Custom wire mesh basket - Where from?!

[TempTest]

Hello,

I've made my 'small batch' setup which is by-and-large BIAB. I had a custom made BIAB bag from the US sent over and it *does* work. However, given the small brew lengths I quite like the idea of trading this in for a fine wire mesh basket. There are a few advantages of this as far as I can see:

1) Easy to use and clean
2) After it's been emptied I can put it in during the boil giving me an easy way to remove the hops and some of the break materials before transferring to the fermenter

I'm not doing recirc so flow rate is not an issue.

Ideally I want a stainless steel cylindrical basket (with a bottom, no top). External diameter 20cm, external height 16cm. Needs to be strong enough to hold its shape when transferred between containers, holding a weight of (let's say) 5kg. Would be ideal! Unfortunately I've only found one place that looked like it had potential but I was quoted £180 which is far more than I was hoping for (especially as the bag works, I'm just looking at a minor refinement to the process).

Any ideas where I can purchase something like this?

Thanks!

[vacant]

Cistern Filter Basket Rain Water Sieve for Tanks 20 Cm

[Pinto]

Cistern Filter Basket Rain Water Sieve for Tanks 20 Cm

Perfect in every aspect except being made of PE - I'd be loath to trust that mesh to hold 5kgs of grain after a 75+ degree sparge long term..... If only it had been stainless mesh...

[vacant]

PE should be fine at 75C (melting point is 120C). I've been using a tea strainer for years that looks like a miniature version of that which doesn't even start to go soft at near boiling point. Easy to reinforce with wire if it does deform.

That rain water sieve obviously has no "food safe" rating but at my age I'd risk it.

[TempTest]

It's a bit too big for my own purposes (height is 235mm, I have max height of 160mm) and I'm not sure it'd be suitable for boiling, too... Still it's a much better value for money option than I've been quoted for a custom made piece!

[TempTest]

MODS - Sorry I just noticed I've posted this in the wrong sub-forum Can you please move it somewhere suitable? Thank you!

[TempTest]

Any other ideas? I've just received another quote for £300 + VAT + delivery - Wow! I think I'll stick to my BIAB bag at this rate!

[sbond10]

2 bags like I'm going to do ?

[TempTest]

The main purpose of going to a basket is to make it easier to remove the spent grains and also I think I'd find it easy - at this scale - to clean, too. Being able to use it into the boil is only a side advantage. Even then, if I really want to boil with a bag I can still use one bag and empty the spent grains while I bring the wort up to boiling point... But then I'd need something to keep the bag off of the base of the pot to avoid scorching. At that point I'd probably give up with the idea! The current system works, albeit a wire mesh basket would be a nice idea - Just not something I'm willing to spend the £££s they cost for a custom (I was hoping <£50 and even that would be at a push!).

[sbond10]

Yea for my 100 litre boiler it would be circa 150 quid for a turkey fryer basket at that point I'd be considering a proper mash tun

[Pinto]

(I was hoping <£50 and even that would be at a push!).

Think you're pushing expectations there - what you're looking at is a custom piece and in this day and age, nothing is cheap; even the mesh to make the basket would be in the £25 range and thats without the basket structure and the time spent creating it. Add in profit, post and packing and you're on the fast train to dearsville.

Unless you're lucky, skilled enough to fabricate it yourself or buying something thats already mass produced (I came across a very nice mesh mini waste paper bin slightly larger than your requirements for a tenner) then you're going to have to generate wealth instead and empty your pockets.