# Work Statiion For Carboys



## GettinCorked (Aug 5, 2008)

I have established a work area for my wine making process and am now building a built in work bench with a upper level set in shelf for storing wine in process and lower level work bench ....What I need to know is how much clearance do I need between upper shelf to ceiling and lower shelf to work bench. I know how tall a carboy is but I'm not shure how tall the carboy will be with the rubber plug and other things attached to it...
Hope I didn't confuse you guys to much






Went ahead and put in the shelf




Looks like there is enough space overhead of carboys 





Cheers !!


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## cpfan (Aug 5, 2008)

Quick Thoughts:

1. lifting full carboys up to and in to the top shelf

2. How much weight will that top shelf hold?

3. Do you plan to transfer wine from the top shelf to the bottom shelf? If so, is there enough room to insert a siphon rod or auto-siphon? Looks tight to me.

Steve


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## GettinCorked (Aug 5, 2008)

Steve,
Thanx for the input....Just threw that shelf up to get an idea of how things will look and operate. 
-Lifting a full carboy to top shelf,Hmmmm,guess I'll have to fill one with water and give it a go 
-If the shelf works out I'll re enforce it to take the weight for sure !!
-Did have the idea to siphon from the top shelf to the bottom but didin't take into account that a siphon rod would be used opposed to just a regular type hose.....What does a syphon rod look like and perhaps I could custom build one to fit the bill ???? 

Thanx,
Chris


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## GettinCorked (Aug 5, 2008)

Steve,
Ok so here's the scoop, Full carboys on top shelf a no go... OMG ! too heavy to lift....So that takes care of the weight issue and the siphon hose rod problem all at once 
I'll raise the shelf so theres ample room below and just use that space up top for empty carboys not being used and other stuff....Going to build another table as well off to the side so their will be ample space for multiple batches when I get things rolling....

Cheers !!


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## cpfan (Aug 5, 2008)

Chris:

I'm a HUGE fan of the auto siphon. Easy to start, etc etc. Read the web-site for yourself.

http://www.fermtech.on.ca/siphon starter/siphon.html

A standard siphon rod is a 30" (I think) piece of hard plastic with a hose on the end and an anti-sediment tip. When you push hose into a carboy, it doesn't always go where you want and probably will stir up any sediment. The stiff rod used carefully minimizes that effect.

Steve


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## GettinCorked (Aug 5, 2008)

Steve,
When I tried to use a regular siphon hose to get the water out of the carboy after my weight test the darn hose just went wherever it pleased...Was a total pain. Now I know why it would be you use a syphon rod as you explained above...
I checked out the link you posted on the auto syphon...very nice !!! Will have to check out the local wine shop and see if they carry them....


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## Wine Maker (Aug 6, 2008)

Chris, Might I suggest using the top shelf for 3 gal and 1 gal carboys. A lot easier and lighter to move around then the 5 gal carboys.


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## GettinCorked (Aug 7, 2008)

Wine Maker said:


> Chris, Might I suggest using the top shelf for 3 gal and 1 gal carboys. A lot easier and lighter to move around then the 5 gal carboys.



Great idea !!!!
Never new they came in 1 and 3 gal carboys. Other than being smaller and lighter is there any other advantage to using the smaller carboys ?? Is it a process advantage of some kind perhaps ?

Also I picked up the rest of what I need to start my wine making off of a fella down the street....








Now just got to go out and get my first wine kit..... 

Cheers !!!


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## cpfan (Aug 7, 2008)

1 gallon carboys are primarily used for small batches of fruit wines. Depending where you live, there may be some one gallon kits available (Folks please complete the location field in your profile.)

Ports, Sherries, and ice wines come as 3 gallon kits. The 3 gallon carboys can also be used for fruit wines.

Kit wine makers don't usually have much use for 1 and 3 gallon batches.

Steve


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## oxeye (Aug 7, 2008)

Hey, GettinCorked -

Nice closet!

oxeye


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## Benjo's Mom (Aug 8, 2008)

I've been getting the 4 liter glass wine bottles of Carlo Rossi wines from friends to use as carboys to do smaller batches and so far, that is working out well


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## GettinCorked (Aug 10, 2008)

Thanx all for the responces....
Hey oxeye, the closet has yet again went through another metamorphis
Its now a fermentation work station....One batch of wine and one batch of sour mash coolin down gettin ready for the yeast 
The carboys are now on a different table at a more manageble height....









Cheers !!!


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## oxeye (Aug 10, 2008)

Hey...nice toy box, and it's already chocked full of toys, too!

Sour mash? What...did a still come with the package of used equipment that you picked up on, too?

BTW - I saw a red rubber pumper-bulbie thing in one of your syphon lines. I've been looking for one of those myself, but my LHBS doesn't carry them or even know what I'm talking about. Have you got a source for those things?

oxeye

Oh, yeah, that fern really sets the ambience for the whole area, I think I'm gonna get one or two for my closet,


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## GettinCorked (Aug 10, 2008)

Oxeye,
I got 3 weeks to put together a still from today. I got all the resources mostly but need a pressure cooker of some kind or along that idea....Should be interesting to see(taste)the outcome.....If you need a pump bulbie thingy find me a link to one precisely like the one you want and I'll go look around and see what I can come up with and we'll go from there.Pretty sure what you saw in one of the pics was a device that slows down the flow of fluid opposed to a pump but hey,its all good,you need something and I can get it,consider it done. 
As for my fern ,well I'm a bit of a botanist so I like to see stuff growing everywhere even if its fake As you probably figured by this time I like posting pictures,they say a million words.....This is a shot from inside my sun room which is attached to the master bedroom,lots of plants....You can't see it but it also has a hot tub to the right....





Cheers !!!


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## oxeye (Aug 11, 2008)

Nah...I guess I've got my wires crossed!

A flow restricter/control? That is a new one for me.

In the second photo in your first post to the 'First Batch!!' thread, the line you're holding has a red bulb in the line. It kinda reminds me of one of those priming squeeze pumper things like I've seen in the fuel lines to outboard engines.

I'm thinking that it would be handier than using an auto-syphon.

If I ever find one to try, I'll let everyone how well, or poorly, it works.

Hey, great decor, I think I need to store some of my extra furniture to make room for some large plants like you've got!

oxeye


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## GettinCorked (Aug 11, 2008)

Yup,just pinches the hose and slows down the fluid,pretty simple....This is the one I kinda like to have. Just blow in the one end and it starts the siphon with pressure in the carboy...




The only thing I can think of that may be a draw back with using a squeeze ball is how would you clean it ??

Cheers !!


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