New Take on a Great Design... ODs Magic Flute - Mark 2...

[condensificator]

looking GREAT!

what i'd be really interested to see is some more construction/progress pics of the inner-works.

kill it.

[Samohon]

Looking good OD, I like shiny things...

Just started my build condensificator, I'll be posting everything I build, stay tuned man...

[olddog]

Yes I have just cleaned up the copper etc, it should look great when it gets a proper polish.


OD

[Kentucky shinner]

And who said Old Dogs cant learn new tricks.. She looks very very nice OD.... Great work on a great design

[Oxbo Rene]

Awesome ! ! !

[HookLine]

Very nice.

[Prairiepiss]

Lookin good OD. Can't wait to hear how she plays.

[Usge]

Wow OD. Looks great.

[Rum Bum]

This is something to be proud of! You killed it.
RB

[Samohon]

Not had a chance to update any drawings atm, I'm currently busy with my own build...
The first thing I had to do was prepare my workspace as I dont have a tooled up workshop.
I made my VM/Bok and Pot Still in my garage, but this build called for a bench and vice, so it should be interesting...

I'll document everything I build for the flute with lots and lots of piccies, just bear with me a little longer,
dont have the same metal-skills or tools OD/KS and others have, only the inspiration all the flute builders have given me...
Theory is one thing and its great to have it, but sometimes all that theory needs to be put into practice... I'm on it and feeling very confident...
I've covered all the angles and left nothing to chance...
Thanks guy's

Have not hit any major snags yet, but I have been taking lots of notes and piccies...

and so it continues...

[olddog]

I am happy to give you all the help you want, just pm me.


OD

[Samohon]

Thanks OD, thats good to know, alls well atm man...

[Usge]

Well, this weekend was a bust. Tried to work on plates. Had a couple different ideas on how to make them. But, I just could not get them even enough to fit well. And by the time I got them to fit..they were too loose/gappy. Tried spinning it on a drill and using file (drill just wasn't stable enough...it wobbled..leaving low spots). Tried just cutting one by hand (shears from Harbor Freight...really suck) and then filing it. Was even worse. So, I gave up and thought just to continue progress I'd make the other downcomer by cutting it and filing it out by hand. I ended up off with my cut and short on the width at the top (no good). So, I have nothing to show for my weekend. But, I'll keep at it. Next on the list for cutting plates...is to see if I can figure out a way to use my dremel circle cutting tool on some unrolled copper tube/plate. Also...note to self...need new shears that actually cut instead of just bending.

[olddog]

Also...note to self...need new shears that actually cut instead of just bending.

Get yourself a set of aviation snips, you can get them to cut straight or curve, they are not all that expensive, they make things a lot easier.


OD

[squidd]

Well, this weekend was a bust. Tried to work on plates. Had a couple different ideas on how to make them. But, I just could not get them even enough to fit well. And by the time I got them to fit..they were too loose/gappy. Tried spinning it on a drill and using file (drill just wasn't stable enough...it wobbled..leaving low spots). Tried just cutting one by hand (shears from Harbor Freight...really suck) and then filing it. Was even worse. So, I gave up and thought just to continue progress I'd make the other downcomer by cutting it and filing it out by hand. I ended up off with my cut and short on the width at the top (no good). So, I have nothing to show for my weekend. But, I'll keep at it. Next on the list for cutting plates...is to see if I can figure out a way to use my dremel circle cutting tool on some unrolled copper tube/plate. Also...note to self...need new shears that actually cut instead of just bending.

Hey Usge,

A bi-metal hole saw in the drill press has worked really well for me.

It's never the correct size for an exact fit of course, but if you get a saw that gives you slightly oversized blanks, send them to me and I'll turn them on the lathe for you. No charge.

squidd

[guittarmaster]

usage,

I ran into similar issues working on my perforated plates. I ended up cutting them about 1/8th or 1/16th larger than needed. I then ended up soldering them all together like a stack of 2" coper pancakes, alternating the "points" in such a way that the balanced out. I then soldered a piece of 1/4 copper tubbing to the middle (which took several tries to get it as close as I wanted) and then spun the whole lot against some sand paper untill it worked. this was really slow and took half the day but was sort of worth it as most of them were fitting so tightl they could stand in the 2" on their own.

GM

[olddog]

Don't bother soldering them together for sanding down to size, just get a 1/4"nut and bolt and washers and tightly bolt them together, then put the shaft of your bolt in the chuck of the drill press or lathe and using a file, trim to size.



OD

[Usge]

Thanks for all the great advice/ideas. I got a bit for my drill that's for those 4" sanding/cutting discs. It's got a chuck and screw/washers to hold the discs on. I trimmed the disc best I could with my snips (they are aviation snips from Harbor Freight and they suck — they "bend" instead of cutting), then drilled a hole and mounted them on the drill bit. It "wobbled" back and forth as it spun. The drill itself has play in the head. (ie...it's not a drill press). I mounted the drill in a vise to try and hold it steady...then pushed a file up to it. It "worked" in the sense that it worked. But, it didn't work in the sense that it didn't round out the disc and the bit kept coming loose. (another reminder about buying shitty tools).

I could see how a drill press would probably work with the same idea as it would be more stable.

I really appreciate the offer to turn the discs!!! I'm going to keep trying to figure this out for myself...but I really appreciate the offer!

[Kentucky shinner]

what some of the pros do is they have there still with say 15 plates and they will use all plates for high abv neutral but they might also want something with less abv and more flavor so they will also have it set up so they can pull off say the 9th plate or what ever plate they have figured gives them what they want.. so yes in the end they really know what they need and they have payed good money for it..

so what is going on in this topic is we are trying to achieve/create what the pros have with minimal cost

who are the pros you speak off apollo?

[Samohon]

OK, Ive been busy, but before I post anything up lemme show you what I found in a garage sale yesterday...

The guy was an engineer with BP and had this thermometer lying in a box... I got it for £3.00 ($4.00US), I'm well pleased...
The thermo-probe is 6" long and ½" in diameter and made of copper. It fits snuggly into a piece of ½" copper pipe. Now I'm thinking its a solid piece of copper..? Am I correct..? Could I cut the probe to say 3" and use it on my build..?

The stem radius leading to the dial is made from brass... I tested the thermo with boiling water and it read correctly, I then plunged the probe into Ice cold water and it read correctly against a laboratory glass thermometer...

Guess I'll use this for the build, what do you think guy's..?

[Samohon]

Thought I would start with the parrot to brush up on my copper-smithing and soldering skills.

The Parrot

The atmosphere port has still to be installed above the liquid level and the take-off port from my copper beaten bowl..
I think she'll do for the flute, but recommendations are welcome...

More to follow...

[Barney Fife]

I suspect the thermometer tube you want to cut is a capillary tube; if you cut it, you'll ruin the thermometer. Find a way to use it as-is.

Nice find!

[apollopimp]

what some of the pros do is they have there still with say 15 plates and they will use all plates for high abv neutral but they might also want something with less abv and more flavor so they will also have it set up so they can pull off say the 9th plate or what ever plate they have figured gives them what they want.. so yes in the end they really know what they need and they have payed good money for it..

so what is going on in this topic is we are trying to achieve/create what the pros have with minimal cost

who are the pros you speak off apollo?

go watch some of the videos on youtube of distilleries. there is also a whole series on distilling on there also. lot of good stuff there

[Usge]

Nice work there Sam! I love the copper bowl. I assume you are going to be fitting a nose/drain/run-off somewhere on that bowl?

[Prairiepiss]

Yes nice work on the Parrot Sam. And nice find on the thermo. +1 on use it as is. I'm sure its some sort of heatpipe system. That you don't want to disturb.

[Samohon]

Yeah, the parrot still needs a nose port and an atmosphere port Usge, I'll get them later...
Shaped the bowl from an old tow-bar, then when I had the shape the way I wanted, I sanded it really well...

Thanks for the info on the thermo. It fits really snugly into 15mm Pipe, so I'll probably install a piece of 15mm as a thermo well covering the whole 6"...
We'll see how it goes... Waiting on a couple of hole saws coming, I'll keep yall posted...

Thanks guys...

[olddog]

Looking good Samohon, the fun starts when you get into the big stuff.



OD

[olddog]

Well I managed to get the cooling system plumbing installed yesterday, and today I made the final copper piece, the parrot, all I have to do now is to cut the teflon seals and glass discs for the sight glasses.

All I have to do then is a test run for the cooling system, a cleaning run, then if all is OK, it will get a good polish and laquer to retain the finish.



OD

[Samohon]

Looking great OD, cant wait for the results from your first run...

I'm a bit slow working with the material but seem to have gained a lot of confidence to build this... Maybe all the weeks brainstorming...
My hands hurt like hell, not used to all this manual stuff, but I'll get there... Learned that gloves, glasses, ear protection is a must when working with metal...
You would need to be not to wear any...

So, you will be able to direct condensate from one plate to another with the 3 way.?

Thank for giving us a look, as always, A1 mate...

[Samohon]

Here's what I've done to the shotgun so far... I'm taking plenty of photos as I want to put a tutorial together for the Reading Lounge, but I'll post everything here first...

Marking 4" and Cutting...

Marking out..

Heres the waste I had to cut for the shotgun to fit...
I used this formula:
X = OD of 4" X pi
Y = ID of 4" X pi
Z = X - Y - 3mm (3mm = twice wall thickness). Round up...
Fits like a glove, very happy...

Marking and Cutting waste fo ID...

Here Iam cutting the waste from the shotgun casing and wrapping hose clamps onto the pipe to bring it together...
Using a propane torch, I will heat it upto 250°C - 300°C, this will cause the copper to keep its shape...
Then I'll remove the hose clamps, clean, flux and silver solder...

Briging the edges together for waterchamber...

Now the plates, dont have a press/bench drill, but I have an Idea..

Cant wait to get to my little workshop/shed after work, friggin loving working with this stuff...
I will probably do all the silver soldering together..

Tip from a steam model maker, make a small heat pocket from firebricks, warm it up with some propane,
then switch to mapp and do all silver soldering at once... This guy hard solders stainless and copper all the time...

The Highland Flute is underway... I'll keep yall posted...