Need Ideas

[user 78027]

I haven't brewed since last august and feel it is slipping away. I had hand surgery and can't lift heavy items very high. I currently do BIAB brewing and cannot lift the bag from the kettle. I have a very difficult time carrying the pot around even mostly empty to clean it.

I have been allocated some of the laundry room and am working on an electric brewery. I figure if the pot is right up to the sink and and with some pumps I can handle the cleaning part. I know it has to be ventilated and can use the same duct with a bigger hood for the brewing vapors.

This has not solved the biggest problem, lifting the BIAB wet grist bag from the kettle. I looked into a overhead hand trolley that would allow me to use pulleys to lift the bag out of the pot and then push it over the sink to drain. I think this could work, the solutions I have found are either very costly or very ugly. Because it's inside the house, I am not the only person deciding what the solution looks like.

I thought for a while that maybe the traditional 3 kettle process would be better. The wife has agreed that I can take a standard cabinet and cut off the top drawer section making it sit about 26" off the floor. The sink part has to be at its standard 35 in height. So, I have a 20" x 30" top to work with. There is another section that I could use but it would have to be a false top at about 30". I won't have ventilation over this area so it could just be a holding tank of some sort.

Any suggestions would be most helpful.

 

[jcoxen]

OK, this may sound a little hair-brained but how about a wall mounted jib crane. Depending on your skills you could DIY one out of fairly common hardware and mount it on the wall over your brew area. Build a cabinet around it to hide it and you have something to do the heavy lifting that can be hidden away when not in use.

I'm thinking something like this...

...but made out of channel strut with a trolley in the channel so you can slide the load around.

Just make sure that it's mounted to something VERY solid.

 

[cheezydemon3]

A fairly simple pulley system is amazingly helpful. I rigged one from the cieling to lift a conoe that I could barely carry myself.

My 8 year old daughter can raise the canoe with the pulley system.

The above idea is fantastic, and just a little more complicated.

 

[user 78027]

OK, this may sound a little hair-brained but how about a wall mounted jib crane. Depending on your skills you could DIY one out of fairly common hardware and mount it on the wall over your brew area. Build a cabinet around it to hide it and you have something to do the heavy lifting that can be hidden away when not in use.

I'm thinking something like this...

...but made out of channel strut with a trolley in the channel so you can slide the load around.

Just make sure that it's mounted to something VERY solid.

First, thanks for helping me think about this. I like your idea, I wish I could figure out how to build the trolley that you have on the underside of the crane. If I could find the trolley wheels I could at least start. I contacted a business yesterday to just buy one and mount it on the ceiling of the room. they want 250 plus shipping for one wheel and a 4' track.

I looked at ebay and found devices that run on I beams but they require a 3 inch I bean on the ceiling and its not clear how I would mount the I beam even if I could get swmbo to go along with it.

 

[user 78027]

A fairly simple pulley system is amazingly helpful. I rigged one from the cieling to lift a conoe that I could barely carry myself.

My 8 year old daughter can raise the canoe with the pulley system.

The above idea is fantastic, and just a little more complicated.

Thanks for your help. I do appreciate it.

I already you a pulley system to raise the wet grist, the problem I am having trouble with is moving it out of the way once I have it at eye level. I can't pick it up and I have essentially one hand to get it into the sing to drain. As I mentioned above, I have thought of an overhead trolley, which now seems like that won't work because the ventilation housing is in the way.

 

[cheezydemon3]

With just a well anchored pulley system it will make lifting a breeze. Maybe whatever is under it should be on wheels.

Lift up the bag, wheel the tun aside, set another bucket under the bag to drain into.

 

[user 78027]

With just a well anchored pulley system it will make lifting a breeze. Maybe whatever is under it should be on wheels.

Lift up the bag, wheel the tun aside, set another bucket under the bag to drain into.

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.

It looks like I'm coming to the same conclusion. I need to rethink brewing on the inside. The kettle is on a cabinet and is confined by space because I am trying to fit it into too little space. The kettle can't be wheeled away.

In the garage, I have to keep it clean somehow, and plumb for a new sink. Maybe that's an easier project.

 

[poptarts]

You can always shop vac the grain

 

[beercurious]

Ray, your profile says you are in Western Washington. I'm not sure where you are exactly, but surely there is a fellow brewer that would be able to come by on brew day and give a hand lifting brew pots, fermenter or bottling bucket.

I'm in the Portland area and would be happy to help until you can find a workable pulley system, if you're by chance in the Portland-Vancouver area.

After all, that's what we're here for, right? To support our brewing family!

Best wishes!

Kay




Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[satph]

One of the guys in my brew club uses an electric hoist for his 30 gallon BIAB set up. Here's a 440lb electric hoist from Harbor Freight for $99. You'd have to permanently install the rail in the ceiling, but you could probably remove the hoist for non brew days if it's too ugly for the room.

 

[jcoxen]

First, thanks for helping me think about this. I like your idea, I wish I could figure out how to build the trolley that you have on the underside of the crane. If I could find the trolley wheels I could at least start. I contacted a business yesterday to just buy one and mount it on the ceiling of the room. they want 250 plus shipping for one wheel and a 4' track.

I looked at ebay and found devices that run on I beams but they require a 3 inch I bean on the ceiling and its not clear how I would mount the I beam even if I could get swmbo to go along with it.

Channel Strut can be found lots of places. Check out this thread - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-weldless-build-using-strut-363128/ - for some ideas for where to buy.

As for the trolleys, Google and eBay are your friends...

From there, all you need are a hinge for one end of the channel to mount on the wall and a piece of aircraft cable for the support (the diagonal piece in the original image I posted).

 

[Matthias]

Now you got ne thinking...

What about some sort of hoist with a moveable base? So you slide it over, lift out the grain bag, then roll it to the sink... Think engine hoist and you will get an idea of what I'm thinking.

Either that, or you can almost create your own ceiling mounted rolling hoist using casters bought from the hardware store, in the case of an axial load, it doesn't matter if its coming from the top or bottom.

 

[poptarts]

Another option is stop doing BIAB and just get a tippy dump MLT

 

[jcoxen]

Now you got ne thinking...

What about some sort of hoist with a moveable base? So you slide it over, lift out the grain bag, then roll it to the sink... Think engine hoist and you will get an idea of what I'm thinking.

Either that, or you can almost create your own ceiling mounted rolling hoist using casters bought from the hardware store, in the case of an axial load, it doesn't matter if its coming from the top or bottom.

Something like this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-capacity-foldable-shop-crane-69512.html

 

[Matthias]

Something like this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-capacity-foldable-shop-crane-69512.html

Yup, but that's way overkill for what is needed, frame could be a simple 2x4 construction (still probably overkill) with a simple pulley, some casters, and something to tie the rope off on once you have the bag out. Like one of the things you wrap a boats rope around at the dock.

 

[maierhof]

I haven't brewed since last august and feel it is slipping away. I had hand surgery and can't lift heavy items very high. I currently do BIAB brewing and cannot lift the bag from the kettle. I have a very difficult time carrying the pot around even mostly empty to clean it.

I have been allocated some of the laundry room and am working on an electric brewery. I figure if the pot is right up to the sink and and with some pumps I can handle the cleaning part. I know it has to be ventilated and can use the same duct with a bigger hood for the brewing vapors.

This has not solved the biggest problem, lifting the BIAB wet grist bag from the kettle. I looked into a overhead hand trolley that would allow me to use pulleys to lift the bag out of the pot and then push it over the sink to drain. I think this could work, the solutions I have found are either very costly or very ugly. Because it's inside the house, I am not the only person deciding what the solution looks like.

I thought for a while that maybe the traditional 3 kettle process would be better. The wife has agreed that I can take a standard cabinet and cut off the top drawer section making it sit about 26" off the floor. The sink part has to be at its standard 35 in height. So, I have a 20" x 30" top to work with. There is another section that I could use but it would have to be a false top at about 30". I won't have ventilation over this area so it could just be a holding tank of some sort.

Any suggestions would be most helpful.

You could do what I do - hybrid biab/ag or what ever you want to call it... I use a cooler for a mash tun, a keggle for a boiler, and a heat exchange. I feel your pain, I have a bad back fro busting L4 as a dubass kid on skiis and beer cans in a backpack. When I designed the system it had to be easy to clean and use, and this one is not bad at all.

I have a cooler mash tun with a customized stainless steel mesh screen on the bottom and a customized grain bag that actually sits flat on the curved screen. When I have finished the mash, I let it sit around and open so I get the ever so addicting sweet smell in the air =;>, then I clean it at the end by letting it gently slide off the table I use until it is at the right angle, then I bunch up all the grain into a ball and then ease the whole mess into a home depot bucket - viola.

The only downside for you is it only works with a pump, and I dont know if you have one of those.
But the the whole system disassembles for easy storage too...

Take a look...
(Edit: thought I had photos of the inside of the mash tun - will get those to you tmrw)

 

[user 78027]

Channel Strut can be found lots of places.

I searched everywhere I could. ebay, amazon, etc trolley and overhead trolley, and any combination like that and only found the huge I beam wheels. Thank you for "channel strut" specificity, that opens up the selections considerably.

 

[user 78027]

I want to thank you all for your ideas. It has been good to see that I have options. I have half way decided that I should maybe move the idea back outside. I don't have as easy access to the water and a good sink, maybe I can put one in and use hot water hose to get water to it, the drain not sure how to handle yet? The benefit is I will have way more room and I can hang stuff from the rafters without too much scrutiny. with more space all of the options that you posted would be good.

I currently have a steel brew rig that uses propane to heat. I want to move to all electric so I don't have to deal with the propane issue. So I thought, bring it indoors which will be closer to the water, closer to the sink for cleanup and easier for the power. The drawback is the confined space with limited access and someone else is in charge of how it looks.

The original idea was to use a overhead trolley to move the wet grist from the kettle to the sink but I couldn't find a diy solution and I got an offer for 250 + shipping for one on line. This idea now has a bigger problem as I attempt to put it together. To use the trolley, it would have to be mounted in the ceiling but the ventilation hood has to be there so I don't ruin the walls, argh!

The idea of a trolley on a hinge from the wall will solve that issue, but not in the room, so why not move the operation back outside and fix the water issue and I will have more options.

 

[user 78027]

The tippy dump idea rang a bell,

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/show-me-your-wood-brew-sculpture-rig-73794/index55.html

like the one on the middle of this page. I could even use some motorized contraption to raise it. This is what maierhof does without the hinge to control it.

 

[maierhof]

The tippy dump idea rang a bell,

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/show-me-your-wood-brew-sculpture-rig-73794/index55.html

like the one on the middle of this page. I could even use some motorized contraption to raise it. This is what maierhof does without the hinge to control it.

I see what your talking about - great idea by creating his own tippy dump out of wood.
That idea could work - but not necessary to motorize it imho. If he/you put the fulcrum farther in the middle (gotta find that 'spot') it should help you deal with almost all of the real load, reducing the strength needed to dead lift it to almost your shoulders like his rig.

I just let gravity do the work for me and control the decent of one side of the cooler to the ground. it rests between the ground and its back is against the table for support. Then i grab the grain bag and bunch up all the grain into a ball and by this time the screen at the bottom has drained out most of the liquid so it is relativley easy to just transfer to a bucket. Plus I get the added bonus of storing it away and reusing the space for parties. I can absolutely see the benefit for the dedicated brew rig, but with my young kids, swmbo, and lack of space... I had to adapt.

Best of luck with your recovery and brewing!

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Howza' 'bout working up something from this type of hardware:


https://www.google.com/#q=barn+door+hardware

 

[user 78027]

Howza' 'bout working up something from this type of hardware:


https://www.google.com/#q=barn+door+hardware

Awesome Idea, a little more then I wanted to spend, I am sure I can find something useful at a lower price point.

 

[user 78027]

A friend suggested I go look at McMasters and I found some interesting options.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#strut-channel-trolleys/=rjyfb0

 

[JNeid26]

You could always keep it simple. Use several manageable small bags instead of one big heavy bag.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Awesome Idea, a little more then I wanted to spend, I am sure I can find something useful at a lower price point.

Look on "Pinterest", I think it is, or one of other such sites, and search "barn door" or "sliding door", and you'll see a DIY setup that was made, with the rollers being simple hardware store stamped steel cable pulleys .

I had followed a link on Facebook I think it was, that someone sent to me.

You can do it sturdy, and on the cheap!

Have your small block and tackle hanging from a single pulley / roller setup, with the track cantilevered to wall studs, or from the ceiling joists, whichever placement would be most advantageous.

The pulley / roller / block and tackle setup will lift right off when tot in use, and that wonderful gravity stuff keeps everything in place.


Edit:.........Try looking through this stuff http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=barn door diy&rs=ac&len=9


Edit again: Get after it!