Another first try

[Magnum]

First, thanks to everyone for sharing all this knowledge. I looked back to find that the first download re distilling was well over a year ago. You would think I would have ad a little more success after all that research. Any how....

I built a 13 1/2 gal. (51 liter) SS pot still and turned a smaller pot with the same rim over and soldered a 3" by 12" copper column to it. I have electronics soldering experence but nothing like this. I started the Lyne arm, at a slight down angel, from 2" Copper pipe about 15" long, reduced to 1" for another 15", down to 1/2" for about 4" then down to 3/8" worm. Worm is about 35 feet, coiled in a 26 gal trash can. Every thing lead free, SS or copper, all solder soft silver. Cleaned by soaking in vinger, non iodized salt and hot water. I have the stuff to do a vinegar and water cleaning run and a alchol cleaning run. I decided to do a H2O run to check for leaks. Things went a little sideways.

I charged the boiler with about 3 gallons of water. Sealed the pots together with flour dough paste and fired up my turkey fryer burner. I took 35 min. to come to a rolling boil (no insulation yet). Wasn't a few min. I had almost a stream of output. Very fast drops. Proceeded to check for leaks and found a pinhole lead where I soldered the collumn to the lid. The next leak was at the union connecting the worm to the arm (guess I need to learn how to wrap teflon tape!).

Then I noticed a leak developing in my four dough seal. 10 min. later it looked like a tea pot going off, I had to shut down. I guess I will be reviewing the four dough paste threads. Then it gets worse! I used a old trash can I had stored dog food in to house the worm. I sprung 2 leaks and started peeing all over everthing. Guess I'll spring for a new can.

Could be worse I suppose, but at least I'm getting started.

[LWTCS]

You should not need any teflon @ your union (s). Check for proper aliegnment and put some hand strenth into that joint.

[Magnum]

Thanks, I'll do that.

Mag

[Fester]

all minor stuff, Magnum. sounds easy to fix. you are so close now and it sounds like you are doing everything right. it is a bit strange that the union was leaking, never saw that before and usually i just barely tighten them on my still.
keep telling us your progress
we are pulling for ya
Fester

[Magnum]

all minor stuff, Magnum. sounds easy to fix. you are so close now and it sounds like you are doing everything right. it is a bit strange that the union was leaking, never saw that before and usually i just barely tighten them on my still.
keep telling us your progress
we are pulling for ya
Fester

Thanks for that!! I guess the devil IS in the details. I will keep you up to date. I have some honey do stuff to do, hope to get back to it before the weekend is out.

Mag

[Fester]

oh god, the honey do list. what a time killer. but a real man has to do what a man has to do, and usually that is what a woman tells him to do.

[Magnum]

oh god, the honey do list. what a time killer. but a real man has to do what a man has to do, and usually that is what a woman tells him to do.

After 23 years I give her some, she leaves me alone!! Hey, it works!!

[Fester]

After 23 years I give her some, she leaves me alone!! Hey, it works!!

[rad14701]

Aside from just the flour paste, what did you use to hold the components together...??? They do need to be clamped together by some means... I use 8 - 12 large black binder clips depending on rim size and have never had a leak...

[Magnum]

Rad, I used 6 scroll clips. I think they are the same type as you use.

Mag

[rad14701]

Rad, I used 6 scroll clips. I think they are the same type as you use.

Mag

This is what I use...

[Magnum]

That's them Rad. I went back and re read GingerBreadMan's thread. I think I just made a mess. I used equal parts flour & water, didn't pay atention to details.
I'll give it another go tomorrow. Thanks for the help.

Mag

[LWTCS]

Unions...........

I have always had good luck with union connections (stilling and work related).

But, I had to muscle up a bit on my new condenser conection. Leaked (to my,,,,,,,,,,dismay) during my first cleaning run..........But I showed it who was the king of the jungle............Hope I can turn that joint loose one day

The weight distribution of my condenser as it relates to the lyne arm/union connection is a bit,,,,,,,,,,, asymmetrical. I recon that was the issue?

[Fester]

NICE!!!

[Magnum]

Very nice!!!!!!!!!!!

[HookLine]

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 3#p6793383

Those clips are often called bulldog clips in Oz.

[Husker]

Those clips are often called bulldog clips in Oz.

I call'um nipple biters, but to each his own, I guess

[LWTCS]

I call em Jesus clips.... Cuz when your still leaks,, you say "Jesus" my friggin still is leakin.

[Magnum]

I call'um nipple biters, but to each his own, I guess

Oweee!! That hurts!

Magnum

[HookLine]

Next time I am in my local newsagent I am going to ask loudly for some nipple-biting bulldog Jesus clips.

[LWTCS]

Next time I am in my local newsagent I am going to ask loudly for some nipple-biting bulldog Jesus clips.

You are so imature

[Magnum]

Next time I am in my local newsagent I am going to ask loudly for some nipple-biting bulldog Jesus clips.

You are so imature

I thought Mods were all mature and always right!!!?????

[Fester]

i have an unopened package of them, labeled "Binder Clips". from Office Depot in USA
but i will relabel them "nipple-biting bulldog Jesus clips" immediately

and we call the plastic cable ties "zip ties" around here.

and a litre is spelled liter

and colour is spelled color

and we are right and you are wrong

[rad14701]

I call them binder clips because they're binder clips... We used alligator clips on peoples nipples if they passed out at parties when I was in my youth... They'd litterally take the nipple off if you tore it off before fully awake... We were sadistic bastards... I never slept back then...

Binder Clips

BindersClipN00004.jpg (9.52 KiB) Viewed 2125 times

Bulldog Clips

bulldog_clip_21706p_01.jpg (10.22 KiB) Viewed 2120 times

[HookLine]

Next time I am in my local newsagent I am going to ask loudly for some nipple-biting bulldog Jesus clips.

You are so imature

I thought Mods were all mature and always right!!!?????

We are. Even when we are not.

And Rad, hard evidence from the real world will not deter me from making a bad joke.

[Magnum]

I thought Mods were all mature and always right!!!?????

We are. Even when we are not.

And Rad, hard evidence from the real world will not deter me from making a bad joke.

I thought so!!!!

Magnum

[Husker]

I call them binder clips because they're binder clips... We used alligator clips on peoples nipples if they passed out at parties when I was in my youth... They'd litterally take the nipple off if you tore it off before fully awake... We were sadistic bastards... I never slept back then...

Much the same situation in the group I ran with, gave them the nickname of nipple biter's. A couple good snaps would wake up most anyone, even if just for a moment or 2

H.

[LWTCS]

See now I was jes makin funny talk haha.

But you fellers are gonna get someone hurt what with nipples and clipping and so forth and so on.

[Husker]

See now I was jes makin funny talk haha.

But you fellers are gonna get someone hurt what with nipples and clipping and so forth and so on.

That was about 1/2 of the reason FOR the drinking games anyway back in high school. See who would show up, and pass out, and then torment them (snapping pics, if someone thought far enough ahead to have a camera). I can only guess at the mayham today, since damn near everyone has a camera on their phone. Would make for better war stories to tell during the week, planning for the next big drunk fest the next weekend. (edit) damn I wish I were 18 again


H.

[Fester]

remember me? i remember you.
i'm the guy with one nipple.
and i'm not going to play with you anymore
cause i only have one nipple now
and i don't want to lose my last one
i never really use it
but i don't want to lose it

Lopsided Fester