Home Distiller

Looking at the plans of the Bokabob mini and doing searches I found most of the information but still have three questions. Hope they are not “Duh” questions. This is my first project of this kind.

1. on the copper coil it looks like 10 turns @ ¼” spacing between coils but on the diameter of the coil should it touch the walls or have a gap? if so, how much? I think the latter.
2. on the two plates the upper is 1 ¼” width @ 30 degrees but I need the depth information. On the lower plate @ 30 to 45 degrees and notch bent at center of tube. I need to know the notch width and depth/width of lower plate.
3. Is the top left open or is it capped/sealed?





Site supporter,

Blackmold

Blackmold wrote:Looking at the plans of the Bokabob mini and doing searches I found most of the information but still have three questions. Hope they are not “Duh” questions. This is my first project of this kind.

1. on the copper coil it looks like 10 turns @ ¼” spacing between coils but on the diameter of the coil should it touch the walls or have a gap? if so, how much? I think the latter.
2. on the two plates the upper is 1 ¼” width @ 30 degrees but I need the depth information. On the lower plate @ 30 to 45 degrees and notch bent at center of tube. I need to know the notch width and depth/width of lower plate.
3. Is the top left open or is it capped/sealed?

Site supporter,

Blackmold

1. You will get better cooling if the outer edges of your condenser coil are about 1/4 to 1/8" smaller than the inside diameter of your colunm.

2. Setting the lower plate to about 2/3 depth is about right. This is the picture which might help (possibly the plans you have been working from)

http://homedistiller.org/image/mini_explained.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

3. Top is opened. Always build a still so that it is open to the atmosphere. That is one of the core safety issues.

H.

I'm pretty sure the angle of the collection plate is'nt all that critical. I remember when I built mine I got all wrapped around the axles about it, but it really is just a matter of putting two blades in your hacksaw and cut an angle to 2/3 of the column. All it has to do is catch distillate. Make sure you cut the notch in the plate so the overflow will go down the centre of the packing, the size doesn't really matter but 5mm would be sufficient.

I'm getting ready to make this myself.
From what I gather about the design the plates must overlap to catch all the liquid condensate and allow a portion caught to be returned to the column. I can't imagine that the tolerances are that critical. As long as you collect all the falling liquid in a little puddle you take a bit and the rest drips back down.

I should have some pics in a couple days depending on my work load.



Skymeat

The measurements of the overflow gap is not critical except that it must be wide enough for the distillate to flow through and the bent down tang is used to direct the overflow into the centre of the column (just as rain drops follows a tent guy rope), so just cut and bend until you think it looks right.
By the way, you have selected a great intro design. You should have a lot of fun.
Cheers.

Thanks for all the help and info . I Will be bending the coil next, one trick I learnt from a bubba in Florida, you fill the pipe with sand and if very tight turns for that diameter you pour water into pipe it packs the sand tighter then bend the pipe, if wet put in oven @ 250 deg F to dry.
Remove the sand.
I was bending ½ inch copper pipes to put into chimney of wood heaters to heat the water.

Blackmold

For the small tubing used in making a condensor, I would recommend using salt and not sand. Sand will be hard to remove. The salt can be forced out with water pressure (just be sure not to do that on your lawn, or you will end up with a dead spot in the grass).

H.

Blackmold wrote:Thanks for all the help and info . I Will be bending the coil next, one trick I learnt from a bubba in Florida, you fill the pipe with sand and if very tight turns for that diameter you pour water into pipe it packs the sand tighter then bend the pipe, if wet put in oven @ 250 deg F to dry.
Remove the sand.
I was bending ½ inch copper pipes to put into chimney of wood heaters to heat the water.

Blackmold