square instead of round???

[Ridgerunnr]

I have access to a lot of stainless in square sheets..is there an advantage to round stills?
Or can a guy use a sheets to weld a square one that works effectively???

[F6Hawk]

From an engineering standpoint, I could see more efficient heating and liquid movement with round or cylindrical over square. I'd imagine some liquid could get "stuck" in the square corners (though I doubt this would be severe enough to be a concern; hot water will rise, and cause a recirculating flow that should pull the water out of the corners). And if your square or rectangle were small enough so that the burner got the corners hot, it shouldn't matter.

Round is also stronger than square, but with no pressure other than liquid weight, shouldn't be an issue. Actually, and egg-shape is THE strongest one. Think about a steam locomotive - a cylinder.

Also, a square boiler may flex and move more than a cylinder or a keg. Over time, this will work-harden the metal, though I doubt in this hobby it will matter. Unless you're 12 now, and plan to be using the still when you're 95.

But there are a few boiler manufacturers which made square ones over the years, such as Derr and Winslow (for steam-powered cars).

[mash rookie]

There is nothing wrong with square! I threw the topic out there a couple of years ago just to stir up trouble. Building square has been on my list for a long time just to show that you can think outside a circle.

[ipee7ABV]

only problem i can see would be cleaning

[oliver90owner]

Minimum circumerence for a given area is a circle, so for minimum surface area a given volume would be a sphere (cylinders are more practical than spheres, but better than boxes) so there is a heating loss for square and a weight penalty for a given size. Circular pipework is better for laminar flow and lower heat exchange, also easier to drill/cut circular holes in walls etc, as well as in sheet (unless large holes). The last point is that for minimum depth of liquid (burning?), a cylinder (and even better, a spherical bottom) is better than square.

[goose eye]

Round some places they called coffin or groundhog outfits.
you chargein beer an ain't got a defuser an ain't strain it clean you'll be finding out easy off oven cleaner is a lie. If you got a as outfit cook it off. If you got copper you wont be doin it much moren once


So im tole