New Pot Still, what do you think?

Putting older posts here. Going to try to keep the novice forum pruned about 90 days work. The 'good' old stuff is going to be put into appropriate forums.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
cdn_traveller
Novice
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:48 am

New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by cdn_traveller »

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:
Image

Top Portion of the arm:
Image

Bottom Portion of the arm
Image

Fitting at the keg, this is a copper fitting brazed to the stainless fitting that came with the keg:
Image

Copper union in the middle of the arm, I think it is 1 1/4 at that point.
Image

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
Image

Worm consists of 1/4" copper
Image

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..
Image

All the parts disassembled!
Image

Last but not least, the batch of Winoes sugar wash...
Image
HookLine
retired
Posts: 5628
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 8:38 am
Location: OzLand

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by HookLine »

Looks good.
Be safe.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
big worm
Trainee
Posts: 758
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:19 pm

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by big worm »

nice your rocking and rolling let us know how she drives
GOT BAIT?
small children left unatended will be sold as bait
punkin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2711
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:36 pm
Location: Northern NSW Oz Trail Ya

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by punkin »

It's got more joints than a Bob Marley concert :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :lol:
SuperDavid
Swill Maker
Posts: 196
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:32 am
Location: Aus

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by SuperDavid »

I'd love to know where I can get a gas burner like that in Western Aus!
HookLine
retired
Posts: 5628
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 8:38 am
Location: OzLand

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by HookLine »

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.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
trthskr4
Distiller
Posts: 1324
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:55 pm
Location: South

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by trthskr4 »

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. :x
15 gallon pot still, 2"x18" column with liebeg condensor on propane.
Modified Charles 803 w/ 50gal boiler, never ran so far.
HookLine
retired
Posts: 5628
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 8:38 am
Location: OzLand

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by HookLine »

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.
Looks like 1/4" ID to me too.
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. :x
Nobody seems to be able to find them in Oz either.
Be safe.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
Jetzon
Swill Maker
Posts: 385
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:58 pm

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by Jetzon »

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
Keep on Keeping on...
User avatar
goinbroke2
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2445
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:55 pm
Location: In the garage, either stilling or working on a dragster

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by goinbroke2 »

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!!!! :evil: 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! :oops:
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!
cdn_traveller
Novice
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:48 am

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by cdn_traveller »

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. :x
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.

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!
cdn_traveller
Novice
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:48 am

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by cdn_traveller »

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 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!
Again, nice worm, but too small. Use it to copy off of, or use a 30L plastic pail and copper tubing.
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...

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!
Hawke
retired
Posts: 2471
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:39 am

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by Hawke »

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
bourbonbob
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 449
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:55 am
Location: Beyond the Black Stump Australia

Re: New Pot Still, what do you think?

Post by bourbonbob »

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.
Image Keep on Stillin' Image
Post Reply