Modular still for the man with little space

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RippoZero
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Modular still for the man with little space

Post by RippoZero »

Made me a new still. the column is made of several tubes with smart flanges. all the gear packs neatly into the boiler for storage. The stillhead is a plated bokakob. The part of the column with packing is 90 cm tall.

Had some wee troubles brazing the stainless flange to the lid of the boiler but i somewhat solved it using two blowtorches. Need to get me something more potent if i'm gonna braze anything in the future. Getting some new flux that might allow me to silver solder to stainless instead.
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Swedish Pride
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Re: Modular still for the man with little space

Post by Swedish Pride »

tidy work
Don't be a dick
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Kareltje
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Re: Modular still for the man with little space

Post by Kareltje »

Nice, especially when you need a small footprint. :thumbup:
But this still still poses a problem when you need small height. :think:
Storing it all in the boiler is a good idea, by the way.
OtisT
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Re: Modular still for the man with little space

Post by OtisT »

Nice small still footprint. It's all the other stuff that takes up my space. ;-)
Otis’ Pot and Thumper, Dimroth Condenser: Pot-n-Thumper/Dimroth
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Pikey
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Re: Modular still for the man with little space

Post by Pikey »

OtisT wrote:Nice small still footprint. It's all the other stuff that takes up my space. ;-)
What you mean like a couple 50 gallon fermenters and half a dozen 25 litre ones ? Jars sitting about full of oaky stuff ? :lol:

Really nice build though, I went looking for the "Easy flange" thread when I read it as I never could get thick copper wire. Now I find it ! in the uk we're looking for copper ROD or round copper bar !

Thanks for this thread, I've moved on a lot this evening 8)
RippoZero
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Re: Modular still for the man with little space

Post by RippoZero »

Kareltje wrote:Nice, especially when you need a small footprint. :thumbup:
But this still still poses a problem when you need small height. :think:
Storing it all in the boiler is a good idea, by the way.
I don't need to use all the tubes. each tube is 30 cm so there are some options there. for stripping runs i just clamp on the still head without any of the tubes.
Pikey wrote:
OtisT wrote:Nice small still footprint. It's all the other stuff that takes up my space. ;-)
What you mean like a couple 50 gallon fermenters and half a dozen 25 litre ones ? Jars sitting about full of oaky stuff ? :lol:

Really nice build though, I went looking for the "Easy flange" thread when I read it as I never could get thick copper wire. Now I find it ! in the uk we're looking for copper ROD or round copper bar !

Thanks for this thread, I've moved on a lot this evening 8)
Ayy this hobby does start to take up space after a while. To make these flanges i used 6mm copper tubing. Measured up the right length plus a few mm. Bend it around the tube I'm going to solder it to and hammer it flat with many light taps. After flattening it i get the ends of the now flattened tubing to fit as best i can i clamp the flattened tubing to the pipe. to make sure everything stays put in the clamp while i solder it i also put in an old cutting disc and a stainless flange. Measure that all the angles are good and solder it up.

Thank you for the praises. You make me blush :oops:
Pikey
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Re: Modular still for the man with little space

Post by Pikey »

Yes blush a bit - 8)

I've been looking at 6mm tube as well - cheap if you buy it as "Brake pipe" - twice as much if you buy it as " caravan gas pipe" - and without fittings. :(

Thanks for the lead though because either way it's the least expensive way to go :thumbup:

[Edit - I guess the act of flatting it with many light taps, curls it and makes the outer edge thinner than the inner edge automatically ]
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goinbroke2
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Re: Modular still for the man with little space

Post by goinbroke2 »

Pikey, you can buy copper pipe/tubing labelled for brakes? As in automotive brakes? :esurprised:

If so, wow, that is dangerous! Copper won't handle the 4-6000 lb's of brake pressure which can come in a panic stop or when you hit the brake pedal hard.

Seen it around here many years ago and wouldn't let the guy leave my yard until I swapped out the piece he had for some steel and I bled it etc. Scary stuff!
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
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Danespirit
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Re: Modular still for the man with little space

Post by Danespirit »

Here around where I live, Cooper pipes for brakeing lines where common. Especially for repairing older cars.
Nowadays, the standart seems to be steel.
So for my reflux coil I just bought a repair kit from the local auto parts shop.
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