Mash Tun Repurpose Project

by **Modernity** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:56 pm

I need a few ideas here. A mate gave me this old stock boiler out of a commercial kitchen. I was thinking it would make a good mush tun. There are two ring burners each with their own controls. The heat is flued to keep the heat next to the pot on the way up. It measures up at 110 ltrs and came with a colander/like a pasta boiler with a stand on the bottom to hold the colander off the bottom of the boiler. A 50mm outlet with a tap as you can see. I could turn it into a still if I was not so far along with my main build, so mush tun i think :think: its been living with mice in the shed for a few years so I think it is a strip and clean jobby first :violin:

by **Kimbo** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 7:14 pm

That would make an excellent Mash tun mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **crow** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 8:39 pm

Man oh man thats going to make an excellent mash tun and that drain bucket hmm lucky bugger

by **MacStill** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:10 pm

I have nothing to add, but can I have mates like your mates please :romance-kisscheek:

by **Goldie** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:26 pm

Good to see that has been rescued from the mice, great pick up! I want one!

by **Urrazeb** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:59 am

That's a good score mod. Let us know how u go with it!

by **Modernity** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 7:24 pm

Opened up the covers on the front and removed a mouse nest or two. There is a lot of clay wasp nests in there too. There was an issue with the gas fuse cutting out are 3-4 minutes. A quick clean and re-alinement closer to the pilot light had that fixed. Good to know that if the gas blows out the gas fuse will cut the gas supply.

Test Run: Both burners on (they only have a quarter turn between Off and Full On)
Load: 90 ltrs water
Start 5:05pm
0 min 17c (cold water tap temp)
15 min 24c reached ambient air temp (Strong smell of mouse wee) :teasing-blah:
30 min 33c
45 min 42c ( now smells of hot wee nice :handgestures-thumbupleft: )
60 min 48c
75 min 58c
90 min 64c
105 min 72c
120 min (cooking dinner)
135 min (eating dinner)
150 min 91c
165 min
180 min 98c (rolling boil)

Result: The burners need to be cleaned and I think that will reduce the boil time. I think also that this was done outside with a slight breeze and the sun was going down, this might explain the middle 45-75 minutes being erratic.

by **Kimbo** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:01 pm

Thats brilliant Mod,
like you said, clean the burners........ and maybe look at some insulation and shielding :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Modernity** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:28 pm

Inside the stainless case is packed with glass wool insulation. The boiler has a flue all around and vented up the back to get maximum heat transfer. I think the wind was effecting the underneath. Whet did make a big difference was keeping the lid down. I think next job is clean the burners and try again inside.

by **Kimbo** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:29 pm

Sounds good mate, keep us posted :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Modernity** » Wed Jan 09, 2013 7:46 pm

Just setting to to cut out and fit a new bottom in the boiler. The bottom had got brittle due to age and had some pin hole leaks. So I am cutting it out and replacing the bottom in 5mm S/S plate.

by **Cane Toad** » Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:12 pm

you are gunna be one very happy person :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Modernity** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 4:51 pm

Here is progress with the new arrived 8" column

by **1 2many** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 5:46 pm

Have you figured out how you are going to heat that beast yet mate :-B

Edit: I am confused, I thought this was going to be a boiler :think:

by **Modernity** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 7:01 pm

1 2many wrote:Have you figured out how you are going to heat that beast yet mate :-B

Edit: I am confused, I thought this was going to be a boiler :think:

Not sure what you mean by a boiler. The earlier posts are of the mush tun, these two photos are first I've posted (i think) of the pot still itself. Can you clarify your question for me?
As far as heating it goes I'm leaning towards converting an older style gas fired pool heater, one with a all metal heat exchanger. Then heat oil and pump it through the jacket on the pot. I have a few issues to sort before this idea gets tested. The second option is to use steam, that comes with a base cost of at least $2000-$3000 as far as I can see at this point.

by **1 2many** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 7:17 pm

Not sure what you mean by a boiler. The earlier posts are of the mush tun, these two photos are first I've posted (i think) of the pot still itself. Can you clarify your question for me?

Yes it is the first two pics of your pot still, so I am assuming that is your boiler :-B

And you have posted your pot still in a thread about re purposed mash tun.

Just wasn't sure were you where going. 8-}

by **Modernity** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:54 pm

1 2many wrote:

Just wasn't sure were you where going. 8-}

Your right, I made that as clear as mud. I've posted the boiler with the mush tun because they are both part of the same project, in my head anyway. I'm working towards a setup that can make a malt whiskey as well produce a neutral grain spirit.

I chanced upon the mush tun from a friend and then a year later after a lot of searching found the jacketed kettle of the right size for the boiler. In the end the boiler cost me more in petrol to pick it up then what the guy wanted for it. The real cost is going to be in the heating system as we have started to explore in another tread.

by **1 2many** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:04 pm

Thanks mate I am up to speed now :O)

The 8" copper column fits well with the boiler, will be a cracker when it's finished :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Modernity** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:47 pm

Finally think I am on track to heating this jacketed pot of mine. Electric has had to go out the window, gas is back in favour. I don't know if this will work but bought a commercial LPG water boiler rated at 44KW and hot water circulation pump to match. I'm think to pump oil around in a open system dumping into a header tank. The whole setup shouldn't hold more then 20ltrs of oil and due to the higher boiling temp there will be no water boiling or steam under pressure to deal with, just f-ing hot oil. This should be way safer then dealing with steam.

The question is wheather 44KW is enough or should I have gone for a bigger unit?