[dean]

I'm turning an old metal fish aquarium stand into a brewing stand.  I've got it about half way done.  I'm not a welder so it isn't pretty but I have beat the joints with a brass hammer and they hold so I guess it will work.    

If I have the patience to upload a pic when its done I might, just so you all can have a good laugh.      

[majorvices]

There was someone in either zymurgy or byo recently that made a brew stand out of that inexpensive metal shelving lengths that have holes drilled every inch or so to insert bolts. Looked very inexpesnive and easy to construct. Can;t find the issue though.

[dean]

I should have taken before pics, the aquarium stand wasn't really worth anything but taking to the scrap yard and I used an old bent up box spring frame that we found.  I'm still considering to mount my plate chiller on it, I like how fast it chills but they can be a bugger to clean if you don't do it as soon as you're done with them, and I have done that a time or two.     If recirulating from the PC back into the boil kettle helps remove cold break material from making it to the fermenter, that would make it worth it I guess.  The entire length of the stand is long enough that I made the center where the mashtun sits able to hold either a keggle or the cooler in case I decide to try stepping the mash temps, there are three burners.  I still need to plumb it etc. Like I said it isn't pretty, I didn't set out to make a beautiful piece of artwork... just functioning will do for me... and I'm a firm believer that form follows function.   

[dean]

Well, here it is, a work in progress.  You can see the basic construction of my brewshed too.  I figure I'll have it all done in a year or two.     In the pic is my current mashtun but I added double rails and a third burner so I can use a keggle/pot when and if I'm comfortable using it that way.

[richardt]

If you use it like it is set up in the picture, how will you keep the heat from the outside burners from melting the cooler or the vinyl hose?

Might want to turn the cooler 90 degrees and/or create a heat shield.

[riverrat]

Or ditch the cooler for a keg mash tun and be happy that you have much less plastic touching your beer.

Nice stand though!  And good idea making it ready for an upgrade!

[bluesman]

Nice stand!

Can't beat the price...do you pump everything?

[dean]

I've yet to use the pump... for all I know, it might not work even.        I lost a lot of materials and equipment when I moved... just left everything behind that I couldn't haul.  The only reason I have this stand was because I went back for Thanksgiving and thought what the hell... throw it in the back of the truck theres room.   

I've used the PC via gravity.... tricky at times. 

Yeh its built so I can use the cooler MT or a keggle MT.  I still need to plumb it all but its been hotter than hades the last few days or so... but thats okay my hops are growing!   

[yugamrap]

That must have been one big-a$$ aquarium!  It looks like you're on your way to a pretty nice setup.