UPS just brought me a stir plate & an O2 injection system should be here before Christmas. I am so stoked about brewing my next batch!
Nice! I bought myself an early Christmas present when my bedroom TV pooped out on me, or I would be showering myself with beer making essentials as we speak.
I just bought an O2 injection system from Lowes, it was disguised as a small welding kit and a fish tank stone. Used it for the first time yesterday.
I resisted buying a stir plate for a long time but when I finally did it was totally worth it. I have used pure o2 for several years. Love the time conveniece and not worrying about the “foam over” from the aquarium pump. One word of caution: you want to let the O2 just trickle in there. If you see big bubbles you are just wasting O2. When I first started using the red tanks from LOWES/etc I would go through them every other batch or so. Once I got the hang of it one tank would last 5-7 (ten gallon) batches.
I have an O2 system but rarely use it. I forcefully shoot my wort into my fermenter with a March pump and that aerates it enough. Beside, oxygen is for welding and breathing when a hangover is present. 
I started with a bucket of Orange Blossom Honey last week
I want a Johnson controller and a TEC unit. Also for my other passion I want a BBQ Guru DigiQ DX with the Pit Viper 10 cfm fan.
Please Please Please Santa can I have them all…? 
I never weld when I have a hangover.
I got a bunch of gift cards from Lowe’s, so I decided I’m getting a larger appliance for my fermenting chamber.
Wife got me a stir plate , 2L flask and a Corona Mill. Yay, something under the tree for me that isn’t socks. I’ll probably order a Johnson control around New Years.
Corona mill? You making bread?
You know, my Corona has always done me good, at least once I finally figured out how to keep it on a good setting.
How do you keep the “gap” just right on a Corona mill? I’ve used my Corona for a long time with good results, but every crush there are adjustment to make. phillamb168, how did you get the plates to stay in the same position?
I just ordered 2 ball lock kegs and the accessories to get started kegging; and a faucet, shank, etc to start my keggerator. It won’t be here until after Christmas, but still my present to myself.
You can put some washers in as spacers on the bolts with wing nuts, that hold the plates apart uniformly versus just setting a gap and having the grain puch them apart. I never got around to doing thismyself, I always just tweaked things each time I used mine. I recently got a Monster Mill and drive it with a drill, its really nice and super fast and easy, but not a huge difference in my finished product.
I figure the Corona mill would be fun to tinker with until I save up for a the real deal. Just another home brewer trying to save a buck.
The FedEx Santa just dropped off my new burner!!
Christmas present to myself…why that would be the remaining parts required to finish construction of my single tier Brutus 10 brewstand. I’ll hopefully be heading up to Philly in a couple weeks to Capozzoli’s Metalworks Cafe to utilize the fine welding skills of our very own Capozzoli to put the finishing touches on the brewstand. 8)
I used one for a few years. I typcially do half batches and even then it was a chore to crank through 5-6lb of malt, but I generally got a good looking crush. conditioning the malt prior to crushing helped keep the husks intact.
It also works well for unmalted grains (like wheat) that are pretty hard on a roller mill.
And back to the topic, I got a small freezer for a fermentation chamber a few days ago. My first fermentation is going now, an alt at 56F.
How do you do the conditioning of the malt beforehand? That’s new to me…