My BIAB build log

[chris246810]

Thought I'd share the progress of my build as I've found others build logs quite useful in deciding how to go about mine, so maybe mine may help others.

It will be a one vessel biab type system with a PID control panel, I liked the look of the grainfather but thought I could make something better myself and after much research I took the plunge and started.

I've done a rough estimate on costing for this project and estimate it to be around £1000 once completed, trying not to scrimp too much on parts as I want this to last many years.

This thread may go on for quite a while as I'm just buying parts as and when I've got a bit of cash going spare.

First off I got myself one of mrlards 50L high end pots, not cheap but you can tell it's a high quality pot, £118 delivered.

Next up was a 33L bergland pot from angel, £53 delivered

I cut off the handles and sanded them down, quite easily done with my cheap dremel type tool, I will keep the handles, planning to thread them and use as handles for my control panel.

Then I cut a large disc out of the bottom of the 33l pot, took about an hour and quite a few cutting discs in the dremel, they would only cut about an inch each before wearing away so more time changing discs than cutting, I think this enabled me to get a better cut than a angle grinder would have though. Edges de-burred so I don't cut myself while handling.
Will keep the cut out piece, may come in useful later on.

Drilled holes and added two stainless eye bolts (£5.65 for 4, ebay) so the inner pot can be lifted for sparging, bent a bit of steel rod to use as a handle, may add some silicone tube over it or replace with a stainless one at some point.

I found a seller on ebay who will cut a 340mm diameter circle of perforated 304 stainless steel with 1.5mm holes for £40 delivered, just waiting for him to invoice me.
This should fit perfectly in bottom of the 33l pot, I may use silicone edging round the edge if it needs it, its pretty cheap on ebay.

Found a 300mm ring of stainless in the yard at work so I cleaned and polished it down, added some stainless bolts and extra tabs round the edge to hold the inner pot off the bottom of the larger pot, will cut down the bolts to size once taps and elements are fitted.

[chris246810]

Inner pot inside outer pot with stand.

That's as far as I've got so far, will gets taps, elements and qmax cutters ordered next I think.

Really enjoying this project so far, the girlfriend is not enjoying all the noise of cutting steel quite so much

[aamcle]

If your going to recycle wort returning it to the centre pot you either need an overflow like the GF or lots of holes/slots in the pot to prevent the whole pot overflowing.

Good luck with the build its certainly going to be better looking than mine!


Atb. Aamcle

[chris246810]

I was hoping to avoid overflow by just keeping the recirculation at a slow flow rate, if that fails I will cut a hole near the top of the inner pot, secure a cut down parallel nipple in with two lock nuts and stuff a bit of mesh or something in to stop grain passing through, that should do the trick.

[sbond10]

Looks awsume dude really good. Just gonna throw this out would one those deep frying turkey baskets not work better as an inner pan ?

[chris246810]

I spent ages trying to find a suitable inner pot but couldn't find anything of a suitable size without too many large holes, I didn't want to use a strainer and a bag.
Who the hell fries turkeys anyway, an American thing I guess.

[sbond10]

Yep our deep fry anything that walks cousins. As you've spotted the turkey fry baskets do have large holes so you would either have to line it with mesh or use a bag. I'm looking for a suitable metal basket that doesn't cost a fortune and is big enough for a 100 ltr pan. As im not interested in recirculating wort etc just want something to help the voile bag out and me during lifting.

[chris246810]

How about using some coarse stainless wire mesh and a couple strips of sheet bent into circles bolted to the mesh to give it some rigidity, shouldn't cost too much.

[sbond10]

Hmmm that could work shall look into it more. Hooe your build keeps going well

[chris246810]

Thanks

[aamcle]

I tried a pot with a mesh bottom but in the end went with a mesh basket. The flow rate was too slow with the pot.

Aamcle

[chris246810]

Knocked together a pot stand, pump will be mounted under the pot

[chris246810]

False bottom has arrived, ended up costing a tenner more than originally quoted but I'm happy with it, fits perfectly. £50.40 delivered from metalsheets.co.uk

[chris246810]

Been a while since my last post so here a few updates on my progress.

Pump and all its fittings attached to pot stand.

Control panel all put together, just a few finishing touches to do before testing it.

Got the silicon hoses and all the other little bits and bobs, just need to get a couple of ball valves and another temp sensor then ill be up and brewing.

[Haydnexport]

looks really good so far , i love your control box !