Joining the condensor to the column

[harllequin1971]

I've ordered my pipe work. I had the choice of 42mm or 54mm, so I've gone for the 54mm for my Bokakob.

The pipe work and valve has come to a grand total of £110 which I thought was not too bad. Had to buy the 54mm pipe in 3m lengths so I'll be making a pot still with the extra left over.

This is where it gets crazy though. I have been able to fine the male and female threaded adaptor the same as used by Pikluk however the price is just crazy.
Male end £90.20p the Female end £51.61p
So I thought bugger it I'll just go for a compression joint.
£60

To me these are brilliant bits of kit but the price WOW

Has anyone come up with any other bits of clever less expensive ways to connect the condensor bit to the column. I've been looking through the search bit bit so far it has eluded me.

Thanks again in advance folks.

Darren

[decoy]

i dont know how much they will charg you in the UK but i use triclover flanges and clamps, you can get teflon gaskets for them or cut cork ones.

http://lantechsolutions.co.uk/products/ ... clover.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Triclover ferules and clamps, these are what i use, eaasy to work with and clean.
you can but tthem to your tube or you can also machine out the center co you can slip the entire ferule over your coper tube and silver solder it to the copper.
when the flanges are joined there is only a hirline crack of the teflon oring exposed .


or you can use dairy fittings.. or BSM
these are good but the nut gets in the way as you might have to make it a part of your column and it jiggles and rattles ..

look up local used process equipment recyclers or a local scrapmetal yard and you will get em for a few dollars

cheers

[seravitae]

according to the forum rules, plastic/rubber is bad, so maybe you should look at wet flour seals. if you can get a flange mounted on to your column/condensor and they are both pretty flat, bolting them together should give pretty much no leaks - the system is not under pressure, so the vapour generally will take the easiest path - out the condensor. add some wet flour and you should be right

[decoy]

you are right plastic is not acceptable, , but you can cut a cork or Balsa wood gasket in place...

[harllequin1971]

I've found a site that has those fittings at £25 each YAY, ordered and they will be here in a few days.

Those flanges look very good though. I'm sure you can get a similar setup for car exhaust fittings.

[HookLine]

What are you using for a boiler?

[harllequin1971]

That bit is still a TBA thing.

I'm going to have a look down to the local hardware store / cash and carry for what cooking pots that have available in stainless.

[decoy]

go this bigest you can afford and hide..

i started with a 20Lt stainless, then a 50Lt copper pot..

tried a few difrent types of reflux columns, mucked around with continuos plate still..

i found a plane old simple pot still is the way to go.

Now im building a space shuttle main seperation tank 250,000 Lt with....

im going for arounf 120Lt capacity Pot still..
listen to the more exp members keep it simple and old school. thats where the flavour is

cheers..

[HookLine]

Why do you have to use a threaded join between the condenser and the column? Why not just have a one piece column? You got the extra pipe to make a separate pot column or two, so you do not need to have a removable head on the reflux column.

If you must have a removable head, but can't afford the threaded connectors, then you can just use slip joints.

[harllequin1971]

My thoughts being that it will be easier to clean out.

Threaded joints being more secure.

I liked the look of em

[I-GOR]

go this bigest you can afford and hide..

Ditto

i found a plane old simple pot still is the way to go. listen to the more exp members keep it simple and old school. thats where the flavour is

Ditto

cheers..

Ditto



Made a lot of booze last year; wherdahell it all go?

[ockernuey]

I used a 2" joiner (around $6-$7 aus) and soldered it to the top of the column. The condensor section slips into it and I used a bit of thread tape as shown in case of vapour leaks.

[harllequin1971]

That looks excellent.

I did think of a similar thing using a straight connector but this being my first build I think I'm going for bomb proof in my construction, hence the extra price paid for the threaded coupling.