what size steel and what did it cost you?

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kickflip_mj

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so im building my brew stand and i was wondering what size steel did you use and where did you get it and what did it cost you is my main thing?
 
I used 2x2x.120 mild steel square tubing. $2.50/ft from a local joint.

They wanted $13.50/ft for 2x2x.120 SS square tubing. With SS more than 5 times the cost of mild steel, I went with the cheaper option. And a better way to look at it was I could build 5 brew stands out of mild steel or I could build one out of stainless. Not a hard choice for me.
 
I also used 2x2 square mild steel (.120") at $2.36/ft. The catcher is the place I purchased mine locally only offered it in 24' lengths. I bought 48' and between fabricating a brew stand and a welding cart I only had about 1' left so it worked out for me but others it would be waste.
 
the info provided is great thank you, im just pricing out my stand, down to the foot of steel:)
 
2x2x.12 (11 gauge) Black Steel @ $2.90/ft
2X2x.12 (11 gauge) Stainless @ $16.50/ft

I too went with the black steel. I dont know what "black" steel is, it may be "mild" steel and the guy called it black...no idea.

Its heavy, sturdy, and cheap.

MNBugeater
 
I'm in the process of desiging mine ATM.

I'm going with 1.5" box black steel and then getting it galvanised.

I think black steel is just mild with a black paint/coating on it to stop corrosion. My Father told me what it was but it's slipped my mind.
 
I used 4x4 steal for the vertical part and 3/8" plate for the backing for the 5/16th" x3" angle iron.

Don't ask (well I'll telll you anyway) a retired friend and neighbor of mine had some steel laying around and next thing you know I own a WWII tank trap that I use for brewing beer.
 
Bobby_M said:
First thing I'd recommend is taking a stroll to the nearest few scrap yards. You might just find a bunch of stainless.

I'd love to be able to do that...but I live in BFE. As great and personable as the local hardware store guy is, he doesnt even stock most of the simple gas valves i need. You know how hard it is to have to ORDER a simple 3/8" gas valve or wait until we leave town to goto a Home Depot...and i just cant 'run back to the hardware store" when i inevitably pick the wrong size or male/female end, etc.

The only good thing is that most of my buddies around here are do-it-yourselfers...I have one buddy welding this all for me, another said he will wire all my pumps and controllers in a control box 'with some cool twists' [dont know what he has in mind], and another said hell gladly watch me get electrocuted for a case of beer. I have the best friends. All i have to do is become a small distributor to pay them all back...I can do that :mug:
 
1.5x1.5 Angle. 1.89 ft. I bought about 50' and built a 3 tier gravity system. I just recently tore off the top tier and made my gravity system a pump system, with all my burners plumbed to 1 tank. The best thing I ever did.
 
yeah i think stainless is sweet but honestly i have no idea how to weld it, so i will probably just go with 2 by 2
 
2" x 2" seems like some intense steel for even a 3 tier keggle setup. The tensile strength of even 3/4" tube is probably excessive. It's really a matter of design. It's the stiffness and weight distribution that matters. Using gussets and other stiffeners correctly will help. As long as each load (MLT, HLT, Kettle...) is supported well in and of itself, you wouldn't need to worry about it collapsing. It's the craftsmanship that determines how everything sits, whether you use thin spring steel angle(bed frames) or 2" tube.
 
I've gone down the path of using bed frame angle which looks to be 1.5 x 1.5 x 1/8" thick. It's fine but I would have used square tubing if I was buying raw goods. I suppose I'd go with 1" x 1" in that case. It's stronger than necessary but I'd rather not have to put in any bracing.
 
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