I always use this Mash Calculator for my strike and sparge water. I heated my strike water and added it to the mash tun first:
Then I doughed in, stirring and breaking up dough balls as I poured the grain in:
Doughing in video:
So about 45 minutes later (I stirred the mash 3 times), it was time to collect the first runnings. First step is my favorite brewing word: vorlauf. Vorlaufing is when you drain off a pitcher or two of the runnings and dump them back into the mash, recirculating about a gallon to filter out grain particles that make it through the manifold. Two of my pitchers and mine is usually cleared. When pouring back in, lay out a piece of foil to disperse the wort and protect the integrity of the grain bed:
Vorlauffing video:
At this point, I drain the first runnings into my kettle:
Eventually, the wort will stop. Meanwhile, I had my sparge water heating in a different kettle to 180°F. At this point, I put my first runnings on the propane and get them up to a boil while pouring my sparge water on my grain bed, stirring, and closing the lid for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, vorlauf again (your 2nd runnings will be much lighter):
Second runnings video:
...and drain the 2nd runnings into your kettle (which should have gotten pretty close to boiling while you were prepping the 2nd runnings). Here, I'm measuring the amount of 1st and 2nd runnings with a graduated CPVC tube that I made:
