Help me seal my keg still

ecsports · Post by **ecsports** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:55 am

I have the column air tight. I have the Water jacket air tight. But I can't get thr *&$#ing domed lid (salad bowl) to seal to the keg. I have made a perfect cork gasket (no dice it leaks) I have made a perfect silicone gasket (RTV) no dice it leaks. I have 4 wing nut w/ washer bolts holding it down. I have read and read and read but I am about to go bonkers trying to get this thing to seal. I do not want to use bread dough (because it is temporary and looks messy). Anyone have a sure fire way to mount these things so they seal?

copperhead · Post by **copperhead** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:20 am

try more bolts 6 to 8 should do it.

stoker · Post by **stoker** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:40 am

use the bolts in combination with flour paste, it works perfect for me

but I use this:

(I don't have a keg)

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:28 am

I have 5 bolts holding my bowl to keg and it works fine. I have a simple paper gasket. It only has to seal well enough so it won't leak, there should be no pressure there whatsoever.

ecsports · Post by **ecsports** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:33 am

I guess I may be putting too much pressure on it. After I have it attached I blow into the hold where the column goes. I then hear air leaking out from around the bottom of the dome. How can I test it to make sure no alcohol vapors will leak out as I will be using a propane burner and do not want to blow myself up?

Oh also my column has threads to attach to the dome. Can I use Teflon tape to seal it up?

FAROM · Post by **FAROM** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:46 am

ecsports wrote:I guess I may be putting too much pressure on it. After I have it attached I blow into the hold where the column goes. I then hear air leaking out from around the bottom of the dome. How can I test it to make sure no alcohol vapors will leak out as I will be using a propane burner and do not want to blow myself up?

Oh also my column has threads to attach to the dome. Can I use Teflon tape to seal it up?

It tries to distill some simple water, if there and' some loss will be' easy to individualize her/it, Ciao.

Big J · Post by **Big J** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:03 pm

I have the same setup you have and I have 4 bolts. I use a cork gasket (for now). Maybe try a thicker cork sheet. I think mine is about 3 or 4mm thick.

-J

maze48 · Post by **maze48** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:48 pm

ecsports wrote:I guess I may be putting too much pressure on it. After I have it attached I blow into the hold where the column goes. I then hear air leaking out from around the bottom of the dome. How can I test it to make sure no alcohol vapors will leak out as I will be using a propane burner and do not want to blow myself up?

Oh also my column has threads to attach to the dome. Can I use Teflon tape to seal it up?

You should test the still for leaks, by running a gallon of water through it before distilling alcohol.

TCNZ · Post by **TCNZ** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:50 pm

Uncle Remus wrote:I have 5 bolts holding my bowl to keg and it works fine. I have a simple paper gasket. It only has to seal well enough so it won't leak, there should be no pressure there whatsoever.

Please advise how to make simple paer gasket, what sort of paper should we use?

*MoonShine* · Post by ***MoonShine*** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:06 pm

Are you trying to look pretty or make whiskey?

Use the wheat bread dough.

Post by **azeo** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:50 am

here's a few more ideas to stir the mash! I had a similar problem using a bowl on top of a coffee urn until I added more clamps to reduce warping. Next time I try a bowl I'll try a bar and collar clamp to put even pressure all around the bowl. Kegs have two useful handle cut outs that the clamping rods could hook into.

3 or 6mm food grade nitrile makes a good gasket material for stills, seems resistant to steam and alcohol especially when clamped beteen two surfaces, and doesn't seem to taint. It's not very "squashy", but that can be good when applying pressure to a seal...

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:44 am

Gasket paper sold in any automotive store. If you dip it in a nice sugary wash or use a bit of honey to stick it to your keg, it really bakes itself in place after you've used your still a couple of times.

Ecsports....you're trying to make a high pressure seal. There is no pressure. The only issue you are dealing with is vapour condensing on the inside of your bowl and leaking out on the top of your keg, that's all you have to seal against. If I pressured up my keg this seal would leak too.

AllanD · Post by **AllanD** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:52 am

a common mistake made when tightening bolts to seal something that is
leaking is to over-tightening them...

As typified by the oil leaks generated when valve cover screws
on an engine are overtightened..... the overtighteneng distorts the sheet metal cover so someone discovers one leaking and tightens the screws and makes the leak worse.... because the excessive tension distorts
one piece or the other and creates (or enlarges) gaps....

Could that be happening here?

AllanD

ecsports · Post by **ecsports** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 11:53 am

That could be possible. I am not using a wrench but do tighten it as much as possible with finger pressure.

CM

rkr · Post by **rkr** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:21 pm

Uncle Remus wrote:I have 5 bolts holding my bowl to keg and it works fine. I have a simple paper gasket. It only has to seal well enough so it won't leak, there should be no pressure there whatsoever.

There's always a slight overpressure in the boiler due to the vaporization event. Otherwise the vapors wouldn't get out of the boiler.

Cheers, Riku

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:33 pm

Yes maybe 1 or 2 psi tops. But it sounds like this guy was trying for a seal that will hold 50 psi.

Workerbee47 · Post by **Workerbee47** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 8:50 pm

ecsports wrote:I have the column air tight. I have the Water jacket air tight. But I can't get thr *&$#ing domed lid (salad bowl) to seal to the keg. I have made a perfect cork gasket (no dice it leaks) I have made a perfect silicone gasket (RTV) no dice it leaks. I have 4 wing nut w/ washer bolts holding it down. I have read and read and read but I am about to go bonkers trying to get this thing to seal. I do not want to use bread dough (because it is temporary and looks messy). Anyone have a sure fire way to mount these things so they seal?

------------------ I too had trouble using the 4 bolt system, so I went to 8, and that solved my problem, if the top of that keg is not just right it will leak, so I just added 4 more bolts and that took care of the problem. Good luck.

copperhead · Post by **copperhead** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:46 am

this was all i was saying mine has 6 and don't leak try more bolts. it want take but a min to add a couple more bolts.this way you want have to put so much preasure on the bowl that you warp it. i also use a paper gaskit works for me.

AllanD · Post by **AllanD** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:56 am

While a seal that'll hold 50psi isn't necissary it is definatly something that would create confidence that you have a leak free system.

Max working pressure on an UNMODIFIED Sanke keg is 60psi.

In my system the Sanke keg is the weakest part of the entire system

AllanD

Enlikil · Post by **Enlikil** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 9:21 am

Is there a certain kind of cork to use, Sealing up the top of my keg is the last step...

PS: when you all buff out your copper do you jsut soak it in viniger? then rinse it down or do you use some buffing agent HEHEH
I wanna clean mine up before i post it

dixiedrifter · Post by **dixiedrifter** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 10:52 am

For around $40, these guys can custom fab a stainless flange to 2" MPT or FTP adapter which clamps directly onto a keg with no modifications:

http://www.milehidistilling.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 1:19 pm

gee, that website gets better looking all the time

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Help me seal my keg still

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