Home made mash tun

[RichardG]

Question for borischarlton (or anyone else really); having got my mushtun, I need to fis it up with the approparite tap & manifold. Now, I'm new to this, and uttrely cack-handed when it comes to prefabricating anything. So, could you give a run through of what, and how you fixed up yours, and a comment on the bits & bobs you used? I'd be most obliged.

[crookedeyeboy]

Id be very interested in a list of items to buy and fabricate also. I bought a ball valve and some extras a while back and havent been able to get the whole thing hooked up properly to the manifold...
We must unite the male species with no or very little DIY talents!!

[RichardG]

The inept shall inherit the Earth (then probably fumble and drop it)!

[borischarlton]

Hi

The box is double skin with insulation between and coleman have been generous enough to drill a hole through both and supply a very good food grade silicone washer. You have the option of enlarging the outside hole and using just the inner skin to seal your new tap or because it is heavy duty and the insulation is dense you can seal through both skins. This is what I did and it has the benefit of the tap being far sturdier. To do this you will need a bulk head fitting, a 1 inch length of nipple and a ball valve. The bulk head has a compression fitting on both sides so you can very easily fit your manifold on the inside. My ball valve had a thread on both sides, this means I had to use the nipple to connect it. I am sure you could pick up the fittings cheaper on line but I paid £4.50 for the bulk head and £5!! for the nipple.

I will get some photos as soon as I can.

Cheers

Rob

[crookedeyeboy]

Thanks Rob for that, some pictures would be really good as being very inept means I have no idea what a bulk head or compression fitting looks like! Ive got a ball valve from B&Q and a bit of copper pipe left over if that helps...

[borischarlton]

Once you get your head round it it is very easy, you dont even need a spanner!! Compression fittings are great, slip nut and olive over copper pipe, stuff said pipe into fitting, tighten nut, done!! Even I can do it

[crookedeyeboy]

I think my main concern when I tried to do it was A. making sure that the whol fitting was water proof and B. I found out after reading another thread that I had to bloody file down the inside of a bulkhead fitting I had bought from Screwfix.>>!!! Too much labour involved there im afraid due to me not having the correct tools to hand

[borischarlton]

This is what you want, good price to

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Home-Brew-Boiler- ... 35a4b8204f

[CJBrew]

This is what you want, good price to

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Home-Brew-Boiler- ... 35a4b8204f

"... the equipment to drill out the tank connector."

The tank connector can be "drilled" out using a circular file. Takes a while and produces lots of shiny gold dust.

[crookedeyeboy]

Damn. Im sure that is what I have! But the inside end that the manifold should attach to, the diameter is too small and so the 15mm copper pipe from the manifold wont slide in to it.
Another thing, the copper tube in the tap, is it two pieces or one piece that runs all the way through??

Sod it going to buy me a couple of these, thats how lazy I am!!

[crookedeyeboy]

Oh dear, hang on a mo, stupid question posted!!

Obviuosly Ive just realised that if the pipe went all the way through the tap how would you control the on/off feature
Jeez...someone lock me up!

[CJBrew]

But the inside end that the manifold should attach to, the diameter is too small and so the 15mm copper pipe from the manifold wont slide in to it.

Unfortunately those tank fittings aren't designed to have a tube pass through them. However, they're easily available and cheap.

But it must be possible to get some kind of ready-made bulkhead fitting that lets a pipe pass through...

[Mike8578]

Get tank connector, use a round file to remove the collar internally, push copper piping through.

Fit ball valve to one end and manifold/false bottom to t'other.

Get a bit of copper piping cut to fit to the outlet of the ball valve and then get a 90deg elbow on the end to form your tap.

[borischarlton]

Obviuosly Ive just realised that if the pipe went all the way through the tap how would you control the on/off feature
Jeez...someone lock me up!

I didn't quite know how to say it!!

[crookedeyeboy]

Unfortunately those tank fittings aren't designed to have a tube pass through them. However, they're easily available and cheap.

I wouldnt say cheap, mine cost me £8 from Screwfix!!!