gotta make a dip stick

[Texas Ale Works]

so, i need a dip stick to figure out my pre/post boil volumes.

Iam going to get a length of 1/2 copper and mark it from 4-10 gallons.
My desire is to do it with math, not water so I can measure out some marks, and use my tubing cutter to make a line all the way around it.

Does anyone know if there is a calculator that will tell me how many inches = a gallon in a given pot?
I have the Bayou classic 15 gallon stock pot, it does have some extra stuff inside that will displace a bit of water, but it should be close enough.

Diameter of the pot is 15.55 inches

Tim

 

[Craigerrr]

Using the tube cutter to make graduations, diabolical! Great idea! Going to grab a scrap piece of stainless steel tube from work to make a dipstick. My kettle has graduation marks but you can't see them on brew day.

 

[oliver]

at Home Depot or some craft stores they have long stainless steel rulers.

take your kettle when not brewing, fill it with one gallon, mark how many inches/centimeters on the ruler. Add another gallon, mark 2 gallons in in/cm on the ruler. Etc etc. takes some work, but it's worth it.

 

[J A]

Just look up boil pot volume calculator.
The way did it was to start with the lowest volume I wanted to mark in the pot, make a mark, add a gallon, make a mark and then duplicate the distance the rest of the way up. the bottom gallon or so stands higher in the pot because of the radius on the bottom once the pot is an uninterrupted cylinder shape, it's even calibration from there. You can divide the marks by half-gallons or quarts and it's very handy. Knowing whether your final volume is 5.5 or 5.75 makes a pretty big difference when calculating efficiency.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

this is what I use, I still have to pour it in gallon by gallon and mark it but it works perfect
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/sl.htm

 

[philjohnwilliams]

I like the idea of using the tubing cutter to mark the dipstick. However, having used both, my preference is for the sightglass. You probably don't have this problem in Texas, but when I brew outside in the winter in Montreal, there is so much steam coming off the wort that I can't see a dipstick, but a sightglass is always visible.

 

[J A]

Jeez, it's a helluva thing when a fella's got it so steamed up he can't see his dipstick!

 

[J A]

But, yeah, if you can manage to install a sight-glass, theres' really nothing better.

 

[thunderwagn]

I use a metal yard stick from home depot and the man skirt calculator. Works very well. I've even used my tape measure from time to time if I forget to bring up my yardstick. I did a graduated stick like you're talking about and I never liked it.

https://manskirtbrewing.com/Calculators.aspx

 

[Hawkbox]

I honestly just track the math and the boil rate, I come in pretty close every time. Unless I get distracted by someone geting me drunk.

 

[Texas Ale Works]

Thanks for the replies and laughs.

 

[Texas Ale Works]

I honestly just track the math and the boil rate, I come in pretty close every time. Unless I get distracted by someone geting me drunk.

I need to know and understand my system to make sure it is following the math from the calculations

 

[Hawkbox]

Ah yeah mine has markings on the inside and I just kind of math it. The problem is the boil and evap rates, I ended up 2 liters high today because I had a lower rate.

 

[BOB357]

You can also make the marks on the outside of the kettle and use a pair of tongs to transfer the water level to the outside markings. THis won't work if you chewed an inch off of one side of the tongs to get to the BBQ you were holding with them

 

[Texas Ale Works]

Thanks again for all your help

 

[Beer_Pirate]

Coming in a little late, and I'm not sure of the accuracy, but the Priceless BIAB calculator lets you adjust volume and diameters of pots and gives a readout of depth in the kettle for a given volume of water at 68F and at mash temps.

 

[Texas Ale Works]

Coming in a little late, and I'm not sure of the accuracy, but the Priceless BIAB calculator lets you adjust volume and diameters of pots and gives a readout of depth in the kettle for a given volume of water at 68F and at mash temps.

Sweet

 

[Texas Ale Works]

I use a metal yard stick from home depot and the man skirt calculator. Works very well. I've even used my tape measure from time to time if I forget to bring up my yardstick. I did a graduated stick like you're talking about and I never liked it.

https://manskirtbrewing.com/Calculators.aspx

Somehow I missed this post.....this is what I am going to do.
Just widh I had seen it before I pickedup the copper tubing, good thing I got it at Home Depot, and that I work at Home Depot...….