pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper.

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crazy4supras
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pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by crazy4supras »

Hi guys
been here reading for awhile now I've searched and searched but didn't come up with anything to help me im trying to find a better way to seal this head to my boiler I have been using the flower water paste but after awhile it dries up and flakes off then I have to flour her all up again I've read about the easy tri clamp but don't think that's going to help me here any ideas for me ..im not opossed to building a different head for it but the boiler stays I'll modify it if need be tho
Just finished the thumper one question on it how far down or up from bottom if the pot should my input tube be ?
I'm going to try and add pics
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MitchyBourbon
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by MitchyBourbon »

You could try wrapping the opening of the boiler with several layers of ptfe tape, and fastening an adjustable hose clap to the still head. I think this would probably be prone to leak. I think I would stick to using flour/paste.
I'm goin the distance...
ShineRunnah
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by ShineRunnah »

I use flour mixed with instant oatmeal I run through a coffee grinder.It's very sticky and holds up well.

Even if some flakes off, as long as it's down in the seam a bit and it's not leaking, no worries. Mine cracks and falls off at times, and if it's not leaking, I don't mess with it. Rarely do I get leaks mid-run. Keeping a bit of paste in a tupperware container with a damp papertowel over it keeps the paste moist and ready to use in case you need to do some patching.

Just do your best to push the paste into the seam, really work it in there. I think you'll be fine. Been done this way for a least a century or two, don't fix what isn't broken.

As for the thumper input, it will depend partly on if you notched up the side of your tube, have it cut square, or have some other modifications to the end. If it's notched up the sides, push it right to the bottom. Cut square, maybe a half-inch to an inch or so off the bottom.

Nice lookin rig by the way! I love seeing traditional copper pots.
crazy4supras
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by crazy4supras »

I just started a water run to check for leaks in thumper and I wrapped the Teflon tape around the head just to see what would happen thanks for that suggestion im pretty sure I'll still have to use the flour tho

Oatmeal hmmm I'll have to give that a try seems it would be stickier then the flour might work better on my connections
I did cut the thumper tube square and is an inch off the bottom of the pot
also was thinking about building another head with a 2in pipe out the top with a tri clamp so I can attach either pot still or reflux head whenever I get around to building a good one think that would just leave me soldering the head to the pot :wtf:
ShineRunnah
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by ShineRunnah »

Keep a wet rag handy when using flour/oatmeal paste to clean your hands off. You'll be glad you did!

I wouldn't be soldering the cap on! I've considered making a cap with a tri-clamp ferrule, but there is no way I'd give up the traditional cap and lyne-arm in trade. I am a believer in the whole "cap and lyne-arm shape has an effect on flavor" idea.

I'd find a way to support the column before I'd ever solder my cap on. I like being able to get into my boiler. I wish the top of my keg had a bigger opening for that reason...

Edit: I have seen some rather large tri-clamp ferrules, and at one point considered adapting my boiler/cap connection to something along the lines of an 8"-10" tri-clamp connection. It would sure beat the hell out of soldering the cap on!

https://www.brewershardware.com/10-Tri- ... -Long.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
https://www.brewershardware.com/10-Tri- ... Clamp.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
crazy4supras
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by crazy4supras »

Oatmeal mother nature's super glue :D
yea I'm not going to solder the head on prob get a keg some day
the ptfe tape seems to of made the seal worse heads not going down as far
however I read about and made a cardboard and ptfe tape gasket for the thumper lid works great no leaks in the lid looks like I gotta remove the handles they are leaking at the rivets. .. new pot to go figure :roll:
crazy4supras
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by crazy4supras »

I just seen the link to the 10in tri clamp went ahead and book marked that one
thank you
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shadylane
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by shadylane »

Soak a strip of cotton cloth with your favorite distillers glue and wrap it around the bottom of the cap.
Install the cap and put another layer on. It wont leak but you'll hate me when you have to take it apart.
crazy4supras
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by crazy4supras »

"shadylane"]Soak a strip of cotton cloth with your favorite distillers glue and wrap it around the bottom of the ap.
Install the cap and put another layer on. It wont leak but you'll hate me when you have to take it apart.[/quote][/quote]

I've put a dent or two in the head with a rubber mallet trying to get it off before
prob destroy it trying to get it off with the cloth :cry:
i have ran prob 50 runs thru it maybe I'm just looking at it wrong thinking the flour paste to be a temporary fix and that the leak should be fixed right when she cools
down

I do like the 10in flange idea but for the money I'd put into the flange I could buy a keg and make a while different setup
i do auto body work on the side so I have a large tool supply and I like to build things so guess I'll get to tinkering see what I come up with

Thanks guys for the ideas
myles
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by myles »

As this is a pot still how about going alembic? Add a water seal collar.
crazy4supras
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by crazy4supras »

myles wrote:As this is a pot still how about going albut now alembic? Add a water seal collar.
I didn't know anything about them until you mentioned it
definitely interesting might have to tinker with this idea
maybe an insert in the boiler and a little reworking the head
Seems like the water In the seal would boil eventually
crazy4supras
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Re: pot still head seal any ideas? or old school ways

Post by crazy4supras »

Myles..
I was reading a post from 2008 in which you was going to try this water seal on a current build you were working on I didn't see anywhere about how it turned out I would assume it worked out or you wouldn't have mentioned it here
also found another post about it but the post was so old the pictures where no longer there
can you add pictures for me too see here if you have any of your build or a link that explains the seal a little better
Thanks
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