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Stromrider
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Registered: 06/02/13
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Plastic barrel steamer 1
#27213538 - 02/18/21 05:49 PM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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After a couple of years of use my old metal barrel steamer was getting pretty shitty and rusty. I've heard of people using plastic barrels and decided to give it a go. Built it a couple of weeks and have 4 cycles of use now. Seems like everything is good to go. Nothing has warped or melted or given any signs of trouble. I'm building a second one tomorrow.
If anyone is wondering the plastic False bottom is a 1/2 thick cutting board. It didn't work out as well as hoped and started warping. I had to my old metal false bottom under it for support. I'm going to have a stainless bottom cut from my buddy at the metal shop soon.
Rusty looking bags making a mess on my pretty clean lab table really annoys me. There will be no more!
***UPDATE Barrel ended up cracking on the bottom after 2 months of twice a week use. I do not recommend using a plastic barrel
Edited by Stromrider (05/06/21 05:17 AM)
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QM33
(NOT A PUPPET!) ❤❤❤❤❤



Registered: 04/09/20
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: Stromrider]
#27213577 - 02/18/21 06:12 PM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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#jelly
-------------------- OmManiPadmeHum,OmManiPadmeHum, OmManiPadMeHum... There are known knowns, there are known unknowns, there are also unknown unknowns. With great privilege comes great responsibility.
  Quantom Qups PROOF AND Soft Drops Turn your Swab to a Syringe and Syringe to Multiple Syringes! No Pours (QuantomStyal)Magic Fruit Leather DMT for IandI
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Land Trout
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: QM33]
#27213613 - 02/18/21 06:31 PM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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Thanks for sharing this, looks super simple. How does the lid work? And how do you load and unload?
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GreenGills


Registered: 10/12/13
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: Land Trout]
#27213620 - 02/18/21 06:36 PM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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Looks cool man. Are you using it for just straw pasteurization?
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Stromrider
This must be the place



Registered: 06/02/13
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: GreenGills]
#27213633 - 02/18/21 06:47 PM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
Land Trout said: Thanks for sharing this, looks super simple. How does the lid work? And how do you load and unload?
I just sit the barrel lid on it, stick my temp probe through a hole I drilled, and throw a nice thick insulating blanket over the top
Quote:
GreenGills said: Looks cool man. Are you using it for just straw pasteurization?
Supplemented sawdust blocks
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ShutEye
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: Stromrider]
#27213697 - 02/18/21 07:25 PM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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Nice work 👍
Definitely want to give this a shot sometime. Thanks for sharing!
Edited by ShutEye (02/19/21 10:45 AM)
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Duckmang
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: ShutEye]
#27213824 - 02/18/21 09:08 PM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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This is great. We need more info! Don't skimp on the details. I'm setting up my son in law to grow gourmets and need to figure out a steam sterilizer setup. I've got a couple of blue plastic barrels just sitting around. Would love to know everything about your setup.
-------------------- 2X4 Laminar Flow Bench 16 qt pressure canner 16" bag sealer Virtually Unlimited Bunny Poop Currently growing: Reishi Lions Mane Golden Oyster Shitake
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Stromrider
This must be the place



Registered: 06/02/13
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: Duckmang]
#27214238 - 02/19/21 06:33 AM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
Duckmang said: This is great. We need more info! Don't skimp on the details. I'm setting up my son in law to grow gourmets and need to figure out a steam sterilizer setup. I've got a couple of blue plastic barrels just sitting around. Would love to know everything about your setup.
Tonight when all the mushroom work for today is done I can help you out but I probably don't need to. There's already tons of write ups on electric barrel steamers using a metal barrel. The only difference is I used a plastic barrel
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deadmandave
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: Stromrider]
#27214585 - 02/19/21 10:04 AM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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awesome! i have been up in the air about which type of barrel i should use but this settles it for me.
was this an open top barrel or did you have to cut it open?
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seagu

Registered: 03/03/18
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Some pics of another plastic one. I am sure some of you are aware of mine, but for those that are not just giving a ditto to the OP on plastic barrels working awesome for a steamer.
-------------------- Plan to win or you are planning for failure. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Just figure out the solution. Even if that means banging your head on a wall until the solution oozes out of you.
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deadmandave
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: seagu]
#27214750 - 02/19/21 11:45 AM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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thank you seagu, i was trying to remember where i had seen it before.
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seagu

Registered: 03/03/18
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NP.. oh there is a huge difference between insulated and not insulated.. So go the extra mile and put on the insulation. Go 2 inch insulation. It will be worth it. And just won't do as good if you use anything less. And you will need 2 of the big cans the Great Stuff. So save yourself a trip and grab 2 right off the bat..
-------------------- Plan to win or you are planning for failure. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Just figure out the solution. Even if that means banging your head on a wall until the solution oozes out of you.
Edited by seagu (02/20/21 05:28 AM)
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Stromrider
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Quote:
deadmandave said: awesome! i have been up in the air about which type of barrel i should use but this settles it for me.
was this an open top barrel or did you have to cut it open?
You definitely want an open top
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fungusmuncher
rabbit chaser



Registered: 03/07/09
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: Stromrider]
#27242237 - 03/07/21 06:13 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Damn I was not aware that plastic could be used for a steamer build. I've been searching around for a stainless barrel but they can be tough to come by.
I'll have to consider building one like this.
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Stromrider
This must be the place



Registered: 06/02/13
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UPDATE
2 months in of jamming 42 5# blocks in the plastic barrel 3 times a week and it cracked on the bottom and leaked out all the water. Fortunately I was between cycles and the water was turned off. It could have been a much worse situation. I definitely don't recommend doing a plastic barrel build. I think the hot cold cycles and the fact the bottom is not flat did it in
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junior c
junior c


Registered: 04/08/20
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: Stromrider]
#27288908 - 05/01/21 09:28 AM (2 years, 8 months ago) |
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Thanks for the update. Was rooting for this build. Too bad. Sorry about the crack. seemed like a nice alternative. Wonder if the drum would hold up better if the steam was fed in from an external boiler vs. built in element.
-------------------- "Existence has overpowered books. Today, I slew a Mushroom" - Emily D
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deadmandave
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: junior c]
#27291089 - 05/02/21 08:46 PM (2 years, 8 months ago) |
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That's wild, where did it crack at?
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SHROOMSISAY01
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Registered: 01/22/17
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Yea plastic is no good you have too much expansion and contraction through the heat and cool cycle. Some people get away with it but after a while, they will distort and you have problems. This is the 1st time I heard of one cracking. Easier to just use a steel drum and mix 100% silicone with VM&P Naphtha or Mineral spirits and paint the drum. VM&P just leaves fewer things behind when it dries. For under $30 you will have a drum that will last many years. Silicone will not stick to itself so make sure you get it all in one coat.
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QM33
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Registered: 04/09/20
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Haha., painting the drum in silicone? For what? I like the idea of mixing silicone with thinners, that would be some cool paint haha!
-------------------- OmManiPadmeHum,OmManiPadmeHum, OmManiPadMeHum... There are known knowns, there are known unknowns, there are also unknown unknowns. With great privilege comes great responsibility.
  Quantom Qups PROOF AND Soft Drops Turn your Swab to a Syringe and Syringe to Multiple Syringes! No Pours (QuantomStyal)Magic Fruit Leather DMT for IandI
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deadmandave
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Re: Plastic barrel steamer [Re: QM33]
#27291702 - 05/03/21 09:22 AM (2 years, 8 months ago) |
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Rust prevention. Might need to scuff up the sides of the barrel to get the silicone to stick better
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