Need help with pot still

[WalkingWolf]

Yup... I got the same cheapo pot.
Gotta look for one of those 7.5gal brazier pots!
A more reasonable size.
Anyone got a source?
exon

This is the pot I bought. http://www.katom.com/370-SBR30.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[exon]

Tnx WW.

A beautiful cooking utensil, indeed!
...I'd have to float a bank loan to get that.
Will need to wait until I can get a pony keg for $25.
exon

[blanikdog]

... Had to do some adjustments on the lid, but got it sealed tight. ...

Did you seal it with flour past, ryan?

[The Baker]

I've just started using a worm condenser for my pot still so am no expert;

(I'm making a few alterations to the way the coil is fixed to be certain it runs downward all the way.
Which is not as bloody easy as it might sound, though a lot of that is due to my inexperience and clumsiness!)

BUT, I would never think of using a coil with only 3/8 diameter; I am sure that will be the limiting factor in the throughput you can achieve.
If that is the material you need to use for your coil, would it be worth while to cut it in half and run a double coil half as long?
It will be interesting to see what others say but several have spoken in this thread of the limiting effect of too small a tube.
Though I am not too sure whether they were talking of the coil
(I think blanik posted a message previously about how good a bigger coil is)
or maybe just the column.
Anyway good luck.

(Mine is 3/4 diameter, which is probably bigger than usual, and over 20 feet long, but I have a three-ring burner and want to distill a greater quantity in less time, less often.)

[blanikdog]

Mine is a keg with an piece of 2' copper pipe about 8" - 10" long with a 90 degree elbow at the top. It is a neat fit into the kettle and and sealed with simple flour paste to make life easy and uncomplicated. I made a lyne arm from copper sheet tapering from 2" down to 3/4" and fitted with a compression fitting to secure the coil which sits in a 20litre bucket with water entering the bottom and what little that exits coms out the top. No ice,, no thermometer, no maths, no science and no complications, again. The whole shebang is matched with a parrot.

Prior to lhis I had a 3/8" coil which was as useful as a large pinch of billy goat shit. The 3/4" coil reduced stilling time by several hours.



I haven't had much input into in this thread unless it was related to safety, as Ryan kept asking questions that could be easily answered by reading the forum. God, Allah, Jehovah or whoever helps those who help themselves, same in here and, more importantly, self help is a more solid learning experience.

The way this forum is expanding it will have 10,000 members by the end of 2011 and these people can't all expect to be spoonfed . We all have to try to reduce what will become a rather heavy load for those who already do a hellova good job, and I'm not talking about admin, mods and mentors. I'm talking about the folk who just answer stuff and make a real effort to contribute.

Stay Safe

Edit: forgot to mention that the lyne arm is fifteen degrees down from the elbow.

[myles]

On the issue of double coils - yes you can run parallel coils BUT each leg still wants to be about 20' long.

In some respects a double coil of 3/8" would be better than a single coil of the same cross sectional area as the two 3/8" tubes. The wall thickness will be smaller(probably) and the total surface area is greater.

Getting the coils to run true is easy enough if you use physical spacers between the coils to maintain the pitch angle.

[RyanP]

... Had to do some adjustments on the lid, but got it sealed tight. ...

Did you seal it with flour past, ryan?

No paste, used binder clips.

As for the ones who have been on me about not searching for the topics ive asked about, sorry. I guess after so long a forum needs to remove the submit button.

[blanikdog]

No flour paste. And it isn't leaking. How do you know? Ahhhh, you used a candle.

That's it from me Ryan. You have no idea or you just don't listen, or you don't care. I hope that when the explosion occurs you will be alone.

[RyanP]

No flour paste. And it isn't leaking. How do you know? Ahhhh, you used a candle.

That's it from me Ryan. You have no idea or you just don't listen, or you don't care. I hope that when the explosion occurs you will be alone.

Wow! really? Why would you wish harm on someone? Im pretty sure that a simple binder clip would give way before a stainless still pot explodes.

[Mud Mechanik]

Blanik is referring to all of the advice that has come your way and yet you post a comment about not sealing the lid on a boiler. The binder clips will be the weak link in the event of an explosion but if there is no vapor leaking from the lid (if is were sealed), the chance of one happening is reduced to nearly nothing. I'm sure you have picked up on it by now if you have been reading, safety is stressed here more than distilling.

[goose eye]

some likker burns clear

so im tole

[exon]

There is a definite, and specific reason why safety is a primary concern with this subject matter.
My friend, pictured here, did not know the extent of the alcohol fire as it first occurred.
He actually compounded the bad effects when it happened.
The healing process was very long, and extremely painful.
Best to be cautious.
exon

[RyanP]

I completely and totally understand the safety factor in this hobby. I work as a lineman for a utility company so safety is one of our main priorities. I just dont understand how flour and water is any different from 40 binder clips around the top of the pot?

[goose eye]

you fixin to make the evenin news you keep checkin likker leaks with fire

so im tole

[Coyote]

Just a thought on your design

If it was me I would use a 45 fitting at the top of each vertical tower
rather than a 90, then bring the 2 towers together with another pair of
45's then a 3/4 x 3/4 x 1" tee 1" pointed straight up and then you could add whatever
height in 1" you desired before you head for your condenser
Personally I would put a union in where your 2 towers come together
for ease of cleaning/ storage/ and you then can change heads and go to a
slant plate style head if you desire.

Just my 50 cents worth

Coyote

[LWTCS]

Binder clips to hold your cap into position. Flour paste to create the good (and safe) seal.

[RyanP]

Just a thought on your design

If it was me I would use a 45 fitting at the top of each vertical tower
rather than a 90, then bring the 2 towers together with another pair of
45's then a 3/4 x 3/4 x 1" tee 1" pointed straight up and then you could add whatever
height in 1" you desired before you head for your condenser
Personally I would put a union in where your 2 towers come together
for ease of cleaning/ storage/ and you then can change heads and go to a
slant plate style head if you desire.

Just my 50 cents worth

Coyote

Thanks for the helpful info, but this little setup was kind of a trial setup. We're looking at gettin a keg at the moment for a larger setup.

[Mud Mechanik]

The keg is a smart move Ryan, a triclover clamp and your safely in business.

[rad14701]

RyanP, I'll say my piece and then we'll move on from the subject...

As mentioned, the binder clips "anchor" the lid, but they don't "seal" the joint from leaking invisible alcohol vapor... The extra time it takes to mix up and apply flour paste is added insurance for you, not for us...

The members here aren't going to stand by and let anyone, like new members who may read this topic in the future, come to the conclusion that their boiler lid doesn't require a positive seal, whether flour paste or some other acceptable seal... Someone getting injured or killed in the course of participating in home distillation could be a major hindrance to our efforts to decriminalize the hobby...

Learn from those willing to teach and don't cast haphazard doubts, thinking that you know better than centuries of real life experience... You are, after all, the novice who has come here to learn...

Now, let's leave this issue behind us and move on... There is little if anything to be gained form further beating of this dead horse... Any additional debate would be better served if done via PM, and I welcome you to PM me directly if you have further comments on this subject, RyanP...

NUFF SAID... Carry on...

[gravityflux]

Here's a link to a still head / stripper head that I just built. I wanted the condenser to be able to handle a lot of output so I built it 40" long. I also wanted the rig to be compact and rigid so I made it with all 90 degree angles and tied the lower sections together. I do my beer stripping runs by the numbers so I set up a thermometer connection at the top of the vapor column. You can see details of how I did that in the photos in the attached link.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 27&t=19691

[blanikdog]

I completely and totally understand the safety factor in this hobby. I work as a lineman for a utility company so safety is one of our main priorities. I just dont understand how flour and water is any different from 40 binder clips around the top of the pot?

If that photo isn't enough to get through to both the operating neurones within your skull Ryan, what can we do. You're a fool Ryan probably a yungin at that. I would like to see you banned, and sent to another site to discredit,

The keg is a smart move Ryan, a triclover clamp and your safely in business.

[Austin Nichols]

Hey Blanik,

The happy pills are the pink ones, did you forget to take today's ?



I will get back under my rock now

[RyanP]

I completely and totally understand the safety factor in this hobby. I work as a lineman for a utility company so safety is one of our main priorities. I just dont understand how flour and water is any different from 40 binder clips around the top of the pot?

If that photo isn't enough to get through to both the operating neurones within your skull Ryan, what can we do. You're a fool Ryan probably a yungin at that. I would like to see you banned, and sent to another site to discredit,

The keg is a smart move Ryan, a triclover clamp and your safely in business.

No once have I "discredited" this site at all. Not once have a disagreed with any suggestion that everyone has given me. Im new to this and just would like answers to certain things. Insulting a person for wanting to learn and better knowledge themselves in a subject would be considered to me "a yungin at that."

[The Baker]

You know those bottles with the swing-over tops?
With the stopper fixed in a wire frame?
Well, the stopper in the wire frame is your lid with its clamps.

But the stopper by itself won't seal tight to hold the liquid in, will it? Tip it upside down and it will leak; add any pressure at all and it will leak for sure.
Nor will your lid with the clamps seal securely.

There is a rubber (whatever) seal between the bottle and the stopper.
The ring of paste/dough (which I prefer) is the SEAL between the lid and the pot.

Trust us, it works.

[exon]

NEVER in my life have I heard of a grolsch bottle used as an example for some other thing.

...and a great explanation it was !
exon

[rubber duck]

You didn't really check for leaks with a candle did you?

[The Baker]

NEVER in my life have I heard of a grolsch bottle used as an example for some other thing.

...and a great explanation it was !
exon

Thanks, ex, made my day.

[thatoneguy]

edit : note: im not posting this cause this ryans chat but im not gonna find a better quote to ask my question under so i am borrow it and taking it to my welcome chat
(That One Chat ) Its about possibility (not prefferability) of using very thin copper condenser strait from a super safe pot. Id like some input but this seems to be centered around ryan and i dont wana go off topic

[thatoneguy]

No flour paste. And it isn't leaking. How do you know?

Im pretty sure that a simple binder clip would give way before a stainless still pot explodes.

if they did go it seems like itd be pretty violent though . but you can do a crazy hot water distilling run - it will get more pressure than the alcohol run <( pretty positive of this but correct me if i'm wrong) and you can visibly see the steam escaping from any leak (its a frustrating sight when it does) I thought i saw that you said you did that earlire but im not sure and its alot of posts to read through again to check if you didn't do Im definatly no expert (never ran one run)but i know seeing water vaper is much better than ethanol i'd never run a new still without distilling some water but like i said im no expert i just had two cents to throw in on safely testing your pot still
* edit:this would be after you turned it upside down and no water came out ,if water did come out I don't think the vapor would even bother entering your condenser!!!*

another thing i was wondering how adding to an existing topic makes it hard for us to search (not arguing just wondering) ? no matter how long it is it will still show up as one topic on the search results right ? it seems to me starting new topics would have a far greater impact. am i missing something here? ???

im very sorry if i am polluting the site somehow
its not often I have safty advice THIS community hasn't mentioned !!!,
and I dont often dont understand concepts and Im really curious if i am wrong and how ???