What to do(found a BIG liebig)
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What to do(found a BIG liebig)
Well, I found a relatively BIG liebig that was used previously as a hot water exchanger. Got it for free, so the price was right It's all copper, with an inside pipe of one inch, and the exterior pipe's 1-1/2", with the entire job measuring 78" long, with the 1-1/2" outer part being 67" long. Nicely built, also.
Now, it being roughly 25 years old and of unknown origin, I've taken apart each joint that will be in contact with vapor, and will re-do then in lead-free solder, to be safe. The copper looks really good for its age, having been insulated all these years, but the inside of the one inch pipe has a layer of light, rust-colored dust/dirt. What's the best way to clean this? I'd like to mechanically scrub it, with a small wire wheel or something, but 7 foot long arbors are hard to come by Need some backyard engineering help here...
Anything else I may have overlooked, or should be aware of? I do my stripping(and some spirit) runs at 3,000 watts, and will soon have 4500 watts available, and my current liebig(1/2" through 3/4" x 48" long) is maxed out already, so this is timely.
Now, it being roughly 25 years old and of unknown origin, I've taken apart each joint that will be in contact with vapor, and will re-do then in lead-free solder, to be safe. The copper looks really good for its age, having been insulated all these years, but the inside of the one inch pipe has a layer of light, rust-colored dust/dirt. What's the best way to clean this? I'd like to mechanically scrub it, with a small wire wheel or something, but 7 foot long arbors are hard to come by Need some backyard engineering help here...
Anything else I may have overlooked, or should be aware of? I do my stripping(and some spirit) runs at 3,000 watts, and will soon have 4500 watts available, and my current liebig(1/2" through 3/4" x 48" long) is maxed out already, so this is timely.
Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
How about a "shot gun" bore brush? another idea lime away,
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
i mix of an acid and a salt works wonders to clean crud off copper.
some kind of chemical reaction.
but vinegar or lemon juice for the acid and table salt or baking soda for the salt works wonders for me in the past on junk yard copper
some kind of chemical reaction.
but vinegar or lemon juice for the acid and table salt or baking soda for the salt works wonders for me in the past on junk yard copper
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
oww come on guys
think out side the BOX
get a scourer pad cut it in to strips that you can roll and push in to the 1" tube hook it up to high pressure air and fire away
wash out and repeat as meny times as you want
i have used this method to clean all sorts of things like
1/4" rubber tube off my water filter
air hoses that get oil in them
5" hoses off cement pumping rigs
works every time just be careful where you aim it the ones on the pumping rigs would shoot up to 4 city blocks if you know how to do it right hahahaha
think out side the BOX
get a scourer pad cut it in to strips that you can roll and push in to the 1" tube hook it up to high pressure air and fire away
wash out and repeat as meny times as you want
i have used this method to clean all sorts of things like
1/4" rubber tube off my water filter
air hoses that get oil in them
5" hoses off cement pumping rigs
works every time just be careful where you aim it the ones on the pumping rigs would shoot up to 4 city blocks if you know how to do it right hahahaha
Some people say its "FREE" but i say "there ant no free lunch" you get what you pay/work for
help those that help them self first
25Lt old school SS keg as a pot with a prototype Ponu still head
help those that help them self first
25Lt old school SS keg as a pot with a prototype Ponu still head
Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
Get yourself a good strong string, twice the length of the tube, tye a piece of scrubber in the middle and scub away.
It is the very things that we think we know, that keep us from learning what we should know.
Valved Reflux, 3"x54" Bok 'mini', 2 liebig based pots and the 'Blockhead' 60K btu propane heat
Valved Reflux, 3"x54" Bok 'mini', 2 liebig based pots and the 'Blockhead' 60K btu propane heat
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
hehe my way is more fun HAHAHAHAHAHawke wrote:Get yourself a good strong string, twice the length of the tube, tye a piece of scrubber in the middle and scub away.
Some people say its "FREE" but i say "there ant no free lunch" you get what you pay/work for
help those that help them self first
25Lt old school SS keg as a pot with a prototype Ponu still head
help those that help them self first
25Lt old school SS keg as a pot with a prototype Ponu still head
Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
I'd get a piece of 3/8" or 1/2" wooden dowel and cut it 4' long. Put a notch in the end to wedge a piece of stainless steel wool into or tape a hunk of stainless steel wool to the end of it it. Then put the dowel into your drill and go at it from both ends of the pipe. That's how we polish the insides of stainless tubing, only we start with coarse emery cloth and work are way down.
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
its a coil not a straight pipeER70S-2 wrote:I'd get a piece of 3/8" or 1/2" wooden dowel and cut it 4' long. Put a notch in the end to wedge a piece of stainless steel wool into or tape a hunk of stainless steel wool to the end of it it. Then put the dowel into your drill and go at it from both ends of the pipe. That's how we polish the insides of stainless tubing, only we start with coarse emery cloth and work are way down.
Some people say its "FREE" but i say "there ant no free lunch" you get what you pay/work for
help those that help them self first
25Lt old school SS keg as a pot with a prototype Ponu still head
help those that help them self first
25Lt old school SS keg as a pot with a prototype Ponu still head
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
It's not a coil; it's straight.
Good ideas folks! Thanks. I've used the scrubber on a string before, but I am looking for something more aggressive, and the dowel sounds like a plan.
Thanks again!
Good ideas folks! Thanks. I've used the scrubber on a string before, but I am looking for something more aggressive, and the dowel sounds like a plan.
Thanks again!
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
sorry i stand correctedBarney Fife wrote:It's not a coil; it's straight.
Good ideas folks! Thanks. I've used the scrubber on a string before, but I am looking for something more aggressive, and the dowel sounds like a plan.
Thanks again!
sorry ER70S-2
Some people say its "FREE" but i say "there ant no free lunch" you get what you pay/work for
help those that help them self first
25Lt old school SS keg as a pot with a prototype Ponu still head
help those that help them self first
25Lt old school SS keg as a pot with a prototype Ponu still head
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- Master of Distillation
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
I've done the dowel trick before... works like a champ!
this is the internet
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
They make a 1" round wire brush made especially for cleaning copper parts before soldering them together. This is very aggressive and looks like a shotgun bore brush.
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
All done! I made a 3" long cut into the end of a 1/2" dowel(72" long), inserted a strip of 3" wide, 36 grit sandpaper, wrapped it t'ill it could barely get into the bore, snipped the rest off, chucked the drill, and went to town. Had to go at it from each end, as it didn't quite reach the whole length. The inside's shinier now than the outside
Almost ready for its maiden run....
Almost ready for its maiden run....
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Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
Shame that you got it done BF, I was hoping you'd go for the air gun trick
Cheers
Cheers
2"x38" Bok mini and
Pot still with Leibig on 45 litre boiler
Pot still with Leibig on 45 litre boiler
Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
soak in hot slops
so im tole
so im tole
Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
Glad it worked out for you!
No problem Adverse effects.
No problem Adverse effects.
Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
I try to re-use old copper pipe some of which is really horrid inside. I just do the same as I have done in the past with 50 cal rifle barrels. Use a twisted string pull through with the brown scrubbers (then the green ones) twisted into it. Stretch it tight between 2 posts at least 3 times the length of the tube apart, and just run the tube back and fro along the string till its clean. If its really bad I load the scrubbers with flux which cleans it quite fast - you just need to rinse well and make sure you neutralise the acid flux with a bit of caustic soda.
Re: What to do(found a BIG liebig)
I know this thread is done but just thought I'd share what I do to clean. I don't stuff around anymore, hot slops are excellent for cleaning after the still has been run but during builds it just doesn't cut the mustard. Now I just use a 10:1 mix of hydrochloric acid and soak the bits for about 5mins, the results are akin to soaking in vinegar overnight. I guess it's like acetic acid on 'roids. This piece was black after the silver soldering, 5 minutes in the hydro and she is clean (albeit a bit dull).
It is most absurdly said, in popular language, of any man, that he is disguised in liquor; for, on the contrary, most men are disguised by sobriety. ~Thomas de Quincy, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, 1856