Adding a 2nd Thumper

Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
Biker Mark
Novice
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:42 am
Location: Kentucky

Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Biker Mark »

I'm adding a 2nd Thump Keg to my rig, and was wondering about the cleaning process.
With a new still I know to do a vingear run, then a water run, then a sacrificial alcohol run, but is this ALL needed for just a thumper?
I don't want to lose my seasoning on my entire still, but I know I have to get the new piece cleaned properly.
Any way to clean just a thumper?

BM
American By Birth, Biker by Choice, Country by the Grace Of God.
_
5 Gallon Appalachian style Pot Still with 2 Thumper's and Worm.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10337
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by still_stirrin »

With the newly added thumper, did you add any new piping? Are there solder joints which have not yet been cleaned through a sac run?

A good cleaning protocol won't adversely affect your boiler, primary thumper, piping, etc. Sometimes it is simply better "safe than sorry" to run a new protocol. Otherwise, it's a "crap shoot"....in more ways than one!
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
User avatar
Biker Mark
Novice
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:42 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Biker Mark »

That's what I figured.
I'll just have to get a couple ferments going and run the cleaning process while they're working off.

Thanks.
American By Birth, Biker by Choice, Country by the Grace Of God.
_
5 Gallon Appalachian style Pot Still with 2 Thumper's and Worm.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view
Shine0n
Distiller
Posts: 2488
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 6:00 am
Location: Eastern Virginia

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Shine0n »

If you build it with unions and small enough sections you could manually clean the Flux and stuff out.

I'm about to add another full size keg as my thumper and have a 7.75 gal keg just sitting there sooo... here comes another build for a double thumper.

Wash/mash/must in main boiler, muck and stuff in 1st thumper and low wines in the small 2nd thumper.
Damn I have alot of work to do.

I'll use all 1" unions for all the connections to keep it modular to fit any needs that arise.

Good luck BM and post pics.

Shine0n
Clutchuser
Novice
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 6:01 pm

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Clutchuser »

I like to use bottle brushes from local home brew store. i cut the loop off the end, chuck it into a drill, insert it into the new copper/solder joint with some dish soap and scrub the hell out of it. Rinse with hot water.
User avatar
Biker Mark
Novice
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:42 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Biker Mark »

It's the vinegar in my boiler that I was trying to avoid.
What if I fill the boiler with water, and put vinegar in my current thump keg and the new thump keg?
I bet that would work.
Then water run in all, then sac run.
:think:
American By Birth, Biker by Choice, Country by the Grace Of God.
_
5 Gallon Appalachian style Pot Still with 2 Thumper's and Worm.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view
User avatar
Biker Mark
Novice
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:42 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Biker Mark »

still_stirrin wrote:With the newly added thumper, did you add any new piping? Are there solder joints which have not yet been cleaned through a sac run?

ss
Yes, a new 6" pipe between the 2 thumpers.
And solder joints, it's a copper thumper.
I see you're point.

Thanks ss.

BM
American By Birth, Biker by Choice, Country by the Grace Of God.
_
5 Gallon Appalachian style Pot Still with 2 Thumper's and Worm.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view
wtfdskin
Swill Maker
Posts: 451
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2014 5:33 pm

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by wtfdskin »

If you run on propane you could do the vinegar with just the thumper and piping to atmosphere then hook everything up for sac run. Thats how i did mine. Electric wouldnt work though.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
User avatar
Biker Mark
Novice
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:42 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Biker Mark »

Running 2 thumpers all the time now.
Attachments
2 Thumpers
2 Thumpers
American By Birth, Biker by Choice, Country by the Grace Of God.
_
5 Gallon Appalachian style Pot Still with 2 Thumper's and Worm.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view
Shine0n
Distiller
Posts: 2488
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 6:00 am
Location: Eastern Virginia

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Shine0n »

I like it!
One thing I do see some concerns over is the smaller diameter of your tubing, I'd hate to see you blow a cap by clogging up with some grains in there.

Other than that I love the all copper, thanks for the pics :thumbup:

Shine0n
Antler24
Trainee
Posts: 979
Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:00 pm

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Antler24 »

Biker Mark wrote:It's the vinegar in my boiler that I was trying to avoid.
What if I fill the boiler with water, and put vinegar in my current thump keg and the new thump keg?
I bet that would work.
Then water run in all, then sac run.
:think:

This! If there were no other changes I'd just load the first thumper with water/vinegar and sacrificial for the cleaning runs.
Swedish Pride wrote:
get a brix reading on said ball bearings and then you can find out how much fermentables are in there
User avatar
Biker Mark
Novice
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:42 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Biker Mark »

The tubing is actually 3/8ths all the way from the end of the arm to the money spout.

Pic just looks like it reduces.
American By Birth, Biker by Choice, Country by the Grace Of God.
_
5 Gallon Appalachian style Pot Still with 2 Thumper's and Worm.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view
Antler24
Trainee
Posts: 979
Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:00 pm

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Antler24 »

Biker Mark wrote:The tubing is actually 3/8ths all the way from the end of the arm to the money spout.

Pic just looks like it reduces.
Might be wrong. I thought 1/2" was the minimum recommended.
Swedish Pride wrote:
get a brix reading on said ball bearings and then you can find out how much fermentables are in there
User avatar
Biker Mark
Novice
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:42 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Biker Mark »

Antler24 wrote:
Biker Mark wrote:The tubing is actually 3/8ths all the way from the end of the arm to the money spout.

Pic just looks like it reduces.
Might be wrong. I thought 1/2" was the minimum recommended.
The end of the arm is 3/8", the in/out on both thumpers is 3/8", and the worm is 3/8".

Didn't make sense to up size tubing just to reduce at each piece of hardware.
American By Birth, Biker by Choice, Country by the Grace Of God.
_
5 Gallon Appalachian style Pot Still with 2 Thumper's and Worm.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view
User avatar
firewater69
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1332
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:55 am

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by firewater69 »

Biker Mark wrote:Running 2 thumpers all the time now.
Do you not get smearing with the copper line drooping in the middle as the pic shows?
Moonshine.... American as apple pie & it's part of our heritage, history & culture.
Shine0n
Distiller
Posts: 2488
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 6:00 am
Location: Eastern Virginia

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Shine0n »

I would think not as it's going to the first thumper and still has 2 of them to work through.
I wouldn't do that personally but it's not hurting anything, maybe it's bent like that to make the still work in that specific location.?

I love that little still btw, I'd love to have a small setup like that for kitchen use but I'd use 1" all the way then reduce to 1/2" ID worm. Just because I don't clear washes that well or strain out and bits and pieces get in my boiler and I have more of a chance of clogging.
User avatar
Biker Mark
Novice
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:42 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Adding a 2nd Thumper

Post by Biker Mark »

firewater69 wrote: Do you not get smearing with the copper line drooping in the middle as the pic shows?
Very little if any.
Its not as severe of a bend as the pic seems. And the 3/8ths has never been a problem, since I only run cleared washes.

I do ferment on the grain, but I strain and clear for a few days after fermentation is complete before racking to my boiler.
Its a pretty efficient little rig, and I use flexible copper line because I set up in several different locations and need the flexibility of changing the setup from time to time.

I do alot of Rye, and the 2 thumpers come in handy for that as well.
I run water or feints in my boiler, and put the Rye mash in the thumpers to avoid scorching since Rye doesn't seem to ever completely clear.
American By Birth, Biker by Choice, Country by the Grace Of God.
_
5 Gallon Appalachian style Pot Still with 2 Thumper's and Worm.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view
Post Reply