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copper mesh packing question

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 6:12 am
by kontreren
How does one determine how much packing to put into a column? :?:

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:28 am
by ZAXBYC
One stuff it into ones column until one can stuff no more.

One must not pack too tightly otherwise ones vapour wont travel with ease.

If one can breathe through one's column when one precieves it to be tightly packed, then one should be good to go.

One should make sure that ones column is clear of flux beforehand or one will suffer with irritated lips

:wink:

I hope this helps one

(sorry couldn't resist) :lol:

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:41 am
by ZAXBYC
Though I should Add..

If you are buying pot scrubbers / structed mesh, then for a 54mm column 1lb, per meter of column, of copper mesh would do.

Pot scrubbers I cannot comment on as I have never used them, so I supose it depends on the size and density of the scrubbers!

Anyways, make sure you use Stainless Steel 306/316 grade or pure copper scrubbers/mesh, othwise you might poison yourself.

As with most most things, if you are unsure either; don't do it or ask someone. We don't want to see anyone injuting themselves 8)

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:29 am
by brewmaker1
If you're using the mesh from Brewhaus, they recommend cutting 3.5 to 4 foot lengths and rolling it up for a snug fit in a 2" column. 10 to 11 foot lengths for a 3" column

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:41 pm
by decoy
take a magnet with you, there are so many plated scrubers out there.

and go out of your way to get copper scrubbers eaven if you have a copper column.

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 4:11 pm
by Trapperjones
I usually buy my pot scours at the local dollar store. They're $2 for two pads and they're pure copper. Make sure to check the package. If in doubt don't buy em! They're usually listed as pure copper scour will not rust. I'd recommend copper over stainless steel cuz you can never have enough copper! Just think of all the crap it removes.

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 4:15 pm
by Trapperjones
For a 2" wide column you'll need about 14 pads per foot of column. I just checked out the price of copper mesh by the roll and wow pricey compared to the pads. I think I'll stick to the pads...cheap and fairly dense packs nicely like stacking pucks.

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:11 pm
by kontreren
brewmaker1 wrote:If you're using the mesh from Brewhaus, they recommend cutting 3.5 to 4 foot lengths and rolling it up for a snug fit in a 2" column. 10 to 11 foot lengths for a 3" column
It is brewhaus mesh & 2" column. Do you roll along the short edge or long edge? Guess I'll figure it out eventually. Thankx.

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:57 pm
by Hawke
Roll it to make several 'slugs'. If you end up with any extra, you can use it to hold the slugs together. (The mesh is actually a tube)

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:48 am
by punkin
kontreren wrote:
brewmaker1 wrote:If you're using the mesh from Brewhaus, they recommend cutting 3.5 to 4 foot lengths and rolling it up for a snug fit in a 2" column. 10 to 11 foot lengths for a 3" column
It is brewhaus mesh & 2" column. Do you roll along the short edge or long edge? Guess I'll figure it out eventually. Thankx.

Don't wanna see ya struggling.

The exact length will depend on your gade of pipe and the mesh you have, but the way i did my two inch column was to roll the mesh up in a short sausage from the short end fairly tight, but not so it was stretching the mesh. When i figured it was about the right size i tried it in the column so as i'd have to work it in then slowly push it in so it was a snug fit and wouldn't fall out. I cut it at that, unrolled and measured it (i think it was about 1.1 metres from memory), then cut enough lengths the same to fill the column tightly, but so i could still breathe easily through the mesh when it was dry.
140 mm wide mesh had eleven pieces in a 1.4 column....(musta compressed).

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:23 pm
by decoy
hey punkin did that place i pointed you to supply you the mesh ok?

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:09 pm
by radio11
Anyone know were one could get some good copper mesh in canada?not having much luck.may just go for ss scrubers from my local cook ware suppler.

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:37 pm
by Thirsty Bob
i had a similar problem until I found that it's all in the description.

In industrial speak, what we would call mesh is called wire cloth. That's how it's listed in the yellow pages.

Sorta like how we call steel cables which are "technically" wire rope.

Copper cloth is used in quite a few processes so check near industrial areas in ON. like Thunder Bay, Sarnia, and of course the MTA.

Hope this helps,

Bob

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:38 pm
by astrangebrew
I found this a while ago but haven't tried it yet..

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.as ... 51555&ap=2

(no sure if I'm doing correctly)

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 6:19 pm
by decoy
thats the stuff we get in Oz.
you can also look up copper wire spinning/knitting..

thats what they make the copper scrubbers from..

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:52 pm
by punkin
decoy wrote:hey punkin did that place i pointed you to supply you the mesh ok?
nah mate, when i rang the # on the site, Telstra said the # had changed, when i rang the new number i kept getting some dudes message bank. He never answered the message.

Then i googled up a manufacturer in Oz and thought i was on to a good thing. Well they fucked me round for three weeks before finally giving me a quote that was above the retail price of the brew shops here.

So i went to the brewhaus site in us, got pricing there which was under 1/3rd of the manufacturers price here landed.

So i sent a message to Mike at Amphora seeing if he wanted the buisness, and didn't get a reply. I'm totally jack of being stuffed around and am ready to just buy $300 worth of the stuff from brewhause. If anyone else in aus wants to share the freight bill let me know and i'll order extra then ship it to ya. Gunna order in the next couplea weeks.

I have a registered abn ect, these people think they are dealing with a brew shop and still treat you like shit. Dunno how they stay in buisness :evil: :evil:

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:35 pm
by decoy
i should be going past there next week ill pop in and ask, $$$
ill let you know how i go..

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:53 pm
by punkin
decoy wrote:i should be going past there next week ill pop in and ask, $$$
ill let you know how i go..

Good mate, see if you can get a current ph# too. I'll hang off ordering

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:58 pm
by decoy
ill msg you next week..

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:19 am
by Adverse Effects
punkin you tryed to contact thes guys?

http://www.crowleindustries.com.au/products.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

there in NSW

Image

i tryed to call them but was a bit late in the day no one there

i'll be looking to build and pack a 2" or 3" X 1.5Mt long column soon to

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:58 am
by punkin
No mate i didn't find that one in my search. I'll give em a call, thanks.

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:51 pm
by Avatar
I would be more than happy to pitch in $$$ for enough to stuff a 1.5 metre, 2" column if you're going to do the bulk buy thing.
Let me know.

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:10 am
by punkin
Avatar wrote:I would be more than happy to pitch in $$$ for enough to stuff a 1.5 metre, 2" column if you're going to do the bulk buy thing.
Let me know.

Ok

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:53 am
by Adverse Effects
Avatar wrote:I would be more than happy to pitch in $$$ for enough to stuff a 1.5 metre, 2" column if you're going to do the bulk buy thing.
Let me know.
same here i am looking at making a 2mt X 3" column to so i would be in a bulk buy

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 4:09 am
by Rudi
I'd be in a bulk buy enough to pack a 3 "column 1500mm long give us a yell.

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 5:22 pm
by fizzix
decoy wrote:...and go out of your way to get copper scrubbers eaven if you have a copper column.
Hey decoy, found one of your comments from the past and it begged a question.

Granted a copper column benefits from copper mesh packing as well.
How 'bout the reverse? I have a 2" stainless still that is always packed with copper mesh.
Would adding a 19" section of copper column to the existing stainless and mesh have any greater benefit?

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 12:37 am
by decoy
fizzix wrote:
decoy wrote:...and go out of your way to get copper scrubbers eaven if you have a copper column.
Granted a copper column benefits from copper mesh packing as well.
How 'bout the reverse? I have a 2" stainless still that is always packed with copper mesh.
Would adding a 19" section of copper column to the existing stainless and mesh have any greater benefit?
Some washes for various reasons benefit more then others.
The golden rule in distilling is, you can never have to much copper in your still!
One of the problems I have not seen much if any discussion on here is electrolysis.
Whenever you have 2 or more metals in an acidic or alkaline environment, will cause electrolysis to occur, the softer metal in this case copper will erode faster.
This is why its best to stick with 1 metal type in corrosive environments.

A 1.5 meter length of 2" copper pipe will set you back about $10-15 bucks at a scrap metal yard, if there is a chance of it improving your product, its not a biggie to change it.

Re: copper mesh packing question

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 12:47 am
by fizzix
Hadn't considered electrolysis.
I should've guessed that was the reaction when once I left copper mesh in for 3 weeks and it was all black and crumbly.
Attributed it to failure to immediately clean after the last run, but now it makes sense that electrolysis was at play as well.

Thanks, decoy.