DIY Randall--confused

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Dude

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I want to build one of these...so I'm hoping Boston jumps into the thread and answers my questions. :D

1. What exactly did you buy at Morebeer?
2. Who made the tube with the screen riveted onto it?
 
SS tube is the spear from a Sanke keg, cut to 10" long, drill lots of holes. Coincidently, the diameter of the SS tube fits like a glove. Let me know if you need one. SS screen is from a spatter screen, $5 at housewares dept. at Target. SS pop rivets from Home Depot. Also, replace the output disconnect with a cobra tap dispenser.
 
Boston said:
SS tube is the spear from a Sanke keg, cut to 10" long, drill lots of holes. Coincidently, the diameter of the SS tube fits like a glove. Let me know if you need one. SS screen is from a spatter screen, $5 at housewares dept. at Target. SS pop rivets from Home Depot. Also, replace the output disconnect with a cobra tap dispenser.

Boston,
Can you post some pics of it together and broken down?? I would like to make one myself.
 
Are you guys doing something like this?

OktoberFest_051_HopbackBar.jpg
 
I'm hoping that david_42 responds. I believe that he has been part of Hop Randall extravaganza that included Hop Randalls (note plural) that also had by-passes.

You could experience. the before and after.
 
Nope, must have been someone using my account. I just use a cornie with a screen for randalling. Of course, at Hop Madness, you can pick enough to pack one very easily.

I am thinking about something smaller for more intimate occasions.
 
For what its worth, I made mine for less than 20 bucks by following the directions posted on The Maltose Falcons site. I bought the filter housing online for around 15 bucks.
 
:off: The person on the left side of Sparky's picture looks like they have no legs. At least they can still drink beer. :mug:
 
On hot days, i run thru the Randal first, then thru a small jockey box IceCube 14, and have the faucet mounted to the box. The Randal is mounted on top of the box. Looks cool, works great for those times when the Randal isnt getting hit hard..
 
Well, damn...I got an e-mail from morebeer saying the filter I ordered was on backorder.....


Yes, Jeff, I'm gonna need a tube from a sanke for this project--do you have extras?
 
Dude said:
Well, damn...I got an e-mail from morebeer saying the filter I ordered was on backorder.....


Yes, Jeff, I'm gonna need a tube from a sanke for this project--do you have extras?

Yup, I'll cut you a 10" length. You'll need to drill the holes yerseff. I'll charge you no more than McMaster-Carr would.
 
Brewpastor said:
This is a great thread! I have been messing with this as well and now have some better answers.

Dude was going to post some pics of the randall taken apart
 
Dude said:
Well, damn...I got an e-mail from morebeer saying the filter I ordered was on backorder.....


Yes, Jeff, I'm gonna need a tube from a sanke for this project--do you have extras?

Dude,
10" long piece of SS tube will go out in tomorrow's mail.
 
that also had by-passes.

You could experience. the before and after.

I built my Randall using this housing with a built in by-pass. I picked it up at my local Sears for 39.99 I'll being pouring my APA through it this weekend.

Edit: For some reason the picture doesn't show up when the website initially pops up. Click on the enlarge button under the picture box and you can view the housing.
 
Brewtopia said:
I built my Randall using this housing with a built in by-pass. I picked it up at my local Sears for 39.99 I'll being pouring my APA through it this weekend.

Edit: For some reason the picture doesn't show up when the website initially pops up. Click on the enlarge button under the picture box and you can view the housing.

The description implies that you can remove the filter while it's in operation. Is that true?
 
The description implies that you can remove the filter while it's in operation. Is that true?

This is my understanding, you just set the top dial to bypass and it redirects the flow straight across the top. You can then unscrew the sump and swap out the filter. I just built this last week after being inspired by this thread. I will use it for the first time this weekend. Unlike Boston, I didn't have any stainless tubing so I used PVC, drilled holes and wraped in stainless mesh from a splatter screen as he suggested. I can always upgrade to the stainless later.
 
Brewtopia said:
This is my understanding, you just set the top dial to bypass and it redirects the flow straight across the top. You can then unscrew the sump and swap out the filter. I just built this last week after being inspired by this thread. I will use it for the first time this weekend. Unlike Boston, I didn't have any stainless tubing so I used PVC, drilled holes and wraped in stainless mesh from a splatter screen as he suggested. I can always upgrade to the stainless later.

Can you take oyurs apart and get some pics of the guts and how you did it?

Seeing I can't get the morebeer one until the end of Feb or later, I might go buy that one at Sears. Sears is right across the street from my house--so it'll be quick. I also like the idea of the bypass.
 
Can you take oyurs apart and get some pics of the guts and how you did it?

Seeing I can't get the morebeer one until the end of Feb or later, I might go buy that one at Sears. Sears is right across the street from my house--so it'll be quick. I also like the idea of the bypass.

Mine is probably not as sophistcated as Boston's but it should do the trick. I'll find out on Sunday. I didn't have a rivet gun so I attached the screen with some thin copper wire. I will upgrade to the stainless tube when I can find some. I used brass fittings. 1/2 inch hose barb connection with a 3/4 to 1/2 inch step down to attach it to the housing. anyway, here you go.

Cap in the "On" position.
Randall cap on no flash.jpg

Cap in the "Bypass" position. (By the way. when you turn the dial to Bypass the liquid flows directly through the cap. So you truly can try a before an after side by side tasting with just the turn of a dial.
Randall cap bypass no flash.jpg

The tube
Randall tube one.jpg
Randall tube 2.jpg

the completed Randal ready for hops
Randall Randallcomplete.jpg
 
Okay Jeff....please take a look at Brewtopia's pics and tell me if that is going to work...I don't see that lttle pressure relief button on the top like your has. How is it going to balance otherwise?

I LOVE the bypass idea--but if you aren't going to be able to balance the pressure, it might be more beneficial to wait for the morebeer housing to come. Thoughts?

BTW--thanks for sending the dip tube. I'll have to get some screen...and rivets. How the hell did you do that?
 
Okay Jeff....please take a look at Brewtopia's pics and tell me if that is going to work...I don't see that lttle pressure relief button on the top like your has. How is it going to balance otherwise?

I LOVE the bypass idea--but if you aren't going to be able to balance the pressure, it might be more beneficial to wait for the morebeer housing to come. Thoughts?

Now I'm interested in the feedback on this as well. I wasn't thinking about the relief valve. And here I was being all proud of myself. Did I mention before that I wasn't handy.
 
brewtopia--I'm sure yours will still work--it just might have more foam than Boston's. I was thinking of a way to get around this using the filter system with the bypass....what about putting some kind of pressure valve inline on the beer out side?

BTW...the randall looks great, nice work!
 
Well, I used the Randall this weekend with mixed results. I did get alot of foaming no matter how i tried to adjust the pressure. Didn't try to shorten or lengthen lines since it just seemed like too much trouble yesterday when I hooked it up. I will play around with that at another time. I ended up pouring into a pitcher and filling glasses from there. Amazing difference in the aroma of the beer between the Randalled and unrandalled beers.

One thing to make sure of however. Make sure the gasket is installed between the lid and the sump! I didn't, and when I hooked the keg up I had beer spraying all over my living room. This was not fun 30 minutes before people were ready to show up at my door. I made a makeshift gasket that worked but I will be going back to Sears and letting them know that the gasket was missing from my unit.
 
Brewtopia said:
Well, I used the Randall this weekend with mixed results. I did get alot of foaming no matter how i tried to adjust the pressure. Didn't try to shorten or lengthen lines since it just seemed like too much trouble yesterday when I hooked it up. I will play around with that at another time. I ended up pouring into a pitcher and filling glasses from there. Amazing difference in the aroma of the beer between the Randalled and unrandalled beers.

One thing to make sure of however. Make sure the gasket is installed between the lid and the sump! I didn't, and when I hooked the keg up I had beer spraying all over my living room. This was not fun 30 minutes before people were ready to show up at my door. I made a makeshift gasket that worked but I will be going back to Sears and letting them know that the gasket was missing from my unit.

So did the bypass work?
 
So did the bypass work?

The bypass worked great. Still foamed but not as bad as running it through the hops. Sure was easy to operate though, just a turn of the dial. It was still easier to fill a pitcher and pour from that. I need to figure out how to balance the system. It would build up pressure in the unit and would blast out of the tap when you first pull the handle.
 
Just built mine last night.
Bought the filter body from Lowes and the reducers from HD.
Used a PVC Pipe and slotted the bottom with 4 cuts ala Blktre's version.

I used 2 of the same reducers that Brewtopia used (from what I can tell) to step down to 1/2". I did not use the barbed fitting and opted to go with a 1/4" MFL compression fitting so that fits with the FFL fittings on my set up.

I'm not entirely sure I can recommed that MFL set up at this point. Here's Why:
1) It absolutlely requires the plastic washers that I always lose or the fitting will leak.
2) You have to torque the F|_|ck out of it or it will leak.

So I may go to barbs unless I can find better compression fittings that behave like the MFL Corny connectors (washerless and easier threading).

I'm having some foaming issues and air in the system that I need to get rectified. I have a smaller ID hose between the keg and the Randall that probably needs to be replaced and I need to run it at full bore to get the air out.

Otherwise I am pleased withthe outcome.

Anyone have a technique? Solutions?
 
Okay. I think I worked the bugs out on mine and I intend on posting my build this week, perhaps in another thread or in the wiki.

Just wanted to post a quick tip here.

If your randall is foaming, try running it upside down for awhile.
 
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