Help with 10g cooler mash tun conversion

The print version of John Palmers How to Brew has a section on building a cooler mashtun with a breakdown of required parts and process.

I have also seen some youtube video's that show the process including which parts are required.

 

Midwest Supplies sells a gott cooler conversion kit for $30-40 bucks. I took the parts list and bought everythinj I needed at Hoem Depot. only thing I would do differently is buy a pre-made torpedo screen from Midwest supplies or Northern Brewer. I'm same way as you very mechanically dis-inclined but was able to pull it off in about 90 minutes.

 

I followed this guide:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

I did have to improvise a little bit because I couldn't find all the parts exactly (plus I ended up going with a false bottom since I don't have a hack saw to build a manifold or cut steel-braid pipe).

 

Northern Brewer sells conversion kits..it's what I did and it's still working fine after 12 or so brews. BM me if you have questions.

 

In this case I do not recommend the Palmer mash-tun conversion instructions. He gives a very detailed analysis of the fluid dynamics of a mash-tun. It's all very accurate, but easily overwhelms the casual reader. He also steers you to a copper manifold, but it's actually easier to use a stainless steel manifold from a plumbing supply line.

I searched google for "picnic cooler mash tun conversion kit" and found multiple links to DIY plans. Here are two pretty good looking ones:

http://www.onemansbeer.com/diy-mash-tun-parts/

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Converting_a_cooler_to_a_mash_tun

What I will tell you that most people withhold, is that there is a fair amount of error in the actual parts required. This can all be solved with a couple of extra trips to the hardware store. But expect to have an excess of parts (that didn't work/fit) left over after the build. This is the nature of DIY.

Basically you want a stainless steel supply hose that you will cut the ends off and strip the ss braid. This is your filter. You attach this to some form of coupler or tee or nipple that threads into the female portion of the ball **** valve. All of this must be long enough to fit through the cooler, then tightened down to be leakproof. Do not expect everything to fit the first time. The thickness of your cooler, the length of the nipple or tee effects how you make the final assembly. You will want washers or pvc couplers for shims/spacers. Every assembly is a little bit different. You should have all stainless parts on the inside of the tun. Buy more ss hose clamps than you think you will ever need (you will need them). Ideally you want food grade/high temp o-rings/gaskets. Most of us end up using whatever we find that fits.

I don't mean to be cavalier with my suggestions, but get a set of plans from above and dive in. Yes it can be a little bit frustrating and you end up with a bunch of parts left over. It's not unusual for these type projects to leak initially . . . you just have to sort it all out. But you can end up with a pretty effective mash tun. Maybe it's just me, but I think beer tastes better when you DIY.

 

Largo has it spot on.

when building your mash tun remember that simple is good. try not to get hung up on the fluid dynamics, various efficiencies, design tweaks and whatever. that level of detail is good for some folks but certainly not all.

instead, keep in mind the goal. warm water of a specific temperarture held in a bucket with crushed grain for a set time. drain. fill with warmer water and drain again. done. you get that mostly right and you're an all grain brewer.

the plumbing guy at the local Depot or Lowes (you really do want the plumbing guy and not the lady from paint just filling in... go on a quiet Tuesday afteroon...) can easily build the drain assembly complete with a leak proof bulk head. explain the manifold assembly, what it does how it works, and you'll have a copper manifold dry fit in no time. you just need to drill some holes a hack saw some slots. no solder. no worries.

easy as pie. i swear. DON'T SWEAT IT. this is a leisurely hobby perfect for time out of mind.
also, post here for guidance whenever.
Cheers.

edit
remember too that of all the DIY homebrewing tasks, making a mash tun from scratch is probably the single biggest cost savings known. retailers are asking ridiculous prices for an orange cooler with some bullshit valve/manifold set up. you're a homebrewer and you can do it better. cheaper.

 

I used the plans posted above at HBT. They list the part numbers so it is fairly easy to find the parts on the shelf. However, it did require a couple of trips to HD and an extra trip to Fastenal to find stainless steel washers. Finally, I think I used at least one more washer than the plans called for in order to get a tight fit.

Bring your parts with you so you can check that they fit. IIRC, the stainless washers were 19mm, although the plans give an English measurement.

 

Was looking at this last night in How to Brew, time to start shopping! I'm ready to start all grain after 6 batches this year.

 

http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=47&product_id=85

 

If you belong to a homebrew club, a member may also have a list of the stuff s/he used to build a tun. That person might also disassemble it so you can take said parts to a hardware store. You can say, "I need this."

 

Buy the SS ball valves from NB and the 12" false bottom and some high temp braided tubing and you're done. You then have a nice Mash Tun with a real false bottom.

 

Take out the white plastic spigot and replace it with wldless spigot-
http://morebeer.com/products/weldless-spigot-stainless.html

Then get a 12inch stainless steel false bottom
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/all-stainless-false-bottom-12.html

Then hook up the two with some braided hose and be sure to have hose clamps to secure the connection. Some people drill an extra hole on the cooler to put on a weldless thermometer. I didn't have a drill and I was afraid to mess up the cooler (don't hate, business major), so I just use a hand-held digital thermometer.

Bro tip- Before you add water and grain, Place your cooler at the desired height level so it's high enough to drain off the liquid later on. If you dough-in with the cooler on the ground, it's going to be tough to lift 15pounds of grains with water later on.

 

Here's what I have for my 10 gallon cylindrical Gott cooler:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/s-s-cooler-valve-w-barb.html

Further down the page is a link to a PDF of installation instructions. It took about ten minutes.

Grab the false bottom that henryspam shows, and get a short length of heat resistant plastic hose to connect the two. The guys at Northern Brewer will give you tips on the phone, might even walk you through the process while you're doing it. I have a digital thermometer with a long heat and water-resistant corded probe that I dangle inside the cooler and close the lid on it. Works great. Good luck!