National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Equipment & Chemicals => Topic started by: johnrm on October 18, 2013, 06:45:11 PM

Title: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: johnrm on October 18, 2013, 06:45:11 PM
Anyone looking for a Beer Engine/Hand Pump, have a look on normannumpta...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/normannumpa/m.html

I bought one recently and while it is a fabulous piece of kit, I paid a lot for it.
Looking at Norman, he offers quite good value for anyone looking to take the plunge into this aspect of brewing.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: CARA on October 18, 2013, 10:49:05 PM
Gone, bad time of night to be messing with a phone with an eBay and PayPal app haha
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: johnrm on October 18, 2013, 11:38:46 PM
Let's just say Norms price is quite a bit less than what I paid.
Yup, shipping is a big issue, lots of sellers don't ship, collection only.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: CARA on October 19, 2013, 12:36:42 AM
Quote from: Il Tubo on October 18, 2013, 10:53:26 PM
He has an Angram QC (quarter pint pull) for £90. Not a great price considering Angram were selling factory refurbed QCs for £120.

I bought my QC on ebay, never used, for £60. But shipping was the problem.


Ya, and they've been out of stock for 3 months 1 week 3 days and countin
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: sub82 on October 19, 2013, 09:24:01 AM
Nice one - will keep an eye on his page. Have already been chatting to him about bits and pieces for our corney.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: johnrm on October 19, 2013, 10:09:09 AM
@sub82 twas your post that prompted me to put this up!
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: sub82 on October 19, 2013, 10:28:33 AM
Quote from: johnrm on October 19, 2013, 10:09:09 AM
@sub82 twas your post that prompted me to put this up!

Ah nice one - thanks! ;D We got to borrow one recently and it was amazing tasting our beer through it.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: spacebandit on November 10, 2013, 12:52:18 AM
Just be patient and keep an eye on ebay. I got one for £40 delivered. Just needed cleaning. Amazing piece of kit. Sticker says 1979 Angram. Wooden handle. A thing of beauty.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: spacebandit on November 10, 2013, 03:23:40 PM
Ye of little faith!! At work here, will stick a couple up later...
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: spacebandit on November 13, 2013, 09:17:45 AM
Tried uploading a pic there but too large. I have an idea..
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: sub82 on November 13, 2013, 01:42:54 PM
Any tips for purchasing one of these magnificent beasts? They seem to range from £40-120!

Obvs would like to get a bargain but don't want to buy a wreck! Is there anything to look out for?
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: irish_goat on November 13, 2013, 02:02:04 PM
Happy to take delivery of one if anyone wants.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: sub82 on November 13, 2013, 02:07:52 PM
Thanks Shane - we were actually looking at these two the other night but thought they looked to good to be true when compared to others going for £120.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: sub82 on November 13, 2013, 02:34:01 PM
Good stuff - will keep checking the price and maybe get a bid in!
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: Tom on November 13, 2013, 06:18:19 PM
I got one bought with bidnapper. Amazing thing. Free for 15days, so if you've your eye on one, sign up.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: Hop Bomb on November 13, 2013, 06:19:55 PM
Whats the craic with one of these serving from a corny?
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: spacebandit on November 13, 2013, 06:49:33 PM
Ebay obviously is you pays your money you takes your chance.Having worked for spoons for 7 years over the water I know these things quite well. Probably easier to tell you whats not important. The beer line can be replaced. The diaphragm thingy is irrelevant unless your drawing beer from a distance, ie a cellar. Needs to have a g clamp arrangement to fix it to a counter. The actual guts of the engine are in a sealed box so you need to check the draw by simply pumping the handle. Slight resistance is good. Stick the end of the beerline into a bucket of water and draw it through. It will splutter until the length of the line is filled with water, then you should get a nice smooth pull. The best nozzle is a swan neck with a threaded end so you can screw a sparkler on when required. The short spouts are shite. The swan neck is designed to go into the glass, right to the bottom of the glass. Same as those fast pour nozzles you see in the o2.etc. The sparkler is exactly like the agitator in a creamflow stout nozzle. You can get different colours, white, black and green. Each has different hole arrangements for different results.
Hope that makes sense..
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: spacebandit on November 13, 2013, 07:17:57 PM
http://www.caskwidge.com/products-

If you are going to do cask ale dispense these are simply class. No need for stillage etc. Any homebrewer can find a hundred uses for them too. You can literally dispense from a bucket using it.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: Padraic on November 14, 2013, 01:38:58 PM
Quote from: spacebandit on November 13, 2013, 06:49:33 PM
The actual guts of the engine are in a sealed box so you need to check the draw by simply pumping the handle.

I have three of these that I need to unseal, is the only way to go back to the manufacturer? They didn't look too friendly when I tried to open them up!

You can get lucky on ebay! And I feel that I still owe Tube many pints for delivering for me!
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: spacebandit on November 14, 2013, 01:58:55 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prNEPrw2iE4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Short wee vid there that shows the guts in operation so it can obviously be done. Funnily enough, that is exactly the same as mine. Wooden handle. Only orher one I've seen like it.
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: LordEoin on November 14, 2013, 02:03:02 PM
That is fantastic!
It reminds me of 2 of my favourite things, beer and steam engines!
Title: Re: Beer Engines / Hand Pumps
Post by: spacebandit on November 18, 2013, 12:46:32 PM
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRADITIONAL-REAL-ALE-BEER-ENGINE-PUMP-/281207246565

Just over a day left on this one. £20 + 12 p&p at the mo. Prob go higher