Bumping this to see if it is possible to do a 2:1 pulley system where one is a ratcheting pulley like this one:

Home Depot Ratcheting Pulley It would be nice to not always have to tie off the rope.

Makes sense. A 2:1 pulley setup should be helpful when trying to lift 30+ lbs of wet grain.

+1 for the hangmans noose, holds the bag nice and firm and also easy to release once the bag has drained

+1 for the hangmans noose, holds the bag nice and firm and also easy to release once the bag has drained

I was thinking about incorporating a rail system so I can easily slide the bag away from the pot. Has anyone tried anything like this? Just wondering if its worth the labor LOL

BobBrews wrote:SeanGodd,

I don't know of anyone doing it yet? The door is open if you want to enter the world of invention? (or make a total fool of yourself?) Motorized rail of course! I like the idea anyway.

I have been trying to draw something up (helps that I have an engineer in the family ) Basically want to have some sort of rail system to take the bag and drop it in a wash/waste area for emptying and cleaning. This way I don't have to lug it off the pulley and to the sink/bucket or whatever I plan to have in place.

Plan to start this project in the spring (which in the ottawa area seems to be in June LOL) I will post pics as I go.

If anyone has done something similar plaease feel free to add your 2cents

Well just to give you an idea of what I'm thinking. Hear is a pic of what I want to purchase. and PDF of the specs. It says good to 150lbs. I prob will need to modify something to make a rolling system on the hangers. More like a rail system then a sky hook. Now I still have a lot of research to do so if I find better products I'll let everyone know.

PistolPatch wrote:Nice .

The issues are I think Sean...

1. Drilling into a ceiling and 'hanging' from it. Need a concrete slab above for total freedom of movement or a timber/metal joist running in, hopefully, the right direction.

2. Ability to raise and lower the bag. Being able to raise the bag when applying heat and then giving the grist a stir and lowering it back into the wort is great.

My thinking is that the picture hools above will make number 2 above hard .

Love threads/post like this. One thing we never have addressed and that you will need to now that I think of it is...

3. If the top of your kettle is x cm above your floor, how high does your ceiling need to be to lift your bag above the kettle? Can certain pulley ratios/systems minimise the height the ceiling needs to be?

Make sense?
PP

Here are my thought and answers.

1. I have a shed I plan to brew in (12'x20') and the ceiling is open ATM so I can add blocking/support where needed (I've spent the last 10 years in the housing industry + I've built about 5 homes). Don't think I'll have any issues here.

2.I plan to add a locking mechanism to the roller and a pulley to the end so I can raise and lower. Hopefully I can get a pulley that has a brake too so I don't have to hold it up while I roll it away.

3. The ceiling height seems to be my only problem. If I want to have an insulated space for brewing in the winter I will have to strap and insulate the ceiling which will limit my height. To get around this I may frame something above the rafters and make a channel in the roof so that the pulley starts right below the roof. Only thing with this idea is that it will limit my movement to side to side. I won't be able to put an elbow/turn. This means I will have to think my dumping spot prior to the build.

But this will all depend on if I can modify something to roll in the track. It is meant for stationary pictures/hanging etc. But the cost is crazy cheap compared to a proper track and rail system.

Hope that clear something up.

SeanGodd wrote:I was thinking about incorporating a rail system so I can easily slide the bag away from the pot. Has anyone tried anything like this? Just wondering if its worth the labor LOL

Take at look at mcmastercarr.com for all you tinkering needs. I love that place

http://www.mcmaster.com/#strut-channel-trolleys/=qymmlo
This trolley system is about as straight forward as it gets. The U channel strut material is fairly cheap and you can even make "slight" bends to it depending on your trolley carriage length. Mount it to the ceiling in the joists if its perpendicular or use 1x4 cross braces every 4' or so if the struts run parallel to the joists.
If it's a straight shot of say 20 feet or so you could have the ending point be about 2 inches lower so that after the lift/drain you could give it a slight push and send it on it's way to a sink all by itself. WEEEEEEEEE
I LOVE TINKERING
http://www.mcmaster.com/#strut-u-channel/=qymrci
http://www.mcmaster.com/#door-slides/=qymte0

M

WOW!!! Thanks Schlitz, This place does look sweet. I will have to price out some stuff and see how the shipping costs are. But its does look cost effective.

The stuff at mcmaster isn't necessarily the cheapest but it is a great place to get ideas.
Most of the rail stuff can be gotten at big box home stores. Look for a product called Uni-strut which is used for nearly everything in the "blue collar" word. Combine that with rigged up plastic wheel trolley used to hang closet doors and you've got a dirt cheap system. Get 4 of these and turn the wheels out then put a piece of wood between them so they fit in the strut and you've got a 8 dollar custom trolley.
http://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-p ... ref=244895