measurements:
I use keggles, which are 15 1/2" in diameter. The square section they sit on is 14" square, so there is a little overhang but it is well supported. The whole thing is made out of 1 1/2" .065 steel, except for the cross bars which support the burners and wind screens, which are made up of 1x1/8" bar.
Here is the real thing without plumbing or wind shields:
I used 3/8" bolts and 1 1/2" steel washers to make the adjustable feet. I painted it flat black. After getting some feedback here about paint, I chose to go the cheap route and finish it myself instead of getting it powder coated (a more durable albeit expensive solution). I primed and painted the bottom half using rustoleum primer and flat black paint. The top half I painted with stove paint, which is good up to 1200F. This I sprayed on bare metal. If you spray it on primed areas, it has a tendency to form little wrinkle cracks. I know it's going to get dinged up and scratched, but I'll be able to touch it up when I have to.
Here is the finished stand:
I spent a lot of time trying to think of what I could make wind screens out of. I finally stumbled on a good solution at Goodwill when I found a couple of cake spring forms for about four dollars. They are aluminum and the bottoms are removable (I threw them out). They are the perfect size!
The plumbing took a little time to figure out. It may not be the best choice of components, but it came together this way because of what was available at a local business called Fluid Connector Products Inc. http://www.fcpi.com/
The short story:
I go from 1/4" regulator hose to 1/2" black pipe to the valves and 3/8" tubing.
I chose 1/2" because that's what was most available at Lowe's. I use 3/8" copper tubing because I wanted my burners to be centered and getting hard pipe to make the connections would be a nightmare. For this short length, the copper is very rigid and with all the other connections, it's not going to move.
The long story (from tank to burner):
Stainless steel regulator hose connected to 1/4"barb fitting with 3/8" mpt (the size they had), secured with two oetiker clamps.
3/8" fpt to 1/2" fpt (connects to black pipe)
1/2" x 12" black pipe
1/2" T
1/2" nipple
1/2" 90
1/2" mpt to 1/4" fpt coupling
Needle valve 1/4" mpt to 3/8" fpt, purchased here:http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/propane_burner_parts.htm (also a good sorce for high pressure burners)
3/8" mpt to 3/8" compression fitting, 90 degree bend.
3/8" od flexible copper tubing (bent with a spring bender).
3/8" flare fitting to 3/8" mpt (flare fitting was all they with a male side)
High pressure burner
I don't plan on doing herms/rims but wanted to be able to do two batches concurrently or just one and be able to heat water for the second sparge while starting to bring the first half of the drainings to a boil. I made it short because I don't have a pump or immediate plans to get one and so I lift twelve to thirteen gallons of water and wort.
Here is a sketch up with measurements:
I use keggles, which are 15 1/2" in diameter. The square section they sit on is 14" square, so there is a little overhang but it is well supported. The whole thing is made out of 1 1/2" .065 steel, except for the cross bars which support the burners and wind screens, which are made up of 1x1/8" bar.
Here is the real thing without plumbing or wind shields:
I used 3/8" bolts and 1 1/2" steel washers to make the adjustable feet. I painted it flat black. After getting some feedback here about paint, I chose to go the cheap route and finish it myself instead of getting it powder coated (a more durable albeit expensive solution). I primed and painted the bottom half using rustoleum primer and flat black paint. The top half I painted with stove paint, which is good up to 1200F. This I sprayed on bare metal. If you spray it on primed areas, it has a tendency to form little wrinkle cracks. I know it's going to get dinged up and scratched, but I'll be able to touch it up when I have to.
Here is the finished stand:
I spent a lot of time trying to think of what I could make wind screens out of. I finally stumbled on a good solution at Goodwill when I found a couple of cake spring forms for about four dollars. They are aluminum and the bottoms are removable (I threw them out). They are the perfect size!
The plumbing took a little time to figure out. It may not be the best choice of components, but it came together this way because of what was available at a local business called Fluid Connector Products Inc. http://www.fcpi.com/
The short story:
I go from 1/4" regulator hose to 1/2" black pipe to the valves and 3/8" tubing.
I chose 1/2" because that's what was most available at Lowe's. I use 3/8" copper tubing because I wanted my burners to be centered and getting hard pipe to make the connections would be a nightmare. For this short length, the copper is very rigid and with all the other connections, it's not going to move.
The long story (from tank to burner):
Stainless steel regulator hose connected to 1/4"barb fitting with 3/8" mpt (the size they had), secured with two oetiker clamps.
3/8" fpt to 1/2" fpt (connects to black pipe)
1/2" x 12" black pipe
1/2" T
1/2" nipple
1/2" 90
1/2" mpt to 1/4" fpt coupling
Needle valve 1/4" mpt to 3/8" fpt, purchased here:http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/propane_burner_parts.htm (also a good sorce for high pressure burners)
3/8" mpt to 3/8" compression fitting, 90 degree bend.
3/8" od flexible copper tubing (bent with a spring bender).
3/8" flare fitting to 3/8" mpt (flare fitting was all they with a male side)
High pressure burner