Prairiepiss's Modular CM, VM, LM pisser build

[Prairiepiss]

Here it is at 4" with a lip flared back flat around the 4". The lip is what I will solder the 4 ga copper wire to for the triclamp connection.

[Prairiepiss]

The aluminum tool left behind a film on the copper. I will have to clean it up before I'm done. But that's it how to make a 4" X 2" reducer from a piece of 2" pipe. Oh and I was trying to anneal it as I went wasn't working out to good. So basically I was just heating it up from time to time. I found that if I started with the tailpipe expander then went to the other tool and back and forth. It worked out a lot better. After the 3" mark the flared pipe had to much of a grip on the 45 deg tool and it would start pushing the pipe down and not flaring it any more. This would cause the pipe to ripple a little just under the flare. So I would have to work the exhaust pipe tool a little more to work it out. But the two 3" reducers should be a piece of cake now that I know what I'm doing. I think???

[HookLine]

Nice work, Mr PP.

Might need to be careful about how thin a 2" pipe to 4" flare is spreading that copper.

[condensificator]

impressive work on the salvage. 50 years from now, that sort of resourcefulness will be key to survival...looks like yer gonna make it into the future.

[Samohon]

Nice blow by blow PP.. I'm using Hard Drawn Medical Grade copper tube, but I'd switch to DWV for making these reducers...

Thanks man, really turned out well...

[Prairiepiss]

Hook it did start getting thin on this 4". I mite add a ring inside to give it a little more rigidity.

Condensificator I think the budget will make you more resourceful. But I think the same way.

Sam everything I have is L type copper. I kinda like the thick stuff. It's even better when its free.

I ordered 3 lbs of hard solder and flux today. Should get it next Monday or Tuesday. I will get some gas this weekend. Then I can start putting this stuff together. I just found 3 10ft pieces of 1/2" and a 15 ft piece of 3/4 for $10. Not free but I think I can live with it. I need it for my shotguns. So I think I will whip out my 2 3"X2" reducers this weekend. Maybe the plates for my shotguns. Then I can really start slinging some solder when I get it.

[Prairiepiss]

Ok I'm adding a pot head to the build. No not me! I haven't done that for ever! I picked up a little tea pot 5" round for $5. This will go perfect with a 2 1/2" X 2 1/2" X 3/4" T I had laying around. With just a little cutting it will mate perfect. I think the lid from the tea pot will snap fit over the top of the T if I cut it down to the lip. Then I could use flour paste to seal it. I could then remove it so I could hang a gin basket down in the bulb and snap the lid back on if I wanted to. Put a little piece of 2" under it to connect with the keg. With some sort of lybeg off the 3/4" outlet. Or a neat worm bucket? It would have to match the head in some fancy way of course. Here are some pics. Let me know what you think.

[Milkman]

Well it looks pretty, nice find PP. Where in the still design is this going to be located?

[Prairiepiss]

Well it looks pretty, nice find PP. Where in the still design is this going to be located?

This would be the still. It would just be a pot still. My original design included a pot still head. That I could clamp to one of my 12" column extensions then to the keg. I'm just purdyin it up a little. While giving it an expansion chamber of sorts.

[Milkman]

Milkman scratches his head. I have seen your skills with copper this would make a nice onion for the top of the boiler but dont you want to get rid of that tee and have something a little more sweeping (funnel-like) coming to the head with a liebig or worm? geuss it it just matters whether you intend to strip or do some pot stilling. I would not waste that 5$ pot for just stripping tho.

Signed newb

[Prairiepiss]

Milkman its a work in progress. I was hoping for some ideas from the great minds for that one. Its on the back burner. Just collecting parts.

But I did some copper experimenting today. I was trying to find a way to cut plates easily. It wasn't a complete success but it wasn't a failure either. Well I take that back. It will work good for what I will be using these plates for. I needed plates for my 3" Shotgun product condenser. So this is what I came up with. I took a 3 1/8" OD bearing race and sharpened the edge of it. I then placed a piece of flatened 2" copper pipe on a piece of rubber in a hyd press. Placed the race on the copper sharp edge down. I had to place a few plates on top to take up space in the press. Then I put the pressure to it and with a bang. I had a 3" plate. The only problem is the rubber made the plate concave like a bowl. I wanted my top plate in the condenser concave anyway for propper drainage. Woo Hoo. It turned out a little bigger than the ID of a 3" pipe. But thats a good thing. I can bolt them together and chuck them up in the drill and get a good fit to the 3" pipe. I will be experimenting with other sizes as I will need 4" plates for the Flute build. I could just put them back in the press and flatten them out if I wanted to. But for this one I will leave them concave. I will try to pressing the next ones flat with a smaller OD maybe get it closer to the size I will need. Here are some pics. Enjoy!!!!!

The sharpened bearing race.

The race on the copper. I hadn't thought of the rubber at this point.

Here it ready to press. Again I hadn't thought of the rubber at this point.

[Prairiepiss]

Here is the first one. I used a thick piece of rubber under it. The thicker rubber made it more concave and smaller in diameter.

Here are the 3 I did press out today. The first one done on the thick rubber and 2 done on a thin piece of rubber that you can see in this pic. The first one is on a piece of 3" pipe so you can see how close it is.

Same on the bench.

[Prairiepiss]

Here is the first one of the plates itself.

[Prairiepiss]

Ok what do you think? Is it worth the time?

And still need ideas with the Pot Still head?

[Prairiepiss]

I guess that one wasn't liked to well. Oh well got the holes drilled in them tonight. Cut my tubes to fit. Made one alteration. I originally had planned to have 9ea 1/2"tubes 11" long in my Shotgun product condenser. The copper had other plans. I now have 5 ea 1/2" tubes and 4 ea 1/4" tubes 11" long. I drilled all the pilot holes and found it just wasn't going to work. So instead if trying to fill the 4 pilot holes. I cut 4 ea 1/4" tubes to fill the holes. I don't think they will do much but they are there now. I hope this will be enough to knock down all the vapor. I kinda over did it to begin with. So I am thinking it will all work out fine. One more thing done and ready to solder up this weekend. It's gona be a solder flinging weekend at my house. Got the big little torch set ready to go.

[Prairiepiss]

Life got in the way of my plans for the past weekend. I got the insert for my shotgun condenser hard soldered up. It was a little bit of a learning experience. At first I had the torch running way to hot. But latter on I found the sweet spot that worked good. But that's about all I got done on it. Will post pics a little latter.

But I found this thermo today. It's a monster. 5" face that will pivot. Not real accurate with 5 deg segments and only reads in farenheit. But I couldn't pass it up. It was in the trash. It has a little scratch on the lens. Will drop in in a pot of boiling water to check it out. Don't know if I will put in on my still? Maybe on the boiler to check temps on heatup. But it would be nice on a smoker.

[Prairiepiss]

Like I said I ended up going with 5 each of the 1/2" tubes and 4 each of the 1/4" tubes at 11" long. Yes its ugly but I will get it cleaned up when I get a chance.

[Samohon]

Hay PP, sorry I havent been paying attention, too busy with my own build atm...

Those discs are looking great man, wish I could press something like that, never ceases to amaze me the amount of talent HD has...
The shotgun looks good, nice idea altering the diameters to suit the end-plates...
Nice find on the thermo, you'll have no problems seeing that...

Keep it going man...

[Mr.Spooky]

seems like that condensor is gonna be SUPER effecient! i still gotta build my condensor and i might go that rought as well!
spooky

[Prairiepiss]

Thanks guys. And no worries Samohon. I kinda like the way it turned out with the 2 different sizes. To bad it won't be seen from the outside. Maybe I should put in a sightglass so it can be. No I think I will pass on that. Spooky I think it will be overkill for my first still configuration. But I designed it for the 4" flute that I am slowly putting together. I'm trying to make as much as I can interchangeable so there is less for me to build in the long run. I will be able to use the condenser for the CM I will finish first. Then the VM and finally the flute. And overkill is better than underfail in my book.

[Prairiepiss]

I was or a roll. Getting better at this hard solder thing. And I ran out of oxygen.
Got a little more done. Got the inlets and outlets soldered up on the CM condenser jacket and the Shotgun product condenser casing. Gave them all a acid bath cleaning. And I guess the rest is on hold till I get some oxygen. I could've sworn the was more in that bottle.
But here are some pics of todays work.

[Prairiepiss]

I got the internals fit to the shotgun condenser case. Wish I had some oxygen.

[Prairiepiss]

Score! I love scrap bins and stupid people. The big stuff is 2". Win!

[RayDean]

Looking awesome Prarie! Wish I had your energy and ingenuity!

[Prairiepiss]

Looking awesome Prarie! Wish I had your energy and ingenuity!

I don't know about all that! You built one hell of a flute your damn self.

[Samohon]

Hel, the scrap bins don't look like that here PP, what a find...

That shotguns lookin the business bro... Well done...

[Prairiepiss]

I've takin on some new projects and what little time I had to work on my still. But I did get a few items. A 2" stainless ball valve and a 15 gal fermenter. Looks like a nice VM take off valve to me.

[rad14701]

CHA-CHING...!!! That ball valve is a weapon...

Looking good...

[Prairiepiss]

Thanks Rad. Yes it would make a good weapon. I was surprised how light weight it is. The 1" valve I had planned to use weighs more than this 2". But after a little discussion with Samohon (thanks again Samohon) about VM take off. I decided to go with a 2" Tee. I was going to go with the 2" tee reduced down to the 1" valve. But I just wasn't happy with that. Then I found this 2" ball valve. I know the ball valve is not the most optimum valve for a VM take off. But the price was right (free) so for my use it will work for now. And fit much better in my design. I've been looking at Condensificator's 3" VM LM take off tee and think I will attempt a 2" version. The valve mounted horizontal then a 90 to my 3" shotgun condenser. Anyone see a problem with that?

[Prairiepiss]

Ha Ha this pic makes this 2" look small. This is kinda what I'm thinking.