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Atomic Robot Brewing- Brewery 3.0
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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:57 pm    Post subject: Atomic Robot Brewing- Brewery 3.0 Reply with quote


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So I have re-started on my brewery upgrade...its been a pretty interesting chain of events.

It started in June 2009 with Brewery 1.0:




I then moved to Brewery 2.0 in September 2010:



To 2.5 in December 2010 with a RIMS instead of HERMS:





Now its on to Brewery 3.0 which will be the last iteration for a long while. I started off with building a control panel, however I ran into problems with room...10x12x8 just is not big enough (if you are interested, dear reader in buying my control box, PM me...its cut, painted, drilled all set to go, will throw in some of the IKEA brackets with it). So I am going with more of Kal's design minus one PID and running 120v, one element for the RIMS- the rest will be gas.

I also purchased a brew stand which should be here in April.

I will try and document as much of the build as I can as I build it out- nothing as detailled as what Kal did, but there will be some photo record.


Last edited by dutch101st on Sat Mar 19, 2011 2:09 am; edited 1 time in total
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for sharing!

Kal

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My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 2:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The enclosure and relays came today...still waiting on the DC units and the volt/amp meters to come...then its full steam ahead.

I did happen to start marking things out; only running 2 PIDS and a Timer...stayed pretty much with Kal's design (didnt wanna muck about in changing perfection...hehee). I does leave room for some expansion. RUnning 120v leaves me with a bit of room on the inside as well as the outside.

Here are the first round of pix...

Box is out of the box...didn't Hawking warn of that?!?! Nevermind....



Took Kal's advice of making the grid...now I know how Jeff Bridges felt in that first Tron movie..hehee



Bottom plate is going to be the plug-in plate...easier to drill and mount.



Parts Layout!!! Open to suggestions if something would look better. Off balance without the Amp and Volt meters tho...I might move the MASH PID over more to the center to balance it better.



Backing board marked out for drilling and tapping.



Thats it so far...hopefully tomorrow I will have time to start drilling the center holes for the punchouts as well as drilling out the outlet holes. Then its on to getting the backing board started.
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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 3:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

And of course my brewery logo plate..in Stainless Steel!

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Sparky




Joined: 17 Dec 2010
Posts: 217
Location: Muir Beach, California


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 4:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dutch,
Lookin' great! Hey, no lappin' the rest of us builders!
BTW, did you pick up those pants in San Fran? Those are some snazzy threads yer wearin'
Sparky
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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 4:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, got them up here in W. Sacramento. One of the rails wasnt threaded so I had to break out the tap and die and do some threading.

Yea, those a re the "Lounge Pants" that are sported here at "Stately DILF Manor" (as one of my best friends calls my apartment), especially with the weather we have been having. Got the matching "In N Out Burger" shirt to go with it, a'la Jon Favreau from "Swingers".

As for lappin' the rest of the builders, all I can say is get on the stick fellas...I am taking 3 weeks vacation at the end of week after next...nothing but time to work on the brewery!!

Now if my brewstand would just get here...
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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not much going today; I got almost all of the holes in the panel done. Got the SSR fan and the bolt holes drilled in the main box, the receptacle holes cut, and all of the switch and light holes cut...LOVE how the conduit knockout punch works! WOW. So simple and easy. Got the guard rail holes drilled as well- they line up very nicely!.

Got the PIDs and Timer squares measured and ready to cut. Will be doing that tomorrow...Still waiting on the Amp and VOlt meters to come. Will have to try to get the dimensions for those so I can go ahead and cut those as well.

Not many pix, but here is what I got done today:

Receptacles got cut first...1/2" Porter Cable drill with bi-metal cutting made short, easy work of em!



Panel is almost done...even got the hole for the new grounding post done!



SSR heat sink fan hole is cut, ready to be painted and bolted up!



Like I said, next is cutting the PID and Timer holes, JB Welding up the new grounding post on the door, then taping and priming everything. The charchol metal spray paint is on the way and should be here Tuesday or Wednesday.
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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 12:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well crappy weather up here in NoCal may not make for a productive brew day, but it sure makes for a good project day; hence I went to task and got a good portion of the first half of the control panel done!

My plan was to just cut the PID and Timer holes, but hey, wait a second Mr Postman, are those Adjustable DC Power Supplies that you have for me?!?! YEP!! They sure were, so I also got my backing board drilled and tapped and all of the internal components are now mounted.

All that is left on the wait list are the volt and amp meters and paint. Here is the photo record of today's activities...


PID and Timer holes cut...knockout punch followed by jigsaw (dremel didnt work for cutting). Trimmed to fit with the dremel and a file.



Internal components mounted...checked the Adj. DC Power supplies- yep, the cleared the back board!



Back of the backboard...



Components in the box...



Test fit of all components (minus am and volt meters)



Made sure there was ample clearance...





Figured I would primer the parts that I do not need to drill or cut on anymore...




Not too sure what all will be next...have to wait for the amp and volt meters before I can finish cutting and painting.
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crush




Joined: 28 Dec 2010
Posts: 706
Location: Telemark, Norway


PostLink    Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That panel looks nice! I guess the spare empty column is for future expansion?

Did you drill all your panel holes by hand? I've fixed all the internal components to the backplane, with tapped screwthreads (surpringly easy!). I could have just thrown the components in any way, but I've not done any metalwork before, so I wanted to try to be accurate as possible, just to see if I could. Even though I started each hole with a hammered nail, the drill bit slipped. I don't mind getting the innards a few mm out of place, but I would like the panel external to be perfect. Any tips on getting the holes where they should be?

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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 1:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did them via knockout punch...except for the aircraft switches.

The knock out punches are KEY. If you do not have a drill press (I do not), these are the next best thing...in fact I prefer them to drilling. I got mine at Home Depot for $27...not too bad.

To do the pilot hole, I just used a hammer and nail to get the the initial dent to where the drill wouldnt slip. Then once the drill is where you want it, squeeze the trigger S L O W L Y as so the drill bit digs a bit deeper in. Once you have a good starting indentation, them full speed ahead.

A good set of new drill bits helps too. I am SO DONE with Harbor Freight for most tools.
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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The remaining tags have been ordered as well as my logo placard yesterday and I have one of the Volt/Amp meters...so will start cutting the holes for them here tonight after work.

Paint should be here tomorrow, so I should have the panel ready to be painted tomorrow night. Moving right along!
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dutch101st wrote:
A good set of new drill bits helps too. I am SO DONE with Harbor Freight for most tools.
While I've never used their tools I've heard the same thing from others. I'm more of a "buy once, use a lifetime" type of guy.

Kal

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My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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pola0502ds




Joined: 14 Mar 2011
Posts: 290
Location: poland, Ohio


PostLink    Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kal wrote:
dutch101st wrote:
A good set of new drill bits helps too. I am SO DONE with Harbor Freight for most tools.
While I've never used their tools I've heard the same thing from others. I'm more of a "buy once, use a lifetime" type of guy.

Kal


Thats how I am too Kal, but my wife doesn't like that attitude at all.. Women, she drives me nuts.
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Spartan




Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Posts: 22



PostLink    Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kal wrote:
dutch101st wrote:
A good set of new drill bits helps too. I am SO DONE with Harbor Freight for most tools.
While I've never used their tools I've heard the same thing from others. I'm more of a "buy once, use a lifetime" type of guy.

Kal


Harbor Freight is good for some things. Power tools that are hard to justify at normal prices because you won't use them often. For example, I was drilling into the brick on my house and it was taking forever. I went to HF and bought a $20 hammer drill. It saved me a lot of time, but I would have had a hard time justifying $100+ from Lowes.
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rmessick




Joined: 20 Feb 2011
Posts: 123
Location: Turners Falls, MA


PostLink    Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 3:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kal wrote:
While I've never used their tools I've heard the same thing from others. I'm more of a "buy once, use a lifetime" type of guy.


When I buy a tool from Harbor Freight, I'll do so with the understanding that if I get more than one use out of it, I'm ahead of the curve. Very much a "buy once, use once (or twice)" kind of affair, based on my experience.

-Dick
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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Getting back on topic...

Got one of my meters in the mail...however the LED is green...so I had to order a a blue LED volt meter. Still waiting on the amp meter. BUT I did get the holes cut and readied for the meters. Primer, painting, and mounting was the theme of today.


Painted up...



Lights, PIDs, Timer, and switches mounted...sigh...where is my amp meter!?!? hehee



Bottom plate has the outlets and recepticle mounted...waiting to start wiring before I put the probe recepticles in...



Another look...



Yet another look...



And with the bottom plate mounted...




Now on to wiring...I am going to follow Kal's directions and will just be getting up to the power and grounding...once the amp meter and the shunt gets here, then I can continue. Also, the remaining tags and my log are on the way!

I am still waiting on my brew stand to arrive. I have to also get the backer board...not sure what to use- Walnut? Pine? Birch?

What do you guys think?
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pola0502ds




Joined: 14 Mar 2011
Posts: 290
Location: poland, Ohio


PostLink    Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

backer board?
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rosenjm




Joined: 21 Dec 2010
Posts: 249
Location: Ballston Spa, NY


PostLink    Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks awesome!
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milldoggy




Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 569
Location: Pottstown, PA


PostLink    Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For the wall? Is your stand wood? If so get the same wood so the stains match. If not pine is cheaper and is fine. Put a nice coat of poly on there. I used 3/4pine from lowes was around 26.
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dutch101st




Joined: 22 Feb 2011
Posts: 75



PostLink    Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pola0502ds wrote:
backer board?



Yea, to mount the panel to. I will be mounting it to a brew stand control panel arm...

milldoggy wrote:
For the wall? Is your stand wood? If so get the same wood so the stains match. If not pine is cheaper and is fine. Put a nice coat of poly on there. I used 3/4pine from lowes was around 26.


No, the brew stand is 1 1/2 sq steel tubing, in black.

I do not want to attach the panel directly to the stand itself, so I am thinking that a mounting board is the way to go. Poly for protection is a must I think. I am also thinking of doing a very dark stain...

As I havent really been focusing on this part, any suggestions that you guys have I am open to...
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