nikbrown Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 My first commission of any kind! :-DCanton Brewing Company cares enough about their brewing process and supporting local craftsman that they hired me to hand make them traditional mashing forks for use in their beer production. If they care this much about the details of their tools I can’t wait to try their brews!They needed commercial size and robust tools but wanted them made in a traditional form. After meeting with the brewmaster we decided on Ash as a strong and robust handle material. I selected the straitest grain Ash I had available.I chose walnut as a secondary wood as I felt the colors complimented the ash well. I shaped the top of the handles by hand with a rasp. All the joinery was reenforced with pins. Handle inlays are stainless steel and brass. They are finished with oil, shellac and wax. This was a great opportunity and quite a fun little project that’s totally different than anything I’ve ever tackled. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Very cool!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Yea, agree with Mel! Super cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Thats so cool that you were able to lend a hand in their process! Very cool project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 I'm glad you didn't resist, ya done good! Now part of the remuneration should be at least one year's supply of suds, and shared with those of us that read your post! Is there a disagreement from the forum? Damn, nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Crawford Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 I would have been tempted to take payment in beer. As nice as those are it would be a lifetime supply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikefoolery Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Very cool. I'm curious how the finish holds up over time with stirring the mash at 150F temperatures. -josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Shellac is a food safe finish and easy to strip & renew . I would have used TB III to glue it. Beautiful work ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikbrown Posted June 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 I used West system marine epoxy on all joinery..... Plus I pinned everything... Just in case... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikbrown Posted June 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Yea I tried to seal in the oil a bit with the shellac... But really no finished will hold up perfectly under those conditions. But most mash forks don't have much of any finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 i wonder if my friend would have a use for this he is opening a brewery was just talking to him about making some gooseberry beer and crab apple cider yesterday. im probably going to make him tap handles each one will be individually made for the individual beer. so for example if he makes a cider from apples im thinking ill inlay a green apple shape on the handle. \ what do they use these forks for in the brewing process? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikbrown Posted June 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 The forks are used during the mashing process. Mashing is the brewer's term for the hot water steeping process which hydrates the barley, activates the malt enzymes, and converts the grain starches into fermentable sugars. Essentially you dump a bunch of grain into hot water and stir it periodically for a while. These are the traditional tools you stir with.... Some Brewers get a bit spiritual about the mash fork... Because when you use a wooden mash fork a bit of every beer you have ever made is part of that wood and ever beer batch you make is then connected to every other batch you have stirred with that same tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Going to have to try some of that brew... in about, what, 60 days? (Oh, and fantastic job on those forks!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikbrown Posted July 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 Yea I mostly took the project because it was cool... I just had them cover 2x material and shop expenses for cash. I could have charged them a whole lot more and he wouldn't have blinked.... But this way there is a whole lot of free beer and swag attached to the job as well ;-) ... also a couple days of brewing with the brewmaster once they are set up. ;-D I'd rather have that stuff than the cash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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