Design question; 15.5 keg still

[blackout87]

Well, I just got my 15.5 gallon keg over the weekend, got it for a great price. I took the valve out, very easy.

I have been thinking of my pot still design for awhile now and I have decided to NOT add a thumper. I want to keep my still simple and focus on doing my cuts and making my ferments. The thumper will be added down the road, there's always time. I figure this would be the best start, a basic still to get my feet wet.

So now, on to my question.

I already have the 15.5 gallon keg.
I want a 1/2" 20' worm

From the keg, I want to use a 2" tri-clamp fitting.
I found a fitting that is 2" tri-clamp going to a 1/2" female npt. From there, I would add my copper to the worm.
Would this be OK?

OR

Should I go bigger from 2" then slowly go down to 1/2".

I plan to seal the tri-clamp with flour paste and of course the clamp. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks

[acfixer69]

I would use a teflon tri-clamp gasket and shave one side and get past the flour paste. That would be a pita to fix during a run.

AC

[blackout87]

I would use a teflon tri-clamp gasket and shave one side and get past the flour paste. That would be a pita to fix during a run.

AC

Thanks for the input. What about the 2" tri clamp fitting to 1/2" female NPT?

[pfshine]

I would start out bigger in case of a puke.

[Halfbaked]

blackout where did you find that 2in tc to 1/2 mpt? If you can use a factory seal I would use it over flour. You can find a seal for as low as 35 cents ea

[Prairiepiss]

Go find Samohon's pot still plans. You can find those plans it the plans and diagrams thread. That can be found in the must read new distiller reading lounge.

[blackout87]

Go find Samohon's pot still plans. You can find those plans it the plans and diagrams thread. That can be found in the must read new distiller reading lounge.

I have seen it and I have read many post on keg stills. But if we all walk the same line as every person on this forum, then we gain only what the previous person discovered. I am making my still, not following in anyones footsteps. Now every plan does cross paths with others, but this design will be mine.

I was asking a basic question if this 2" tri-clamp connection to 1/2? female npt will work with maybe a few tips.

[blackout87]

I would start out bigger in case of a puke.

Yeah, I was worried about puking myself. I probadly will go bigger or at least make a very short (few inches) column to move away from the keg slighty and then start my move down to 1/2". Thanks for the input

[blackout87]

blackout where did you find that 2in tc to 1/2 mpt? If you can use a factory seal I would use it over flour. You can find a seal for as low as 35 cents ea

http://www.brewershardware.com/Tri-Clov ... -Adapters/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I am afraid to use anything else on a seal but tefon or flour paste. Flour paste is what many people recommend in the distilling hobby. I dont want to use silicone or rubber.

[pfshine]

Perhaps a slobber box would be in order if you run just the 1/2". It might save alot of heart ache.

[Prairiepiss]

Go find Samohon's pot still plans. You can find those plans it the plans and diagrams thread. That can be found in the must read new distiller reading lounge.

I have seen it and I have read many post on keg stills. But if we all walk the same line as every person on this forum, then we gain only what the previous person discovered. I am making my still, not following in anyones footsteps. Now every plan does cross paths with others, but this design will be mine.

I was asking a basic question if this 2" tri-clamp connection to 1/2? female npt will work with maybe a few tips.

Well you did ask this.

OR

Should I go bigger from 2" then slowly go down to 1/2".

And I gave my opinion on that question. It doesn't have to look just like Samohon's plans. It's a great basic design. That works great. So why not use it? And give it some personal touches.

Really what I was saying was. I think the 1/2" all the way from the boiler is a bad idea.

[Husker]

Thanks for that link. I think I am gonna get a few of these, then do 3/4", rise up about a foot, angled 90°over to where I connect to 3/4 worm in another keg. These connectors look really sweet! I got about 80' of 3/4" tube from an A/C friend of mine, that owed me cash and did not have it. Think I will make one for myself, and one for my stepson.

http://www.brewershardware.com/2-Tri-Cl ... e-NPT.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

H.

[blackout87]

And I gave my opinion on that question. It doesn't have to look just like Samohon's plans. It's a great basic design. That works great. So why not use it? And give it some personal touches.

Really what I was saying was. I think the 1/2" all the way from the boiler is a bad idea.

Thats all you had to say. Saying look at a design is a bad way of mentoring. Actually given real constructive criticism is how you learn in build. I agree about the design but I refuse to follow anyones design but what I have planned. I'm asking for advice. Thats all.

And give it some personal touches.

This is really giving a basic car some rims. You added your touch. In no way shape or form is that my design that I built from the ground up.
Now a man/woman that took a frame and built a car from the ground up, that says something and he learned everything about that car.

Now, if you said, "check out this design so maybe you can get some ideas of what to do but personally I think the 1/2" all the way from the boiler is a bad idea", with maybe a reason why. your post did not have anything of that nature in it which in my opinion is posting just to post, you need to mentor not post "look at this plan". Thats a bad way to go. If you feel you need to talk to me about this, please PM me. Dont waste anymore posts in bad mentoring. Leave my posting to learning please.

[blackout87]

Thanks for that link. I think I am gonna get a few of these, then do 3/4", rise up about a foot, angled 90°over to where I connect to 3/4 worm in another keg. These connectors look really sweet! I got about 80' of 3/4" tube from an A/C friend of mine, that owed me cash and did not have it. Think I will make one for myself, and one for my stepson.

http://www.brewershardware.com/2-Tri-Cl ... e-NPT.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

H.

No problem, found them looking up some 2" sanitary fittings. Take care

[Prairiepiss]

Lots of different people on here. From all over the world. Not all will talk the way you think they should. Sory I don't meet your standards. But I'm not gona lose any sleep over it.

Have fun redesigning the pot still. I'm sure you will find a design that hasn't been built.

[blackout87]

Lots of different people on here. From all over the world. Not all will talk the way you think they should. Sory I don't meet your standards. But I'm not gona lose any sleep over it.

Have fun redesigning the pot still. I'm sure you will find a design that hasn't been built.

You just have a bad way to mentor people, thats all. I was just stating what yourself not doing as a seasoned distiller, mentor. I also asked you to PM if you had an issue. Again, you want to post just to be posting. I have to reply to your post to explain why I'm doing what I am doing and explain my question again.

I dont want to copy other designs, I also stated that designs will cross from time to time. The concept of a pot still is a constant, meaning the theory is the exact same, it's up to us to design our still around the basic concept which is a pot still. My still is being built by my plans, I asked a basic question that you failed to answer. Teaching and mentoring takes guidance, that you fail to do.

You have my respect as a distiller, but as a mentor.....not at all.

Trust me all, everyone here searches and learns, it's up to you pros to help us more forward. If we all build the exact same still: 1. where's the fun, 2. what do we learn from building the same design that everyone else is making. The same thing as everyone else. 3. building your own design provides a sense of accomplishment and the learning experience is new and different.
For everyone here, I apoligize about prairiepiss and myself. This post was a basic question.

Will a 2" triclamp to 1/2" female be OK to put on my still and go straight to my 1/2" 20' worm?
I had some great advice by some of you, Thank you for that.

I plan to make a small column about 3" of a 2" sanitary fitting then go to either a 2" triclamp to a 1" female npt or a 2" triclamp to a 3/4" npt female. Also considering adding a 2" sanitary elbow then going to a 2" to npt something, havnt decided. I will more than likey go to the 2" to a 1" female npt then slowly go down to 1/2" to my worm.
If anyone has any input on this, let me know.

[bellybuster]

Haha, this is a funny one.
Mr Piss, how you kept it together and remained civilized I have no idea. Well done Sir.

I'm guessing by the attitude that this is a young feller we're dealing with.

Good luck designing your own pot still, if you can think it, it' been done. Good luck getting any valuable input as well after that little run of insolence

[Hound Dog]

If you are stepping it down over a short distance, why are you going to use all those fittings and clamps? You could just solder a few pieces together for a fraction of the price, not have to worry about gaskets and seals or anything. Just be done with it. Use one triclamp fitting on the end to hook it up.

Just my two cent.

[blackout87]

Haha, this is a funny one.
Mr Piss, how you kept it together and remained civilized I have no idea. Well done Sir.

I'm guessing by the attitude that this is a young feller we're dealing with.

Good luck designing your own pot still, if you can think it, it' been done. Good luck getting any valuable input as well after that little run of insolence

Young is a relative term. My mind and attitude is young but my body, well, it's taken a beating.

Not trying to start a war with anyone here, I'm looking for answers for questions I ask.

[blackout87]

If you are stepping it down over a short distance, why are you going to use all those fittings and clamps? You could just solder a few pieces together for a fraction of the price, not have to worry about gaskets and seals or anything. Just be done with it. Use one triclamp fitting on the end to hook it up.

Just my two cent.

Thanks for the input.

[Husker]

If you are stepping it down over a short distance, why are you going to use all those fittings and clamps? You could just solder a few pieces together for a fraction of the price, not have to worry about gaskets and seals or anything. Just be done with it. Use one triclamp fitting on the end to hook it up.

Just my two cent.

Thanks for the input.

A decent suggestion. But I would say there should be 2 'fittings'. One to attach to the keg, the other to attach to your worm (sounds like you are making a worm, which I also prefer). So a simple lyne arm, with a tri clamp fitting on one end to mount to the keg, and a 1/2" triclamp or screw fitting on the other end, that matches up to the fitting on the input of the worm, and you have a decent pot still. A still like that was what my second still was that I built, and it is still used today. Works great. I do have about a 12" rise of 2" coming off the keg, where you are looking at coming off in the 1/2" to start with. They would probably work about the same. I did mine to 'help' avoid puking on a boil over, but usually that can be avoided by not overfilling the keg.

Good luck in your setup and running, H.

[rad14701]

blackout87, let's clear a few things up here...

You don't get a say in who replies to your post or how...

Don't ask for advice if you can't take that which is given...

Don't try to take discussions out of the public eye into private, especially if you are at odds... PM's cannot be moderated... Take that from a Moderator...

While Prariepiss is no longer officially a Mentor, he does render good advice more times than not...

If you want to do your own thing then stop asking questions and just do it... Succeed or fail all by yourself... Then you'll have nobody to blame but yourself... You can tuck your tail between your legs and come cowering back for advice when and if you are ready to listen...

The subject matter presented here is not up for debate so don't bother trying... This is where you listen (read) and absorb... Now, suck it up, Buttercup, and move on... Do the research, make your decisions, and live with them... You drew your line in the sand, now stand on your side and be content...

[blackout87]

If you are stepping it down over a short distance, why are you going to use all those fittings and clamps? You could just solder a few pieces together for a fraction of the price, not have to worry about gaskets and seals or anything. Just be done with it. Use one triclamp fitting on the end to hook it up.

Just my two cent.

Thanks for the input.

A decent suggestion. But I would say there should be 2 'fittings'. One to attach to the keg, the other to attach to your worm (sounds like you are making a worm, which I also prefer). So a simple lyne arm, with a tri clamp fitting on one end to mount to the keg, and a 1/2" triclamp or screw fitting on the other end, that matches up to the fitting on the input of the worm, and you have a decent pot still. A still like that was what my second still was that I built, and it is still used today. Works great. I do have about a 12" rise of 2" coming off the keg, where you are looking at coming off in the 1/2" to start with. They would probably work about the same. I did mine to 'help' avoid puking on a boil over, but usually that can be avoided by not overfilling the keg.

Good luck in your setup and running, H.

That was great advice. Thanks, I will be thinking about what you said.

[blackout87]

blackout87, let's clear a few things up here...

You don't get a say in who replies to your post or how...

Don't ask for advice if you can't take that which is given...

Don't try to take discussions out of the public eye into private, especially if you are at odds... PM's cannot be moderated... Take that from a Moderator...

While Prariepiss is no longer officially a Mentor, he does render good advice more times than not...

If you want to do your own thing then stop asking questions and just do it... Succeed or fail all by yourself... Then you'll have nobody to blame but yourself... You can tuck your tail between your legs and come cowering back for advice when and if you are ready to listen...

The subject matter presented here is not up for debate so don't bother trying... This is where you listen (read) and absorb... Now, suck it up, Buttercup, and move on... Do the research, make your decisions, and live with them... You drew your line in the sand, now stand on your side and be content...

First off, I dont care who replies to my threads. If he was going to get pissy about anything INCLUDING yourself, leave that out of the thread so actual info can be posted that pretains to the heading. PM me about your problems with me, dont hijack threads. Would you want that done on your threads....no, I would think not. PMing people and working through problems man to man or man to women is what being a grownup is all about. A civilized conversation person to person is always in order to work out problems, problems should be taken to the source, not public. Makes for bad trash on threads.

Second, I was asking a basic question about a fitting and if it would work, not asking for a plan that someone else has made.

Third, since my thread has been hijacked, I will state that I asked the question to "absorb" knowledge pretaining to my question. Not to be sent to a design or to have a post war on my thread.

Forth, I have said nothing that isnt rational. Please read previous posts.

Again, I respect all people here and I apoligize about this thread. If there's problems, please PM me. Nothing cant be solved from a civilized solution to a problem. Take care all.

[Truckinbutch]

When my grandson was 6 I advised him that pissing on the electric fence was what I thought was a bad idea . Left the choice of action up to him . He only pissed on the fence once . Curious about how many times you are going to piss on the fence Don't tell me to go to PM's or try to send me one . If you are too embarrassed to talk in public you damn sure aren't someone I care to talk to in private .

[blackout87]

When my grandson was 6 I advised him that pissing on the electric fence was what I thought was a bad idea . Left the choice of action up to him . He only pissed on the fence once . Curious about how many times you are going to piss on the fence Don't tell me to go to PM's or try to send me one . If you are too embarrassed to talk in public you damn sure aren't someone I care to talk to in private .

This is common courtesy when discussing on a thread to keep to the subject at hand and leave the pissing war somewhere else. Apparently no one explained to you how to be a real man and go to a man/source about their problems with that person. Are you the type of person that needs backup from people on a argument? Not I. Be a man and come to me, leave the thread to information. Believe me, if I was afraid of a post war, would I be posting replies???? Curious how you think. Threads are for information to mentor and guide, not to hijack and start a post war. It's sad, really.

I suggest you re-think your posting habits because this is not the correct way to do so. This is a hijacked thread because of the posting war and not on the subject at hand.

[blackout87]

Word of thought for all of you that hijacked this thread.

A man will start a fight in public for the shear fact that he is:
1. hoping the fight gets broken up
2. gets backup from his friends

A man that takes his fight outside man to man is to be respected. He intends to work it out or finish the fight with no interruptions.

[googe]

Just kiss and make up all of you, we are here to learn not to fight with each other.

[bellybuster]

Oh my..... I'm guessing between 17 and 23

[pfshine]

He has a very valid point how many threads have been subjected to this. Info would be so much easier to find without all the bs. That is for everybody including you blackout.