my parrot

[suburban hillbilly]

Hi
I thought I needed some soldering practice while I waited for parts for my new still to arrive. So I knocked up this little parrot from scraps in the shed. I had some really old sheet copper (in fact I have around 16ft x 2ft ) that came from a gully on a flat roof. I cut some of the sheet up to make the base and also my favourite bit the little collection cup on top.
The sheet stuff is very thin so was a bit fiddly to handle but with a bit of patience I got there in the end and my soldering came on leaps and bounds.
She may be a little rustic but she is much prettier in the flesh.
I also have a question if any one can help. What is the best way of cleaning my parrot through to get rid of excess flux and residues?
I have to say I haven't really done any real distilling yet but Im having a great time hiding in the shed fabricating stuff. What a great hobby. Can't wait till I have a little something to sip on at the same time mmmmmmm.
All the best Everyone.

[ScottishBoy]

Masterfully done...

[Samohon]

I Like it... Like the way you made the collection cap also.. Silver Solder...?

Welcome aboard suburban hillbilly, glad to have you....

[Samohon]

Nearly forgot... This is the way I cleaned my parrot.

I boiled some vinegar and water, 50/50, filled up the parrot and left it for 30 mins.
I then poured it out and cleaned the inside of the alcometer chamber with a stainless steel 3/4" pipe cleaner.
Rinsed with boiling water to get most of the crap out. Then repeated the above...

You could also put 50/50 vinegar and water into an old kettle and once boiling hold the parrot over the escaping vapour.
May need to hold it with some BBQ tongs, keep doing this for 30mins. Make sure the element is covered with liquid...

Filling the parrot with Coka Cola also works, but I'd combine it with any of the above....

Could even hook it up somehow to the output from your still while your running a clean,
just make sure that your still is always open to the atmosphere...

There must be an easier way. Anyway, it worked for me...

Hope this helps...

[LWTCS]

Can't see that good on the hand held.......did you correctly account for your "overpour" function?

[pumpman]

Yeah SH thats not going to work. You need to have a cup at the top for overflow and your take off tube gets soldered into it. Do a serch on parrots and youll find plenty of pics.
I havn't tried it yet but non residue carb cleaner should clean out all the thick deposits. Then you can move to the other methods to make sure everything is cleand out.

[Samohon]

+1 LWTCS, pumpman. Dont know how I missed that guy's, the old eyesight must be fading...

Anyway SH, you'll need to solder a reducer at the top of your alcometer chamber, then solder the overflow arm to the side of that...
There are many pictures of parrots here on HD, try this thread...http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=14016.

[suburban hillbilly]

Thanks guys for all your responses. I will do some more research and make the adjustments as needed.
What function does the cup at the take off point serve? Do you basically put on the reducer and then feed in a small piece of pipe to the same level as the top of the reducer to act as a holder for your alchometer?
The solder I used was just lead free solder and some gentle soldering.
Thanks for the cleaning tips as well.
All the best Guys

[pumpman]

Your alco meter tube needs to be sollid all the way to the top and you take a reducer and file out the stop so it will slip down over the main tube making them flush at the top. Then where the reducer shrinks down you solder in your takoff tube. that way your alco meter will float at the top so you can see it and the reducer catches the overflow.

[LWTCS]

Yes yes pumpman.

SH that feature/function helps your alcometer ride higher. Thus making it easier to read as your alcohol piles over the primary cylinder.

[suburban hillbilly]

Hi Guys
The penny dropped last night obviously the surface tension of liquid ina tube has an effect when you place an object in which it has to support. By creating an overflow you will be equalising that force with an opposite one.
My god that hurt but I assume that's somewhere in the ball park.

[Samohon]

Give us some piccies once you've fixed it SW... We do love copper porn here on HD...

[suburban hillbilly]

Just in the process of making adjustments now but have been rudly interupted by haveing to go to work.Keep you posted and will have more pics.
All the best

[suburban hillbilly]

Hi Guys
Im back with the revised version of my parrot.
I removed the old spout and fashioned a small bowl out of sheet copper and attached that onto the main column.
I found a neat trick for dressing the copper into a little bowl. I used the bottom of an empty aerosol can and used the dome shape on the bottom to dress the copper. With a small ball headed hammer I gently hammered the copper into shape.The photo's are self explanitary.
So hope the improvement do the job.
All the best

[Samohon]

Lookin good SW, an I like the tip on how to make the bowl.
One thing though, I would probably make sure it was an empty aerosol can with maybe no pressure in it... I'm sure you done that anyway...

Nice parrot and thanks for the piccies...

[todd54]

Im back with the revised version of my parrot.

Thanks for posting pics,I have thinking of making one myself and yours gives me some ideas on what I've got to do.

[LWTCS]

Not "rustic" at all now. She's quite lovely now.

Next needs to be intergrated on to the discharge of your still to give you measurements on the fly

[Oxbo Rene]

Yeah !
Now that's lookin good ! ! !

[MuleKicker]

That sir is a piece of art. Oh, and nice recovery

[pumpman]

Very good SH. You have some mighty fine copper skills there and you catch on quikly. Remember read everything, be safe and you'll go far.

[Kentucky shinner]

great work man, I really like the the little bowl.. innovative thinking. Damn did I just use that big word,, where the hell did that come from .
Ks

[suburban hillbilly]

Thanks for all the nice comments guys.I will let you know how she fairs when I start my distilling.
All the best

[Samohon]

great work man, I really like the the little bowl.. innovative thinking. Damn did I just use that big word,, where the hell did that come from .
Ks

Your pickin it up from all the intellectual conversation goin on here at HD....

Man did I just use two big words consecutively.... There I go again.... Whats happenin to us...?:lol:

[LWTCS]

I just use two big words

The next progression would be to reference "Multi syllabic" when talking about the use of big words.

You fellers are getting so refined.

[suburban hillbilly]

cup of tea anyone

[sambo]

Nice save and good work, I'm about to do my first one also. Nice job.

GL

[Samohon]

I just use two big words

The next progression would be to reference "Multi syllabic" when talking about the use of big words.

You fellers are getting so refined.

[LWTCS]

cup of tea anyone

Delighted.

And please pass the Gray Poupon.


Please post your pics too Sambo.

[ScottishBoy]

+1 LWTCS, pumpman. Dont know how I missed that guy's, the old eyesight must be fading...

Anyway SH, you'll need to solder a reducer at the top of your alcometer chamber, then solder the overflow arm to the side of that...
There are many pictures of parrots here on HD, try this thread...http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=14016.

I guess I missed it too...but I cant blame it on eyesight...just figured he liked reading it the hard way..

I like the little bowl. Looks nice.

These big words seem to be cropping up. MM and OD and I would like to invite you all to a Mid-Afternoon discussion of Tertiary Quantum Dynamics and String Theory as it applies to Heterogeneous Vapor Behavior. It promises to be primordially stimulating...

...unless we start drinking

[pumpman]

primordially stimulating...

What did he say he wanted to stimulate?