I found a material generally referred to as "strut" (many brand names, including Power Strut, Unistrut, etc) that to me makes a stronger build. The gauge of steel used to make it is over twice as thick as the angle pieces used in these builds, and it's formed in a shape that is very strong. On top of that, it is much less expensive. I called the local electrical supply yesterday and they sell 10' sections of the Power Strut for $9.85. With 4 sticks you would be out the door for right around $40 and that would easily cover a 3 station single tier stand. The angle is over twice as expensive at $11 something for 6'. They make tons of brackets and fittings to connect it, and with some bolts you would also have a weldless stand. They even sell pipe brackets that link into the strut channel and could be used to easily mount a March pump pretty much anywhere on the rig. I'm cutting everything tomorrow and should have it together by the weekend. I'll post some pics of what I'm talking about. Has anyone used this material for a weldless stand?
I found a material generally referred to as "strut" (many brand names, including Power Strut, Unistrut, etc) that to me makes a stronger build. The gauge of steel used to make it is over twice as thick as the angle pieces used in these builds, and it's formed in a shape that is very strong. On top of that, it is much less expensive. I called the local electrical supply yesterday and they sell 10' sections of the Power Strut for $9.85. With 4 sticks you would be out the door for right around $40 and that would easily cover a 3 station single tier stand. The angle is over twice as expensive at $11 something for 6'. They make tons of brackets and fittings to connect it, and with some bolts you would also have a weldless stand. They even sell pipe brackets that link into the strut channel and could be used to easily mount a March pump pretty much anywhere on the rig. I'm cutting everything tomorrow and should have it together by the weekend. I'll post some pics of what I'm talking about. Has anyone used this material for a weldless stand?
I am elated and embarrassed to say that 2 1/2 years after starting this thread I have finally finished my rig. In my defense I was working a job that required long hours and travel, I gutted and rebuilt my retirement home, sold my former home. I've converted the rig to natural gas and tomorrow I take it for my first retirement brew session...
The corner pieces and connectors is what can get pricey.
pnh2atl said:I love this website. So many ways I can spend my money that I never would have thought of. I may have to do this.
dannedry said:Sure... the rigid pipe is all 1/2" black pipe and all these parts except for the 3 hoses and needle valves were all from lowes:
Brass valve 1/2" F npt on one end and 3/8" M flare on the other (x1)
12" black pipe nipple (x1)
2" black pipe nipple (x2)
1/2" black pipe tee (x2)
1/2" black pipe 90* (x1)
1/2" x 1/4" black pipe reducing bushing (x3)
1/4" needle valves (x3) that I got online
1/4" brass close nipple (x3)
1/4" F x 3/8" F coupler (x3)
And then the hoses I got online from some RV parts dealer
I didn't see the need to run it all the way across the stand... I wanted to allow room for me to get my keggles under the rig from the back side for storage, and if I had run the manifold all the way across, it would have just been one more thing to maneuver around, plus why spend the extra on longer pipe?
Hope that helps!
seedubxj said:Has anyone built one of these using only the 1.5" material? 2.25" seems like it may be overkill. Am I alone in thinking this?
You're talking about a stand that has to support 50-100lbs (or more) of boiling hot wort, not to mention the heat also weakening the metal. I'd say that "overkill" should probably be a bare minimum.
Almost there! Spent 90 minutes on it do far
There is. You just can't see it.
seedubxj said:Got my caster on this morning. Burners should be on by the end of the weekend. May need to wait for Santa for my pumps though. Not too shabby for about 2 hours of labor.
seedubxj said:It works great. Brewed the other night and it was just below freezing outside and I only lost one degree over an hour.
Anyone do this build as a basement setup? Wondering how you ventilated? I am thinking of building this with the natural gas burners and I plan on buying one or two range hoods for venting with an additional fresh air return. Any help advising if this will work or not would be greatly appreciated.
What size fan and what is the CFM rating on the fan? I am really sorry for all the questions but I am obviously paranoid about carbon monoxide/ lack of oxygen, etc.....as I know nothing about HVAC and the likes
If I remember correctly it was around 750cfm and is 6", bought it on eBay for 70$ or so. I have a carbon dioxide detector right by my brew stand and I have never got a hit in the 10 times or so that I have brewed on it.
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