sourcing a sight glass and another Q

[glassman]

like red said i've had a 3" plate dics for my window for quite a while. they never realy get hot so i don't think pyrex type is needed. i sandwiched the glass between 2 "gaskets" of flour paste and tightened the whole lot together. any leaks were fixed with more paste. simple, cheap, and it works. edmond scientific in the states should have pyrex or borosilicate dics i think. boro is the broad term for heat resistant glasses. gman

[Dnderhead]

you mite be able to fiend something in government surplus, as used in instruments subject to shock. (air craft,safety goggles,diving goggles?)
tempered glass is made two ways, one is by heating then rapid cooling (with air
the other is ion exchange, the glass is heated in a bath of potassium nitrate.
either way the glass has to be cut/worked before annealing.

[mrhooch]

Well Simax makes borosilicate glass tubing in a variety of wall thickness at 54 mm or 2" copper size OD. A 59" length will set you back about $30, cheaper than copper. I've ordered one for my still, for my Christmas present, but I'm still waiting.

Hooch.

[rednose]

The real thing, and maybe it's the best way, is to buy commercial sight glasses (150 $ around without light) , that's for sure.

We are trying to find a cheaper but DIY alternative without losing security.

Maybe in this point we wanna save money on the wrong side, not sure yet.

[ozone39]

how about just buying a pyrex measuring cup and drilling out the bottom with a diamond hole saw and using the piece that ends up in the bit..

[trial&error]

how about just buying a pyrex measuring cup and drilling out the bottom with a diamond hole saw and using the piece that ends up in the bit..

i would imagine with a bucket of soapy water, sand paper (200,400,600,800grit) and some 3M scratch remover you could probable get all the writing/casting markings off the bottom

[olddog]

I have fabricated some fittings to take the glass out of some brass couplings which were on clearance at the local hardware for 69c each. I ordered a glass disc cutter from Ebay for $7 (they were $49 at the local hardware). Anyway the disc cutter arrived today, and I could not wait to try, I now have a glass disc to fit the brass fittings, I have just got to get some descent glass to do a good job. This will have to wait, I spent Sunday morning in the ED department of the local hospital, My knee colapsed on me with extreme pain, so I am now hobbling around on crutches, I am getting an MRI on Sunday so I will find out how much damage I have done. The rest of the sight glasses will have to wait until I am more mobile.


OD

[mrhooch]

Well when I made my sight glass, I used a regular glass cutter to get it the "square" size, then used a diamond bit in a dremel to make it round. Wished I would have seen the diamond hole saw earlier.

I just used a busted chunk of picture frame glass, about 1/16 thick. It's withstood the heat of about 10 batches, and being dropped a few times and hasn't broken yet!.

Hooch.

[trial&error]

I have fabricated some fittings to take the glass out of some brass couplings which were on clearance at the local hardware for 69c each. I ordered a glass disc cutter from Ebay for $7 (they were $49 at the local hardware). Anyway the disc cutter arrived today, and I could not wait to try, I now have a glass disc to fit the brass fittings, I have just got to get some descent glass to do a good job. This will have to wait, I spent Sunday morning in the ED department of the local hospital, My knee colapsed on me with extreme pain, so I am now hobbling around on crutches, I am getting an MRI on Sunday so I will find out how much damage I have done. The rest of the sight glasses will have to wait until I am more mobile.


OD

I guess that's part of being an old dog, you just break for no reason.....
wish you a speedy recovery

[blanikdog]

Bugger, OD. Not a nice thing to look forward to.

blanik

[olddog]

Yup, everything seems to ware out with age, and probable over use in younger years.

[olddog]

Here's how I made the sight glasses.

The original brass coupling.

Dissasembled parts

Parts modified by cutting off the hex nut

Parts ready for assembly with glass window disc

The finished sight glass ready to be de-leaded and soldered into the new column.
The cost for these were, brass couplings 5 @ 69c each = $3.45, diamond glass disc cutter $7, total $10.45


OD

[kiwistiller]

what's the column going to be OD?

[olddog]

I am waiting for some 4" to arrive to build another plated column with a sight glass on each plate.

[kiwistiller]

Nice, how much did the 4" set you back? You're going to have to throw a lot of heat at it!

[olddog]

Nice, how much did the 4" set you back?

Hopefully its going to cost me a carton.


OD

[trial&error]

Here's how I made the sight glasses.

007.JPG

The original brass coupling.

008.JPG

Dissasembled parts

009.JPG

Parts modified by cutting off the hex nut

010.JPG

Parts ready for assembly with glass window disc

011.JPG

The finished sight glass ready to be de-leaded and soldered into the new column.
The cost for these were, brass couplings 5 @ 69c each = $3.45, diamond glass disc cutter $7, total $10.45


OD

more or less what i was thinking/ trying to describe. let us know how it works

[olddog]

more or less what i was thinking/ trying to describe. let us know how it works

It will be a while before I get to building a column for the sight glasses as it looks like I might need some surgery on my knee.

[kiwistiller]

no good - get well soon.

[rednose]

Hate to hear that OD, hopefully you're doing well soon.

We all love your high class finish copper porn.

[pumpman]

Allright I'm going to be the dummy and ask. How did you cut the brass fittings to get a good flat surface?

[olddog]

Allright I'm going to be the dummy and ask. How did you cut the brass fittings to get a good flat surface?

Errr, with a hacksaw, and then file flat, I'm using musical cork back and front of the glass, which take up any indiscretions in the surface.

OD

[LWTCS]

Metal workers band saw would be a very nice addition OD

I let Santa know

[pumpman]

Well I could use my grinder then finish it with sandpaper on a flat surface, but that will be my next build. I see a 3" buble cap down the road a piece.

[LWTCS]

Well I could use my grinder then finish it with sandpaper on a flat surface, but that will be my next build. I see a 3" buble cap down the road a piece.

Thats what I did.

I got some 4" for you I told you (when your ready).

[olddog]

Has anyone ever bought any musical quality cork I had ordered some for the sight glasses on my new still. A sheet 14"by 4" cost AU$39, It cost more to use the proper cork to seal them than the sight glasses themselves cost to make. Not happy with that price but I did not have an alternative.



OD

[hstuurman]

I love fancy stuff, so after reading this post I'm thinking about a sight glass in my "to be build" boiler. (In the helmet, to watch the stuff boiling)
Will this be possible, or do I create big problems???

Anyone having idea's?

[pumpman]

I think you could do it but why? The best to learn how to drive you still is to listen, taste and smell. I think even with a 1" site glass it would difficult to see inside your boiler especialy without a lite inside. The site glasses on the plate columns will help with tuning and figuring out how to run the collumn at peak efitiency because you can see how much liquid is on each plate. Not to mention it looks damn cool.

[WILDBILL2873]

OD i may be slow, could you explain what you mean by

The finished sight glass ready to be de-leaded and soldered into the new column.

as far as the de-lead is concerned, thanks for the help.

[olddog]

A small amount of lead is added to brass during the casting process to aid as a lubricant when the casting is machined. By soaking in a 50/50 mix of peroxide and vinegar for around 15 minutes, the lead will be removed from the surface.


OD