New Pot Still, what do you think?
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New Pot Still, what do you think?
I have just about finished my project! I am a bit concerned about my 'worm', I am thinking 1/4" may be too small(I didn't make the worm, it was given to me by a friend)
Here are some pictures, let me know what you think! I wil be running it in the Garage and I think I plan to put the whole thing up on some type of platform so I am not collecting at ground level.
I plan to run some water through it this weekend to see if there are any leaks and to start the 'cleaning' process. I will either run the sugar wash I am creating in the last picture to clean it or dump in and dilute a gallon of swish I have sitting here that is kind of harsh. Not sure which yet!
Complete Setup:
Top Portion of the arm:
Bottom Portion of the arm
Fitting at the keg, this is a copper fitting brazed to the stainless fitting that came with the keg:
Copper union in the middle of the arm, I think it is 1 1/4 at that point.
Bottom union where it connects to the condensor, it is 1/2" copper and then goes to a 1/2-1/4 reducer into the worm
Worm consists of 1/4" copper
Worm has an inlet at the bottom for water, an outlet at the top and then the fitting where the product comes in and comes out bottom..
All the parts disassembled!
Last but not least, the batch of Winoes sugar wash...
Here are some pictures, let me know what you think! I wil be running it in the Garage and I think I plan to put the whole thing up on some type of platform so I am not collecting at ground level.
I plan to run some water through it this weekend to see if there are any leaks and to start the 'cleaning' process. I will either run the sugar wash I am creating in the last picture to clean it or dump in and dilute a gallon of swish I have sitting here that is kind of harsh. Not sure which yet!
Complete Setup:
Top Portion of the arm:
Bottom Portion of the arm
Fitting at the keg, this is a copper fitting brazed to the stainless fitting that came with the keg:
Copper union in the middle of the arm, I think it is 1 1/4 at that point.
Bottom union where it connects to the condensor, it is 1/2" copper and then goes to a 1/2-1/4 reducer into the worm
Worm consists of 1/4" copper
Worm has an inlet at the bottom for water, an outlet at the top and then the fitting where the product comes in and comes out bottom..
All the parts disassembled!
Last but not least, the batch of Winoes sugar wash...
Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
nice your rocking and rolling let us know how she drives
GOT BAIT?
small children left unatended will be sold as bait
small children left unatended will be sold as bait
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Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
It's got more joints than a Bob Marley concert
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Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
I'd love to know where I can get a gas burner like that in Western Aus!
Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
I am a bit concerned about my 'worm', I am thinking 1/4" may be too small(I didn't make the worm, it was given to me by a friend)
Missed that bit. When you say 1/4" do you mean outside or inside diameter?
Be safe.
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And have fun.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
Judging from the column which looks like 1-1/2" I'd say the worm is 1/4" ID so it'd be a bit small but might work ok if not pushed. I'd go 3/8" at the smallest but that's me.
I wish I could find copper unions like that around here, all I can get is one side copper and the other side brass. Still have to treat them.
I wish I could find copper unions like that around here, all I can get is one side copper and the other side brass. Still have to treat them.
15 gallon pot still, 2"x18" column with liebeg condensor on propane.
Modified Charles 803 w/ 50gal boiler, never ran so far.
Modified Charles 803 w/ 50gal boiler, never ran so far.
Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
Looks like 1/4" ID to me too.trthskr4 wrote:Judging from the column which looks like 1-1/2" I'd say the worm is 1/4" ID so it'd be a bit small but might work ok if not pushed. I'd go 3/8" at the smallest but that's me.
Nobody seems to be able to find them in Oz either.trthskr4 wrote:I wish I could find copper unions like that around here, all I can get is one side copper and the other side brass. Still have to treat them.
Be safe.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
Man that makes me Nervous seeing a gas burner and alcohol So close together. I work on Nat & Lp gas appliances and that's a No No in my book. I'm sure its OK as long as your careful and all but Sure doesnt leave you much room for error. Always Keep a Fire Extinguisher Close By! Safety first and happy brewing
Jetzon
Jetzon
Keep on Keeping on...
- goinbroke2
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Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
Looks good, only two points; 1/4" is too small (I have the same keg and run 25' of 1/2") and second, what are you sealing the pipe to the keg with, flour paste? The reason I ask is, I got a tri-clover clamp, SS ferrul and gasket from a bulk milk/farm store for less than $20.00 Canadian. There is absolutely no way I would ever even consider making up paste/bread dough to plug leaks when the proper/correct connection is available so cheaply.
The worm looks good, but it is too small for that keg. Yes you could go ssslllooowwwww with it, but why? Why design something with an inherent flaw that you must work around? I built an off road mud truck a while back and wanted a np-435 bull low 4 speed. Couldn't find a ford one but a buddy gave me two chevy ones. Well I could make an adapter I said, and use a chev disc in the ford pressure plate..and custom make a crank pilot to fit a chev input shaft in the end of a ford crank...and....AAAAHHHH!!!! After about three weeks I tore it all apart and went to a junk yard an hour away and bought a ford np235 tranny for $50.00!
Yes the chevy tranny's were given to me, but in the end they cost more than they were worth.
Again, nice worm, but too small. Use it to copy off of, or use a 30L plastic pail and copper tubing.
The worm looks good, but it is too small for that keg. Yes you could go ssslllooowwwww with it, but why? Why design something with an inherent flaw that you must work around? I built an off road mud truck a while back and wanted a np-435 bull low 4 speed. Couldn't find a ford one but a buddy gave me two chevy ones. Well I could make an adapter I said, and use a chev disc in the ford pressure plate..and custom make a crank pilot to fit a chev input shaft in the end of a ford crank...and....AAAAHHHH!!!! After about three weeks I tore it all apart and went to a junk yard an hour away and bought a ford np235 tranny for $50.00!
Yes the chevy tranny's were given to me, but in the end they cost more than they were worth.
Again, nice worm, but too small. Use it to copy off of, or use a 30L plastic pail and copper tubing.
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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Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
I think the unions are going the way of the brass ones...when I purchased the larger one, it was one of 2 copper ones in the bin. The rest had partial/complete Brass invovled.trthskr4 wrote:Judging from the column which looks like 1-1/2" I'd say the worm is 1/4" ID so it'd be a bit small but might work ok if not pushed. I'd go 3/8" at the smallest but that's me.
I wish I could find copper unions like that around here, all I can get is one side copper and the other side brass. Still have to treat them.
I think your right about the 1/4 ID. Like I said, I didn't make that part and am concerned about it...I guess I can try it with water this weekend and see how it works before throwing it away and making my own!
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Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
I was looking at going that route, but wasn't sure if my keg had the same ability to use that fitting. It is a European Sankey and had the threaded fitting instead of the standard fitting. Actually that seal is the one bit I haven't worked out yet, I was going to use paste this time and look at getting some cork to make a gasket at some point!goinbroke2 wrote:Looks good, only two points; 1/4" is too small (I have the same keg and run 25' of 1/2") and second, what are you sealing the pipe to the keg with, flour paste? The reason I ask is, I got a tri-clover clamp, SS ferrul and gasket from a bulk milk/farm store for less than $20.00 Canadian. There is absolutely no way I would ever even consider making up paste/bread dough to plug leaks when the proper/correct connection is available so cheaply.
I suppose I could rework things and extend the whole worm a further distance away from the keg/burner at the same time making it a lot larger. This would solve both the issue of it being too small and the concern of the output being too close to the flame...Again, nice worm, but too small. Use it to copy off of, or use a 30L plastic pail and copper tubing.
I was thinking that perhaps with cold water flowing through the jug with the worm that it would be good enough since many of you seem to run without flowing water at all and just have larger worms...once again I guess I can try it with Water over the weekend...then I will know for sure! I really appreciate the advice guys!
Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?
The Unions are BRONZE, not BRASS. Usually bronze does not contain lead. They do make a copper to copper union, but most stores tend to pick and choose which type they stock for the particular size pipe. My local Lowe's stocks copper to copper for 1" and copper to bronze for 1/2 and 3/4" stuff.
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: New Pot Still, what do you think?
I think you will have heat issues, maybe the condenser tub and tube could be bigger. I run a 50 litre boiler and have a keg the same size for the worm condenser (25 foot of 5/8") when I do stripping runs with a 240v 2400w element, I have to replace about 20 ltres of water ( 40 litre mash and I get 5 litres per hour) when doing spirit runs I swap to a 240v 1000v element and don't need to replace any water (2 litres per hour). Unless you run it real slow, you with be replacing a fair amount of water.
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