Old Copper water heater, ideas?

[Stillbilly]

Returned from my parents old barn in search of the pot still I was building 25 yrs ago.
Heard these were rare so I did some digging. I found it which is remarkable, if you saw how much Stuff is in there.. looks like a hoarding episode.. Found the pig but could not find the copper top I was building. I originally found this while hunting with my buddy. It was in the woods where an old farmer had his dumping grounds.
Did some searching and think it's from the 40's or 50's. Could be made by the Ruuds Co and the metal might be monel which is a copper/nickel blend but the color looks more copper.

I'm still building a vm still so this project will have to wait a while.. hmm..

7" opening, overall aprox 21" W x 27" tall. around 30 - 35 gal. (120 Ltr)
If you know more about it or have any pot still ideas using this shape, please let me know.
(I will have to test it for lead)

[Prairiepiss]

Looks like a good boiler for any kind of still you want to put on it. Just make a lid with a triclamp Ferrule on it and go to town. I would kill to find somethin like that in the woods.

[Stillbilly]

yea, I looked around and a 7" triclamp is not easy to find and I'm sure it will be pricey. It would be nice to hammer out a tapered neck.. time will tell.

[Ayay]

Try the flea markets for some stainless pot lids. There will be one somewhere that fits nice and tight in the hole. Need to add a clamping device and flour paste.

Then consider keeping the central hole as purely a loading/emptying/cleaning port and attach the column behind it. I find it more convenient to leave the column attached for months at a time while using another port for regular opening and closing.

[Stillbilly]

Try the flea markets for some stainless pot lids. There will be one somewhere that fits nice and tight in the hole. Need to add a clamping device and flour paste.

Then consider keeping the central hole as purely a loading/emptying/cleaning port and attach the column behind it. I find it more convenient to leave the column attached for months at a time while using another port for regular opening and closing.

Thanks Ayay,
I thought the top center hole should hold the column and did not consider making it a dedicated access hole. that's a good idea. Not sure if it would mess up it's over all look though. that depends on the eye of the holder..

With this old school look I think a thumper and worm would be in order. (unless it cuts down throughput too much..?)

[007sniper]

you should have went & played the lottery the day you found that gem!!!!!!!!!!!!!! boy the ideas runnin thru my head..... cut it in half on the seam. roll a copper sheet about 20" tall to the diameter of the pot. add it to the middle, solder it all back together. and gain 10 extra gallons!! like you said hammer out a tapered cap to 6 7/8" at the small end, just so it slips inside the hole. take 1/8" copper rod. bend 3 eyes, solder them to the top of the cap (the big end) at the location of the tabs that are all ready on the pot. then you can use the small alumn. turn buckles to hold it down during the run. probably will seal great it you do it right and tighten them each one a lil at a time. good luck! hope to see a pic of it when your done?!!

SNIPER

[spmachine]

Its worth a small fortune at the scrap yard for gods sake.

[Stillbilly]

you should have went & played the lottery the day you found that gem!!!!!!!!!!!!!! boy the ideas runnin thru my head..... cut it in half on the seam. roll a copper sheet about 20" tall to the diameter of the pot. add it to the middle, solder it all back together. and gain 10 extra gallons!! like you said hammer out a tapered cap to 6 7/8" at the small end, just so it slips inside the hole. take 1/8" copper rod. bend 3 eyes, solder them to the top of the cap (the big end) at the location of the tabs that are all ready on the pot. then you can use the small alumn. turn buckles to hold it down during the run. probably will seal great it you do it right and tighten them each one a lil at a time. good luck! hope to see a pic of it when your done?!!

SNIPER

Thanks Sniper,
Not sure I want to stretch the pig out but having more volume would be nice. looks like the boiler is the easy part, getting the head done will eat up some time.. She's kinda ugly in a pretty way. wish I had more time (don't we all).
I just finished my vm colum still and am very happy with the spirits (thank you Rad, and many others!) It ate up LOTS of my free time studying, building and fermenting. My wife is not real thrilled with my newest OCD.. Life needs to be in balance and she helps in that area. So.. speaking of balance, I think some rum would be in order to even out my vodka, ha.
Could make it look like something out of the Jetson's tho. A fat 4 legged rocket.
Will have to wait, need to do some ice fishing..

[Stillbilly]

If I scrap it Southpaw, I'm truly in dire straits!

[Rod]

would they allow it in Alcatraz

[Stillbilly]

would they allow it in Alcatraz

Nice Rod! your the first to crack the code...
So many rooms here. My still runs in the SW corner, D Cell-Block.
Stop by if your in the area..

[Rod]

A fair distance from Long Bay

[007sniper]

well if momma wont let you out to play anymore...... and you want to get rid of it to someone who will put it to good use? let me know what you want for it????

and catch some perch for me!! Mmmm mmmm

[Stillbilly]

Might be tough to sell, but If I do I'll let you know..
Been a strange winter. Finally have some ice (only 3.5") and found a short hour with my vexlar. Can't wait to sip on some rum and pull up the perch..

[emptyglass]

If your serious, that is to say, if your better half lets you,,,

You're going to have to get back to standard sizes, 6", 4", 3", 2" 1.5", 1.25" 1", and so on....7" is a "nothing" size. You wont buy 7" tube, unless you get it made.

A 6" peice of copper tube should flare out to 7" without too much trouble. It would solder to the top of that rocket just nice, add a wire ring to the joint for strength. Then use a 6" triclover flange, this would give great access for cleaning and attach it to the 6" copper.

Then just adapt it down as you wish, attach whatever head you wish.

If it is monel, you would have a good job hammering a taper

[007sniper]

do we have to pay the fee for the tour if we come visit? took me a minute to figure it out... thought i was slipping?

[Stillbilly]

Ha, the admission is free. As Don Henley and Glenn Frey wrote,
Relax, We are programmed to receive. You can check-out any time you like, But you can never leave..

at least I have some shine to share..

[King Of Hearts]

It looks like one of those metal balls they were finding and thought were something alien and fell from the sky. They finaly figured out they were satellite fuel tanks. Good luck with that.

[Stillbilly]

It looks like one of those metal balls they were finding and thought were something alien and fell from the sky. They finaly figured out they were satellite fuel tanks. Good luck with that.

Wow, I did not realize what I had sitting in my basement.. That explains why my Lab would stop, stare and aggressively bark at the thing.. He knows this meat ball doesn't jive with his mojo..
http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-t ... 6228983568" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
I do think aliens knew how to make killer Rum! Dipping close to earth in search of sugarcane.. Likely during the days B4 stilling n flying were illegal.

Thanks K.O.H.

[007sniper]

ever do anything with the H20 heater?

[Stillbilly]

Hey Sniper, been a while, hope u r doing well.
I am constantly walking past it in my basement. Been so busy ... Who isn't. Much time making washes and running my vm still, finally can make a descent sugar head and friends n family are quite happy.
It just comes down to time. I hope to start on this during the fall. I have put together a corn grain mill and look forward to making ujssm.
So what's going on, been making any good shine lately?

[MuleKicker]

Its worth a small fortune at the scrap yard for gods sake.

Watch yer damn mouth sir. Keep that son of a bitch as far away from the scrap yard as possible. I would kill for a kettle like that.

[007sniper]

Hey Stillbilly,
been doing my thing again.... after a move and complete dismantle and set up.... comes with a few mods! But back in the game now. Havent been on here much!
So what ever came of the old copper H2O heater?? Got any pics?
Sniper

[Stillbilly]

Hey Sniper,
Funny, our replys are quick, takes us 9 months to complete our thoughts.. I have not been on here much either, obviously.
No pics, the barrel sits in the basement, at least it's not in the barn anymore.. No update on that, been using my reflux with good results. Cleaning it up now to make another run so I have some to share around the holidays. What type of set up you running? new mods?

Stillbilly,

[007sniper]

Hey Stillbilly
you still around??? been a long time for me? just found my password!

[Jr-dist]

A guy posted a link on here of tri clamp lids for fermintation tanks. Pretty nice and there is several sizes on ebay. They have view ports and such. They are $300 to $400 bucks thou.

[Stillbilly]

Hey Stillbilly
you still around??? been a long time for me? just found my password!

Yo Sniper! I am still around and kicken. It has been 9 years since I logged into here crazy how time flys..
I was gonna give up stilling but a friend really missed my hooch so i blew the dust off my old column still and mixed up a sugar wash.
The water heater still is collecting dust until i can pick up a welder to build it.
I probably should start a new thread and let this one go.
So you still stilling?

Peace,

[Archee72]

Like your location Stillbilly

[shadylane]

the metal might be monel which is a copper/nickel blend but the color looks more copper.

Clean up a spot and see if it will easily take solder.

[Stillbilly]

Good point Shady.

Go Lions