Has anyone left there worm unsupported in a flake stand.

[CanadianBacon]

I was wondering if my copper worm would be able to support it self freely in a garbage can without sagging and low spots before i throw it in, kink it and waste 50$ in copper. I was gonna wrap it around my bucket or some pipe then take it off and put it in a garbage can.

I don't really wanna solder anything cause i'm cheap, don't have the materials and am lazy. I don't even plan to solder my worm to the pot lid to be honest and i'm a try using flour paste and hope it doesn't leak steam. But I will support my worm with something improvised if i need too. I was thinking a bag of 2 $ zip ties and 4 $ in bambo sticks....

[MadMasher]

I used the zip ties but some of them broke. I replaced with scrap wire I took the plastic off, put them through some holes in the side of the bucket around the worm and twisted em good and put on a wire nut. Caulked up the holes. No problems other than cosmetic, as it doesn't look "professional".

[bellybuster]

why go all this way then cheap out on the most important part of the still?

[T-Pee]

I don't really wanna solder anything cause i'm cheap, don't have the materials and am lazy. I don't even plan to solder my worm to the pot lid to be honest and i'm a try using flour paste and hope it doesn't leak steam. But I will support my worm with something improvised if i need too. I was thinking a bag of 2 $ zip ties and 4 $ in bambo sticks....

Ah. So you fully intend to half-ass all of this.

tp

[CanadianBacon]

I don't really wanna solder anything cause i'm cheap, don't have the materials and am lazy. I don't even plan to solder my worm to the pot lid to be honest and i'm a try using flour paste and hope it doesn't leak steam. But I will support my worm with something improvised if i need too. I was thinking a bag of 2 $ zip ties and 4 $ in bambo sticks....

Ah. So you fully intend to half-ass all of this.

tp

Kinda, more looking for a cheap way to get this done for under 100$ till i can afford to build something nice.

[MadMasher]

They make good points. I'm a cheap bastard too but if you plan to build something better in the future you'll need to solder, so you'll have to buy(or borrow) it at some point. You can find a kit at the hardware store for like 30 bucks, probably online cheaper..
If you still don't want to, you can use wire to tie blocks of wood to space out the coils on the worm evenly. Its important it doesn't pool or the product will be subpar.

Edit - In my previous post I did not mention that my worm is supported by the bucket, maybe not the conventional way but it was how I could get maximum coils underwater and still be able to collect with a decent size jar on the countertop.

[skow69]

Has anyone left there worm unsupported in a flake stand.

Yeah, I did. It warped and sagged and flopped around and generally fucked me over untill I fixed it.

[CanadianBacon]

danm, looks like i will need to support it then and solder.. I guess I will put the still build off, I just spend a shit ton of money on hunting stuff maybe ill hold off and just do it right.

[T-Pee]

...maybe ill hold off and just do it right.

A fine idea although I certainly understand hunting stuff.

tp

[Hound Dog]

I have to say, if you cheap out and build a cheap half assed crap still, you will get cheap half assed crap alcohol that you won't like to drink and will be a pain in the ass to make. Why bother? Just buy some Bowman's or Aristocrap bottom shelf rot gut and drink it. In the long run it will be cheaper and easier.

OR save up a little, take your time and scrounge the right parts, build it right and distill something better than top shelf.

[Dan P.]

A badly set up worm is a major pain in the arse.
Why not just make some other kind of condenser?

[IrishEnigma]

A liebig might be a cheaper alternative depending on what you have and don't have. Just make the jacket pvc, drill a couple holes and caulk some hose in it.

Edit: nvm I forgot you had already bought the worm. Do what I did, get a 2x4 and build a frame out of that cheap and doesn't look bad. Hell you could probably use 1x1

[IrishEnigma]

Also for the lid, you are able to use a locknut and that coupling that's threaded on one end. Forgot what it's called. Then cake it in flour paste. Only 1 bead of solder.

[CanadianBacon]

ya, sadly the material i need here is hard to get in the right amounts. I have to get it all from the the U.S and the import border charges, tax and shipping can double the price.... 10 feet copper tube or 50+ is my choice in town thats in stock ( canadian tier, homedepo, homehardware).... and Only one store in town have titanium drill bits in stock (homedep)... Not to mention NO places have the solder i need that's safe for food application so i have to order it in and wait for that X(

Lots like ill just wait and get piece by piece by piece, im just sooo thirsty and i only have 3 carboys with wine and cider.

[firewater69]

Are you refering to a coated drill bit? And why do you think you need one. i work for a company that manufactures copper air conditioning components and we use high speed uncoated drill bits everyday. or am i missing something?

[CanadianBacon]

Are you refering to a coated drill bit? And why do you think you need one. i work for a company that manufactures copper air conditioning components and we use high speed uncoated drill bits everyday. or am i missing something?

I hear you need a titanium coated or cobalt coated drill bit for stainless steel.

[firewater69]

Stainless is a tough nut to crack, you can get a cobalt drill pretty cheap, just need to go slow on the rpm's and use some oil to keep it cool.

[IrishEnigma]

I used a punch, a pilot hole then a bigger bit. None were titanium or cobalt. Just used a lot of oil. Also to cut, regular bi metal blades work. That's what I used

[Soggy Bottom Boy]

M42 Cobalt drills with TiCN(Titanium CarboNitride, not the same as TiN) coating is the shizznit for 300 series stainless! ...but you still have to watch out for over-speeding the rpm's and make sure to keep a good constant feed-rate/cutting-pressure to keep from work hardening stainless and burning up your tool. Flood coolant is recommended.