Club Equipment Locker/Library

[daryl]

This is a discussion thread on what the club could do in terms of providing a Library of equipment that could be checked out and used by the membership.

Such items might include a keg cleaning setup or a beer line cleaning setup; things that could be very convenient to use, but not used so often that it is cost effective to own; bottling equipment; canning equipment; 2 tap jockey boxes for members to borrow for personal use/parties.

Some of the challenges we would need to solve:

Storage. The trailer is full, and we probably won't want these things rolling around in the trailer?
Access. How do we make the equipment accessible to the membership?
Tracking. How do we keep track of who has what, and where is it?
Maintenance. How will the equipment be maintained...who will do it?

So, let the discussion begin....in this vein, what equipment or services would you to see the club provide?

Please, let's hear your Pros and Cons; it won't cost us a nickle to dream and talk....

[andrewmaixner]

Italian Floor Corker, the ~$150 model that takes up a ton of space and can do all cork sizes (wine/belgian/smallchampaign)
http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Floor_Corker

I've been considering getting one, but it's of those things someone might use a couple times a year, but would sit around the rest of the time taking up space

[wyzzyrdd]

Italian Floor Corker, the ~$150 model that takes up a ton of space and can do all cork sizes (wine/belgian/smallchampaign)
http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Floor_Corker

I've been considering getting one, but it's of those things someone might use a couple times a year, but would sit around the rest of the time taking up space

Dude, you're harshing my space here.

I used the small red Portuguese floor corker to cork about 1,500 bottles. It was adequate. Then I got the Ferrari. I've put a least a thousand corks in with it. It is awesome.

At some point, I need to get the champagne corker. The Belgian sours deserve a proper bottle and cork.

[andrewmaixner]

Italian Floor Corker, the ~$150 model that takes up a ton of space and can do all cork sizes (wine/belgian/smallchampaign)
http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Floor_Corker
I've been considering getting one, but it's of those things someone might use a couple times a year, but would sit around the rest of the time taking up space

Dude, you're harshing my space here.
I used the small red Portuguese floor corker to cork about 1,500 bottles. It was adequate. Then I got the Ferrari. I've put a least a thousand corks in with it. It is awesome.
At some point, I need to get the champagne corker. The Belgian sours deserve a proper bottle and cork.

Well, I'll probably only do 2 or 3 wine kits (for which a cheep corker works ok), and do 1 or 2 cork-worthy sours a year.
My sour bottles also support standard crown caps.

[wyzzyrdd]

Note that there is a difference between the champagne corker which you will need for corking sparkling wines and sour beers and the regular floor corker. The champagne corker can be used to put corks into standard wine bottles, but not the other way around.

[tony b]

I know they are some coin, but a Crowler machine would be really kewl. Each member using it would be responsible for reimbursing the Club for the cans & tops. To make things a bit easier on the logistics, we could have a monthly "Crowler Party" where members bring their beers for canning and we do them all at together.

I found this online - Oskar Blues Brewery is partnered with Ball and is selling them. They also modified it to include a CO2 purge.
https://www.oskarblues.com/crowler

[Matt F]

I would be more interested in 12 oz. or 16 oz. cans than 32oz.

[jjpeanasky]

I would be more interested in 12 oz. or 16 oz. cans than 32oz.

Agreed.

I like the idea of a wine or champagne corking machine. A small tap box (2 or 3 taps) would be nice. Doesn't even need to be a full jockey box, but comes with a tub for ice/kegs?

- Josh Peanasky

[TappedOut]

In the meantime, I have a 2-tap jockey box, if folks want to borrow, except for those rare occasions when I'm using it. It often gets used for soda at our festival.
Perhaps also have a list of stupid shit members have that they are willing to loan out.

-Tom

[daryl]

Thanks Tom, I'll keep that in mind...it's a nice box from what I remember.

And I have a homemade keg/carboy cleaner, I'd be willing to loan to someone for the weekend or a few days. I just knocked out 5 last weekend.

D

[tony b]

For the keg/carboy cleaner, I was kinda leaning towards a DIY Tech Meeting to build one, like we did back in the day with stir plates. Folks sign up to build one, Club buys all the parts based upon the number of sign ups, divides the total cost by participants to arrive at re-reimbursement costs. This felt like a better way to do it to me, since some of the materials are cheaper bought in bulk and there would be less wastage of things like silicone sealant, pvc pipe, etc. I've always wanted one, but balked at the price for a ready built one. And, to be honest, I'm not the handiest guy doing this stuff. So, having a workshop, with the right tools for doing all the cutting, etc. works for me.

[daryl]

For the keg/carboy cleaner, I was kinda leaning towards a DIY Tech Meeting to build one, like we did back in the day with stir plates. Folks sign up to build one, Club buys all the parts based upon the number of sign ups, divides the total cost by participants to arrive at re-reimbursement costs. This felt like a better way to do it to me, since some of the materials are cheaper bought in bulk and there would be less wastage of things like silicone sealant, pvc pipe, etc. I've always wanted one, but balked at the price for a ready built one. And, to be honest, I'm not the handiest guy doing this stuff. So, having a workshop, with the right tools for doing all the cutting, etc. works for me.

We can do that. Mine is a DIY...super cheap except for the pump....a decent pond pump is on the order of $75 for the gpm needed. But I like mine, I set it and forget it.

[Matt F]

I built one and the pump was on sale for $20 @ Menards. It is a submersible pump and very strong. I can use it to clean kegs, carboys, my beer lines, super handy and less than $30 in it.

[jjpeanasky]

What kind of gph you talking about. There's some real inexpensive ones on Amazon.

- Josh Peanasky

[daryl]

What kind of gph you talking about. There's some real inexpensive ones on Amazon.

- Josh Peanasky

The plans call for 600 gph or more.