Bubble Bowl Column Build (BBC)

[MoonWhisky]

On this thread I will be posting pics of my Bubble Bowl Column Build. I absolutely love the idea of having a plated column and most importantly I want to see them in action! So what my build will consist of are 4 bubble bowls with bubble cap plates in each bowl. The first plate will have a 6" copper disc with 12 bubble caps. The other three I'm not sure yet but they will be similar. I will have a small dephlagmetor on it to flood the the plates and a shotgun condenser following that. The good thing about this build is I will be able to add or remove the amount of bubble bowls in a row. They will bolt together or possibly tri-clover assembly. The bowls only cost $1.97 a piece which is a heck of a lot cheaper than 4"-7" copper pipe.. I'm open to ideas & thoughts so let get going!

[MoonWhisky]

Made the first hole in a bowl

Silver brazed the 2" ferrule on. Wasn't as bad as I thought

Will fit nicely

I just stacked them up as I wanted to see how it looks

Next to install sight glass assembly

More to follow as I'm waiting on more parts to arrive.

[Halfbaked]

Do you ever sleep? Wow! Here we go again. I think I am gonna like this one also. I am assuming that you will put ferrules on top and bottom of bowls? Will you be to posting prices and where you got your stuff and sizes so I can run out and get your salad bowl Moon Whiskey style. That would be amazing if you could find salad bowls that you could actually use triclamps on and an everlasting gasket.

[MoonWhisky]

The outter rim of the bowls are 7-7/8 just under 8 inches and a 8" tri-clamp cost $36.00 and I haven't found a 7" tri-clamp yet. The cheaper alternative will be 8 stainless steel bolts around the rim to hold them together with a gasket in between. I can get all my nuts and bolts for the price of just half a one 8" tri-clamp so that will most likely be the way I go. Plus I don't even know If a 8" tri-clamp would work as there isn't enough lip on the bowls to squeeze them together.

[MoonWhisky]

Do you ever sleep? Wow! Here we go again. I think I am gonna like this one also. I am assuming that you will put ferrules on top and bottom of bowls?.

Not sure. That will get costly and will be very extensive with brazing as the bowls are only .012" thick on bottom. What I'm going to is braze the bowls together then cut out a 3" diameter hole the way the vapors won't get bottle necked, we'll see though

[InglisHill]

Wicked cool,

I am excited about this one!

I really like all that shiny stainless!

Silver soldering stainless to copper, I think you will find it pretty easy mate if you past build is anything to make such a judgement upon!

[Halfbaked]

Do you ever sleep? Wow! Here we go again. I think I am gonna like this one also. I am assuming that you will put ferrules on top and bottom of bowls?.

Not sure. That will get costly and will be very extensive with brazing as the bowls are only .012" thick on bottom. What I'm going to is braze the bowls together then cut out a 3" diameter hole the way the vapors won't get bottle necked, we'll see though

I like that even better. You are gonna save some money and some work by brazing/soldering the bowls together.

[thatguy1313]

Damn! Every time I look at your builds I get a new idea! Always good to get the creative juices flowing! I'm starting to run out of money though!

[MoonWhisky]

My simple sight glass assembly

2" ferrule, 2" o-ring, 2" sight glass, 2" tri-clamp

I wrapped teflon tape around the glass to cushion clamp pressure

Assembled

[InglisHill]

mint, where did you get your sight glasses? I am after some 4" ones, over here in NZ.

I was quoted far too much by a glass blower.

[MoonWhisky]

Still Dragon sells 2", 3", and I believe 4"

[Brutal]

Me and you think a lot alike brother.

[MoonWhisky]

Me and you think a lot alike brother.

IMG_20140709_001234.jpg

What's your plan?

[Brutal]

The plan was to hopefully get huge triclamp ferrules and a huge clamp to put the two bowls together. Then a 2" on bottom to attach to a keg, and another on top for a pot still head. Probably another one for a window. Just a big bubble plate under a pot head. Gonna take some fancy ss welding. One too many projects for me right now.

[MoonWhisky]

More progress

Template for drilling holes

Brazed the bowls together

All the sections

Bolted together

24" tall

[jarheadshiner]

Pretty sweet man!

Are you gonna "sandwich" the plates between the bowls or solder them in place in the bottom bowl half?

[MoonWhisky]

The plates will just rest in the bottom bowl

[MoonWhisky]

The plan was to hopefully get huge triclamp ferrules and a huge clamp to put the two bowls together. Then a 2" on bottom to attach to a keg, and another on top for a pot still head. Probably another one for a window. Just a big bubble plate under a pot head. Gonna take some fancy ss welding. One too many projects for me right now.

Need to find bowls with lips that way you can bolt them together.

[bellybuster]

That's wicked, I'd be tempted to run it straight thru as a pot still to see the outcome compared to a straight 2" pipe

[Halfbaked]

That's wicked, I'd be tempted to run it straight thru as a pot still to see the outcome compared to a straight 2" pipe

Most def have to give that a try. Moonwhiskey where did you get your bowls and what they cost you?

[MoonWhisky]

Here's the link for the bowls - - - > http://www.webstaurantstore.com/1-1-2-q ... MXB15.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[MoonWhisky]

That's wicked, I'd be tempted to run it straight thru as a pot still to ser the outcome compared to a straight 2" pipe

The bowl column will have a 2" neck then open up to 7.5" at the widest point. Where the bowls are brazed together is 3.5" so I will be cutting a 3" hole in the bowls for the vapor path. Then it will be back to the 2" for condensing. Not sure yet how I want to condense the vapor. I want a shotgun condenser but not sure where to place it.

[googe]

No stopping you is there , looks cool . Reminds me of maximus's cooling tower thingy!. What did you use t I Brazil the bowls together?. My first plated column was like that sort of, pain in the ads to build, yours will be much easier!. Good luck mate.

[MoonWhisky]

What did you use t I Brazil the bowls together?. My first plated column was like that sort of, pain in the ads to build, yours will be much easier!. Good luck mate.

I used

and silver solder.

[MoonWhisky]

I started on one of the plates today.

6" copper disc

Template for drilling holes. The inner circles are 1/2 pipe and outter are 3/4 end caps. I will have 15 bubble caps & 1 drain on the plate

Marking the centers

1/2" (.625) holes are drilled. Started with a small bit and worked my way up.

I ran out of 3/4 end caps. I bought all the store had do waiting on inventory.

Think there spaced out enough. This is all new to me as i never made anything like is.

.

[Halfbaked]

I'd love to see a little more detail on the bubble caps.

[MoonWhisky]

Yeah they're not done yet, I believe what I'm going to is solder 1/2 pipe in the plate holes and let them stick up 1/2-5/8 then just let the 3/4 caps rest over the top put I will connect them all together by soldering 6 gauge copper wire over the tops so they don't move but I will be able to remove them for cleaning.
I've never made bubble caps and really have no idea what I'm doing. I'm just taking what I think should work in my head and bringing it to life haha.

[MoonWhisky]

Getting high tech

Using the EDM to cut the 3.25" diameter hole in the bowls

[MoonWhisky]

Holes are made I ended up making them larger to 3.5 diameter. So my perfect circles got ruin as I just used a grinding wheel to make them bigger

Got my brazed joints cleaned up

Starting to become something

[skow69]

I love the look. It's like flying saucers having an orgy. Kinky basterds!