#2 HDPE false bottom idea.

I'm using a hoff-Stevens style keg, with a bottom drain, as my MT in my rims setup. There is not a whole lot of cheep options for hinged SS false bottoms big enough to fit in the bottom. I came across a thread of a guy who made a false bottom for a straight side keggle with a 5 gallon bucket lid. It got me thinking, a bucket lid for a 6.5 gallon bucket is just the right size. So that is an option. I also found out that some of the white plastic cutting boards are HDPE. My thought is that I could easily cut and drill the cutting board with a jigsaw. Also with a SS hinge and screws I could make it fold in the center. Clearly they are food grade, #2 HDPE is what your Rubbermaid 5 or 10 gallon mash tun is made out of, and that plastic is safe to 120d C. Also with a cutting board being. 1/4 to 1/2 inches thick it would be rigid and strong enough to hold up the grain. Has anybody tried this? I'd love to see your improvised false bottoms. Ps I'm a cheep bastard so telling me that a SS one isn't that expensive will fall on def ears.

Oh and it would be heavy enough to stay down at the bottom and not float like other plastic false bottoms.

I used 2 cutting boards for my false bottom. Cut half circles with few inches overlap and then used stainless bolts to connect them and form offsets to keep them off the bottom of the tun. Drilling the holes took quite a while!

I set mine up so that I take one bolt out and it "PacMan's" around the middle bolt. Haven't take it out yet though as I've been able to clean it in place.

Much cheaper than stainless and very functional! I get 80% efficiencies on batch sparges.

Great idea on the layout. Do you have any pics?

Here's the false bottom.

It's worked remarkably well. It can float just a little bit, but it's never been a problem. I do have a hose clamp on the dip tube to help hold it down a bit.

HDPE is fine for mashing temps. I find spur point bits (the type usually used for wood) are generally best for drilling plastic.

Here is my design. It's 2 cutting boards and a stainless steel hinge. The cutting boards were 5$ each and the hinge was 10$. The vinyl tubing around the edge was added because I'm using a barrel style keg and after many years of use, it's dented and out of round.

Looks good. An older way was to take two buckets and put one in the other and drill holes in the inner one. I think people are so afraid to use plastics now. Good Luck with it!

njs170 said:

Looks good. An older way was to take two buckets and put one in the other and drill holes in the inner one. I think people are so afraid to use plastics now. Good Luck with it!

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I agree but using the right plastics is perfectly safe and way cheaper.

You will have to let me know how the cutting boards will do with the heat.

njs170 said:

You will have to let me know how the cutting boards will do with the heat.

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As per the package they are good until 212d F, I will certainly give an update after my first mash with it.