Need help with a trash find

[gedion]

So my university was tossing this so I snagged it out of the dumpster. I'm not sure what it WAS used for, but I know what it WILL be used for....BREWING! My problem is I don't know the best way to utilize this thing. Looking at it I'm sure I could use it for everything right up to kegging/bottling, but again I'm not sure where to start. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jmcquesten]

Looks like a carpet cleaner.

To answer a future question, the off taste in your beer is probably carpet shampoo... Good luck with that.

 

[gedion]

Looks like a carpet cleaner.

To answer a future question, the off taste in your beer is probably carpet shampoo... Good luck with that.

Really? that's not very constructive at all. First off, if stainless had that sort odor/flavor retention of thing then no one would be using it in their brewing. second, none of the original attachments (tubing, pump, etc) would be kept so theres no contamination with what may have been in there and additional fittings can be put on if needed to facilitate what i need. Saying its a carpet cleaner, which im pretty sure its not, and that my beer is going to taste like shampoo doesn't help me figure out the possibilities for it.

 

[BBQB]

I thinks it's a carpet cleaner

 

[kiler]

I thinks it's a carpet cleaner

and your beer is going to taste like shampoo

 

[Bigfly]

I think its actually film processing equipment. Once you get the film of film off it the sky is the limit with what you can do with it.

 

[day_trippr]

lmao (though I probably shouldn't).
You scamps (and you know who you are) are brutal

The geometry of that hunk of SS is ill suited to pretty much anything we do.
Can't see it being useful for anything on the hot side, for sure.
I suppose you could force it into a role as a bottling urn, but frankly it's likely worth more at ~$1.13 a pound...

Cheers!

 

[estricklin]

I can't imagine not being able to clean it so that it's usable again. I'd go ahead and strip it down, and clean it well.

I think it would be better suited for a mash tun or HLT than a kettle but the possibilities are endless for that thing. Good find! Stainless is a terrible thing to waste.

 

[Singletrack]

I don't think there's any need to clean it. With all the carpet soap that's run through that thing, it's plenty clean.

Everyone is jealous of your find. Let us know what you do with it.

 

[PlexVector]

So my university was tossing this so I snagged it out of the dumpster. I'm not sure what it WAS used for, but I know what it WILL be used for....BREWING! My problem is I don't know the best way to utilize this thing. Looking at it I'm sure I could use it for everything right up to kegging/bottling, but again I'm not sure where to start. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


Welllll...lets see now:
1. Dosing Barrel--fill up, dose, pump out.
2. temporary storage of heavy water.
3. film processing?

definitely not a carpet cleaner!

Looks cool however...

 

[gedion]

I can't imagine not being able to clean it so that it's usable again. I'd go ahead and strip it down, and clean it well.

I think it would be better suited for a mash tun or HLT than a kettle but the possibilities are endless for that thing. Good find! Stainless is a terrible thing to waste.

yeah i was afraid of that. finding a large kettle is the difficult part, its easier to brew in a big kettle and ferment in smaller containers than it is to do the other way around. Cheers!

 

[gedion]

I think its actually film processing equipment. Once you get the film of film off it the sky is the limit with what you can do with it.

now that you mention it, that's probably what it is. i have seen something similar in the past myself and It was my schools art dept that was tossing it so i wouldn't be surprised.

 

[brandonnys]

Could you make it into a grant or a whirlpool tun?

 

[mongoose33]

Looks like you're halfway to a Grainfather.

Look up Houston Fearless Corporation: http://www.hf76.com/about_us.asp

They've made all kinds of different equipment. As I look at what you have, I'm wondering what would need to be moved via wheels and a handle. I might, if you can discern the model and serial number, see if you can look it up on the web.

 

[flars]

It is part of a film processing unit built by the HF Corporation.

@mongoose33 was looking at one of the same sites.

 

[day_trippr]

I'm guessing the height to diameter ratio on that thing is around 4:1 or higher.
With the tiny bottom versus the tall sidewalls that'd be a good radiator wrt use as anything on the hot side.
I'm not feeling it...

Cheers!

 

[MrFoodScientist]

Apparently Houston Fearless is a defense contractor, so whatever this was is likely classified.
Remember that episode of Blacklist where the guy turned his victims into liquid in an acid bath and washed them down the drain?
Yeah, it's probably a military grade version of that. Enjoy.

Or a portable field type film processor. Maybe that.

If this were jacked, I can see it being of more use. How big is it? Could you fit a keggle inside it and use it as a jacket for that?

 

[froot]

Big ass braumeister/grainfather clone throw in a BrewmaniacEx controller a pump some elements and a malt pipe .... Job Done!

Clean with caustic. (sodium hydroxide and be careful when you do)

 

[calgary222]

Maybe as a heat exchanger - put a SS coil and a heating element and you could use it as a 4th vessel RIM/HERMS and fill w ice at the end to chill your wort (after a pre-flame out sanitizing cycle).

I periodically see those ss recirculating therapeutic baths come up and wonder... if I could get the dead skin out...

Why, however, does there appear to be rust inside the stainless - were there old steel items in it previously?

 

[processhead]

Since its original use remains a mystery, you need to assume the worst as far as any chemicals it may have contained and your ability to remove any residuals lurking within.

Could have contained way nastier chemicals than carpet shampoo, as far as you, me, or anyone else here knows.

Cool yes, but how much risk are you willing to assume in the quest for brewing gear?

 

[spittybug]

Put in an electric element, a HERMs coil and a temp probe. Voila, your first half of an all electric system.

 

[kh54s10]

OP is pretty sensitive....

If that was used in film processing, clean it VERY VERY VERY well. Those chemicals are very toxic.

Did you re-purpose it yet?

 

[processhead]

Put in an electric element, a HERMs coil and a temp probe. Voila, your first half of an all electric system.

This could be a reasonably safe repurpose of that tank if you only used the hot water for heating a HERMS coil.

 

[GrassBrewer]

I agree with most. The size and shape don't really work well for any hot elements of home brewing.

Your best bet for something like this in my opinion is a herms HLT as other mention.

You also need to be careful other re-purposing other tanks for home brewing for other reasons than just what was used in the tanks prior.

Welds on quality homebrew kettles and vessels are considered sanitary welds. Not that they used clean chemicals or anything, but meaning there are no little holes and pits and stuff where contaminates can build up.

For a big tank like that, you could use it as a decent sized fermenter or even a bright tank, but without knowing how good the welds are and without a good way to clean into those crevices, you risk the chance of contaminating your beer with what was left over from your previous batch of beer. Those little yeast buds like to hide.

 

[Norselord]

Anything tossed out at UCF is worthless, hell even the stuff they don't toss out is worthless.

Sincerely,

USF Alumnus.

 

[IslandLizard]

I think as an electric boil kettle it could work fine. As long as you get rid of the guts in the bottom, do NOT use them, and scrub the bejeezus out of the interior of the kettle (use BarKeeper's Friend). Mount an element and you should be in business.

Just plug the hole in the bottom (put a bolt in it) or widen and fashion a drain to it. Heck, you can make it look like a GrainFather.