I know I am still new and still learning, but I have been thinking of moving to all grain. And in true fashion, I have been trying to figure out how to start out with as little cash outlay as possible. So, Youtube has been my friend, and I have searched the DIY vids of how people have made mash tuns and boil kettles. The mash tun seems pretty simple. A 10 gallon home depot cooler, ball valve and either a false bottom or a bazooka tube seem to be the popular ways of doing it. I have seen a guy put together a PVC manifold set up that looked pretty cool, but in trying to keep it cheap I was thinking of the bazooka screen. Now, on to the boil kettle. I don't think I need a thermometer on the kettle, heck all I am doing is boiling liquid, and I have plenty of other thermometers I can use. I saw a pretty cool setup where a guy took a regular beer keg, ground off a hole in the top to put a lid on it, drilled the side for a ball valve and used that as a boil kettle. I have a beer distributor nearby and called them about corny kegs once. He said they don't have those, but have a bunch of used beer kegs that they would happily like to get rid of. So, my thought is, a free boil kettle, a 20 dollar ball valve and a weekend of grinding and fooling around and I have a huge boil kettle.
With all this said, and I am sure the ready made systems are much better, I am wondering if any of you guys have ventured into this true DIY setup, or similar. Also, I saw another vid that showed how to make a wort chiller and recycle the water thru a cooler and not just dump it down the drain. That is yet another DIY thing I am considering.
Anyway, comments? It's ok if you call me a fool, LOL. Won't be the first time and sure won't be the last.
Thanks all
RR