what is cheaper?

[SmokeyDog]

is it cheaper to build a mashtun cooler? or just buy a $100 one?
Mind you I've never made nor do I know what parts I need..

 

[phillyhomebrew]

Cheaper (and more fun) to build one yourself.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Converting_a_cooler_to_a_mash_tun

Unless building stuff isn't your thing.

 

[birvine]

is it cheaper to build a mashtun cooler? or just buy a $100 one?
Mind you I've never made nor do I know what parts I need..

I'm not very handy but I quickly put one together with the help of the local hardware store who gathered the fittings/valve/shank for me when I told them what I was trying to do. Then I picked up the tubing for the manifold - voilà!

There was no HUGE savings in $, but I enjoyed the process.

Kind of like I enjoy the process of making beer!

Brent

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

It's a little cheaper to do it yourself. I'm not handy by any means and I was still able to put it together successfully. You'll get a big cost savings if you can get the cooler for free/on sale. With the warm months winding down you should be able to find them on sale at sporting goods stores or big box retailers.

 

[CGVT]

The biggest expense is the cooler. If you keep your eyes open you can pick up a cooler at a yard sale or on Craigs List and then buy the hardware. I found a 10 gal igloo cooler at a yard sale and payed a buck for it. I have about $20 in my MLT...

 

[RandomBeerGuy]

My homemade cooler mash tun ran me about 30 bucks. Its way cheaper to build one yourself. My cooler is a 50qt.

 

[Dougie63]

or you can just buy a 5 dollar brew bag

 

[tonyolympia]

or you can just buy a 5 dollar brew bag

Definitely worth considering. I brew stovetop BIAB batches of about 3 gallons (in the fermenter), and at this scale, I can mash in my brew kettle. In addition to being cheaper than a traditional cooler MLT, I love my setup because it's *incredibly* easy to hold mash temps by sticking the kettle in a preheated oven. Typically 1 degree temperature loss over an hour, with no fussing.

 

[Surly]

As I built my brewery I found that I enjoyed building equipment although I never considered myself, "handy". I began hanging out in the DIY forum and have learned a lot. I have made my own mash tun, counterflow chiller and most recently a pump to clean out beer lines. I am now building my own mini frig keggle conversion project.

Most projects use simple hand tools found around the home.

 

[TheBusterBrew]

To echo a few of the previous posts, it is not only cheaper to build your own but you also get a lot of enjoyment out of your own projects. When I started brewing, I used ingredient kits and equipment that was preassembled. The only excitement came from enjoying the finished product. Now I create my own recipes, working on my own MLT, designing a conical fermenter that I will fabricate early next year, and keg my beers in a kegerater that I built just a few months ago. As more time goes by I find myself using more of my own creations and saving a lot of money.
Cheers!

 

[msa8967]

Once you have built your own mashtun you can always go a build a bigger one when needed. I thought a 48 qt cooler would do all of my needs until my wife decided I needed to start brewing much higher gravity beers (like Imperial stouts and Barely wines). I jumped up to 70 qt size cooler for a mashtun. It costs less than $50 (including the cooler) to build.

 

[HomebrewMTB]

DIY is big part of this hobby, so you should build your own MLT. If you wanted to pay for another person's work, you could just buy beer.

My build:
$35 for 52 qt Coleman Xtreme cooler
$3 for 1/2" barb FIP
$7 for 1/2" ball valve
$2.50 for 3/4" ss washer
$3 for 1/2" x 1.5" nipple
$1.50 for 5' of 1/2" pex
$1 for 1/2" pex plug
<$1 for 1/2" cpvc threaded adapter
$6 shipped for a lifetime supply of silicone seals

Sorry I don't have any pics but there are plenty of similar build threads here.

 

[JJL]

Definitely build it yourself. It will probably save you $40-$50 over buying it. When I built mine, I think it took me about half an hour and all I need was a wrench and pair of pliers. It really is one of the easier DIY projects you can do.

 

[kyleobie]

+1 to DIY... I bought my original fittings from Bargain Fittings (they are a vendor on this site I think) and a 10 gallon igloo cooler. It is worth it. Don't be intimidated if you're new to these projects! For all you know, your hardware store gets enough homebrewing inquiries that they can help you. Mine does.