Pvc tube

[JohnT]

Awesome idea but theres no way id have the patients to drill a gazillion holes like you guys, im gonna go get a piece of perforated stainless steel, roll it, weld it with a cap on the bottom, and polish it.

Care to make one up for me while you are at it? 4' length, 4" diameter?

 

[Smok1]

Care to make one up for me while you are at it? 4' length, 4" diameter?

I could but i bet the shipping from canada would be more than its worth, you must have a local fabrication shop that could make it, probly take less than an hour to make start to finish.

 

[Johnd]

Awesome idea but theres no way id have the patients to drill a gazillion holes like you guys, im gonna go get a piece of perforated stainless steel, roll it, weld it with a cap on the bottom, and polish it.

Before I made the GHT, I had the same bright idea. The perforated SS sheeting offers a lot more free area than the GHT, but I don't have the capability to roll or weld stainless, so I contacted a few different fabricators that I know to do just that. Wasn't willing to spend a few hundred dollars for the SS unit, so I spent $5 on pipe and invested a little sweat equity.

If you have the means to do the SS work yourself, go for it, it's what I really wanted to have, and I bet it'll work like charm!!

 

[Ajmassa]

WOW!
This time, however, I think that I will try making 1/8" slits instead of drilling holes. My thinking is that this will provide more flow for less effort. Call it a GST (gajillion slit tube)..

I had to use this on a project to vent underground gases but it is really made as a water well filter screen. Has slots rather then holes. Had some left over and now wished I had saved it.

http://atlanticscreen.thomasnet.com/viewitems/well-plastic-ss-screens-dewatering/pvc-well-screen?

#10CharacterMinimum

 

[Ajmassa]

I also wanted to repost this from @ibglowin . It was During a similar conversation where I asked how to properly separate skins for transfer. I started to get the feeling that I "needed" one of these GHT's. His post definitely helped me at the time giving advice from a different perspective.

So for the life of me I can't figure out why anyone needs this contraption! LOL

I am a firm believer in the KISS method and I just don't see where you need this for any reason. I use a 2 gallon bucket (food grade Midwest Supplies or similar). Scoop out a gallon or so of the cap out of a 20G Brute which has 10G of must, and then dump it in a gallon at a time right into the top of the press. The press has no paint strainer bag, nothing but wooden slats. Scoop a gallon, dump, rinse, repeat until you can pick up the Brute by hand and then dump the rest into the Press. Let it drain into the catch pan and then into your waiting bucket. I use a 6 gallon (food grade) bucket that a Mosti Mondial AJ kit came in with a nice snap-on lid. I get almost 6 gallons of free run. Then a gallon of press run that goes into separate gallon glass jug.

If a few skins or a few seeds get through the slats, no worries. This is step one in the clearing process. Those will float to the top and you can scoop them out in the next day easily with a spoon or similar. Once the 6 gallon bucket is full I use a racking cane to transfer that into a carboy via gravity feed. Sometimes the cane can get plugged with skins but if it does pull it out whack it against the side to clean and restart the flow.

I can do an entire press and transfer from Brute to carboy in 30-40 mins all by myself. I use the Harbor Freight dollies to move the Brutes and full carboys around from the winery to the outside patio and then back into the winery.


This simple set up works quite well for me. YMMV

 

[NCWC]

I like making my life complicated LOL

 

[NCWC]

Worked pretty good. About 1/2 the volume was pumped
The rest pressed saved about 1/2 time time
Here is a video on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/northcoastwineclub/

 

[vacuumpumpman]

This is the latest version of my tube that will help in getting the 1st run and making the primary lighter in order to do the first pressing - We actually sew the poly mesh to size for the proper tube. This will be one of the pieces for the vacuum press.


here is my original design ( 10 years plus ) the blue one -

 

[Sage]

Instead of drilling make a series of slits with an electric saw. Quicker, easier and less plugging. A friend built a press by doing that to a big pvc tube.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

This is called a free run tube – it comes in 2 pieces so it is easy to ship and store. It also comes with a durable custom made mesh that slides over the outside of the tube. It makes it a lot easier to go from the primary fermenters into the secondary, without all the mess.

I will be selling this attachment if anyone is interested - please PM for now - until I get it on my site

I pushed the tube in the 90 pounds of must and let it sit a bit and turned the (All in one wine pump) on and started to pull out the first run juice – 5 gallons worth. I then cut a hole in a plastic lid and another hole in a bucket and placed some wood on top of it. I was then able to sit and press the skins all at the same time ! I was able to get another 1 gallon of wine.


I started a 2nd run and I will show how the vacuum press works at that time.

 

[sdelli]

Couple thoughts
I am all about making life easier.... But by the time all this happens isn’t it just easier to let the free run hit the buckets from the press?
Also, you know they sell perforated pipe right? No need to drill all those holes!

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Couple thoughts
I am all about making life easier.... But by the time all this happens isn’t it just easier to let the free run hit the buckets from the press?
Also, you know they sell perforated pipe right? No need to drill all those holes!

The perforated pipe is actually a drain tube - I use a potable water pipe.
BTW there are only 30 holes I had to drill successfully.

If I have a 15 gallon primary fermentor and it is reasonably full - I should be able to remove 10 gallons of wine prior to lifting it up and pouring it into the press. That is approx 80 - 100 pound that I saved my back from lifting.

We tried many different screen mesh - so they will not plug up so fast like others or too big of holes that will allow the must to fill the sediment tip.

I also ferment in 30 and 55 gallon containers - even heavier to lift or impossible to lift when full with wine and must.

There is alot less mess if you were planning on dipping and pulling out in order to get into the press by use of a bucket.

 

[sdelli]

The perforated pipe is actually a drain tube - I use a potable water pipe.
BTW there are only 30 holes I had to drill successfully.

If I have a 15 gallon primary fermentor and it is reasonably full - I should be able to remove 10 gallons of wine prior to lifting it up and pouring it into the press. That is approx 80 - 100 pound that I saved my back from lifting.

We tried many different screen mesh - so they will not plug up so fast like others or too big of holes that will allow the must to fill the sediment tip.

I also ferment in 30 and 55 gallon containers - even heavier to lift or impossible to lift when full with wine and must.

There is alot less mess if you were planning on dipping and pulling out in order to get into the press by use of a bucket.

Little saving on the back.... not much.
The potable worry is not an issue since it is not being stored in it. Your plastic tubes used in the pump are not potable either.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Little saving on the back.... not much.
The potable worry is not an issue since it is not being stored in it. Your plastic tubes used in the pump are not potable either.

Can you tell me which tubes you are referring to ?

I am very cautious where I purchase our tubing to make sure that it meets all of our specifications - including potable water

There has only been approx. 2 vendors since i started 9 years ago

Yes I would pay more for a potable water pipe and drill holes in it and add a mesh bag over it - prior to using a pre-drilled septic line pipe.

 

[sdelli]

The 3/8” plastic tubing cannot be purchased in different grades as far I can see.
The bent tube connectors that fit in the corks?
Again... This is not being used for storage so I doubt it would make a difference.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

The 3/8” plastic tubing cannot be purchased in different grades as far I can see.
The bent tube connectors that fit in the corks?
Again... This is not being used for storage so I doubt it would make a difference.

They are all beverage grade for human consumption.

 

[balatonwine]

I know this topic is about PVC, but one could also just buy a length of stainless steel perforated tubing. Or if one wants to do some DIY, buy some stainless steel perforated sheet, bend (does not have to be round) and weld (or just use some zip ties if one has no access to proper welding equipment). Sheet come in many hole sizes, hole densities and gauges and should cost $30 or less for a 1x4 foot sheet.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I know this topic is about PVC, but one could also just buy a length of stainless steel perforated tubing. Or if one wants to do some DIY, buy some stainless steel perforated sheet, bend (does not have to be round) and weld (or just use some zip ties if one has no access to proper welding equipment). Sheet come in many hole sizes, hole densities and gauges and should cost $30 or less for a 1x4 foot sheet.

Do you have a website that I can purchase stainless steel perforated tubing at that price ?

 

[sour_grapes]

For sheet, Grainger comes pretty close (40" instead of 48"): https://www.grainger.com/category/s...aw-materials/ecatalog/N-gdd?suggestConfigId=2

And it looks like they get their material from a place between us in Waukegan: http://www.directmetals.com/dm/assets/downloads/catalog/perforated_metals.pdf

 

[mainshipfred]

This would probably clog pretty easily but I've been thinking of getting one.

https://www.homebrewing.org/The-Gra...zLMqYUKwOuhmiqx2jTe7qtJsWFiu2schoCaJEQAvD_BwE