Homemade Plastic Boiler - The Thunderbird

[travis192]

Hey Floyd

Must congratulate you on your boiler! My friend and I have just bought 4 of the 60l tubs new from a packaging company (£15 each!), and were going to do some testing to see if they would stand the temperature - I did see some specs that said that the max temp was in the 70's! However, you have done the testing for us - thanks....

I am really interested in your tap and the connection. Do you mind giving a little more detail on the connections that you used to make the tap?

Cheers

Adam

[floydmeddler]

Hi all,

I haven't been using a hop strainer as all my hops go into bags. However, I am planning on making one from a stainless steel braid. Don't see why that shouldn't work.

Floyd

[floydmeddler]

Hey Floyd

Must congratulate you on your boiler! My friend and I have just bought 4 of the 60l tubs new from a packaging company (£15 each!), and were going to do some testing to see if they would stand the temperature - I did see some specs that said that the max temp was in the 70's! However, you have done the testing for us - thanks....

I am really interested in your tap and the connection. Do you mind giving a little more detail on the connections that you used to make the tap?

Cheers

Adam

Cheers Adam. Will get some pics of the tap connection up later today hopefully. Boiler is at my friends gaff as we made another 40 pints last night.

[floydmeddler]

Howdy Beanz. That's crazy that the postage is different and we're only 14 miles apart. Like you say, he must be getting wise! I bought a Tesco Value cordless kettle for around £4.70. ASDA kettles have the same element so take your pick.

Make sure you use a 13A fuse in the plug.

Floyd

[floydmeddler]

Hey Floyd

Must congratulate you on your boiler! My friend and I have just bought 4 of the 60l tubs new from a packaging company (£15 each!), and were going to do some testing to see if they would stand the temperature - I did see some specs that said that the max temp was in the 70's! However, you have done the testing for us - thanks....

I am really interested in your tap and the connection. Do you mind giving a little more detail on the connections that you used to make the tap?

Cheers

Adam

Hi Adam, here is the tap set up. You should be able to get the lot from B&Q for around £7.

bits.JPG (113.13 KiB) Viewed 4747 times

The bolt at the end of the hose pipe is just to add weight.

Hope this helps

[garwatts]

Hi all,

I haven't been using a hop strainer as all my hops go into bags. However, I am planning on making one from a stainless steel braid. Don't see why that shouldn't work.

Floyd

Hi Floyd

Do you just chuck the bag in loose or secure it to the top of the boiler somehow?

Cheers

Garry

[floydmeddler]

Well... to be honest I've been a bit primitive with my method. I chuck the bag in and using my stirring stick I dunk the bag down so the hops are submerged throughout the entire boil.

I've been toying with alternative methods and like this idea a lot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFxuooOKe4o

Alternatively I was thinking about filling the hop bags with marbles to add weight. That way they'll sink in the boiler.

I prefer to boil hops in bags so that at the end of the boil, I can simply lift the bags and press out the sweet wort using a colander.

Cheers

[sam c]

great post. i was just wondering how you controll the heat. ive never used a boiler or made an extract brew for that matter so sorry if this is a silly question. i guess when boiling wort in a large pan on the hob you can controll the temp buy turning th flame up and down and the boilers you buy for brewing have temp controlls on them ( correct me if im wrong).

[floydmeddler]

Hi Sam...

Not a silly question at all. The heat doesn't need to be controlled. It creates a steady perfect rolling boil when filled with 25L-30L. Those Bruheat boilers are pretty troublesome. The thermostat causes loads of problems. Look here:

http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... ent+cutout

Wouldn't have one about me. My trusty Thunderbird has never let me down.

[sam c]

Hi Sam...

Not a silly question at all. The heat doesn't need to be controlled. It creates a steady perfect rolling boil when filled with 25L-30L. Those Bruheat boilers are pretty troublesome. The thermostat causes loads of problems. Look here:

http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... ent+cutout

Wouldn't have one about me. My trusty Thunderbird has never let me down.

cheers floydmeddler. think i might have to do one of these bad boys up myself. how do you keep a steady temp when steeping speciality grains?

[floydmeddler]

I don't steep. I mash. The Thunderbird is for heating strike water and boiling only.

[garwatts]

I don't steep. I mash. The Thunderbird is for heating strike water and boiling only.

Hi Floyd

Got given a nice new 60 litre - so Thunderbird II is on the drawing board

[floydmeddler]

Woo hoo! Can't wait to see the pics.

[yogester]

Hi Floyd,

Great idea - thanks for the pics and instructions! I noticed that ibcextreme has put the price of shipping up again to £8.50! Still worth it for me.

I noticed that you had a lid for the boiler. Did you construct it yourself or did you procure it somewhere? Thanks a bunch!

Yogester

[floydmeddler]

Howdy,

Aye, he's been putting his prices up ever since I first advertised him here!! The lid is from a pot I had. Fits perfectly and looks the part too. Good luck with it all. Get yourself to B&Q for the other bits whilst your waiting for your drum!