Going to make my own weldless bulkheads/valves this week

[Gil Breau]

Well, I was gonna buy a kit online then thought "where's the adventure in that?"  :ugeek:

An hour later, got everything I needed for two brew pots for about 50 bucks.

Downside is that it's Brass & Copper....


Made up of 1 Ball lock valve, 1 hose barb, 1 threaded nipple, 2 silicone O-rings, and a flange for soldering some copper piping to.

Which, while not as sexy as stainless steel, does the job all the same with proper care.

Here's the new pots: (on the left)


Here's the planned setup on the inside:



Really simple setup, Im still working on the screen, if one is even needed for the wort kettle.

The mash kettle, I'll be getting some form of false bottom done in the next month.

[Kyle]

looks really good, I wanted to avoid brass though.

where did you get the o-rings?
how did you make such a tight turn in the copper?

[Gil Breau]

Got the o-rings at a place called Coastal Bearings, 4 for 5$. They're good for up to 300 C.

The brass, yeah, same here, but I wanted to make it a local DIY. And if it works, it cost me about 20 bucks. if I want to upgrade to SS, I'm not out much. But I read a  bunch into it and so long as you're careful, brass isn't bad for your boil, its just not a slick looking.

That inside isn't mine, but it should be looking the same come tommorow. I borrowed that image from a DIY thread because mine should be coming out the same. Forgot to include that disclaimer in the prev thread

The tightness will come from a little stupid thing I learnt today. Seems the nipples are flared, so that the locking nuts won't make it all the way to the middle. So, put nut on, tighten till it won't turn anymore take shorter end, push through pot wall from the outside, add either second nut or the adapter like I have on shorter end and tighten. Theres about 3 full threads sticking out right now at the end with the ring on it, so it should garuntee a good tight seal when I put the nut on.

Should have mine cut and installed come tommorow. I'll post pics of it ASAP.

[Jmac00]

Fairview fittings have listings for SS ball valves, not sure where else would have em.

[brew]

Hi Gil - please forgive me, but I'm hoping to ask a stupid question, feel free to ignore if I'm not being smart about my research...

So I have my mash tun (cooler with braided SS hose for draining) - and I have a pot (Alum 50 L) for boiling water and wort - so what are you using the "mash kettle" for? Is this basically the "cook" method for the conversion part of the process? (rather than an insulated container or mash tun for conversion)? Or is this for something different? Also, it appears the 1/4 copper tube goes into the pot - then points down? The false bottom you mentioned, that goes over this 1/4" tube assembly to filter the grain?

Thanks Gil...

[Richard]

I'm guessing he means cooking... additional heat rather than insulation. Many of us use converted coolers; Gil's just gone with a more hardcore approach

[brew]

Interesting - I suppose with this method you have better control over the temperature as well - like for multi-step mashing, different rest stops and that sort of thing?

[Gil Breau]

Yeah, given you have a reliable heat source.

I've been playing with my strike water the past few months, seeing if I can keep it constantly around the same few F for an hour. Definitely needs more monitoring, but its possible.

I'll probably try and make it a hybrid solution. Find a high heat insulation wrap and cover the pot's sides to help retain more heat, while fiddling with the mash heat as well.

Plus, it means I can punch a hole near the top of the pot and try and make a fly sparge system as well. Probably could do it with a cooler as well, but I like being difficult

[Gil Breau]

Actually....has anyone ever used a manifold in thier mash tun instead of a screen?

Something like this:



Figure make a small manifold like that, with the dip tube pushing right to the bottom instead to increase efficency, it'd work well, no? That tube placement is horrible and could easily be fixed with a single 90degree elbow, and a deeper dip that nears the bottom of the pipe...

Bad MSPaint warning:

[Gil Breau]

I'm guessing he means cooking... additional heat rather than insulation. Many of us use converted coolers; Gil's just gone with a more hardcore approach

I read today of people using thier ovens instead of direct heat as well....not sure if it's work well or not, but I might give it a try someday.

[Dave Savoie]

For me the brass manifold is of no benifit plus get ready for the needed use of rice hulls when brewing dont ever forget the KISS method if its not broken dont fix it for me the SS braided hose does exactly what you need it to 75-80% efficiency you will not get any better than that with the copper tubing its just something to make your brew day long through assebling and disassembling extra cleaning of each small part

[Shawn]

Unless, of course, you want to fly sparge, in which case you will need to use the manifold design.

[Gil Breau]

Well some day soon I'll be implementing that, so good thing I went and made one


I got the two pots fitted. Ones dribbling a leak so I gotta take it apart and grind down the sides more. I'll post pics tonight showing the two setups, manifold included.

[Dave Savoie]

Fly sparging provides no real benifit to home brewers so not sure why people bother to be honest you may get a slightly better efficience but not worth the extra effort may save yourself 15 cencts per batch its just another peice of equipment that may not function properly


Gil on a side note have you constructed a brew stand as of yet ?

[Gil Breau]

Yeah but theres an inequation to consider

Worth of Effort < Interest and Sense of Accomplishment when it works