My Flute Build "Windows to Heaven"

[prdbrissy]

G,day to all

This is my Flute build story.

Flute are the stills that "look good".I believe these things are an art form. They aren't just a piece of engineering they are a shiny metal sculpture and I'm sure they each have a personality of their own. This is very appealing to me. Hence the build.

I have built 2 SS column's in the past, both give perfect performance at stripping alcohol, but they are by their design just metal fabrications that have a function. They don't have the eye catching appeal of a Flute. They have no personality. You turn them on and they do their thing with little input.

I have no illusion that this built will test me.
It,s design is going to be a meld of all the builds I have read about here. I thank you all for the knowledge and providing the inspiration for me to have a go. In particular thanks to OD for bringing this type of still build to the hobby environment . I have some construction ideas of my own that I want to incorporate into "MY FLUTE", but I hope the end result will be a testament to those of you that have already built "Flutes". Please don't be offended if I pinch your idea's, it's really flattery.

I am not sure what Name I will give it. I have toyed with "Flute art" but I think "Windows to Heaven" might be nice ( because the plan is to have 3" sight glasses at each plate and in the boiler). I will have to give it some thought.

This is my existing setup. A modified 50lt SS wine barrel with 2300W of power. The column will produce about 9lt of 96% from 50lts of sugar wash.



The first thing I have to do is cut the column about 50mm up from the lid of the keg and rejoin it with a Tri-clover clamp.
This will allow me to swap column,s.
I will also fit a thermometer and sight glass in the boiler to test my sight glass idea out.

I will update this thread with photo's as I go

Regards

[Samohon]

Looking good prdbrissy...

Do you do your own welding on the SS... Have been toying with the idea of a Stainless 4" flute...

Thanks man, oh and welcome to HD...

[prdbrissy]

Looking good prdbrissy...

Do you do your own welding on the SS... Have been toying with the idea of a Stainless 4" flute...

Thanks man, oh and welcome to HD...

Yes I did do my own tig welding. It was a few years ago. My eyes could not handle it these days.

Regards

[prdbrissy]

G,day to all

I have started at the finish end so I could practice some soldering before the parts get too big.
Here is my new water cooled Parrot.
I can use this with my existing column or with the new Flute. The output from my existing column is about 30 deg C so I decided to water cool it to hopefully get more accurate % readings.




This is inside the water jacket before assembly.


This is the inner assembly.


Regards

[prdbrissy]

G,day to all

I have cut the column and fitted the Tri-clover clamp.
I have fitted my trial window to the boiler. It is a 72mm UV filter screw fitted to a modified piece of 3"tube. The filter will need to be sealed with flour paste. I think it's going to be a success. I'll let you know how it goes when I run the column in a week or so.
I have also fitted a thermometer.



Regards

[prdbrissy]

G'day guys
I have finally made some progress. I have really struggled with silver soldering, I just can't get enough heat. Soft soldering really does require gentle hand with the torch.
This is where I an up to. There is nothing pretty yet, but it is progress.

the dephlegamater read to assemble


The product condenser ready to assemble


The bits together


Regards

[prdbrissy]

Looks awesome I love it, any pics of your plate tree?

Want have a plate tree. The column will be modular as per condensificator's Bubblifier with the plates sandwiched between each column section. I have not started that yet.

Regards

[condensificator]

looks great! i'm going with a 3" shotty as well.

with the tri-clamp sandwich "plate holders," you can see the turned recess that will hold the plate on the top flange of each section in the pics i took for the tri-clamp sight glasses: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 3&start=15

[Samohon]

Love the shotguns prdbrissy, Nice build man...

Keep us posted...

[prdbrissy]

A couple of close up of the product condenser spout
It's a 3-2 reducer with the 2" bit cut off. The dome is hand made from sheet and the spout is a piece of 3/4 tube split on an angle and rejoined to a taper.




This is a rear view showing the water works. The 3/4 is only support, all the 1/2 is water.


Regards

[Prairiepiss]

I figured I should post the rest of my questions on your build thread.
I've taken interest in your build because you are going the same route I have chosen. You are just way ahead of me in the build. And it looks just like I had imagined it. Mine will be just a little different but very similar. On to the questions.

How long did you go with the vapor tubes I'm guessing they are 1/2" in the dephlagmater?
Same question on the product condenser?
How many plates and plate sections are you going for?
What length are you making your plate sections?
Are you goin perforated or bubble cap?
Have you worked out how you are going to do your down comers?
Sory for slamming you with all these questions.

[prdbrissy]

questions

How long did you go with the vapor tubes I'm guessing they are 1/2" in the dephlagmater?
9 X 3/4 dia 7 " long

Same question on the product condenser?
9 X 1/2 dia 14"long

How many plates and plate sections are you going for?
6 plates but because it is modular I can run any number or make more if required.

What length are you making your plate sections?
The plates will be 4" apart.

Are you goin perforated or bubble cap?
Perforated

Have you worked out how you are going to do your down comers?
Yes I will have the downcomer come through the plate then 90deg elbow to the center then 90deg elbow up so the liquid will drop into the center of the plate below.

Sory for slamming you with all these questions.
No problem I appreciate the interest.

Regards

[olddog]

My experience with dephlegmaters is that they don't need to be all that big, a 4-5"will work just fine and give full reflux if required.


OD

[Prairiepiss]

Thanks for the info prdbrissy. Like I said very similar.

I'm looking at 9 1/2" pipes 11" long for the condenser.
The dephlagmater I was thinking 12 1/2" pipes 5" long. But I like the 9 3/4" pipes idea. Olddog you say the 5" will work fine? 6" would be my absolute limit and 5 to 5.5 would give me a good buffer. I'm limited by the materials I'm working with.
I have decided on 4.5" between perforated plates.
My original thoughts for the down comers was the same as you. But I have been toying with the idea of upside-down bubble caps instead?

You have a very nice build going on here. And I am looking forward to the rest to come.

[olddog]

I currently have my Stumpy 2 bubble plate column with an internal shotgun condenser which is 4"deep and has 7 half inch tubes going through, the product condenser is 16"long and has 4 half inch tubes going through. Both condensers will knock down anything I throw at them, don't try to get over complex, it's not necessary.


OD

[Lawrenceburg Native]

Fantastic work prdbrissy. I am planning to do my first ever fine spirit run tomorrow with my 2" Bok column and am already trying to determine if I could build one of the Flutes. It would save lots of time apparently. With 2 young kids, a wife in school full time, and my other interests, it would be great to be able to run a Flute.

Thanks olddog and others for all your contributions.

[Kentucky shinner]

Great work..

[prdbrissy]

This is the start of my column. The 2" goes on top of the boiler. There will be 6 column sections with windows. I have made 2 plates for trial.
The flanges for the Tri clover clamps are not fitted yet.





Regards

[Prairiepiss]

Are those gona be 3" siteglasses?

[prdbrissy]

Are those gona be 3" siteglasses?

Yes same as the one I put in the boiler. There is a picture further back in this thread.
Regards

[Prairiepiss]

Are those gona be 3" siteglasses?

Yes same as the one I put in the boiler. There is a picture further back in this thread.
Regards

Ok I seen the pic but I didn't know that's what you were going to use in the column too. That should look real good. I like the j traps you made down to the little drip lip.

Side note I got me a boiler today. Half keg good shape for $20. Also got me a S/S 4" fitting I can weld in place of the 2" yesterday. Another freebe!!! I have just about all my materials collected. I just need to get off my butt and start building...

[prdbrissy]

Side note I got me a boiler today. Half keg good shape for $20. Also got me a S/S 4" fitting I can weld in place of the 2" yesterday. Another freebe!!! I have just about all my materials collected. I just need to get off my butt and start building...

Good luck with you build. Make sure there are lots of photo's along the way. We like photo's

Regards

[Samohon]

Your build is progressing nicely prdbrissy... Great stuff...

Did you join the 3" to the 4" for the sight window, if so, did you template the cut and are you using soft solder for this...?

Looking good man...

Thanks...

[prdbrissy]

Did you join the 3" to the 4" for the sight window, if so, did you template the cut and are you using soft solder for this...?

Yes I did. I will make a template to do the rest of the column pieces. They are hard silver soldered so I can soft solder the Tri clover clamp flanges on without this joint coming apart.

Regards

[LWTCS]

Really nice I think this is one of the top builds going on right now.

Certainly could not disagree with your assesment Rock.
This build will certainly provide for a really good service life at least.

Thanks for posting PB.

[prdbrissy]

OK we are nearly there.
This is it in it's shortest mode. One column section and two plates ( I have not made the rest yet) I can't wait I must give it a go.
You could say I am going to learn to play my flute one note at a time.
Tomorrow morning I will do a cleaning run and if time permits I have a sugar wash ready to go.

All the bits


assembled


Regards

[kenfyoozed]

Wow, Looks great. Let us know how she runs.

[Bull Rider]

Thanks for sharing, the disassembled view of all the pieces is great. That's a piece of art.


Bull.

[kerinin]

How are you attaching the viewport UV filters - did you machine the threading into the inside of the copper? I *love* that viewport detail - jealous jealous jealous.

[prdbrissy]

How are you attaching the viewport UV filters - did you machine the threading into the inside of the copper? I *love* that viewport detail - jealous jealous jealous.

Yes the end of the 3" tube was reduced in diameter and screw threaded on a lathe to fit the uv filter.
this photo shows the round form block used to reduce the dia of the end of the 3" tube.it also shows the blank 4" flanges ready for the lathe


Regards