Art Deco meets Industrial

[RTClassic]

First time I have worked with copper in many years, I love it! Now don't get me wrong I do my fair share of soldering copper wiring on cars all the time because manufactures take the cheap way out and the way they build them doesn't last as long as it should. But 26 to 10 gauge wire is ALOT different than this stuff.

This is my 3" Boka that stands 48"s tall, on a 2"to3" stainless adaptor, on top of a 15.5 gallon stainless keg, on top of my 3 row propane burner. Gives me about 10"s clearance in the garage. Have ran water and a water vinegar wash thru it, worked well. First alc cleaning run is this weekend. I will post pics in order hopefully. Let me know what you guys think. Also building a 12" tall 3"dia pot still head for the keg, had the left over material.



I found that using a digital level and a cheap laser level setting the angles for the cuts was fairly easy.

[RTClassic]

Wound the coil using a spring bender, 19 feet of 1/4inch copper

Center is now filled with copper scrubbies and one small layer on the out side.

[Cardinalbags]

Looks like a nice start. Should serve you well. You should add some vent holes for the cap on your condenser. It looks like you have a couple holes drilled for passing the condenser feed and return lines through, but you definitely need a vent hole to keep pressure from building inside the still.

[RTClassic]

First piece in

Ready to bend tab over as soon as soldered

soldered and feeling better about this stuff

[RTClassic]

Easy flange is right! Found some copper Brazing rods by Bernzomatic, about 1/16" thick. Welded the ends of the ring together then soldered it to the tube, worked perfectly

[RTClassic]

Starting to look like something now!

Now the easy part, the output condenser, normal parts and pieces here, 3/8" tube inside 3/4".

made some standoffs with vents, adds to the industrial art deco look

[RTClassic]

Coolant lines going to the reflux condenser, sheet copper stand offs soldered to the 3/4" output condenser stand offs.

Ball valve slows the flow of water to the output condenser if not needed. Hose comes into and splits to both condensers. output water is separate, just in case of back flow thru one condenser.

[RTClassic]

Working with water thru it. It's ALIVE!

Containment for the lava rock at the bottom, seems the pic won't load. stainless sink drain fits perfect once the flange was trimmed off.

[Cardinalbags]

You may want to consider moving your output control valve as close to the take-off at the slant plate. There will be a lot of product held up in the 3/8" tube which will lead to smearing of your fractions. You want the held up liquid volume to be as small as possible.

[Prairiepiss]

Plus one on moving the valve closer to the plates.

It does look good. Nice job.

[RTClassic]

Not sure why this pic worked but the strainer would not????? Loaded larger pieces at bottom, two #4 copper rods cross soldered thru Boka about 1" below slant plate, then small amount copper scrubby then smaller lava rock layering to larger lava rock to fill, then sink drain cap and 2" to 3" adapter. Flip the whole thing over and clamp to keg.

More copper porn to come, building a pot still head now

[RTClassic]

You may want to consider moving your output control valve as close to the take-off at the slant plate. There will be a lot of product held up in the 3/8" tube which will lead to smearing of your fractions. You want the held up liquid volume to be as small as possible.

Looked at many discussions about this and decided to try this way first. Smearing seemed to be at a minimum with this large of column. Cool thing about metal....easy to cut apart and change. Thanks for the advice, I will remember it,,,as long as it is written here.

[RTClassic]

Looks like a nice start. Should serve you well. You should add some vent holes for the cap on your condenser. It looks like you have a couple holes drilled for passing the condenser feed and return lines through, but you definitely need a vent hole to keep pressure from building inside the still.

1/4" hole in the top plus a slip fit for the condenser cap

[bellybuster]

Nice build,

[RTClassic]

Thank you

[heartcut]

What they said. Nice, pretty work.

[Fredistiller]

Wow great work!

[Erichimedes]

Wow, RTC, that looks great! Very nice work, and I like the somewhat industrial look of it. I really like how the cooling lines are piped, it contributes to the aesthetic. Thanks for sharing!