Result!

[BarrowBoy]

Sparging - I've seen pics where a piece of foil pierced with holes is laid on top. When my sparging arm gudgie didn't arrive from H&G they sent me a piece of very fine grade mesh/gauze which I laid on top of the mash. Worked very well - I still use it sometimes although the edge of it gave me a very deep gash across 2 fingers last time out. Still, the blood added a certain je ne sais quoi to the finished result.

Re cameras: funnily enough, for her birthday this week, I've just bought SWMBO a Canon Ixus 75 so that she can take pictures of my brews

[Orkney_Rob]

Ah ha - they sent me one of those too! I was wondering what the hell it was for!

so... I pop that ontop of the grain and pour the sparge water ontop then?

Apparently they can't get any more sparge arm spinny things so I will create my own when I get a chance! Alas as my car is currently kaput I will have to hold off until the hire car arrives (tomorrow) before getting stuck in as I need some stuff from B&Q (hose connectors etc) before I can get cracking! Apparently my back axel was fubared, and the bits are on back order... thankfully all still under warrenty - and Nissan are providing me with a free hire car. Alas I couldn't convince them it should be a 350Z

[J_P]

I forgot to order the spinny arm sparging thingymajig - doh! Any suggestions of what I coud press into service instead?

I used a 2l wilko jug and some perforated tin foil for long enough. I spoke with Vossy and hit upon the idea of using the FV with a tap to run the hot water into the lauter tun and collect the runnings straight into the boiler. It sped up brewday no end! It had the added benefit of allowing me to drink a pint whilst the water ran through the tun Result indeed!

[BarrowBoy]

Ah ha - they sent me one of those too! I was wondering what the hell it was for!

so... I pop that ontop of the grain and pour the sparge water ontop then?

Yep, it should already be cut to the shape of your mash tun. Just lay it on top of the mash and carefully pour the liquor over it (I use a narrow gauge piece of hose straight from the HLT - which also came with the kit). The gauze diffuses the flow of the water.