Building brewstand and keggles this week-suggestions?

[Jimmy]

Edit Oct 10/11: Was originally going to build this stand a while back and had some unexpected delays..Me and a couple friends are building it now, kegs are going to a professional welder to be converted.

Anyone have any suggestions? I am open to changing the plans, but right now I am looking to build a single tier, 3 keg, with march pump. I've got all the couplers, quick disconnects etc to be welded in the kegs. Any suggestions on what fittings I should have in each keg? HLT I was thinking I'd just put a ball valve at the bottom, and maybe a sight glass. MT I was thinking a ball valve on the bottom, ball valve up top. BK I was going to do a sight glass, ball valve on bottom, and ball valve up top. Anyone have any thoughts on this setup?

[mr x]

I'm not so big on a sight glass on the BK. I think a diptube marked at gallon works fine.

[sleepyjamie]

heres a few pics of mine. it's not fully finished yet. i dont have the copper pipes mounted to the rig yet.

its a 3 tier compact setup. i picked up most of the stuff locally (TTL supply and a place in burnside for the temp probes) except for the barbed hose adapters (hopdawgs.ca).

[Jimmy]

Well, I was out to see my welder today and he is going to get started on it next week. As of right now, I am just going to get him to weld a coupler for a ball valve in each keg, and a coupler up top on the MT & BK for a quick connect from the pump. Should be good to go soon

[mr x]

About jesus time...

We need an 'about jesus time smilie'.

[Jimmy]

About jesus time...

We need an 'about jesus time smilie'.

Yeah yeah. Getting it built is only half the battle, I still need to learn how to brew!

[Jimmy]

So we spent about 5 hours on it tonight, just got in from working on it. Next mission is to finish the welds, grind them down, mount the burners and add angled pieces in the corners where the kegs will sit.

Here's what we got done tonight:

stand.jpg

[chalmers]

Looks good!

[mr x]

Yup, looking real nice.

[Jimmy]

Anyone have a suggestion for wind screens for the burners? That 1" square tubing that is laying next to the grinder is what the burners will be mounted to, and will adjust up and down via a threaded rod on each end of the stand and nut. I am trying to figure out the best way to add a wind screen that will allow the bar to raise up and down.

It will be setup something like this

stand2.jpg

[Jimmy]

For those who have converted their kegs with welded fittings, where did you take them to be welded? I had someone lined up, but it fell through. Anyone know of a good spot to take them? I know there are plenty of shops around that can do it, but thought maybe someone would know a good place to go (as far as price and quality)

[JohnnyMac]

I use Millennium Sheet Metal in Burnside. Curtis is the owner and does my work as he specializes in stainless. He's a great guy and often will work for cash. He's also a fan of homebrew, feel free to drop my name.

[Jimmy]

Thanks Johnny, I stopped by there this afternoon.. No luck for now, he's on vacation and is apparently the only one who does pricing there.

[JohnnyMac]

I've also used Purity Stainless in Woodside. Derek is the owner, a good guy but often on the road and out of town. Might be worth a shot if you can't wait for Curtis to get back from vacation.

[Jimmy]

Last night we got the burners mounted to an adjustable bracket and most of the welds ground down...our work to drinking ratio last night was kind of skewed to the drinking side so we didn't get much done

[Jimmy]

How far off the bottom of the kettles are your dip tubes? I asked for 1/8", but they seem like they are closer to 1/2"...seems a little high to me

And what about this skirt hole below the valve. Think it will be a problem with propane burners blasting up there?

IMAG0062.jpg

[mr x]

1/8" seems tight to me. I wouldn't be worried about 1/2", but if you need a new diptube, that's easy.

[Jimmy]

I actually happen to be in the hunt for a diptube for my hlt, I don't have one for it yet.

[mr x]

I don't do the 'pane, but if you're worried about heat through that hole, jam some tinfoil in there until you find a better plug option.

Shoot me some specs on the tubes, and it's all gravy.....

[CorneliusAlphonse]

you could just tack a little piece of metal under the hole. doesn't touch the liquid so it doesn't need to be well done or pretty. i wouldn't want to chance the heat coming up with the valve right there.. but i'm paranoid

[Jimmy]

Rob, here are the specs on my diptube. The 3.5 is in inches, and the tube is .5" diameter.... It's late and I don't feel like re-doing that image

Thank you sir

[Jimmy]

Here's a couple of the finished keggles.

Mash Tun

IMAG0064.jpg

Boil Kettle

IMAG0065.jpg

I still have to gear up some sort of whirlpool tube for that upper bulkhead..A dip tube formed to the side of the keg or something. I am pretty happy with the way they turned out.

Thanks to JohnnyMac for the welding shop, they did good work!

[GAM]

Nice.

Sandy

[mr x]

Rob, here are the specs on my diptube. The 3.5 is in inches, and the tube is .5" diameter.... It's late and I don't feel like re-doing that image

Thank you sir

So, is that what you would like? And when you say .5", is that OD?

[Jimmy]

Rob, here are the specs on my diptube. The 3.5 is in inches, and the tube is .5" diameter.... It's late and I don't feel like re-doing that image

Thank you sir

So, is that what you would like? And when you say .5", is that OD?

Yeah, that would be the outside diameter. And yes, those dimensions would work great