My new design = Astro-21

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

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Odinson88
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My new design = Astro-21

Post by Odinson88 »

Spent some time on this one, thought I would share.

I wasnt happy with the time it took to place each component just right, so everything would line up perfectly, then tear it down at the end of the run, and have to reposition everything again next time. I also didnt like the size of the footprint required, and number of parts I would have to transport, should I want to use my setup elsewhere.

This is what I came up with (photos below).

I cut off the top section of 2 50Ltr kegs (depressurized, with the valve stems removed). I also cut the handle banding off of 1 (this will be the bottom section).

I had a 2" triclover cap with a 1" threaded hole welded to the inside of the "bottom" section. To this, I threaded in a copper section (see photos) then the top section welded on. (My welder purged the tank with some fancy stuff to prevent and sugaring in the tank).

This is now my thumper.

It tri-clove clamps to the top of a 50Ltr keg, which I cut most of the banding from, leaving only the handles. This allows space to attach the tri-clover.

The stack/lyne arm/liebig are all 1 piece. 1" pipe reduced to 1/2" into the liebig with a 3/4" jacket.

I had to add some 1/2" pip and a 90 to the inlet of the liebig to prevent kinking of the hose, and provide clearance of the keg pot and the propane burner.

And finally, I attached a skull to the end of the liebig to make it that much cooler.

I call it ASTRO-21

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Yummyrum
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Yummyrum »

Nice job . Seen something like that years ago , but yours looks simpler . :thumbup:

Will be interesting to see how that thumper wobbles around up there once its rock in and rolling .
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ezlle71
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by ezlle71 »

Is the inline thump charged when starting or is it self filling? I would move your water ports on your condenser to the ends of the outer jacket to maximize cooling power.
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Deplorable
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Deplorable »

Thats going to have a mesmerizing wobble. You built a little belly dancer. :-😃
Keep us posted on how it runs on your cleaning/test runs.
I'dlike to know if it ends up needed some legs to brace it off the boiler and stabilizethe wobble.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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Yummyrum wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 10:51 pm Nice job . Seen something like that years ago , but yours looks simpler . :thumbup:

Will be interesting to see how that thumper wobbles around up there once its rock in and rolling .
Good call.
I will be bolting some flat stock to the top ring on the thumper, and then use c clamps to secure them to the handle portion of the ring on the top of the pot.

I dont think the vibrations of thumper will cause any failures, but for the sake of a cpl bucks, better to brace it.

Thanks for the comment.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Odinson88 »

Deplorable wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:24 am Thats going to have a mesmerizing wobble. You built a little belly dancer. :-😃
Keep us posted on how it runs on your cleaning/test runs.
I'dlike to know if it ends up needed some legs to brace it off the boiler and stabilizethe wobble.
Ya, I agree with braces. As replied to yummyrum.
I will be adding braces tonight/tomorrow.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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ezlle71 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:11 am Is the inline thump charged when starting or is it self filling? I would move your water ports on your condenser to the ends of the outer jacket to maximize cooling power.
Will be charging prior to fire up.

I used left over copper on the liebig, so I was at mercy of my available materials. That said, the liebig is larger than my old one, and my old one worked.
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ezlle71
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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Odinson88 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 12:43 pm
ezlle71 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:11 am Is the inline thump charged when starting or is it self filling? I would move your water ports on your condenser to the ends of the outer jacket to maximize cooling power.
Will be charging prior to fire up.

I used left over copper on the liebig, so I was at mercy of my available materials. That said, the liebig is larger than my old one, and my old one worked.
I hear ya on the available materials. As long as it works for you, that's what counts. I like how your design makes for a smaller footprint. Can't wait to hear how it runs the first time, good luck!
Don't let your meat loaf.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Tummydoc »

Not to be critical, but Astro was the dog on the Jetsons. That looks more like Rosey to me!!
Last edited by Tummydoc on Fri Feb 12, 2021 12:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by OtisT »

Love the Skull. Is it a PTFE skull? :wink:

I agree with all the concerns of stability on top and think a brace would be a must for longevity of those joints, IMHO.

I don’t see a way to vent the main boiler so you will have suckback any time you stop stilling. Once you start collecting you can’t stop until you are done collecting.

Can’t wait to hear how she runs. Good luck.

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Odinson88
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Odinson88 »

I have steel flat bar that I will be bolting to the upper ring of thumper then securing on/off to upper ring of the pot.
This is put on hold for a moment, however, as I thought it would be fun to put my finger through a chopsaw last wednesday. LoL, dont try it.... it's not as fun as you might imagine.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Deplorable »

Damn dude. Hope you didnt lose the whole didgit. That sucks. Stay safe. Well, safer than you were anyway...
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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Deplorable wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:31 pm Damn dude. Hope you didnt lose the whole didgit. That sucks. Stay safe. Well, safer than you were anyway...
Just the tip...
LoL

I will spare you all the gruesome photos.

Few days and I'm sure I will be back at it, slowly.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Deplorable »

Well, that didgit wont be hookin' boogers for a while. Still got all the knuckles?
I know a few carpenters and powder monkeys, most of them are missing at least part of one or more fingers.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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Deplorable wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:47 pm Well, that didgit wont be hookin' boogers for a while. Still got all the knuckles?
I know a few carpenters and powder monkeys, most of them are missing at least part of one or more fingers.
Was middle finger, left hand.
Ya, all knuckles. Will look normal within the year, I suspect. Not much faith in nerves regenerating, but who knows

What is a "powder monkey"?
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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Odinson88 wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 3:29 pm
Deplorable wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:47 pm Well, that didgit wont be hookin' boogers for a while. Still got all the knuckles?
I know a few carpenters and powder monkeys, most of them are missing at least part of one or more fingers.
Was middle finger, left hand.
Ya, all knuckles. Will look normal within the year, I suspect. Not much faith in nerves regenerating, but who knows

What is a "powder monkey"?
Pyrotechnic "expert".
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Odinson88 »

Tummydoc wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 12:10 pm Not to be critical, but Astro was the dog on the Jetsons. That looks more like Rosey to me!!
Indeed.
I was using Astro in the sense of a generic space term.
I was going to call it Sputnic, until I discovered Sputnic is a ball with a few rods on it.

Then I looked for a classic 80s robot from a cult film I liked, and short of Johnny 5, I came up empty handed.

Toys was Maxx Steel, so thought about Maxx Still...
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ezlle71
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by ezlle71 »

Hey, sorry to hear about your finger. I tried to rip the end of the same finger middle left hand, back in December. Stock trailer door and panel did a number on it when loading cows. 6 stitches and broken bone under the nail bed. I feel your pain
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Odinson88 »

Image

Was able to get some supports installed today.
Stove bolts secure the top, while c clamps hold the bottom. This will make it easy to take apart.

I may have to replace the c clamps with a secured bolt and a wing nut.

Had to push on. I have a mash that should be ready for Sunday :)
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by BlackStrap »

Interesting design, has the ability to make an awesome drop...
Someone mentioned in the comments about suck back on shut down.

Would you be able to drill and tap the top of the bottom boiler and put in a pressure relief valve?
It would not only add some sort of safety feature, but would allow you to "pull the pin" and prevent suck back...

Found this fellow to have an interesting concept as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7GKXB_YoVM

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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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BlackStrap wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 4:39 pm Interesting design, has the ability to make an awesome drop...
Someone mentioned in the comments about suck back on shut down.

Would you be able to drill and tap the top of the bottom boiler and put in a pressure relief valve?
It would not only add some sort of safety feature, but would allow you to "pull the pin" and prevent suck back...

Found this fellow to have an interesting concept as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7GKXB_YoVM

BlackStrap

Its certainly in the future plans.
In the meantime, I will have to wear my artic insulated leather gloves, and crack open the tri clamp. That's what I did with my old design, which had a thumper seperate. It's not ideal, but I personally didnt find any risk to safety, given personal protection used.

I'm thinking a ball valve would make a nice pressure release.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by jonnys_spirit »

Nice! Could you install a down-comer at a certain depth to good effect with a csst RC up top?
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by The Baker »

Manometer?

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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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jonnys_spirit wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 5:10 pm Nice! Could you install a down-comer at a certain depth to good effect with a csst RC up top?
Dont know what a csst RC is.

I dont feel I will need a down-comer (assuming that's an over flow), given the capacity of the thumper is over 24ltr and the boiler pot is 50ltr.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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The Baker wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 5:16 pm Manometer?

Geoff
Not sure its required.
I havent had any I'll fortune with my previous set up,
50ltr keg as pot, 1/4 keg as thumper.

This design has a 1/2keg (approx) thumper, with larger inlet/outlet for vapor
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Odinson88 »

Running first run on her today.
Works like a dream.
I did have a bit of struggle fighting the tri-clamps.
To remedy this, Im going to head to the hardware store in a few minutes and see if they have any threaded rod couplers that match the size and thread. Then I can use a ratchet. Alternatively, I will have to look at a deep socket and standard nut.


Update: turns out a 3/16" threaded rod coupler matches up nicely.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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Intro is 20 seconds long.
Yes, its "copperhead road"
No, I'm not sorry.
LoL

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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by Deplorable »

Nice. Hows the product taste right off the coon pecker?

Is it performing as good as you had hoped?
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

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Deplorable wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:51 pm Nice. Hows the product taste right off the coon pecker?

Is it performing as good as you had hoped?
It's good.
I have made the mistake of doing a 1oz taste once... at 150 proof as it came out the money hole.... havent done that since, lmao. Tasted good for the second or 2 I could taste, then my tongue went numb....

I'm VERY happy with this set up.
Having the thumper above the pot allows the steel to warm from residual heat, and not having a length of copper line for steam to pass through before heating thumper, prevents heat loss. As a result, it has become far more efficient, thus using less propane and less hours. What took 6+ hours (depending on mash abv), took about 4 hours with new set up. That wasnt pushing it hard, if anything, I dialed it WAY back once it got to temp.
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Re: My new design = Astro-21

Post by ezlle71 »

I like your support for the condenser. Simple and it works! Glad to hear about the bump in efficiency. Looks like its running fine. Do you have much thumping as it comes up to temp?
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