DIY All Grain Brewery

[MisterNETTO]

I have just been to the store and bought all the bits so I hope to build one this weekend, So if it all goes wrong then I blame Brewmaster and JDT lol I will post some pics when its done

[adodman]

I have gone down the same road and built most of my equipment.

I would like to add a ball valve and tank adapter to my burco boiler, I have bought the items from screwfix but would like to know what to use to drill a hole large enough to take the tank adapter. I have some drill bits that are flat but I think they are only for wood. Would it just be a 16mm metal drill bit. There are no size markings on the tank adapter so I am guessing a 16 or 17mm drill bit would be big enough. Or could I just drill a hole with my largest drill bit and then file it bigger?

Was never good at metalwork at school.

Nearly there, will hopefully be able to buy my all grain ingredients at the end of the week and then make a brew beginning of next week.

Should be fun.

Cheers
Andrew

[jamesb]

A tank connector will require a 20mm hole. May also need a little tickle out with a file or a dremel.

[edit1now]

Andrew - your flat bits won't drill your stainless Burco. You need a cobalt holesaw or a Q-Max cutter.

General suggestion: watch out if you're going to use flat bits to drill a plastic bin. Several people have reported on here that the flat bits can sort of spin off and rip a jagged hole which is too big. A holesaw or a Q-Max cutter might be a better bet, or even an auger-type wood bit as long as it has a spur or knife edge which cuts the right diameter for you. An old-fashioned bit-and-brace bit would also work.

Sizes: to pass 1/2" BSP you need a 21mm hole, or slightly bigger than 13/16". To pass 3/4" BSP you need 26.5mm or about 1 3/64".

[jdt199]

I have just been to the store and bought all the bits so I hope to build one this weekend, So if it all goes wrong then I blame Brewmaster and JDT lol I will post some pics when its done

Yikes!
Dont worry. Just take your time and enjoy building it and it should all go smoothly. Hope it goes well

[adodman]

Mash tun....done

Drilling a hole in my boiler.....bought the part but chickened out.

Just wish there was some way to use the existing hole that the original tap is set in. I can't even see how the tap would come off.

Maybe tomorrow I will be brave enough to drill a hole in it. Mind you, I have read the instruction sheet that came with the hole cutting bit...have no idea how I can count the 'revs' on my drill, says I have to cut the hole at around 750rpm. That should be fun.

Oh well, I keep saying 'nearly there', I suppose I am really.

Cheers
Andrew

[edit1now]

Where do you live, Andrew? I'm sure you could find a JBK person who would supervise and help.

[adodman]

Rochdale, near Manchester, not exactly the centre of the world, but it's home. Think I should just be brave and do it. I'm sure there will be a kit to 'patch up' any additional hole inadvertently made,

Anyone going to visit the Oldham Beer festival this weekend?

I'm going Friday night.

[dcq1974]

Well here is the complete 10 gallon brewery - for now!

Cheers JDT for the boiler influence!



And the addition of the Alemann/Garth Hopstopper works a treat!



Bit messy - but does the trick!

So here is the current complete 10 gallon Brewery with 2 x 47 litre cool boxes



Here is the manifold inserted slits down



and this is what it looks like



Here is the built in Sparge Heat "Sprinkling System"



And here it is in use with the ole trusty Burco Boiler now retired to HLT





Nice Grain Bed!



Nice Heat Pre Boil Sparge!



Nice Boil!



Well there it is for now!

HAPPY BREWING ALL

[jdt199]

Neat work!

Like the mash tun and hlt! They seem much better than my argos box! Like the look of the fly sparge effort as well. What do you use to cool?

[dcq1974]

Cheers JDT

Cooling is with home made IC.

Would like to make a countercurrent like yours. Think I will invest in a pump next!

[mdex]

I've been following this thread for a while and collecting equipment bit by bit.

Struggling to find a plate for my false bottom mash tun which is holding things up. Wanted to get a brew on tomorrow too!

[mick]

Great setup dcq1974 , wish I had made my mash strainer from plastic, looks easier to clean. Also nice sparge system

[adodman]

Finally my All Grain kit is complete.

20l stainless steel Burco boiler as my HLT, courtesy of Freecycle, insulated with tank insulation to keep in the heat.

Mash tun made with Argos cool box, copper manifold and ball tap as per JBK instructions, and the only item I have had to pay for in full.

Old 7 gallon Burco Boiler, again courtesy of Freecycle, insulated with tank insulation and with a copper hop strainer and ball valve tap fitted. Used the hole cutting bit I bought and was just the easiest thing, don't know why I worried about cutting the hole. Just a little 'tickle out' with a file so that the tank connector would fit and I was away.

IC made with flexible copper pipe and 'hand turned' into a coil shape, not the most beautiful thing I have made, but it looks like it will work well.

Only problems were making sure everything was watertight, if I was doing it again then I would make sure I used double the amount of PTFE tape I initially used.

So much free stuff off Freecycle that the total outlay for me has been about £50 plus the time taken to build stuff . Was going to post pictures of the kit but I suppose once you've seen one home made mash tun there is no need to have another one posted.

Now it's off to Barleybottom for the Woolley Jumper all grain kit for my first attempt.

Wish me luck.

Thanks for all the advice that has been given to me.

Andrew

I edited the price because I forgot to factor in the ball valves and tank adapters , still not bad though.

[edit1now]