free copper is inspiring.

[WooTeck]

my brother is having some work done at his house so i put dibs on the copper coming out of the walls and his old boiler tanks .
ive got 2x 70l tanks and a bunch of mostly scrap copper. thinking of either having a main boiler and a thumper next to it of going for 2 separate that could be run at the same time. can anyone recomend the diameter that the down pipe should be going in to the thumper?http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 16&t=64007

also whats the thoughts with leaving the insulation on? obviously it would be beniftial but having it but then you cant see the lovely copper.

free copper

still to decide the column to build. thinking a 108mm diameter 1m tall that can be ran as a pot or a reflux

[shadylane]

Gollum, a character in Lord of the rings said "So bright... so beautiful... ah, Precious"

[Danespirit]

Well, I see Santa Claus has been around early...
Could be a nice column...a plated one maybe..
Or....two columns connected in "series"...? Like a Coffey still, but both sections with plates.
I would strip them both for the insulation.... so you can get a closer look at what's underneath.

[Bushman]

Nice score WooTeck, keep us posted how you use this!

[Kareltje]

I think I would leave the insulation on. Or peel it off very carefully in order to put it back later.
It is free, it fits nicely and it works.
And if you really like the look of copper, you can paint it in the right color.

Very good for you, so much new material!

[Pesty]

And I thought I scored when got to demo out 40' of 2" copper for a new compressor install last month.

That is a really nice boil/thump setup right there!

[WooTeck]

My current plan is to cut the connecting pipes between the 2 tanks. at the bottom install drainage valves. im looking to be able to do quick striping runs. thinking a 4" column similar to the magic flute but without the sight glasses with the option of adding plates in at a later point. im planning to keep most of the insulation on the boiler but take it off on the thumper with the idea that it should aid in a bit of reflux.

im still trying to work out the diameter to use for the boiler to thumper. looking towards 35mm, 42mm of 54mm in the hopes that the larger would encourage faster movement from one to the other and speed up a run. is there any benefit to restricting this speed?

im planning to start to make natural for vodka as my gf seems to buy a shit load of poor quality and always complains of a hang over the following day. id quite like to make some gin in the near future. then theres the obligatory whisky that should be easily run through a 4" long column pot.

[The Baker]

WooTeck said, '... vodka as my gf seems to buy a shit load of poor quality and always complains of a hang over the following day.'.

Just occasionally my wife will have a cocktail when we are out with friends. Fluffy duck.... But she will never drink straight spirits.
So last night I gave her a (tentative) smell of Grey Goose vodka. Not excited but, it was okay.
Then Smirnoff. Her reaction, "That is horrible!"
And I tend to agree.
Geoff

[WooTeck]

she had some folks over on sat we went through 2.2l of vodka. its not expencive but im sure i could make it cheaper and better

[WooTeck]

also planning to have 2x 3kw elements in it to speed up initual heat up and striping runs.

[Squint]

you had a look inside yet ? I had one of these in mine,

[WooTeck]

not yet. need to get a bigger wrench to take the tops off. kind of what im expecting to find when i shake it, it rattles. maybe good to do steam fired but i guess that adds extra chalanges to over come.

how di you get it out?

[Squint]

how di you get it out?


in the end I cut the tank and all the old copper pipe from the refit up, and took it to the scrapyard, cash came to £100,

put the cash towards other equipment,

[WooTeck]

fair do

[WooTeck]

today i opened it up. here are some photos.

inside of tank 1

inside of tank 2

threaded flange on tank1

threaded flange on tank2

condenser/heater

i have a stainless steel flange that i use to conect my current column to my keg. looks like the un-used half will be easly soldered to the lip on tank1 so i should be able to get one of them running pretty quickly without having to wait for parts and build. also looks like i will have an empty valve at the bottom and a fill valve at the top.

[WooTeck]

looks like i would need 28mm valves but can only find chrome/nickle plated in that size.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

You lucky Son. Of. A. Bitch.

Looks like a 3" opening, and a 6" opening.

[WooTeck]

You lucky Son. Of. A. Bitch.

Looks like a 3" opening, and a 6" opening.

it mm. 38mm on tank one at 67mm tank 2. still easy to work with

[WooTeck]

I’m planning a 2 stage attack on this build. I wouldn’t mind some feedback from the collective minds on this forum.

Stage 1

time expected: 1st quarter 2017

-reduce the connecting pipe from 28mm to 22mm, i can find competitive priced 22mm ball valves.
-install 2x 3kw immersion heaters in the boiler. looking at the calcs i estimate that the minimum vol left in the boiler ever after a run will be 10l so the lower element will need to be up to 10cm from the bottom of the tank. the other used during heat up will be under 25cm.
-rebuild my old column in to something new, 54mm to 34mm reducing pipe at a 45º angle to a 34mm vertical pipe down to Liebig.
-build a parrot. Seems a shame not to when i have all this scrap copper sitting around.

old column to be rebuilt

Stage 2

time expected: late 2017-early 2018

-build a 54mm connection between tank1 & tank2. plan is to have a shotgun-esk down pipe with v's cut in the bottom. my theory is if the boiler dose get sick there is more pipe so hopefully less chance of pressure build(complete speculation) the other reason further condensation/diffusion in to the thumpers charge.
-install a further immersion heater on tank2 to speed up heating times.
-build a 108mm column with 2 shotgun condensers. thinking early stages of a flute.

tare the plan apart if you spot any faults or issues and all feedback will be considered and contemplated.

[Bushman]

Hard for me to read some of the measurements but the boiler in stage 1 is very similarly lot my set=up and locations, that drain port you will be glad you added. I don't run a thumper so can't advice on it but I have a 4" opening for my reflux column on a keg and it does help when cleaning out the keg boiler. One thing I wish I had done is put a triclamps connection for the heating element that was removeable (similar to StillDragons). This would make cleaning easier as you can remove the element without disconnecting wires.

[WooTeck]

I have a 4" opening for my reflux column on a keg and it does help when cleaning out the keg boiler. One thing I wish I had done is put a triclamps connection for the heating element that was removeable (similar to StillDragons). This would make cleaning easier as you can remove the element without disconnecting wires.

glad to get your input bush
i like the idea of the 4" oppening. will need to look at the space up top and make sure i can do it. have been looking at the option for a cleaning port o the side maybe even a tight glass low down so i can track the volumes.

for the element i intend on wireing it with a female kettle plug tight in to the base so i shouldnt have to do much faffing about with disconnecting wires. i allready run my brew kit with kettle plugs so have loads laying about.

[WooTeck]

ive kicked off 96l of winos sugar wash at a S.G. of 1.070 so im ready to go when my parts arrive on the 27th. plan is to take that to nutral and make some panty droppers and some gin.

[bitter]

I know you know it but don't forget the cleaning run Good luck with the new setup. I have 42g of 1.070-1080 wineos going right now hope its ready to strip in the next week or so.

B

[WooTeck]

I know you know it but don't forget the cleaning run Good luck with the new setup. I have 42g of 1.070-1080 wineos going right now hope its ready to strip in the next week or so.

B

pay day is tomorrow and im ordering 40l of vinegar for my cleaning runs. id guess my normal charge will be 40-50l in the 70l pot. but it wont hurt to fill the boiler fully.

[WooTeck]

all parts have been ordered and im expecting delivery tomorrow. off work all next week so should be operational and clean by next weekend.

[WooTeck]

lots of lovely copper arrived today, unfortunatly 2 of the most important parts were wrong .

[WooTeck]

non soldered coloumn. im just hoping the conection flange to the boiler will be able to take the weight

[Bushman]

That looks like a pretty to tall column for a pot still. Was your thought that you wanted your Liebig more vertical?

[WooTeck]

yeah. it may be shortend some what. the solder to the boiler wasnt solid and came offf.

the plan in the mean time is to solder the 35mm and the 54mm base but leave the the reducing part unsolderd untill i know it will hold together.