Haus' 4" flute adventure

[Haus]

Just starting a thread for the build. Made some progress over the last few weeks since sourcing the pipe to get me started.
Also, would like to say thanks to LWTCS, Rad, Rock and Dan for their input in getting me this far. Thank You gentlemen!!!
Didn't take any pictures, suppose I should have but jump on over to Dan's build and you'll get the idea less the superb craftsmanship.

Dephleg is 7 - 1" x 4-1/2"x4" - 8" overall height, partially done.
Easy flanges for sight glasses - 5 - 2", partially done.
4x2 reducer for the top, done. Using the brass ferrules from SD (tinned up), done
PC is 5 - 1/2"x24"x2" 30" overall, done
Downcomers, 4 - 3/4"x5-1/4". 1/2" 45 degree cut (no cups), done
plate material should arrive in this week. .050, may need to rethink that thickness, opinions welcome.
2 90's tri-clamped, done (products of building modular! lesson now well learned)
Order to be placed for glass & seals sometime this week along with the keg to column adaptor (decisions...decisions, opinions welcome there also but I am pretty sure I know which one I want)

All that's really left to do is find my big boy pants to cut that big pipe and put holes in it. It mocks me from the corner daily.
To add to the 4" mocking me, there's a 5' - 3" behind it that has it's back. Trying to think of what I can build for my brother with that. He already has an 10 gallon all copper hand made pot still, thumper and worm. It's nice but he freezes his ass off in the winter. Maybe something to bring him into the electric age and indoors, well garage door down anyway. Again, opinions welcome there also.

[Rastus]

I know that Mocking look those Dang pipes can leer at you...

but trust me youll have the last laugh.

i used the same .050 thick plates with 90 some holes in the center drilled a 1/4" hole for same sized thread all to space em out. so far so good, they slide in and out if ever i do it. tight fit. i used also the downcomer with 45 degree angle to a spot on the plate that has no perfs. seems fine and was easy enough. bottom down comer i soldered a 1 inch cap to it and works great.

the dephleg... 7 - 1 inch pipes x 4 1/2 .... you should have a lot of stopping power and i would guess responsive. my dephleg is 4 1/2 inch long water jacket,with 5 - 1 inch tubes, and it holds back most of my 5500 watt element on full blast it still lets the foreshots and heads slip by ever so slowly, but stops dead when hearts arrive. looking back i might have made it longer, when i make a change it takes about 13 seconds for the effect to be seen in the stream, longer would be slower but not that much and the holding power would be complete. so maybe your 7 tubes will give the added power of choking off the vapor.

back to that mocking look it has been giving you... my solution was to mark it up. layout the center line and spacing with a good sharpie pen, a little acetone or foreshots will erase any mistakes of a sharpie.

good luck man!

[LWTCS]

Subscribed.

[bitter]

Subscribed.

Me too!

[Halfbaked]

Cant wait for pics

[Haus]

MOCK ME NO MORE PIPE!
Dephleg section cut and inners fitted.
and a few pics

[Oldvine Zin]

NICE!! pictures of shiny copper parts makes me smile

[Haus]

Thinking about using the push connects on the PC and Dephleg.
Any opinions, good/bad experience, known issues, on those and size? 3/8 or 1/2

[googe]

Lookin good mate

[frunobulax]

I use the 3/8" push connections with the PEX pipe. They are awesome. I also use a 3/8 x 1/2"npt, push connect needle valve for water control, also very good.
3/8" is all you need.

[Oldvine Zin]

Thinking about using the push connects on the PC and Dephleg.
Any opinions, good/bad experience, known issues, on those and size? 3/8 or 1/2

Haus I originally installed push connects on my new flute and while they did the job they were a bit touchy getting them to seal nicely, also I didn't care so much for the look. I ended up scraping the push connects and changed all the cooling lines to 3/4" tri clovers. Going the TC way really didn't cost much more than the quality push connects - wish I would of known that before wasting money on the push connects.
BTW your build is looking great!!

[Haus]

Thanks folks, think I will stick with what I have for now and see how it goes.

Question on the column itself. Been reading and re-reading but not really finding an answer.
Is there a set space/distance between the top plate and dephleg? Same question for the bottom plate and, in my case the 4x2 reducer neck down?
My simple mind would think the same as the space between each plate but as I said, simple mind...

I have 50" left, Just trying to figure out how much pipe I can leave myself for a packed section or forego that if there isn't enough to do any real good for neutrals and make a gin basket. Lofty dream there but who knows.

[frunobulax]

My sections are 4"x6" and the deflag clamps right on top of the top section. You're not worried about entrainment on the deflag, so it can clamp right on top. (With 6" sections, I don't think I could even put enough heat on to get entrainment.)
For the reducer, the length of the reducer will be enough, as long as your downcomer is above the wash and boil up. Make sure your downcomer fits inside the taper, (a 4" ferrule on the boiler is nice here)
If you are using perf plates, in my opinion, you'd be better off using cups on the downcomers and use the real estate on the plates for more holes.
Nice build! Looking forward to seeing more.

[Haus]

Made a little bit of progress this week. Been busy with work crap...
Decided to lengthen the dephleg tubes to 5 1/2", dry fit and ready to do a final solder up on that.
Sitting here having meetings about meetings seemed like a good time to clean up a few things. My new to me keg cleaned up pretty well. Used Blue Magic Metal Polish Cream, works well.
Cleaned up my old parrot to see what it would like. Ehh, undecided on that look.
But all in all, it's coming together.

[CopperClayton]

Looking for war to seeing how this turns out.. Please! Keep us updated.

[Oldvine Zin]

Damn!! Looking good Haus

ovz

[Haus]

I am really struggling with plate lay out. Could you eyeball this template make a suggestion on it?
I got 172 .062 holes and I had to fudge a few in to get that much.
I had the cad guys at work cut out some copper wafer material to size so I could play with it and not screw up the actual copper plates but this just looks wrong to me.
Thanks!

[bitter]

You seen this post? http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=18377

Has some printable plate templates.

B

[Haus]

You seen this post? http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=18377

Has some printable plate templates.

B

Ya know, I think KS sent that to me a while back in another post.

Just to be sure, use the same pattern on type L (template indicates DWV) 1/16th" holes and don't worry about the 180 hole number I was looking for.

[pfshine]

How thick is that copper you are playing with? Might be perfect for sandwiching between ferrules for modular.

[Haus]

I have .050

[pfshine]

So just under a 1/16". How pliable is it?

[bentstick]

Dont worry about 10-20 holes either way Haus it will work well,and your Delpag/reflux condesor will knock a shit ton down mine is only 4.5" cooling tubes and does 6200 watts easy peasy! Luck and nice work ya have going on.

[Haus]

Made a bit more progress. Got it mocked up and plate tree done. 184 - 1/16th" holes. Did some filp-flopping on down comers. Decided on the no-cups even though I made the cup type. I'll keep those in reserve.

[bitter]

Nice Progress!!!!! now time for some windows

[Haus]

In the home stretch.

[yakattack]

Very nice! Keep at it

[Oldvine Zin]

Very nice! Keep at it

[Canadian_Ice]

Haus', forgive my ignorance, but what are the rings that you are using on the ends of the copper pipe to attach the tri clamps to? Are they brass? Do you solder them on the pipe?

[Haus]

Yep brass and soldered on. If you are looking to use them be sure they are 99.8% lead free ones.