Mash tun construction suggestions wanted

[luckyeddie]

Last week, after I aborted my first AG brew day owing to a leaky boiler, I went down to the local garden centre to pick up some odds and ends. I saw a chap with big polystyrene boxes (they use them for moving koi carp around) that just screamed 'Mash tun'. I bought one for a fiver and was then at a loss on what to put inside it (an odd way of doing things, I know, buying the insulation without having anything to insulate - but that's just me).

Anyway, this lunchtime I popped into Wilkinsons and saw they had some clear plastic storage containers (dishwasher safe, so they'll take hot liquid no problem) - the 24 litre one looked to be about the right size to fit in the polystyrene box, so again, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I shelled out another three quid.

Tonight, with a bit of trimming of the polystyrene, I put them together (see pic).

What I now want to do tomorrow is to complete the task of constructing the mash tun - so I am open to suggestions as to how (some of you guys are the experts - I'm a total novice but I do have the ability to think laterally). I am only planning on batch sparging. I was thinking about a tap connected to a lattice of plastic pipes for draining the wort (seems no point in using copper if the mash tun itself is plastic).

Any suggestions as to the 'how' and 'what' will be gratefully received.

 

[craigite]

I do like that idea.
You might find the polystyrene a bit fragile, maybe another plastic box outside.
Im a plastic toolbox but I do like my copper fittings. they're easy to get and interchangeable.
keep us posted on the build. :thumb:

 

[corby_brewer]

Make yourself an outer box out of 3/4" marine ply.

 

[luckyeddie]

I'm heading off to B&Q (or similar) in the next hour or so to see if I can get some copper or plastic tubing for the plumbing. Good point about the exterior. I doubt I'll get anything that will fit as snugly as the plastic interior container does, so plywood sounds like a great idea.

If I can't find the right stuff today to finish off the mash tun, then I'm still going to brew tomorrow, just using the boiler and the Aussie 'Brew in a bag' technique.

 

[philip5660]

Marine Ply as suggest above - if you don't want to be fancy or aren't confident with cutting etc you could maybe just cut plywood panels to the same size as each face of the box and glue them into place (maybe reinforce the corners with some right angled trim?)- a bit blue peter I know but it would give the whole thing a bit of strength

 

[robsan77]

An unsoldered copper manifold is great as you can take it apart to clean and it pushes together nicely :thumb:

A bit of over engineering maybe but i would make a plywood box bigger than the poly and in fill with expanding foam. A lot of us always wrap our tuns in an old sleepling bag but doing this would mean you wouldnt have to bother. £3.00 from screwfix.

 

[luckyeddie]

I had a quick wander around town for an hour and nothing really struck me as bodge-worthy to get this project up to speed ready for brew day (tomorrow) so I put it aside for a 'rainy day'.

Plan 'B' for tomorrow is to use the Electrim boiler as a mash tun (no problem with maintaining temperature, of course) but it's going to be fiddly, using a grain bag and all, and having to draw off into a FV and then pour it all back after sparging - then using a bag again for the hops (local brew shop did not have a hop strainer jobby).

I've spent most of today just planning for tomorrow (and sulking because Derby lost to Forest) and I've taken advice and compiled a list of all the things I can vthink of that I have to do.

74 bullet points.

This better be worth it.

 

[robsan77]

(and sulking because Derby lost to Forest) and I've taken advice and compiled a list of all the things I can vthink of that I have to do.

74 bullet points.

This better be worth it.

thats 6 points this season isnt it? :rofl:

 

[luckyeddie]

(and sulking because Derby lost to Forest) and I've taken advice and compiled a list of all the things I can vthink of that I have to do.

74 bullet points.

This better be worth it.

thats 6 points this season isnt it? :rofl:

You sound tree-like :hmm:

 

[robsan77]

(and sulking because Derby lost to Forest) and I've taken advice and compiled a list of all the things I can vthink of that I have to do.

74 bullet points.

This better be worth it.

thats 6 points this season isnt it? :rofl:

You sound tree-like :hmm:

I live in nottingham. . . . however not by breed and not by following. I do however like an opportunity to point something out. :lol:

 

[Mark1964]

We had an electrim boiler/mashtun and found it didnt maintain the mash temp very well but if your going ahead with it you will need amashing nylon bag to keep the grain off the element or the grain gets burnt and ruins the whole brew

 

[darrenwest1]

go for a cooler box it you can
mine cost about 30 quid +15 for the plumbing bits
it looses .7 degrees over the full 90 mins
the prob with that polystirene box is that you cant attatch a tap to it

 

[philip5660]

An unsoldered copper manifold is great as you can take it apart to clean and it pushes together nicely :thumb:

A bit of over engineering maybe but i would make a plywood box bigger than the poly and in fill with expanding foam. A lot of us always wrap our tuns in an old sleepling bag but doing this would mean you wouldnt have to bother. £3.00 from screwfix.

Expanding foam opens a world of possibilities - In that case you need not even have to make a plywood box - just any bigger box (of suitable material) will do....