Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Vapor, Liquid or Cooling Management. Flutes, plates, etc.

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moosemilk
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by moosemilk »

cede wrote:
Halfbaked wrote:Cede The last copper I bought was pretty reasonable. I think 3 ft cost me right around $100 maybe a few dollars more. I would think in Canada it would be more.
Yes, a bit more round 120-140 USD, 40% more in CAD so 170-200 CAD.
I'm not in a hurry, so I can wait for a bargain.
Let's see what will come up :)
I waited and kept checking the scrap yard. Got an immaculate 51" length of 4" copper for 50 bux Cdn. Not ready to build yet, but had to grab while the grabbing was good!
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by Bushman »

Moosemilk that is a fantastic buy, probably should have posted in the Got any good deals lately section.
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by jedneck »

moosemilk wrote:
cede wrote:
Halfbaked wrote:Cede The last copper I bought was pretty reasonable. I think 3 ft cost me right around $100 maybe a few dollars more. I would think in Canada it would be more.
Yes, a bit more round 120-140 USD, 40% more in CAD so 170-200 CAD.
I'm not in a hurry, so I can wait for a bargain.
Let's see what will come up :)
I waited and kept checking the scrap yard. Got an immaculate 51" length of 4" copper for 50 bux Cdn. Not ready to build yet, but had to grab while the grabbing was good!
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by moosemilk »

jedneck wrote: Theif
Nope. Just a friend who works at the scrap yard, who i also treated so some of my cherry infused from an all feints run. There was an equal length of 3", but money was tight around Christmas and being off work. If it's still there, i'm going to grab that as well for a shotgun

Bushman wrote:Moosemilk that is a fantastic buy, probably should have posted in the Got any good deals lately section.
Forgot about that thread. Think i will . . . although i'll probably be pointed to the Liars Bench.
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

Euphoria wrote:dan,
Beautiful piece of art mixed with functionality. Nice job!
Thank you Euphoria!

-Dan
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by bitter »

Dan,

Amazing build and Videos. I got 3" DWV and thinking of doing a similar build you think the 3" DVW with 2" site glasses work out ok? Going 2" shotgun for PC using old boka column.

Moosemilk I'm drooling... can't find 4" over here... without getting it new in 20 ft sections :( For the work to build a 3" column, would take the same to do 4" but 3" is what I have. 9.5 ft of it.. Should get me a flute and a 3" boka outa it after Flute is done.

B
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

Bitter,

I think you could go with six plates that have 150 holes per plate and you would get the same results. I think that it is the amount of copper that you are forcing the vapor into contact with that makes all the difference.

Dan
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by bitter »

Interesting, was not thinking 6 plates as whiskey is mostly my thing... Just want the option to keep the wife happy. My plan was inline thumper and 4 plates. Then make additional 2 plate section later if needed.

I noticed you went away from making flanges for the larger pipe. Did it not work so great? I might bite the bullet for stainless furrels.. in that case.

B
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

bitter wrote:Interesting, was not thinking 6 plates as whiskey is mostly my thing... Just want the option to keep the wife happy. My plan was inline thumper and 4 plates. Then make additional 2 plate section later if needed.

I noticed you went away from making flanges for the larger pipe. Did it not work so great? I might bite the bullet for stainless furrels.. in that case.

B
Bitter,

I started using the brass flanges because they are easy to solder to copper and I tinned them on the inside so there is no brass in contact with the vapor path. I am going to rebuild my original flute using copper flanges. The easy flanges had to many issues with leaking. If you feel comfortable soldering stainless steel to copper go for it! They are a lot cheaper than the copper ones and make a good contrast in color to the copper. Have fun with it and post lots of pictures of your build.

-Dan
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by bitter »

Thanks!

That helps a lot! Going to have to make a few orders to get things rolling on my build. I lie the copper flanges but not the price :) I will take pics as I go along for sure but maybe not as detailed are yours.

B
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

Bitter,

There are so many variables when designing a plated column and many you do not realize until you have run one for a while. Six plates will not reduce your flavor if you run it hard and fast. This is the whole point of building a plated column still in the first place, to save time running it! You want a balance between copper surface area in contact with vapor, cooling capacity for your dephlegmator so you can achieve full reflux and power in your heating element so you can run it fast enough to get your ABV down to 70-80% with your dephlegmator turned off. The reflux time allows you to fragment your distillation run which seperates your fore shots and heads, from your hearts, then tails. I start my run with the dephlegmator turned off which allows the very light VOC's to exit the column. Compounds that smell like acetone and butyl alcohol. Then I turn the dephlegmator on and put the column in full reflux for 10-15 minutes to stack up the heads. I run off about 300ml of heads and then turn the dephlegmator way down or off completely and start collecting hearts. When my ABV drops to 60% or less I am then collecting tails down to about 20-30%ABV. Wash heat up time is about 2.5- 3 hours and collecting time is about 1.5 hours total for a 23 gallon wash with a 5,500 watt heating element running at full power. Fewer plates will just reduce the alcohol content when running fast but if you have a smaller boiler and fewer watts that may be the way to go.

Dan
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by bitter »

Thanks Dan, very helpful. Reading and reading as much as I can before I make a final decisions on a final design.

I have a 15g keg with 1 5500W 220v element and 1 1375 Watt 120V element.

B
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by Haus »

Hi Dan,
If you (I) use the SS ferrules, wouldn't that make the removal of the plate stack impossible assuming a non-modular build?
Or is there an OD flange, like the brass ones, I haven't found yet?
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by bitter »

Haus wrote:Hi Dan,
If you (I) use the SS ferrules, wouldn't that make the removal of the plate stack impossible assuming a non-modular build?
Or is there an OD flange, like the brass ones, I haven't found yet?
I was checking on that and looks like most SS ones will cause that issue (go on inside the pipe..).. I'm now looking at the brass and copper ez flanges.

B
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

Guys,

That is the main issue with the stainless steel flanges and is also why I used brass and copper. It would be nice if the folks at SD made the same ones out of stainless steel that they make out of brass and copper..... Larry????? LWTCS???? can you hear me?

Dan
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by Haus »

You could I suppose, if you had the tools or access to them, rout out the inner stop on the brass ones so it slips all the way onto the copper pipe and eliminate the brass factor altogether.
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

Hause,

If you did that the flange part would probably come off. That is why it would be nice to have a stainless steel version that you did not need to tin on the inside.

Dan
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by Rastus »

I agree with you on needing stainless flanges Dan. I followed your build to a great extent and did a few things different... tinning the brass wasnt too bad but at the time i wish they were copper or stainless so i didnt have to go the step extra with tinning.but now its done... no worries.

i added a piece of copper tube at the top of my plate tree to act as a T handle, I put a hole the size of my thread all and its ends sit right on the top of the copper pipe inside the brass flange so it stays put, and when i want to pull the plates out i have a nice T-handle.

interesting to see how you run it... i have just opened mine up wide ... full throttle and the 5500 watt element on my 13 gallon can pushes so hard the Dephlegmator cant hold it, it drips out the first pint then stops. i am figuring it is the fores and heads. then I open the dephleg to allow a set pace which slows way down when the hearts are through. after that the tails come in so hard its not worth it.
i stop a few times when condensation shows on my windows to re-stack the vapor and slow the take off toward the end...

i am also using a 3way ball valve to control my dephlegmator. my water is darn cold I think its 40f or close to it. the product comes out at about 50f ...


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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by Hound Dog »

Dad300 posted about thee before.... He is referring to a stainless recessless ferrule. This fits over the outside of the pipe.
DAD300 wrote:Warning!!!!!!

If you've got pressures in your still that require a welded ferrule, you're in trouble.

Sanitary Expanding Recessless Clamp Ferrule http://www.ebay.com/itm/EG14R2-0-2-Sani ... 23080aad78" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

They are a press fit, and you drive them on with a mallet or 2x4. They are not rolled on.
rec fer.jpg
I found them initially at a dairy supply. Dairies using 50 psi to pasteurize (HOT) and move milk around the plant over 100's of yards using these ferrules. I use these almost exclusively and they never leak or move on the pipe!
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by bitter »

I could not find any for 3.125" or 4.125" cooper

B
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

:wave:
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by WIski »

Back at ya Brother........ :wave:
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

I like it!!! Thank you!

-Dan
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by Lyonsie »

I really should not have read this thread or anything else about making high proof whiskey using plated stills. Stop telling people to research everything it ends badly. :lol:

Copper printing plates.
20161204_154636-320x180.jpg
Plates.
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by WIski »

There is no known cure for the situation you find yourself in. Hang on it's a fun and rewarding journey. If you get stuck, there are a few around here that will throw you a chain and pull. You've picked a great thread to start your travels.

Keep it Safe, Have Fun, Enjoy the Ride........... :eugeek:
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by drinkingdog »

Really nice work. I was wondering about your site glasses and how they connect to your column. Are they just soldered to 2 inch pipe or to a tri clamp ferrel.
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

drinkingdog wrote:Really nice work. I was wondering about your site glasses and how they connect to your column. Are they just soldered to 2 inch pipe or to a tri clamp ferrel.
DD-

My sight glass flanges are made out of 2" copper pipe and a copper flange I had cut out of 1/8" thick plate. The flange is soldered to the 2" pipe that is cut to a 4_1/8" radius on one end and then the whole flange assembly is soldered to the 4_1/8" column body. The flange looks like a big copper washer. Here is a link to the flanges being soldered onto the column body... https://youtu.be/wdWvWTxVswg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Dan-
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by Prawnstarr13 »

Love this !!
I'm in awe of your building skills, I am looking at this and thinking I'll try to build a similar piece, I just got given an old wood lathe which may help with the polishing and have just picked up a drill press, 3" copper pipe is £18 for a meter or3'3" 4" may be within reach lol
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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

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Re: Dan's Flute x2, 4" x 5 plate 42" column

Post by dan »

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-Dan
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