Homark Beer Engine - advice needed!

[welly3]

G'day all,

Just popping over from the Aussie Home Brewers forum as I recently read a post about refurbishing a Homark Beer Engine. I recently took delivery of one and am going to refurbish it as, like your wife, it's a little bit mucky.

The problem I'm having is that where the actual handle screws in, there is a rather odd nut and I'm unsure if there's a specific tool to unscrew it or whether I need to bodge something together.

If you take a look at the image attachment, you'll see what I mean:

It's a strange three slotted nut. Has any other beer engine refurbishers had this same issue and how did you sort it out?

Thanks in advance!

welly3

 

[MyQul]

I know nothing about beer engines myself but forumite @dads_ale may be your man to answer your Q's as I know he uses one

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=55578&highlight=beer+Engine

Welcome to the forum

 

[ManseMasher]

Not seen them on a beer engine, but I have elsewhere. If you can get a pair of needle nosed pliers into two of the three slots, you might be able to get it undone that way? Worth a go at least.

 

[Dads_Ale]

I know nothing about beer engines myself but forumite @dads_ale may be your man to answer your Q's as I know he uses one

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=55578&highlight=beer+Engine

Welcome to the forum

Unfortunately it is not a Homark one.

You can get 4 spigot sockets (used on wheel bearing nuts) but could not find a 3 spigot one.

You could make one from a box spanner and file/grinder or try a hammer and punch.

Do you need to undo it at all?

 

[welly3]

Unfortunately it is not a Homark one.

You can get 4 spigot sockets (used on wheel bearing nuts) but could not find a 3 spigot one.

You could make one from a box spanner and file/grinder or try a hammer and punch.

Do you need to undo it at all?

Certainly the cylinder has Homark Group stamped on it so wonder if it's been put together from different parts? I'm going to assume it is a Homark beer engine though as the other parts are identical to other Homark beer engines I've seen. I've ordered the seal replacement kit from Colin Farrar to finish this up.

I don't *need* to undo it but wanted to get it rebuilt from scratch so it was shiny and clean and fresh! But I may just do the best I can with it bolted together. I'm going to email Colin Farrar and see if they've seen such a fitting and perhaps get some suggestions from them.

Thanks all for your responses!

 

[Dads_Ale]

Certainly the cylinder has Homark Group stamped on it so wonder if it's been put together from different parts? I'm going to assume it is a Homark beer engine though as the other parts are identical to other Homark beer engines I've seen. I've ordered the seal replacement kit from Colin Farrar to finish this up.

I don't *need* to undo it but wanted to get it rebuilt from scratch so it was shiny and clean and fresh! But I may just do the best I can with it bolted together. I'm going to email Colin Farrar and see if they've seen such a fitting and perhaps get some suggestions from them.

Thanks all for your responses!

Sorry I meant my beer engine isn't a Homark one

 

[welly3]

Sorry I meant my beer engine isn't a Homark one

Oh, ah! Not to worry :) I shall probably end up leaving it as and cleaning as best I can unless I have some luck in the next couple of days finding a suitable tool.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Oh, ah! Not to worry :) I shall probably end up leaving it as and cleaning as best I can unless I have some luck in the next couple of days finding a suitable tool.

I reckon you will probably have to make your own or use a hammer and punch to try and tap it round (also may be left hand thread, can't see in photo).

Doesn't look to be an important part, when its polished and re-assembled no one will know.:-P Better to spend the time on the seals and mechanism.

Good luck with this, there is nothing better than serving a pint through a beer engine, even if it is a lot of faff...:

 

[MyQul]

I love the name 'Beer Engine'. Sound all very victorian kind of like difference engine or something - lots of brass and steam going on. I've just had to google what a beer engine actually is.

 

[Dads_Ale]

I love the name 'Beer Engine'. Sound all very victorian kind of like difference engine or something - lots of brass and steam going on. I've just had to google what a beer engine actually is.

Again totally useless for homebrew, but you just have to have one cos they are shiny and it is how they serve real ale in pubs.

Your mates are impressed when they can pull their own pint...:-D

 

[MyQul]

Again totally useless for homebrew, but you just have to have one cos they are shiny and it is how they serve real ale in pubs.

Your mates are impressed when they can pull their own pint...:-D

I can imagine you wearing a tweed suit,stove pipe hat and and mutton chop side burns (kind of like a home brewing Isambard Kingdom Brunel) merrily holding your pint mug under a automated beer engine surrounded by clouds of steam

"See I have created the wonder of the modern age!" :lol:

 

[dad_of_jon]

I love the name 'Beer Engine'. Sound all very victorian kind of like difference engine or something - lots of brass and steam going on. I've just had to google what a beer engine actually is.

if you like that brass & steam - punk style visit the porterhouse pub in dublin on the edge of temple or the one in london, you can have a super beer in a jules verne / hg wells novel :thumb:

although the salmon & dill fishcakes and ginger chicken goujons are no longer on the menu. :cry:

 

[MyQul]

I've been to to the poterhouse in convent garden, some nice porters there strangely enough. If I ever made it to South Africa I would HAVE to have a pinte here

 

[dad_of_jon]

I've been to to the poterhouse in convent garden, some nice porters there strangely enough. If I ever made it to South Africa I would HAVE to have a pinte here

with a bar like that, who cares what the beers taste like.

ps - love their brainblasta - but it wasn't on tap last time I visited :-(

the wrasslers xxxx stout is also quite potent.

 

[Dads_Ale]

I can imagine you wearing a tweed suit,stove pipe hat and and mutton chop side burns (kind of like a home brewing Isambard Kingdom Brunel) merrily holding your pint mug under a automated beer engine surrounded by clouds of steam

"See I have created the wonder of the modern age!" :lol:

I wish. I have loads of old books on breweries and pubs gone by and don't read them because I get quite depressed that I am not there...

 

[MyQul]

with a bar like that, who cares what the beers taste like.

ps - love their brainblasta - but it wasn't on tap last time I visited :-(

the wrasslers xxxx stout is also quite potent.

Haven't been to the Porterhouse for a few years tbh. I don't often drink in Central London anymore

 

[MyQul]

I wish. I have loads of old books on breweries and pubs gone by and don't read them because I get quite depressed that I am not there...

From some of the piccy's you've posted it looks like started the revival - in your house! :lol:

 

[Dads_Ale]

From some of the piccy's you've posted it looks like started the revival - in your house! :lol:

And in one of the books I found a reference to a Fernley-Whitingstall, brewer. Think it was the 1860s.

I thought he had made the name up...:lol:

 

[MyQul]

And in one of the books I found a reference to a Fernley-Whitingstall, brewer. Think it was the 1860s.

I thought he had made the name up...:lol:

And I bet even back then the 19th Centuary version of Fernley-Whitingstall was extolling the virtues of his hand crafted artisan beer. Much better thanthe beer churned out in these new fangled modern dark satanic mills :lol:

 

[welly3]

I reckon you will probably have to make your own or use a hammer and punch to try and tap it round (also may be left hand thread, can't see in photo).

Doesn't look to be an important part, when its polished and re-assembled no one will know.:-P Better to spend the time on the seals and mechanism.

Good luck with this, there is nothing better than serving a pint through a beer engine, even if it is a lot of faff...:

Here's a quick question you might be able to help out on. The cylinder is a little bit sticky - it needs a bit of lubrication. Can you suggest anything? I guess when beer gets in it, it should be fine but anyway.. any ideas would be grand!