condenser coil.

[mississippi]

hey guys, first time poster and builder. just finished my condenser coil for an offset head plan.my forearms are killin me. Pretty tough but once you get the technique down its still damn hard, lol. it is a double helix style coil just like a strand of dna. i hope it works. for my inner coil i used 1/4 inch copper with a spring style bender and wrapped it around a broomstick, worked pretty well, for the outter coil i used a 2 '' peice of pipe to wrap around. It ends up fitting into a 3 x 12 '' copper pipe after some cussing and adjusting. just a tip for noobs like me my first attempt failed, i figured 20' of copper 1/4 '' would be plenty, turns out 35' of 1/4 copper is more like it so i came up short about 3/4 the way thru it . so i had to buy a 50' roll cuz they dont sell 35' rolls. This made my double coil just at 12'' x 2.8'' in diameter. Has anyone had good results from bob lennons design for a valved offset reflux still?
thanks

[astrangebrew]

Hey big M,

What are you planning to drive that with? Your into serious overkill land for 2" columns.
Pack that coil with some structured copper mesh (you want to minimize the vapour path to copper to max. 0.10") You will be able to drive an optimized 3" column. If that was where you were heading for, the only change I'd have suggested was using 3/8 for higher water flow.

SB

[kiwistiller]

Why'd you choose the offset head design, as a matter of interest?

[mississippi]

i had planned to run a 2.5 inch column with a 3'' condenser that style was one of the first types i came across that wasnt a pot still and it seemed like it would work by regulating the reflux with a valve , but i am a wine maker and know zero about distillation. i saw the link on the home page for lennon's offset head and thunk what the heck. but i often leap and then wonder why.

[kiwistiller]

hmm if it isn't too late it might be looking into the VM or bokakob slant plate designs.

[mississippi]

never too late , im just gittin started , thanks for your replies.