10. Clamp the last propane shelf 1" from the bottom of the 36" legs and weld.
11. Weld the middle shelf assembly to the first shelf assembly.
12. Clamp the two 12" legs onto the last cooker shelf and weld into place.
13. Weld this short shelf assembly onto the main shelf assembly.
14. Bolt one propane cooker onto each of the cooker shelves (top shelves).
15. Using either screws or pop rivets, attach a heat shield to the legs next to the center cooker; then do the same for the bottom cooker. These prevent the bottles of propane from getting too hot.
16. Put the expanded metal sections on the propane-bottle shelf frames. These sections do not need to be anchored to the frames, but you can do so if you wish.
17. Set the assembly in its permanent home.
18. Add propane bottles, and connect them to the cookers. Check for gas leaks at all connections! Check for gas leaks at all connections! (A mixture of dish soap and water applied to each connection will bubble if there is a gas leak.) Leaks can be sealed with Teflon tape. (A mixture of dish soap and water applied to each connection will bubble if there is a gas leak.) Leaks can be sealed with Teflon tape.
19. Add kettles and you are ready to brew.
The completed stand for a gravity-flow tower system: As you can see, it is best set up in an extremely well-ventilated location.
Note:If you take this to a professional welder and he makes some recommendations that are different from those stated here, please listen to him. He may suggest improvements that could strengthen the system.
Many homebrewers use other types of mashing vessels, such as picnic coolers with manifolds. These, too, are easily adapted to the gravity-flow tower model. Simply put a burner and a pot for heating water on the top level. Put the cooler mash tun, complete with sparge apparatus, on the second level; then run a tube from the hot-water pot to the sparge apparatus. Finally, drain the mash tun directly into a brew kettle on the lower level.
To build such a stand, assemble the large- and small-shelf stands as described in the gravity-flow tower system. The center shelf will need to be 28" wide for a 48-quart cooler, or 36" wide for an 80-quart cooler. As you will not be adding the low-profile cooker to this shelf, the stand will also need to be 6 to 8" taller, depending on the style of cooker used. Weld this center stand to the tall and short stands. Be sure to use a heat shield next to the burner to prevent melting the cooler.
Afterword.
We hope the projects here have inspired you to take your next step toward becoming a better brewer, whether that means going to a keg system or simply building an immersion chiller. Do keep in mind that these projects and designs were based on our experiences and fit our needs as brewers at the time. Feel free to modify them and use materials that fit your budget, brewing space, and needs as a brewer.
Happy brewing!