Boka with pics and questions

[PsychDoc]

Greetings, I'm about to embark on a great journey. One of wonder and mystery, and eventually mild if not overwhelming, intoxication (the writer of this thread does not endorse overwhelming intoxication)
A basic 2" boka still.
I have a pot still, seems to work as advertised.

Still

Also made a swell parrot, if I do say so myself, and I do.

Parrot

So now we are on to greater glory, and purity.
As you can see I have some copper and , well... Copper is good right?
Question one... How far below the coupler do I place the top plate? Close as I can I suspect.
The plan is to order a condenser coil, (done by the way) and fit that in its own hunk of pipe above the plates. Then do the plates in a section, and possibly another coupler.
I have almost 5' of 2" which should do the trick, no?
What else...?
Keg of ? 7.5 gal? I do mostly 5gal wash so that should do the trick. Might go electric soon, stay tuned.
Oh yea, centering rings, a good thing I hear.
So as you choose to check this out please toss in suggestions, I am an equal opportunity kind of guy. I will reject the very best of ideas in my foolishness. Sometimes averting ones eyes from the train wreck of life is difficult.

[bellybuster]

if it were me, I would cut and place a ferrule below the plates, not above. That way the entire BOKA head can be removed and the modular pot still installed. Or the modular VM still head or......

[PsychDoc]

I see... A wise man has provided guidance. But then I have to wait for the coil to arrive... I guess I can call and see what the final length may be.

Question...
From coil to plate. If I give a little extra room would it really matter? Say2" ?

[bellybuster]

considering the original BOKA had the top plate soldered right to the coil, I don't know that it matters but, I don't own a BOKA so wait for some other guidance. Someone will chime in soon

[PsychDoc]

A little help here. I received some copper goodies today. And at the risk of a chorus of 'I told you so' allow me to share.
The keg coupling tri clamp seems fine, though I regret not doing it myself.
And then there is the coil...?does what I received,

Look even remotely close to what I 'ordered'?

image.jpg (11.23 KiB) Viewed 4429 times

And will the item in the first pic even think about knocking down the vapor of a 2" column?
The questionable distributed shall remain nameless until I explore the matter further.

[PsychDoc]

Ok, on to more favorable things... Slots cut, not too difficult. Took a few dustings of dremel cutting wheel. And getting the angle required some care, but overall no biggie. They need clean up and fitting and solder. But so far so good.

Question, any thoughts about moving the thermometer port? To the side as indicated here

Still under the top plate but one the side for an easier read?

[PsychDoc]

For the concerned parties, I have an update...

I spoke with the manufacture of the coil above, he actually answered the phone, a bit of a surprise actually, anyway...
He was extremely pleasant and accommodating. He absolutely took complete responsibility and offered to do whatever I would like, return, refund, remake, whatever. I was told that in use this coil should "knock down' 1.5gal/hour at 75f.
Which is all well and good, but I'm skeptical. I will update further after resolution, but I'm very pleased with the response so far.

So in other news... About that thermo port? On the 'side'?
***edit***
And basic 1/4 for the 'product' outlet is good, yes? Like to the needle valve.

[PsychDoc]

And another quick pic
The take off hole is breaking through to the plate, I don't think that will be a big deal, right?

[White_Lightning_Rod]

This will help... http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=43955

SS Coil reduced.jpg

Look for posts on SS Flex Pipe Condenser, cheaper and easier than copper...flows more water and can't be ruined. $6-20usd once.

Ifn that coil dont work check this out as a MUCH cheaper and far easier alternative

[PsychDoc]

I would give that stainless a try if I could find it
Edit...
That is the same stuff as the yellow plastic coated stuff? Just strip the plastic?!?

Could this work?

[White_Lightning_Rod]

Yes I have heard people saying they had to remove a coating, depending on where you get it.

google "stainless steel corrugated hose"

[frunobulax]

I just made a coil with 1/2'' flex for a 3'' Boka, It works great. I imagine you'd need 3/8'' for a 2''. The commercial pipe (without the flare ends already on) has a coating that will strip right off.
The flex pipe for appliances (with the ends already on) will have more of a baked on coating, which will be hard to remove.
I think I remember reading Dad300 say he got the 1/2"flex in a 2" pipe, but I wound it pretty tight and barely got it in 3"

[Hound Dog]

Psychdoc, the coil you got is junk. Try the stainless. It does not have to be a coil. Just make a loop and twist it then wrap a little copper mesh around it. It will work better than what you have pictured. They sell pre-made lengths on plumbingsupply.com or you can buy the pipe in bulk with the yellow sheathing that you can peel off and buy the fittings separate. Just watch for the yellow powder coated pre-made sections. The coating does not come off. The pre-made pieces are "gas flex connectors" for appliances. The bulk pipe is "Gastite". There may be other brand names, I don't know. The flex connectors can be ordered in 3/8" also so they will fit easier into 2" pipe. The corrugation leaves you with a lot of surface area and the stuff works great.

Your thermometer placement is fine as long as it is not in the path of falling liquid. I did the same thing.

The takeoff tube cutting into the bottom plate is OK too. You want to be as tight as possible to the bottom. Just solder it all up tight.

[DAD300]

In the 1/2" o.d. can be made into a coil 1.5" in dia. Spread the space between the coils a bit.

But it is easier to just make a twisted cold finger and put a little scrubbie around it.

2" with 5/8" Flex Pipe pictured handles 3,000watts easily at 1 quart a minute flow.

[bearriver]

Did you get that from Rainier distillers??? It looks like it.

If so you need to send it back to Anthony for store credit. That's udder BS....

[PsychDoc]

So, more pictures, is this too much. I'm learning the rules here
And the coil maker has the opportunity to redeem themselves

[PsychDoc]

Time to solder!

I'm going to go for it. Unless I hear otherwise. The thermometer port is a out 1" and take off about 3". The take off is short enough that I can fit my drill up to the plate and drill out any solder obstruction that may appear .

Top plate and thermometer port same tome, then bottom and take off together.

And I did anneal the tip

[PsychDoc]

And the coil. Accounting to my calculations each wrap of the 3/8 corrugated stainless steel tube (csst) is capable of fitting a 2" tube, great! Each wrap takes a length of 5", and will be 1" 'tall'
So... 8 wraps,-requires 40", center around which I wrap, 8" , which leaves me with 12" or 6" per side for connections. As the tube I bought was 60"- with fittings, around $20. Dixiline.

[DAD300]

Good exercise...good pic...

[PsychDoc]

Ok that was way WAY, to easy

[Hound Dog]

Ok that was way WAY, to easy

Wasn't it? I just can't understand the need for tormenting oneself with a copper coil.

[PsychDoc]

Ok that was way WAY, to easy

Wasn't it? I just can't understand the need for tormenting oneself with a copper coil.

Amen my brotha!
Preach it!

And here is the top plate soldered.

And the bottom plate, prior to clean up

So that's it?!?
It's a boka head?
Seems like I must be missing something.
I know there is the putting it together part, but I think the difficult bits are behind me.

[PsychDoc]

Flow? She works in the diner right?
I pointed the hose at one end and water squirts out the other, seems good to me.

[PsychDoc]

And now dear friends, gaze at the wonder that is the inner workings. As you can see I put the thermometer on the side, and the solder did flow. But best of all... The annealed tip bent like butter. And for any that choose to follow this plan do NOT forget to anneal that part or you shall be screwed.

[Mel Gibson]

Where can one order some of that corrugated stainless and how do you pass the line trough the cap?

[PhatFil]

Good work and great pics..

hope she serves u well

[Tokoroa_Shiner]

Where can one order some of that corrugated stainless and how do you pass the line trough the cap?

Should be able to get it of eBay. Or most hardware stores probably have it.

No need for a cap, just 'throw it over the side'.

[Hound Dog]

Where can one order some of that corrugated stainless and how do you pass the line trough the cap?

The pre made lengths are gas appliance flex connectors. Most hardware stores have them but beware that the ones by "Brasscraft" have a painted on yellow coating that is a bitch to burn or get off. Look for bare ones or buy "Gastite" brand gas line with connectors. This is made to run through your house and you might only find longer lengths but the yellow is just a sleeve that peels off. Try flea bay or plumbingsupply.com.

Like TK said, no need for a cap, just drop it in the top. Maybe a scrubber to keep wind out if you are outside.

[BigSwede]

I'm digging on your parrots! Beautiful work.

The Bok slant plates (to my noob eyes) looks fine. Apparently there's a reason the Bok slant plate design is wildly popular... it's supposed to work, and work well, for a liquid management reflux still.

Press on!

[PsychDoc]

Thank you all for the kind words.
The stainless was acquired from 'dixiline' , right off the shelf. 60' x3/8 was around $20, it has since been returned. A new coil arrived that I will use until it proves inadequate. I hope that is not the case
The column is packed with a copper mesh, will likely clean it this weekend and maybe a sacrificial run with a bottle of 'scotch' the tastes bad