BeerBorg

MK RAM wrote:

DaYooper wrote:I think the point was that he enjoys woodworking and not to save $19 (plus S&H). Just like I dont really expect to save money by doing my own beer (especially when amortizing in the equipment and my constant new purchases of stuffs), Im guessing he isnt looking at saving the money either. However, a wooden Fastrack might be the ticket.

Thanks Yoop!

I agree with Yoop. I have had my shop shut down for a couple of years now but I hope to get it up and running again soon. I would just coat the whole tree in polyurethane. If I was still concerned about infection (and I would be and am even with my plastic bottle tree) I would - and do - spray it down with sanitizer before each use.

I'm a FastRack user as well, and have seen many wood DIY FastRack-like setups.



Here's a homemade bottle tree...



http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/diy-mon ... cs-105614/

Swen...those look great. I now have a new project on the list. Thanks for the pics.

And for the idea from the OP...I think it's a great idea. A hobby is supposed to be fun, even if the project isn't cheaper than going to the store to get a similar item. It's the fun of doing it. Just as it is in brewing. I can sometimes go to the store and buy good craft beer for a close price to what I make it for...but that's not the point. I love brewing and drinking my own beer.

So go for it...and be sure to post pics when your done.

I'm not a woodworker, but that has to be one relaxing rewarding hobby. That might be a nice retirement hobby I get into later in life.

I found this a while back and I made one myself. This isn't my picture but you get the idea. I took a plain white heavier clothes hanger, mine had a little web around the corner of the hanger like the picture shows and that makes it even better. But cut it to size like the picture indicates and smoothed out the cuts. I sanitize it and use it to aerate my wort once it's in my bucket fermenters. Lot easier on the arm than a wisk. I haven't got into oxygenating my wort because my beers are good as they are with healthy fermentations. Also this mixing method is what Gordon Strong uses and he talks about it in his book, if it's good enough for a 3 time Ninkasi award winner, good enough for me. He saves the oxygen for bigger beers and lagers I belive.

MadBrewer, that's a GENIUS invention!!

I made my own wort chiller a few months ago. I bought the copper already in a coil, so I could get it down to the right size by hand and only needed my tube bender to put two 90 degree bends into the intake and outtake. The plastic tubing and faucet adapter cost me just a few bucks and I already had two clamps on hand. Just as cheap as buying a chiller and much more fun.

swenocha....that looks very similar to the wooden DIY FastRack that I just built. I built mine to fit in a short sided storage bin (used for wrapping paper storage) to catch the draining fluid.

I have also thought about building a bottle tree using a wooden center piece and cut plastic hangers for the branches. The cut plastic hanger branches could then be removed from the center piece, washed, sanitized and replaced. Also considered some kind of PVC for the center piece, making the entire thing sanitizable. Still in the planning process, but thought I'd share.... and any suggestions/thougths are welcome.

CheapTrix

BB, I made a wort chiller too! I got 50' of 3/8" tube from ebay, a piece of washer hose and clamp from the local hardware. I made a double coil, inner around a wine bottle, outer around a pot. My right angles were bent around a tomato sauce jar. It works.

John Sand wrote:BB, I made a wort chiller too! I got 50' of 3/8" tube from ebay, a piece of washer hose and clamp from the local hardware. I made a double coil, inner around a wine bottle, outer around a pot. My right angles were bent around a tomato sauce jar. It works.

That double coil sounds sweet.

I've only used it once, it didn't work as well as I'd hoped. But I'm sure with practice, and colder winter water, it will be fine.