WTD bubbler

[WTD]

Here is what i have been working on for a while, still a lot to go. boiler and stuff. Making new PC. Just a catch up on what is done. Gas was map and soft soldered on pizza stone, easy flange rings brazed.
Blockhead (going to buy an already fanged blockhead tee)
four 4" plates
150mm long 4" RC with 9 inner tubes at 3/4"
single 2" bubble cap with 3/4" downcomer at 20mm high or 3/4" for you imperial guys 1 1/2" riser, bout 35mm i think
2 * 8" glass borosilicate tubes 110mm high (4 1/4" maybe) which will house 3 plates. 2 in the glass and one in the reducer above last glass section.

Total 7 plates and more will probably be made to hit 10 or 11 why make a packed section when im so close to 10
all solder joints worked well this build. no leaks and took my time cleaning joints very well as i went. Heres just a few of the process

here they are well some, 6 maximum attachment , after resizing 3 times from byte limit and pixel limit

small bit of 3/4" over DC to hold it while i soldered in place, suspended in the aid and i guess clamped with the 3/4". also made it stronger

[WTD]

easy to solder plate in the module, had DC sit through a crack in my pizza stone from using a hammer and forgetting it was stone

all plate modules finished now, not in this pic though

[WTD]

Reason for wanting 3 * 8" plates was i was going to use the glass as a large 8" inline thumper but thought that 3 plates would give better speed through the whole run rathar than a thumper only increasing speed once heads were bleed off.
Its only going to have 4.8kW thrown at it so under powered for the 8" but i suspect minimum of 4l/h+ from calcs,.

Need some custom seals, this glass was slightly out and doesnt fit the normal seals that go with it. If anyone in AUS knows where i can get custom seals made up that would be good. Already looking and emailing for custom 100% silicone gaskets etc. They are 2 * 8" crystal dragon glasses that were not standard size. Got them for a good price, just need custom seals now

[googe]

Nice job mate, gonna be a ripper still when it's done

[still_stirrin]

...Need some custom seals...Already looking and emailing for custom 100% silicone gaskets etc.

Don't do it!

Silicone is NOT good in the hot alcohol vapor path.

Teflon only, if you've got to use a synthetic.
ss

[WTD]

...Need some custom seals...Already looking and emailing for custom 100% silicone gaskets etc.

Don't do it!

Silicone is NOT good in the hot alcohol vapor path.

Teflon only, if you've got to use a synthetic.
ss

Wow ill be damned. Just did a google on silicone chemical resistance and teflon, also did EPDM but i knew that one.

Amazing that silicone has such a bad resistance yet so many people sell silicone seals with expensive stills. Thanks for this info, i will change my inquiries for Teflon and HDPE now.

Looking on ebay, what thickness should a seal be for a seal between flat copper plate and 7mm thick borosilicate glass?

1.5mm good enough? always just bought seals

[WTD]

So is HDPE ok, looks ok on spec sheet but havent seen it referenced for a while. this is a spec sheet
http://www.sdplastics.com/kingplastic/HDPE_CRC1.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

main reason is its cheaper than Teflon.

Does this look alright?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HDPE-Sheet-3 ... 464b0bb327" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow.

I might move this post over in a different thread

[still_stirrin]

...i will change my inquiries for Teflon and HDPE now...

High density polyehtylene (HDPE) is no good either.

[bluc]

Did you mean epdm? Hdpe is plastic like most hbs fermenters..

[Danespirit]

None of the plastics are good, they will deteriorate over time and leach into your still...contaminating your product.
It has been discussed in several threads.
I've also read a lot of lab results regarding the subject....trust me it's not worth risking yours and others health.
I know some of the companies selling stills use silicone gaskets and seals.
There are different grades of silicone, but I've yet to see some of it offering the same resistance to alcohols/solvents than PTFE.
So what the may or may not put into their equipment and sell, doesn't really matter to me...the lab research and facts does.

You are about to create a beautiful piece of equipment. Probably it will last a lifetime, so what are a few $ more for appropriate materials..?

[rad14701]

Just like I mentioned in your other topic, you need to start checking the MSDS of the materials you want to use or are using... Not knowing the properties of what you are using can be dangerous or even lethal to you and others... PTFE is the ONLY approved synthetic to be mentioned here in these forums... Don't ask about any others because they will not be condoned by the membership...

[WTD]

I know a distilling supplier who should have a seal that will just fit . as just looking at my alternatives first. Will know in time. Wont mention plastics etc again

Hey bluc, i meant to say HDPE but in my mind was thinking of something different so i guess i didnt mean HDPE.

[WTD]

Been a while so here is an update.

so far i have completed 4 plates (no sight glasses), blockhead tee, RC, PC, boiler, controller, gaurds.

just need to wait for more seals to leak test after i make flanges wider and hook a valve up to the boiler. (the seals are to pack out the flange joins in between tri clovers, not touching flanges themselves)

thumper is still unstarted but i have started another 5 plates being made the same but with sight glasses (2" sight glasses) which will make it 9 plates and a 400mm packed section. then a thumper for flavour runs bla bla bla

man this is hard uploading pics. first it must be below 2mb, then below 500kb, then must be under 800 pixels

still un-assembled

5 more plates underway

controller is made, just need to wire the 4C+E to the elements after leak test.

the 1/2" will be cut just past the boiler perimeter and a ball valve is to be attached with compression fitting.

4" still mount and two twin 1.2kw elements, no fill port

Im over resizing pics lol so this will do for now.

vinegar and sac run is just around the corner.

Cheers
WTD

[rad14701]

Here's a hint on the pics... If you don't take such large pictures it won't be as hard to reduce them to an acceptable size... The internet doesn't need huge pictures so get used to resizing... I do my resizing en-mass rather than one at a time and I keep my camera and phone set to take usable sized pictures instead of the default monstrous setting...

Looking good...!!!

[rgreen2002]

WTD...looks nice!

If you use a PC.. open your pictures with paint. Click resize then choose Pixels. Drop the largest of the Horizontal or vertical to 800....BAM! Done.

Picture resized

[WTD]

rgreen2002 thats exactly how i do it. first i resized with % then just used the pixel one after it told me 800.

rad only reason i take large ones is i have kids and i want the most resolution i can get with them and i dont change it between pictures, sometimesi may but usually im in a hurry and dont change.

and cheers guys, im on the edge of my seat waiting for the cleaning runs

[WTD]

Did cleaning runs last week. the pic below is the sac run after the vinegar run going onto a plastic container. all cleaning solvent this run.

got 110L of a UJ style down, gen 1 boiled and simmered 8.5kg cracked corn for over an hour before adding cool water and yeast so hoping gen1 isnt to boring through 4 plates, no enzymes. Wondering if 3 plates would be worth a go on gen 1 just to get a better whisky flavour