Issue w/ my still?

[cpr05]

So I allowed my brother to put together my still, he's got experience in plumbing, HVAC, sodering etc. I got him all the materials he would need and solid diagrams(both drawings and a 1 on 1 of how it should go together) and sent him on his way.
I go to pick up the still a few days later and noticed that he "edited" or changed the design a bit.

I guess what he did was went and got a new fixture(I believe it's called a Threaded Adapter Fitting) that would allow him to have a different surface to attached the outlet pipe to the top of the still. So now I have about a half inch bolt protruding into the drum of my still and I'm just wondering how safe is that? Will it create any type of pressure issue? or as long as I keep it clear of product in the drum I'll be ok?

[Prairiepiss]

Your gona have to give us some pics. Or something so we have a better understanding of what your talking about. Can't think of any fittings that would use a bolt?

[cpr05]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_21840-137-CL604 ... facetInfo=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

that's the closest I think it comes, but I can keep checking. basically he put the threaded portion through the top and then put on a bolt..or nut? nut is it?

[Prairiepiss]

A nut. Ok that makes more since. What is the nut made of? Needs to be either copper or stainless. Brass could be used but may need to be treated. And what is being used to seal it?

[cpr05]

It's a copper fitting and he used solder? Not sure if there is more than 1 but I'm sure he would have used the proper kind.

I'd get a picture of it, but the computer I use has a virus that doesn't allow me to do anything except look at the internet browser...go figure.

[rad14701]

Get us a picture if you want help... Use someone else's computer... Otherwise you're simply wasting everyones time... That's the blunt honesty of it... We can't help you unless we have accurate details provided by a picture...

[Prairiepiss]

Ok so he soldered the female part to the lid. And you screw the male part into it? So you could take it off if you want too?. I don't see a problem with that. Many do it this way. You can use PTFE tape on those threads to seal it up. He will know what that is. Use the tape. Not the paste.

Edited was posting same time as Rad. And yes I would feel better if we could see a pic so we could confirm that its safe.

[cpr05]

I'm not truely worried about it being there if it's not a safety issue.

the best visualization I can give is take a 2 liter soda cap and a lid to say...the pot u might make spaghetti in(mind you it's a 20 qt drum that i have) and ask your self "If this little bugger was sticking into my still, would I still run my still?" why or why not?

If that doesn't help your you still really want the pics I can figure out a way to post them and have them up in like 2 hours

[Prairiepiss]

That just made it worse? Yes pics please.

And now I have another question. What kind of drum are you talking about? What is it made of? What did it hold?

[cpr05]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Granite-Ware- ... d/17165786" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

That is it. went to walmart and got it. Plan is/was to have it clamped down with 8-10 clamps and a water/flour paste to help seal it. There's a 3ft long 1/2 copper pipe attached to a 10ft 3/8 copper worm coil. All the attached pieces are soldered together so it's 1 system. No gauges or thermometers just the pot and piping.
The plan still, was to run it later today, but that nut has me worried there might be too much pressure, even if I only put like...15-16 quarts in.

[Prairiepiss]

I'm sory but you have a lot of research to do.

That is not a suitable boiler. Copper or stainless steel are suitable for making a still. That ceramic coated steal pot will rust on you. The point where you drilled the hole has now chipped the coating off and made an entry point for rust.

The still should not build pressure. At all. 1/2" and 3/8" should be fine. Not real sure why you think it would build pressure?

And you should only fill your boiler with 1/2 to 3/4 full. Depending on the wash. Some foam more then others. So they should be kept to 1/2 charge. So it won't puke on you.

[Soggy Bottom Boy]

Did he use lead-free solder?

[cpr05]

that is the nut that is sticking through the top into the pot.
Like I said it's about the size of a plastic soda bottle cap.

[rad14701]

I would no drink anything distilled using granitware/speckleware... There is zero guarantee that it can hold up to high temperature high proof alcohol in vapor and liquid form... The alcohols in the boiler can be very caustic against that very thin and unevenly coated metal pot...

[Usge]

That pot will rust straight away. Your brother was trying to help by using a NPT threaded fitting to attach your pipe to the lid. But, in fact...those kind of unions will leak if you use them a lot.

a better way to go if you want to remove it is a "threaded union" fitting. They can be found in copper...and look like this:

union.jpg (6.11 KiB) Viewed 906 times

This one will not leak and can be taken apart and tightened back over and over without leaking.

[cpr05]

tbh, I kinda figured all this, but it cost me a total of 30$ to put together, and i wanted a few runs to really test this out. Once I got a good hang of it, it was on to copper and stainless steel pot, which I was hoping I'd get going around march.
So as long as it was fine for 3 months and 5 or 6 runs I'm total ok w/ it falling apart in the spring.