New Pot/Thumper modular build

[Longhairedcountryboy]

Hey All! This is my first post in over 12 years. I can't believe it has been that long! I had to get rid of my old pot when I had to move from the country to an apartment in a not so rural area. That was over a decade ago. I've been waiting for an opportunity to get a rig up and running for a long time.

Anyway, I've been scrounging and collecting bits and pieces for a few years. The stars finally aligned and I am at a time and place that allows me the luxury of starting the hobby up again. I've put a lot of time and work into putting this new rig together over the past few months. I'm real close to firing it up for the cleaning runs.

I haven't done anything new here. I basically lifted MichiganCornHusker's design wholesale (viewtopic.php?f=92&t=60248). I even PM'd him for clarification on his Liebig. The only difference is I used 1" over to the thumper and my condenser is 1" over 3/4". I have lots of pictures, so I hope everyone likes to look at lots of pictures...

Basic setup. I can run either electric or gas. I'm fixing to get a second burner so I can preheat the thumper to get it on line faster.

I wanted to try to put a pressure relief valve on the boiler side. I tried tapping some threads into the ss cap. It didn't go so well...

So I bought a cap with threads already installed

[Longhairedcountryboy]

I also added a thermometer to the thumper cap for shits and giggles...

I made two extensions. One is 4" and the other is 8.5" tall. I can play around with different configurations. I don't know how useful these are, but it was more for fun I guess.

I think the next thing I would like to get done with this build is to make a cart on wheels with gas and water manifolds and burners built in. Kind of like the diy homebrew rigs.

Anyway, I should have this thing up and running in a few weeks. I'm pretty excited to be back!

[Kareltje]

Very nice and flexible! I like that too!

With a cart you can roll it anywhere, so you could do as they do on the Balkan: go from farm to farm with their still on wheels!

[jonnys_spirit]

Wow! Welcome back and nice looking boiler/thumper you’ve got there. I can see lotsa clear liquid dripping forth in yoir future

-jonny

[Expat]

Welcome back!

Great looking build implementation. Modular is definitely the way to go!

[MichiganCornhusker]

Very nice build, you are gonna like that setup.
I really like the triclamp blank plates and the prv, very clean, I think I'll upgrade mine with similar.

[Longhairedcountryboy]

So been continuing to upgrade and modify and I think I have this set up the way I want them. The first thing I did was add 4" fill ports and 1" drains. The fill ports are capped with glass.

I hated the cold water line to the liebig hanging out so far, so I hard piped the cold input to the top of the condenser so I could keep the lines neat and out of the way.

I still haven't built the cart. I don't think I'm going to. With drain ports, I don't have to move the kegs to dump them.

Anyway, I think I'm done building this rig. All the items on my want list are checked off. I had just as much fun building this as I do running it. I'm going to have to start another project soon to keep the itch scratched. A flute, perhaps...

[MoonBreath]

Very nice indeed.
Lovin the bells and whistles for the shites and giggles.
Kinda like Christmas .

[LWTCS]

Nice,thoughtful build.

Utilizing the factory ferrule would've been a nice way to fully exploit complete draining since you were modifying the keg anyway.

Doesn't matter though. Really nice work.

[Longhairedcountryboy]

Utilizing the factory ferrule would've been a nice way to fully exploit complete draining since you were modifying the keg anyway...

One of the kegs already had ferrule for a heating element welded near the bottom. I discussed it with my welder and we came to the conclusion that it would be easier to just match it on the second keg. We didn't want to patch and I wanted them both the same. I might try fitting a dip tube inside eventually but the drains work great as is. I just have to tip the boiler a little to get the last bit out. It's less than a gallon. It sure beats lifting a full keg up into the sink to dump it. Over all, I am extremely pleased with the versatility and performance of this rig.

[Oldvine Zin]

Nice setup !! Tri clamps are the way to go. After dicking around with shitty fittings on my water supply lines I went with 3/4" tri clamps there as well


OVZ