Manifold vs Bazooka in Mash Tun

[Qs]

I'm putting my mash tun together at the moment but its costing me a lot more to get the fittings and copper I need to make a manifold than I thought it would. So now its much of a muchness in price vs just buying a ball valve tap and bazooka off ebay, ready to install.

I'm not sure what to go with. Frankly wish I'd just bought a ready made mash tun now and saved myself the hassle.

[Garry]

These's nothing wrong with a bazooka. You'll just get a bit more efficiency with a manifold or false bottom.

You can make a cheap false bottom from an Ikea candle tray, image from Tube:



You can also just line the mash tun with a BIAB bag, voile or a paint strainer.

[Qs]

My cooler is rectangular, not sure if that false bottom would work with it.

I found another bazooka on ebay for €14 from Holland incl postage. I might just get that. Its a lot cheaper than shelling out for copper and fittings.

[Garry]

My cooler is rectangular, not sure if that false bottom would work with it.

That doesn't matter. The circular false bottom will still work.

As for fittings, these are expensive alright. Have you any buddies who are plumbers? Swap them beer for fittings?

You don't have to use copper, Qual-pex is safe up to 95°C.

[Qs]

Nah none of my mates are plumbers unfortunately. I might take a look at how much that qual pex stuff is locally. Seems like it might be handy. The pipe and the fittings are both safe in a boil?

[Garry]

I wouldn't use qual-pex in the boiler but it's fine for the mash tun. The qual-pex pipe and fittings are rated up 95°C.

[Qs]

Perfect. I assume thats a lot easier to cut than copper too.

[Garry]

Yes, you can cut it with a stanley knife.

[DEMPSEY]

My cooler is rectangular, not sure if that false bottom would work with it.

I found another bazooka on ebay for €14 from Holland incl postage. I might just get that. Its a lot cheaper than shelling out for copper and fittings.

If you have a 4" angle grinder for cutting with then tell the wife that having a single bowl stainless steel sink is just not good enough for the Kitchen and that you can get a cheap good quality bowl and a half sink from B&Q and fit it for the family :. Of course you need to then get rid of the old sink so cut it up and as you do you will observe that the draining board would make a perfect false bottom for a rectangular cooler :. Wife will be proud of you for caring and you get a false bottom too.

[montofk]

I came across this a while ago, thought it was about the simplest cooler box conversion I've seen...  As Garry said, probably won't be as good for efficiency but for simplicity and ease of build I thought it was good..... Those braided pipe things are about 7 quid in B&Q I think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9wJr7c1F4I&list=WL&index=19

[Qs]

If you have a 4" angle grinder for cutting with then tell the wife that having a single bowl stainless steel sink is just not good enough for the Kitchen and that you can get a cheap good quality bowl and a half sink from B&Q and fit it for the family :. Of course you need to then get rid of the old sink so cut it up and as you do you will observe that the draining board would make a perfect false bottom for a rectangular cooler :. Wife will be proud of you for caring and you get a false bottom too.

Considering we've only been in the house for a year and spent a small fortune on the new kitchen I can't imagine that going over too well 

[Pheeel]

I have the braided jobbie in my mash tun. Problem is the weight of the grain crushes the braid and you end up with a trickle. I recently put a bazooka over the top of it and it worked out way better. It'll do until I can buy some pumps and get a proper mash tun w false bottom working

[Samael]

I'm using this solution and works fine for me

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1CZyaQukplg/Tm8aQdMkWTI/AAAAAAAAAoI/ru9JCdx8nbE/s400/IMG_8426.jpg

[GrahamR]

Had the same thought with my own planned mashtun build. ended up going for a 6 inch bazooka from AliExpress for $10 delivered

[montofk]

Is that a braided hose Samael? Where did you find one that long? Or is it a shower hose or something? (Can't quite make out the fine detail).   

Interesting point about crushing under weight of grain... Hadn't thought of that.. something with a bit more strength would be better....  Would using a shower hose be an option? (with lots of little drill holes)