wrong kind of material or method?

[fullmetal7777]

i recently had someone post in a thread i made a while back what copper to buy for making the double coil condenser
http://www.amazon.com/Watts-Copper-Tubi ... B001AH787K" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
so i used a guide that i saw on another thread on how to make it using an iron pipe and slowing turning it with the copper tubing attached to it, and it almost instantly started caving in. Is it ok for it to cave in a little bit, or is that tubing too soft? i also went very slowly, there was really no way to prevent it from bending inward. Thanks

[Nutmegmooner]

In my experience a little flattening is normal. I BELIEVE there are recommendations on flow rate for a coil like that (and tho I don't know where that post is it was surprisingly small flow required). What kind of heat are you throwing at it?

[dstaines]

It is going to go a little egg shaped on you. As long as it still has an open path with no serious kinks you should be fine, got any pictures? That would help us evaluate better.

[Hound Dog]

If you are going to use copper use the soft coiled type L refrigerant line used for freon. It is much thicker walled than the ice maker line that you pictured. When you get tired of struggling with that and spending money on expensive assed copper, try using CSST (corrugated stainless steel tube) also known as Gastite gas line and be done with your condenser in about 10 minutes. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=43955

[fullmetal7777]

If you are going to use copper use the soft coiled type L refrigerant line used for freon. It is much thicker walled than the ice maker line that you pictured. When you get tired of struggling with that and spending money on expensive assed copper, try using CSST (corrugated stainless steel tube) also known as Gastite gas line and be done with your condenser in about 10 minutes. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=43955

is this legit? this will work just as good? id much prefer that over copper. It will also work with a dual coil type? ill get pictures tomarrow

[Tokoroa_Shiner]

Yup. It's legit. The CSST is way easier then winding a coil.

[Hound Dog]

If you are going to use copper use the soft coiled type L refrigerant line used for freon. It is much thicker walled than the ice maker line that you pictured. When you get tired of struggling with that and spending money on expensive assed copper, try using CSST (corrugated stainless steel tube) also known as Gastite gas line and be done with your condenser in about 10 minutes. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=43955

is this legit? this will work just as good? id much prefer that over copper. It will also work with a dual coil type? ill get pictures tomarrow

Yes! It is legit! DAD300 started posting about using this stuff a while back. A lot of us use CSST. It is great stuff. You can buy rolls of it or get pre cut pieces up to 60 inches or so used for gas appliance hook up. The glass appliance sections are a little heavier so the heat transfer might be slightly less but the water flow easily overcomes it. Just make sure you get one that the yellow cover will peel off. Brass craft is a popular maker of the appliance hookups and they apply a coating directly to it that is hard to get off. The gas line used in homes is just a plastic sleeve meant to be able to be peeled back so fittings can be installed, it comes right off. Home Depot or Lowes carries it.

Keep in mind, you don't need a dual coil or a coil for that matter. The 1/2 inch is the most popular size and you might be able to coil it to fit in 2" but even making a loop and twisting it will work fine. I just bought a roll of 3/8 front Lowes for a new 2" condenser I plan on making. It should coil inside good enough.

Use the Google search function at the top for CSST and see what you find.

[fullmetal7777]

If you are going to use copper use the soft coiled type L refrigerant line used for freon. It is much thicker walled than the ice maker line that you pictured. When you get tired of struggling with that and spending money on expensive assed copper, try using CSST (corrugated stainless steel tube) also known as Gastite gas line and be done with your condenser in about 10 minutes. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=43955

is this legit? this will work just as good? id much prefer that over copper. It will also work with a dual coil type? ill get pictures tomarrow

Yes! It is legit! DAD300 started posting about using this stuff a while back. A lot of us use CSST. It is great stuff. You can buy rolls of it or get pre cut pieces up to 60 inches or so used for gas appliance hook up. The glass appliance sections are a little heavier so the heat transfer might be slightly less but the water flow easily overcomes it. Just make sure you get one that the yellow cover will peel off. Brass craft is a popular maker of the appliance hookups and they apply a coating directly to it that is hard to get off. The gas line used in homes is just a plastic sleeve meant to be able to be peeled back so fittings can be installed, it comes right off. Home Depot or Lowes carries it.

Keep in mind, you don't need a dual coil or a coil for that matter. The 1/2 inch is the most popular size and you might be able to coil it to fit in 2" but even making a loop and twisting it will work fine. I just bought a roll of 3/8 front Lowes for a new 2" condenser I plan on making. It should coil inside good enough.

Use the Google search function at the top for CSST and see what you find.

ok so... how do i get it connected to the top of the head? Would i solder it? trying to get the rest of my supplies together, and ive got the keg.... Still kind of clueless with most of the odds and ends, but i want to do this CSST design and i can seem to find how its securely connected to the head. Its hard learning all this stuff strictly through google without having made one yet lol

[Hound Dog]

Hey Fullmetal, what kind of still are you using the condenser on? I assume from your statement about hooking it to the top that you mean a Boka or a Nixon Stone style? if so you don't need no stinking cap! Just drop it in and let the line support it. You would just have to vent a cap. If you distill outside, put a scrubbie in the top to keep the wind from messing with you. I use 3/8" to fit in 2" pipe for a traditional coil wind or you can just twist it and be fine. 1/2" or 5/8" will fit in 3". Some have gotten 1/2" to fit 2" so I guess it's possible.

Here is a pic of my Boka top, you can see there is no cap.

Using this coil...

When I said to use Google search, I meant to search the forum not the whole web . Look for the directions in my signature. It works pretty good.
Here are a couple of links you may like...

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=43787
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 9&start=36
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=43946
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=49771
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=55189
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 8&start=25

In case you are wondering, yes you can easily solder stainless with the right flux and solder. Plenty of threads on that too.

[BentJar]

If you cannot get the SS gas line in a 2 inch, copper tube. Shape it like the letter W and push it down into the tube.
It works very well.

bent

[Hound Dog]

If you cannot get the SS gas line in a 2 inch, copper tube. Shape it like the letter W and push it down into the tube.
It works very well.

bent

+1. It does not have to be a coil. Many people get suck on this. You just need water through a tube making contact with vapor.