Prairiepiss's Modular CM, VM, LM pisser build

[Prairiepiss]

Had someone ask me about my controller. So here it is. It's a Harbor Freight router speed controller. That I removed the back cover and replaced it with a CPU heatsink. I milled the heatsink to fit inside the case. Then milled a recess for the chip to sit in. A little heatsink grease between them. Nothing real fancy. It's rated at 15A. I'm running one 5500 watt 240 volt element off it at 110 volts. So its only about 1375 watts. I have it connected to the curly cue element. The other one I just plug in for heat up. Then unplug it and use the one element on the controller for pot still mode. For CM mode I leave the one plugged in and control it with the other.

I would use a bigger heatsink. This one isn't quite large enough. I found one I had stashed in my boxes of junk. I will get it mounted next chance I get. It should cool it better. This one gets pretty warm after a 12 hour run.

[emptyglass]

Thats a fair chunky heatsink, dosn't look like room for much more?

What about a fan? Perhaps an old pc fan and a wall wort? Old pentium chips have small discrete units on them- would almost clip on those monster sinks.

[Prairiepiss]

I have another heatsink that will fit it pretty good. It also has room to mount a fan in it so that its not sticking out. What I will probably do is buy a new controller and mod it with this other heatsink and fan. I mite just go ahead and make a completely new enclosure for it. Would like to add a amp gauge to it to. That way I will have 2 controllers. One for backup. Just in case. They are cheap but I would rather have one on hand if one burns up in the middle of a run. And since they are cheap. I don't expect them to last for ever. The heatsink will just help it last longer. I couldn't imagine running it without the heatsink. That sucker woulda melted down by now.

[Bushman]

Looking good PP, I am thinking of converting from propane thanks for the pics.

[Prairiepiss]

Little update on how the still is working. I took my collection of all bran and sweetfeed feints 3.5 gallons of mixed ABV. I decided to run it in a stripping run. To clean it up a little. So I diluted to 30% ran it in pot still mode at a good fast pace. Take off a little bigger then a pencil led stream. Though out 600 ml. Came off at 70% most of run collected down to 30%. Diluted it to 30% again this time ran it in CM mode. I let in run in 100% reflux for 45 min. Adjusted the coolant flow till I got a broken steam. Took off 400 ml to pitch. Took it back into full reflux for 15 min adjusted the coolant to a pencil sized stream and I closed the fores valve on the parrot. And waited for it to fill up. 96% like I expected. But the rest of the run I didn't expect to happen the way it did. I collected 2 gallons of 96%. With only a few very small adjustments on the heat. It came off in a pencil lead sized stream the whole run. And then the output just shut down. I haven't had it do this yet. I've read about others CMs shut down when the tails come on. It just hadn't happen to me yet. so I just shut the heat off an cleaned up. I aired out the 2 gallons for 48 hours. I just went through it tonight. And holy crap I only pitched the first and last quarts. I didn't even really need to do that. It was drinkable. But just a little off. I got 1.5 gallons of very nice 95% neutral out of it. I wasn't expecting to get that much out of it. But I'm not complaining.

[Prairiepiss]

Little vid of my parrot and flow indicator thingy ma bobber.
http://youtu.be/D7g1MG856h4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Bushman]

Little vid of my parrot and flow indicator thingy ma bobber.
http://youtu.be/D7g1MG856h4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Nice video PP, I wished you had zoomed out a bit more so I could see your whole set-up

[Prairiepiss]

Here you go Bushman.
http://youtu.be/jpkXjOfpBLg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Bushman]

Here you go Bushman.
http://youtu.be/jpkXjOfpBLg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Thanks, she's looking good, did you build the onion top?

[Prairiepiss]

Here you go Bushman.
http://youtu.be/jpkXjOfpBLg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Thanks, she's looking good, did you build the onion top?

Its a tea pot and a 2 1/2" x 3/4" Tee. Look up almost to the top of this page and you can see it during the build.

[Prairiepiss]

I've failed to comment on this build but have followed it and I must say my hats off to you mr. P I love it very creative.

Thanks Rock. I just wish I had the space to really dig in and finish it. It's a little cold to be working on the front porch now.

[devotus]

Nice build, it looks very cool. Sort of steam punk style with that kettle added.

and your pulling 90+'s.

I'd like to have your skills...............................and tools.

[blind drunk]

I've failed to comment on this build but have followed it and I must say my hats off to you mr. P I love it very creative.

Me too. Way over my skill set but do I enjoy being overwhelmed by envy every time I see the thread

[emptyglass]

Nice work Mr P. I love the teapot. Parrot is pretty cool too.

[Prairiepiss]

Thanks guys. It's not the level of work I would like. But with what I have to work with I get by.

Steam punk. LOL never thought of it like that. I was thinking more like Rat Rod.

[emptyglass]

You might need one of these for doing the yeast and some copper line pick ups.

[Prairiepiss]

That's exactly what I want. I know where I can get a body. But I have nowhere to put it and or build it. I've got the steel for the frame. A flathead 8 a full LP fuel system. And a bunch of odds and ends. But I don't think the trailer park would like me building it in the front yard. God I need a real house with a garage/shop.

[Easy E]

As I view the many home-built stills prestited on this site and compare with the LM column I have (still working on posting pics, I promise), I am inspired by your ingenuity and your patience. I think we all may be learning from your posts. I have little experience with soldering copper, but now I feel the need to get out the hammer, torch, and a box of Band-Aids for the weekend.
That shotgun condenser is super cool!

[Usge]

Nice work P.

Quick question for you: are you running the cooling for reflux condensor from the output condensor? Or do you have separate (ie., cold) lines coming in for each?

[Prairiepiss]

Usge at first I was running the outlet of the shotgun to the reflux. Now I have a Tee with two valves one for each condenser. I have a ball valve for the shotgun and a needle valve for the reflux. This makes it so much easier to control.

Easy E I have gone through a few band aids.

And this new interest in my build thread got me to look back through it. I noticed I never fully explained all the built in functions of my shotgun condenser. I will take a few pics and share what I have forgotten to show you all.

[Prairiepiss]

Ok I incorporated a few things into the shotgun condenser that I never showed you all.
Fist one is my gin basket. Or what I refer to as the double ot flavor shell. I left space in the upper part of the 3" case that my basket can slide into. I made the easy flange so it sets a little higher then the 3" case. Leaving a recess for the basket lip to sit in when its clamped to the still. I haven't fitted the basket to the recess yet. And I need to cut the handle down. But I haven't used it yet. When I go to use it I will finish it.

Second one is my integrated parrot atmosphere vent. I needed a vent so the parrot wouldn't vapor lock the still. And I didn't want to have a vent line running on the outside. So I ran a 1/4" pipe down through one of the 3/8" vapor tubes drilled a hole in the wall of the case above the condenser portion and soldered it in that hole.I had some problems with this to begin with. But now have it worked out. At first the lower section just came out of the vapor tube and was cut off. The problem was the condensed liquid would run down it and form its own vapor lock over the end of the tube. Causing it to gurgle. I flared the end of the tube so the liquid would be routed away from the opening. And no more gurgling.

Here are some pics. Glad I took it apart. Apparently I didn't get it rinsed out food last run. So now I need to clean it.

[Prairiepiss]

Sorry for the crappy pics.

[Odin]

Where will your gin basket sit, Mr P? In the vertical column part of a pot still? Or in an vm/lm build, under the take off point? Looks like it can hold some 250 mls, correct? Now that is a nice size.

[Prairiepiss]

It's in the top of my shotgun product condenser. So it is in the vapor path just before the condenser.

Never checked how much it will hold. So I just did. It holds 1 1/4 cup filled to the top. So probably 1 cup would be a good working amount.

[Odin]

Great Mr. P! You can make a very clear gin now, using your VM or if you run it like a pot still with falling abv, you can get a more complex product. Love the place you choose. Now I don't now, but if you are so modular that you have a vm off take on one side with the basket above the condenser and maybe an LM take off at the other side ... you could bleed off fores/heads as by LM, then switch to VM and gin basket ...

Odin.

[Prairiepiss]

At this point I only have the CM setup going. I haven't put the VM and LM heads together yet. So for now all I can do is CM or pot still. Rest will come after I get room and time to work on it. I've been happy enough with what I have. And still finding new and better ways to run what I have. So I really haven't been in a hurry to finish the rest.

[Prairiepiss]

[emptyglass]

That should be good.

This thing will be as flash as a rat with a gold tooth.

[Prairiepiss]

That should be good.

This thing will be as flash as a rat with a gold tooth.

I need to build it a grill.

OOOOO you just gave me one hellava idea for a build.

Here's another pic to think about.

[Prairiepiss]

Hmmm I'm so ready to get into the new house. So I can get some work done.