All copper modular pot still

[RunRufusRun]

I didn’t seem to get any interest in the welcome center (zero replies, thanks guys ) so I figured I’d show off my handy work here and maybe peak some interest. Every vessel of this build is made from flat sheet copper and the seams are riveted and brazed. It’s a 30gal boiler, 13 gal thumper, and a 5 gallon shorty shotgun condenser. That shotty has 20’ of 3/4” copper tubing inside, might be over kill but it was fun to build. The connector piping is 1 1/4” copper pipe all fitted with 1 1/2” Tri clamps (Convinently a perfect fit for 1 1/4” copper pipe to silver braze). The head to boiler connection is 6” Tri clamp, and the thumper has a 4” tri clamp capped port for filling and cleaning. Made the furniture from solid cherry and the boiler stand is stainless steel with a 10” banjo burner mounted to it. This picture is shortly after the build was finished to a point where it was ready for testing and cleaning runs. I’ll post some detailed and polished pictures if there is any interest.

[corene1]

How did you do the condenser. Is it like a heat exchanger inside? With multiple straight tubes and a capped top and bottom, or a single coil inside like a Graham condenser. I have built a few Graham condensers but never thought of a short fat shotgun style. Similar to a reflux condenser on the top of a plated column. I have some spare copper sheet laying around so it might be a fun project. Do you have a drain on the boiler? I have found the larger boilers benefit by having one. Makes draining so much easier. Thanks for posting.

[Oldvine Zin]

wow I missed your first posts in the welcome center - you have some build skills

OVZ

[OtisT]

That’s a sweet rig you got there RRR. In addition to some nice copper work, I like the custom stands for each piece. An old stillers blessing: May your floors always be level.

Moderators must have been sleeping the day of your first post.

I think I have that same machinists tool box you have there in the background. A Kennedy?

I wish you good fortune in the cuts to come
Otis

[RunRufusRun]

That’s right corene just like a reflux condenser, 16 15” long vertical tubes inside, she’s heavy as hell. Also yes there is a 1” ball valve on the bottom of the boiler, it would be a real pain without it.

Yeah Otis that is indeed a Kennedy box, along with a few of my Honda CT’s and part of my power saw collection on the wall, to much going on in that shot I know. And your on point with the level floors. It’s been a problem for me considering I just moved and the only cement floor I have right now is in my basement. I’m just not crazy about running a 200,000 btu propane burner inside my home.

[OtisT]

... And your on point with the level floors. It’s been a problem for me considering I just moved and the only cement floor I have right now is in my basement. I’m just not crazy about running a 200,000 btu propane burner inside my home.

If you are ever up for some more copper work, that leveling issue is relatively easy to fix with a handful of elbows and a few connectors. Pictures are easier than words for this kind of thing. Look at the link in my signature below for my pot and thumper. The arms connecting my pot to thumper and thumper to condenser is what I’m referring to. Makes the elevation for each piece irrelevant (within reason.). An added benefit to the arm modification is that you could connect your pot directly to the condenser if you so choose.

Otis

[RunRufusRun]

I think I understand Otis, basically just need to come come off my vessels with connections parallel to the horizontal. I think I’ll probably go for it. Thanks!

I must say, I don’t believe in purchased elbows. I just cut my angle, butt together and braze (pic of a 90 below). The strength of braze usually is greater than the copper so I figure why spend the extra coin on those big fittings. Not the case with solder of course.

[OtisT]

You have it right, though not only coming off of your equipment horizontal, but also connecting arms with double (hand made) elbows on each end to mate up to those horizontal inlets and outputs. That will make leveling a non-issue and keep the stress off of your beautifully crafted copper pots/arms.

Otis

[corene1]

What alloy did you use to braze the connections. Looks like the low silver content PhosCopper type finish on the joint. I have done a few with a 45% silver braze but it has a different finish than yours.

[RunRufusRun]

Yes it is phosphorus copper alloy, no silver or very little. The packaging actually suggests using for brewery applications. I used it for all my copper to copper connections because it requires no flux.

[Biff Henderson]

That is absolutely stunning copper work RRR. Would it be possible to post a top down picture of the shorty? I'm trying to imagine it similar to the Therminators I used to brew with, but do not think I have that correct.

[RunRufusRun]

A top down shot doesn’t show much but from the bottom you can see what’s going on. I let it wide open for easy cleaning. It just sits on top of a large copper funnel to collect product. Pardon the wavyness of the bottom, I’ve been debating trimming it or maybe straightening it.

[corene1]

If you want to straighten it make a new ring of heavier copper and solder it to the perimeter and make a double section . It will be stronger and less prone to denting.

[RunRufusRun]

I have a 50’ coil of 3/8” tubing that I don’t have a use for right. I could probably spare some to make a stiffening ring for the bottom of my condenser. Thanks for the idea corene.

[corene1]

Just another thought. If you do make a ring I would only use a low temp soft solder for the bond. The higher temps of the silver and the Phos copper brazing methods will anneal the copper even more. Most tubing is already annealed for easy bending but sheet copper is harder until it is annealed.

[RunRufusRun]

I’m refusing to use any soft solder for this build, not for any particular reason just because I told myself I wouldn’t. Actually if I use a 0 size welding tip for the oxyacetylene torch I can keep the heat very localized, minimizing my HAZ and basically only anneling the areas where the braze is going to be which will end up being quite hard when the braze is on it.

[Biff Henderson]

Oh, I got my equipment mixed up, my apologies. I'm looking at the thumper - what does a top down view of that look like? But this does raise another question for me - when you are collecting, is there any special piece of equipment sitting under the copper funnel coming out of the shotgun condenser? Or does it flow straight into a jar?

[corene1]

I was just mentioning that because I can see the big heat affected zone on your all the connections in your original photos . The phos copper alloy needs around 1200 to 1400 degrees to flow where the lead free will flow at about 450 to 520 degrees depending on the the alloy.

[RunRufusRun]

Nope biff, no other equipment there. What where you thinking I might have under the funnel? The funnel comes out to the side instead of straight down like a normal funnel, and right into a collection jar on another stand.

As for the thumper it’s nothing special just an empty drum with fittings on top. My vapor in tube slides through the fitting which meets another fitting brazed to the pipe at the correct distance to keep it an inch or so off the bottom.

[RunRufusRun]

I wanted to show some of my seams and get some opinions of the rivet work. Does anyone else use 1” spacing, can’t seem to find to many photos of close rivet spacing.

Here’s a picture of my lyne arm.

Bottom of my boiler and up

Here’s some finished from the inside

[corene1]

I typically use a flat lock seam on my seams and use rivets to hold things in place for soldering. Typical spacing is 3 to 4 inches and build everything so it has a tight tap together fit so it won't heat warp while soldering. On the tapered lyne arms it is just simpler for me to TIG weld the joint, hard to get the rivets deep inside the tapered tube.

[RunRufusRun]

Corene, do you hand hammer you rivets? It’s pretty easy to set a rivet in a tube with an air hammer as long as you can get something solid inside there.

[corene1]

Corene, do you hand hammer you rivets? It’s pretty easy to set a rivet in a tube with an air hammer as long as you can get something solid inside there.

Yes, I set the rivets with a hammer just enough to hold the pieces together well , the solder does the sealing and puts in the strength especially with a flat lock seam. I really don't see a need to smash them with an air hammer but I do use annealed rivets so they spread pretty easily. I do have a tapered solid arm that I clamp in the vise with a small counter sunk holes down it for setting rivets deep into a tube, but for me ,since I have the ability to TIG weld it is easier to weld it and sand the surface smooth. . The rivets I used on that still were not very big but they had a very large and flat head. The rivet shaft was only 3/16 of an inch so it set very easily. You can also use Cleco pins for temporary fitting of the sheet metal and use them to hold things in place while you get the first rivets set. https://www.summitracing.com/search/par ... cleco-pins" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[RunRufusRun]

I don’t bother with the flat lock seams. Just a simple 1/2” overlap is all. The air hammer is just a quicker, more consistent method to set rivets. The vertical seam on that boiler took all of about 30 minutes to rivet once the holes were drilled. I’ve set thousands of rivets this way from 3/32 copper like you see, up to 3/8” stainless steel with a pre heat (of course not a distilling application). Also every single rivet looks the same, and no need to anneal.

I can see if your only doing a few rivets in a seam it’s probably not necessary. I wanted the riveted look along with the strength and ease of soldering/brazing it provides. Just wanted to share my method of riveting since I couldn’t seem to find anyone else using an air hammer.

For fit up I use a pair of vise grips at each end. Drilled a hole at each end of the seam and one in the middle and set those rivets. Marked and drilled the other holes and then started splitting the spaces between rivets with more rivets until the seam is finished. Literally takes a split second and the rivets are secure and evenly deformed with a perfect head.

[corene1]

Yes, it is just 2 ways getting to the same point. I have just had a bit of trouble with flat seams on thin copper wanting to open up as you solder them. That is why I went to the flat lock seam. Even using a hammer my rivets came out pretty well and consistent.

This is the outside or visible side

This is the inside

[Biff Henderson]

Well, I guess I was looking to see the copper work on your worm. But that's unnecessary with the shotgun condenser. Either way RRR - stunning copper work. A real pleasure to see your skill and obvious enjoyment in your craft.

[RunRufusRun]

So I wanted to post a few shot of my most recent work to this still. I was tired of looking around for something the right hight to use as a stand for a collection jar. So I decided to modify my condenser stand slightly.

So here it is with a parrot and jar.

Not worried about my abv. Right now. Move it up a peg and ready to run.

Pretty sure this wouldn’t balance if it were full. But here it is ready for a stripping run.

[Scott817]

Very nice and well thought out.

[RunRufusRun]

Thanks Scott, I’m pretty happy with it, but I’m also considering a straight funnel and just setting my bulk container in between the legs so I don’t have to counter weight my stand.

[jog666]

DUDE!!! That is some killer work!!!