Work horse mash mixer

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japsinok
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

Post by japsinok »

der wo wrote:Japsinok,
perhaps it's time now to think about a lid and about insulation. You will have to heat much less.

I've thought about the need for a lid, just haven't done that yet. I don't want to "ruin" the stock lids that I have but I'll make something.

Insulation while it is heating is a different story. I use blankets to hold the heat in once it reaches temp.

I have some water heater insulation, and I've thought of sewing it into a sleeve that slides around the pot (like a beer can coozy), but I would be apprehensive to use it while applying heat (fire) to the pot. But since I've switched from propane to NG, the cost of heating is a fraction of what it once was, so that is not my top priority.
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der wo
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

Post by der wo »

A cheap sheet of plastic or wood will make a good lid. Easy to work with and already insulated.
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japsinok
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

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der wo wrote:A cheap sheet of plastic or wood will make a good lid. Easy to work with and already insulated.
I have some 1/2" acrylic that I can use. I can machine it to fit snug with a hole or slot to accommodate the dasher. I like the idea of the lid being translucent.

Yes, wood is always an option too.
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yakattack
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

Post by yakattack »

A simpleasure metal shroud around the pot and the burner will in crease your efficiency by around 30 percent. When using propane to heat, when I added a metal barrel around my boiler/mash tun, I found a third of time reduction and 30 % less fuel use per session. Just a thought of a simple solution.
HDNB wrote: The trick here is to learn what leads to a stalled mash....and quit doing that.
japsinok
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

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yakattack wrote:A simpleasure metal shroud around the pot and the burner will in crease your efficiency by around 30 percent. When using propane to heat, when I added a metal barrel around my boiler/mash tun, I found a third of time reduction and 30 % less fuel use per session. Just a thought of a simple solution.
That's a good idea. My quick and dirty solution till now is to confine the flame to the bottom by surrounding the burner and pot with bricks (see photo a few posts ago). I got much better heat transfer when I started doing that. But a metal jacket might be even better, and yes, simple.
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

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yakattack wrote:A simpleasure metal shroud around the pot and the burner will in crease your efficiency by around 30 percent. When using propane to heat, when I added a metal barrel around my boiler/mash tun, I found a third of time reduction and 30 % less fuel use per session. Just a thought of a simple solution.
I run my little 20 litre pot still on the wok burner on my natural gas grill; and I cut down a dis-used stove-top fruit canner/ bottler to use as a shroud.
Never checked difference in efficiency with-and-without but it is simple and obviously better.

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Re: Work horse mash mixer

Post by The Baker »

japsinok wrote:
yakattack wrote:A simpleasure metal shroud around the pot and the burner will in crease your efficiency by around 30 percent. When using propane to heat, when I added a metal barrel around my boiler/mash tun, I found a third of time reduction and 30 % less fuel use per session. Just a thought of a simple solution.
That's a good idea. My quick and dirty solution till now is to confine the flame to the bottom by surrounding the burner and pot with bricks (see photo a few posts ago). I got much better heat transfer when I started doing that. But a metal jacket might be even better, and yes, simple.
I am sure bricks would be better than metal (not practical for me, see my post) because bricks insulate, metal just shields.

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japsinok
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

Post by japsinok »

Yeah, as I replied in an earlier post, since I'm now using NG rather than propane, I don't worry about energy consumption as much as I used to when I had to refill 20# propane cylinders regularly. So insulating the mash while it's cooking is not a top priority. But a lid is an easy fix for retaining/conserving some of the heat.
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yakattack
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

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I did see the photo. It does help.

Geoff. Brick would only be better if it was full enclosure. I use a 55 gallon metal barrel that I cut to fit my keg and burner perfectly. I at one point even wrapped that but found it really uneccessary.

Jap, I can understand the sentiment about not worrying about the fuel consumption, but along with the reduced fuel is the reduced time, which to me is way more valuable than the cost is fuel. If I get to my brothers ( where that setup still is) I'll see if I can take a few pics to maybe give you a few ideas.
HDNB wrote: The trick here is to learn what leads to a stalled mash....and quit doing that.
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

Post by japsinok »

yakattack wrote:I did see the photo. It does help.

Geoff. Brick would only be better if it was full enclosure. I use a 55 gallon metal barrel that I cut to fit my keg and burner perfectly. I at one point even wrapped that but found it really uneccessary.

Jap, I can understand the sentiment about not worrying about the fuel consumption, but along with the reduced fuel is the reduced time, which to me is way more valuable than the cost is fuel. If I get to my brothers ( where that setup still is) I'll see if I can take a few pics to maybe give you a few ideas.
Yak, I'd like to see that. Cutting down on heating time would certainly be nice.
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

Post by luchete80 »

japsinok wrote:Got the stand made and the mixer bolted to it. Gelatinized 20# of blue corn in 7 gal (5 gal H2O + 2 gal backset). After it turned to congealed corn pudding, I added 2 gal H2O and mixed to cool it to 160F (that is my typical final ratio, 20# grain:9 gal liquid= 10 gal final volume). The mixer did not struggle a bit, turning those 11" blades in Quikset corn!! 40% speed is about 80 rpm, and 50% was ~125 rpm. 30% (just under 60 rpm) did not seem to move it enough to keep the bottom clear before it gelatinized. I ran it CCW with the blades forcing the mash down, out to the edge, and then back up the sides, though not sure which is best for this application where it is heating from the bottom.

As the stand now sits, the blades are about 4" off the bottom. I may need to lower it a little, maybe about 2 inches. It's going to take a little optimizing to figure out the best set up (speed, direction, height from bottom of the pot, heat input). But for the cost of four 8' 2x4s ($12) to make the stand, I'm not complaining!! And with another shaft and blades that I'm not using, I can still experiment with making a slow speed rummager, ala der wo's set up.

Initial observations:
The corn never seemed to reach 200F, like it always has done. In fact, I never measured above 170F. Yet it still fully gelatinized to the expected thickness so I did not feel the need to keep heating it since it clearly thickened. I want to figure that one out!!

This obviously gets the enzymes more thoroughly mixed into the mash, much better than using a manual paddle (oar?). I'll soon know (in the morning) if this has any effect on conversion. It is sweetening now, so there is certainly conversion going on.

I don't want to move it a lot. The stand and mixer are REALLY heavy!!

This thing would easily mix a much larger mash. Room to grow!!
Hi japsinok, awesome set up! Congrats!
I have one question, which is the standard rotational speed you use for mashing? 150 rpm is ok?
I ask this cause i' looking for a fixed mechanical reducer for my 3/4 hp 1425 rpm motor and at first glance i was thinking about 1:10 reducer.

Thanks!
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firewater69
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Re: Work horse mash mixer

Post by firewater69 »

Nice set up!! I built one a while back, I'm spoiled now.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 2#p7351588
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