Show your DIY Projects

[GFHomebrew]

I can only really brew with the garage door open due to the rain that would fall inside the garage and soak everything because of the steam from the boil. Well that is until now - I hope.
I fitted a 45cm high frame at ground level between the garage door sides and installed a turbo (manufacturers description) in-line fan at one end. The fan is connected to a plastic bell-end (no not me!) that is suspended over the kettle using the coiled plastic ducting.
The bell is supported above the kettle top with spacers to allow air to be sucked in and, hopefully, carry the steam away down the ducting by the fan. The frame at the door allows me to shut the garage door down to the same level and stop any howling wind that I usually get battering the garage doorway - especially when I want to brew when the weather is crap.

Well that is the plan anyway. Test runs suggest it does work but because the bell is so thin there may be more condensation created than the fan can carry away. I could reduce the ducting length and insulate the bell to avoid that... I'll wait and see...

View attachment 14756 View attachment 14757

Im sure after a few run with it you'll have it worked out.
Looks good

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Looks pretty cool Alan! In addition to @west1m's insulation suggestion, I might also suggest making the duct more of a curve than a sharp bend. I think the sharp bend will be a collection point for the steam to condense and drain back down.

 

[Donoroto]

Well that is the plan anyway.

Best mention all that to the neighbors before they call the fire brigade with all that 'smoke' coming out the door... And the odor might attract other neighbors who are looking for samples...

 

[WesBrew]

Got a spike coil for My kegmentor. I drilled it for liquid/gas fittings and a thermowell. Couldnt find a weldless thermowell that would work. Had this one tig welded for me. It rocked! 11 gallons of Alt. Easy temp control. Use spunding valve to bleed off or maintain some pressure, easy to put picnic tap on for a sample (floating pick up tube) and closed transfer to kegs .

 

[Hawkbox]

That looks pretty slick.

 

[WesBrew]

Also built a steam condenser for the kettle, since I brew inside and cant have beer dripping from the ceiling.

 

[west1m]

Very nice!
You have to have one if you boil indoors with limited ventilation.
It was summer the first time I used my new room in the basement, the AC ductwork had a swimming pool forming under it.

 

[Hawkbox]

My old stump holding my anvil was in dire shape but I got lucky during an auction and found some neat parts. I was able to cut the top out of a scrap keg and fill it with sand, then put that heavy metal flange on it and attach my anvil. The bloody thing is at least 5x heavier than my old setup was which should be perfect for my needs.

Still have to secure the anvil but I was tired last night while working on it.

 

[AHarper]

Looks pretty cool Alan! In addition to @west1m's insulation suggestion, I might also suggest making the duct more of a curve than a sharp bend. I think the sharp bend will be a collection point for the steam to condense and drain back down.

Watch this space... insulating the whole lot using expanding foam - the tin blew up on me and foam was everywhere

 

[Donoroto]

the tin blew up on me and foam was everywhere

It seemed wrong to click "like" for that Alan. I know all about that foam, especially how much of a pain it is to clean up. One tip: acetone is your friend. Any clothing is rags now, or for dirty work.

 

[Hawkbox]

Yeah that stuff is handy as hell but a complete beast if you mess up the amounts or forget it oozes when you set it down.

 

[Donoroto]

So some brewer/anvil enthusiast named @Hawkbox made me this awesome bottle opener. I even put a cap onto an empty bottle just so I could pop it off. And it has a hole for a string!

Thank you Jason, nice work.

 

[Sunfire96]

So some brewer/anvil enthusiast named @Hawkbox made me this awesome bottle opener. I even put a cap onto an empty bottle just so I could pop it off. And it has a hole for a string!

Thank you Jason, nice work.

View attachment 15684

Ooh I like the twist design @Hawkbox

 

[Megary]

So some brewer/anvil enthusiast named @Hawkbox made me this awesome bottle opener. I even put a cap onto an empty bottle just so I could pop it off. And it has a hole for a string!

Thank you Jason, nice work.

View attachment 15684

Looks downright medieval. I love it.

 

[Hawkbox]

Wow it looks way better in picture than it does in real life. I'm impressed with how quick it showed up and I'm glad it works Don. It's my first attempt twisting metal into anything specific so I'm rather chuffed it looks good.

 

[RoadRoach]

Your stir stick looks similar to the "board of education" I grew up with.

 

[Donoroto]

Wow it looks way better in picture than it does in real life. I'm impressed with how quick it showed up and I'm glad it works Don. It's my first attempt twisting metal into anything specific so I'm rather chuffed it looks good.

It isn't perfect, which is just perfect. I know of machines that can make a perfect one, but what good is that? This took time and effort, and it shows. The finish (hard to discern in the photo, it looks just 'black') isn't paint, but blackened (no, not Cajun...) which is highly rust-resistant, a hard oxide like they use for tools like drill bits. Of course, leaving it on the lawn for a month will let it rust, but the splashed beer won't affect it. The twisting is quite even and regular which adds tremendously to not just the looks but to the grip: It won't slip out of your hand.

And yeah, I'm also glad it actually works.

 

[Hawkbox]

It's kind of neat what some WD40 heated up to 400C will do to the appearance of metal.

 

[Bulin's Milker Bucket Brews]

Modified this bottle filler with an aquarium bulkhead and spare parts from when I converted the DigiBoil to cam locks(original bulkhead and an Anvil dip tube with some clear line). Eliminating 7 bottles of left over beer in the tank.

 

[Craigerrr]

View attachment 15897 Modified this bottle filler with an aquarium bulkhead and spare parts from when I converted the DigiBoil to cam locks(original bulkhead and an Anvil dip tube with some clear line). Eliminating 7 bottles of left over beer in the tank. View attachment 15895View attachment 15896

Are you filling bottles with carbonated beer, or are you bottling and bottle conditioning with this set up?