my first keg still, need your input

[Opdog]

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[jb-texshine]

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Why?

[Opdog]

Fat fingers apparently. I should just stay away from that app. I just got tired of the pop up so I installed it. It is fine except when I'm reading something and put my phone in my pocket without shutting the screen off.

[jb-texshine]

Thats funny

[rad14701]

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Tapatalk Ad Removal
Do it...!!!

[coalminer]

I have been working past few days. I work 3 on and 4 off. 12 and 18 hr shifts so I pretty much do nothing after work. Good thing is that I have alot of time at work to read the forums, so I learn a-lot while at work. Like I said the copper was free, except for fittings. I am over $200 in this still already and still going. lol Anyway, I tried building a leibig condenser and when I tested it, it leaked. So I tried to un-solder the fittings to fix it, it was too difficult. So I am redoing the whole thing. Since the pipe is free, I am using 3/4 pipe inside the condenser and 1 inch pipe over that for the water jacket. I smashed the 5/16 pipe left over from the parrot and gave it a twist and soldered it inside the 3/4 to slow down vapors and give more contact with copper. I also in the opposite direction around the 3/4 pipe I wrapped 14g copper wire and soldered it in place, it slides into the 1 inch perfectly. I will take some pictures on the second condenser build. The whole condenser will be about 36 inches long. Maybe overkill but the pipe is free. I am hoping more parts arrive this week and start welding pieces in place this week.

[Truckinbutch]

Be careful not to burn your finger again
Butch

[coalminer]

Be careful not to burn your finger again
Butch

LOL! no burnt fingers this time!

Ok the condenser is finished, this time with no leaks. It is 36 inches long, overkill I know but once again most of the copper was free so why not?
I took pics so any other noobs can see and understand. Hope I do not get into trouble for all of the pics. If I am out of line, someone please let me know. If anybody sees any improvements, feel free to let us know. I am never too old to learn.
I am not used to the pictures. I placed them in order as I did it, and it places the last picture first. So scroll from the bottom to the top for step by step directions. Feel free to pm me for any questions if you need. I am more than willing to help, as I have gotten alot of help myself

[Truckinbutch]

Lookin good . At 36" I don't think you got overkill . Looks like right in the ball park . Keep us up to date when you fire it up .

[coalminer]

Some copper porn!
This is more for noobs, building my Leibig condenser. When soldering, make sure it is clean, even if it is new, sand it down with some emery cloth,inside and out! make sure your flux is clean. you only get 1 chance, if you screw up, you got to start over from the beginning. There are times when you get lucky and can fix a leak, but it is rare. When sliding this all together, I put flux on all ends to be soldered together, even the 3/4 reducer when it slid down the pipe and measured where it would end up, cleaned the pipe right there and put flux on the pipe. When you slide the joint down the pipe, you will smear flux along the pipe, when you put the joint together, wipe the flux off anywhere that is not inside the joint. Flux draws solder and it will draw it away from your joint and go everywhere but into the joint. Ok i got to get out and work on the boiler and thumper. enjoy!

[coalminer]

for the water inlets, I soldered pex to copper fittings, slapped a pex valve onto the end of the intake side to control the water flow

[coalminer]

Just some more porn to look at. I know I wasn't going to polish the copper but I started cleaning and couldent help myself. Used a wire brush on a drill. These are just mocked up, nothing is permanent yet. I plan to start welding Teusday. I need a few more fittings, plans change as I get more advice from here. Let me know if you guys see anything I need to change. Is there a certain amount of length my pipe needs to be from pot to thumper? I am coming out 6 inches, then 16 inches over to the thumper, then 25 inches to the bottom of the thumper with a 90 elbow and a few inches inside the thumper, then another 6 inches out of the thumper, then off to the 36 inch condenser.

[corene1]

Just something to think about on your liebeg. I built a similar one except I used a stainless outer housing. The turbulator inside helped but I believe that the 3/4 inch opening is not as efficient as a 1/2 inch diameter tube. I don't know how to explain it scientifically but if you think about the cross section of a 3/4 inch tube there is more surface area expose but the distance from the center of the hot vapor is farther from the cooling surface of the tube so the vapor can move through the tube farther before it gets down to a temp that it will re condense . I wound up using copper mesh in the first half of my condenser then the turbulator for the rest of the liebeg. This cut the flow of cooling water needed in half. Just something to think about.

[corene1]

Are those stainless plates going to be welded to the kegs? If so are you putting in another port for charging the boiler and thumper or will the plates be removable. I couldn't tell if they were large ferrules with drilled flat blanks that would be secured by clamps. Access to the inside of the boiler or condenser is always helpful for inspections and cleaning. I have a couple of ideas that could work if you are interested. You could use the flat plate and weld a 4 inch ferrule to it for easy access and loading . And make a ferule attachment for the thumper that was also removable for charging and cleaning . This is a small one I made for a 2 inch ferrule and small keg thumper just for some ideas for simplicity and access to the inside of the keg. Just scale it up to a 4 inch ferrule and 2 inch line in and out for the thumper.

[coalminer]

Thank you Corene. I cut the plates out with a plasma cutter.Those plates will be drilled and bolts welded to the top of the keg. We (I say we because friends are helping) will be making 6 knurls for each keg to tighten down the plates by hand. That way it is removable for inspection and cleaning.I will put a T on the copper for filling. Both will have drains on the bottom. Wich means I have to build some sort of stand for the kegs to sit on. I do like your design for the thumper, however I would have to order the parts and these parts are what we have on hand. I am still waiting on parts I ordered 2 weeks ago. I am trying to keep costs down and build what I can (that isin't working too well) we are going to braze the copper to the ferrel for the tri clamp.

I also wondered the same thing about the condenser. I do understand about the (too much area) problem you were explaining. I will have to see if it works. If it does not I will have to change it or add some copper packing as you suggested. Maybe it would not hurt to add the packing now, just to be sure.

[Truckinbutch]

Lookin good , Coalminer .
I'd heed what Corene has to share . She's pretty canny with this stillin stuff .

[corene1]

Thank you Corene. I cut the plates out with a plasma cutter.Those plates will be drilled and bolts welded to the top of the keg. We (I say we because friends are helping) will be making 6 knurls for each keg to tighten down the plates by hand. That way it is removable for inspection and cleaning.I will put a T on the copper for filling. Both will have drains on the bottom. Wich means I have to build some sort of stand for the kegs to sit on. I do like your design for the thumper, however I would have to order the parts and these parts are what we have on hand. I am still waiting on parts I ordered 2 weeks ago. I am trying to keep costs down and build what I can (that isin't working too well) we are going to braze the copper to the ferrel for the tri clamp.

Sounds good to me. When you attach your ferrules and tees to the flat stainless plate you might consider clamping them to a solid plate while doing the work and let them cool attached to the plate to help prevent warping , particularly if they are thinner plates. I am just spoiled as there is a supplier just down the street from work that carries a large inventory of stainless pieces all the way up to 6 inch.

[coalminer]

Lookin good , Coalminer .
I'd heed what Corene has to share . She's pretty canny with this stillin stuff .

Thanks Butch! I agree Corene seems to know her stuff!

[coalminer]

Here it is, just mocked up. need some adjusting and tweeking. I will solder this week, and add some caps for filling and packing in the condensor and drain valves in the bottom..
Corene you were right, those plates warped even with clamps but with a good gasket I think they will work. We bent them back into place pretty much.

[corene1]

Here it is, just mocked up. need some adjusting and tweeking. I will solder this week, and add some caps for filling and packing in the condensor and drain valves in the bottom..
Corene you were right, those plates warped even with clamps but with a good gasket I think they will work. We bent them back into place pretty much.

I have some stuff at work and I will check on the name tomorrow. It is a soft PTFE packing we use in valves . It is 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick and VERY soft and pliable. It may work well to seal the irregularities in your flange. I gave some to another member here but haven't heard back from him yet.

[Truckinbutch]

Here it is, just mocked up. need some adjusting and tweeking. I will solder this week, and add some caps for filling and packing in the condensor and drain valves in the bottom..
Corene you were right, those plates warped even with clamps but with a good gasket I think they will work. We bent them back into place pretty much.

I have some stuff at work and I will check on the name tomorrow. It is a soft PTFE packing we use in valves . It is 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick and VERY soft and pliable. It may work well to seal the irregularities in your flange. I gave some to another member here but haven't heard back from him yet.

WOW, Gal ! You just never cease to rock ! That could be the ultimate answer to a lot of folk's problems .

[corene1]

Here it is, just mocked up. need some adjusting and tweeking. I will solder this week, and add some caps for filling and packing in the condensor and drain valves in the bottom..
Corene you were right, those plates warped even with clamps but with a good gasket I think they will work. We bent them back into place pretty much.

I have some stuff at work and I will check on the name tomorrow. It is a soft PTFE packing we use in valves . It is 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick and VERY soft and pliable. It may work well to seal the irregularities in your flange. I gave some to another member here but haven't heard back from him yet.

WOW, Gal ! You just never cease to rock ! That could be the ultimate answer to a lot of folk's problems .

It works just like regular cord packing but is filament ptfe inside a very thin formed ptfe wrapping so it won't shred. It is for food grade applications. If you tear it lengthwise it looks like string cheese, but it won't tear sideways at all..

[Truckinbutch]

Here it is, just mocked up. need some adjusting and tweeking. I will solder this week, and add some caps for filling and packing in the condensor and drain valves in the bottom..
Corene you were right, those plates warped even with clamps but with a good gasket I think they will work. We bent them back into place pretty much.

I have some stuff at work and I will check on the name tomorrow. It is a soft PTFE packing we use in valves . It is 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick and VERY soft and pliable. It may work well to seal the irregularities in your flange. I gave some to another member here but haven't heard back from him yet.

WOW, Gal ! You just never cease to rock ! That could be the ultimate answer to a lot of folk's problems .

It works just like regular cord packing but is filament ptfe inside a very thin formed ptfe wrapping so it won't shred. It is for food grade applications. If you tear it lengthwise it looks like string cheese, but it won't tear sideways at all..

I'm impressed
DAMN ! Look at all the advancements that have been made in the few short years we have been posting here .

[coalminer]

[/quote]
I have some stuff at work and I will check on the name tomorrow. It is a soft PTFE packing we use in valves . It is 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick and VERY soft and pliable. It may work well to seal the irregularities in your flange. I gave some to another member here but haven't heard back from him yet.[/quote]

that would be great!!! I would be more than happy to pay for it. Thanks alot Corene, you are my hero!!

[corene1]

You know all this stuff has been out there awhile and more we don't know about yet. I think it is just the depth of the members and the diversities of their trades that combine to make this forum what it is. I come across things all the time at work and they immediately start me thinking . I wonder if that would work? That is one of the joys of working in a small family job shop instead of a big production shop. I get to work on a lot of different things from tiny medical pieces to big pieces for the cement plants and other big plants. In the 40 years I have been at my place of employment I have seen so many different things come through the door. I am not the best at anything but am pretty good at a lot of things and always learning. We even learn by helping someone else with a problem. Makes us think of things we haven't thought of yet. Well I am rambling again better slow down the taste testing.

[Truckinbutch]

You know all this stuff has been out there awhile and more we don't know about yet. I think it is just the depth of the members and the diversities of their trades that combine to make this forum what it is. I come across things all the time at work and they immediately start me thinking . I wonder if that would work? That is one of the joys of working in a small family job shop instead of a big production shop. I get to work on a lot of different things from tiny medical pieces to big pieces for the cement plants and other big plants. In the 40 years I have been at my place of employment I have seen so many different things come through the door. I am not the best at anything but am pretty good at a lot of things and always learning. We even learn by helping someone else with a problem. Makes us think of things we haven't thought of yet. Well I am rambling again better slow down the taste testing.

YOU MIGHT BE A STILLER IF ........................

[cob]

packing like this http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... g#p7411155

or this is another option http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... anded+ptfe

[corene1]

packing like this http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... g#p7411155

or this is another option http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... anded+ptfe

Pretty close to the first one , except it is much wider and thicker. Use it on stainless slide valves. I am sure it is made in many different configurations. We get ours at the local seal and packing supply house .

[coalminer]

You know all this stuff has been out there awhile and more we don't know about yet. I think it is just the depth of the members and the diversities of their trades that combine to make this forum what it is. I come across things all the time at work and they immediately start me thinking . I wonder if that would work? That is one of the joys of working in a small family job shop instead of a big production shop. I get to work on a lot of different things from tiny medical pieces to big pieces for the cement plants and other big plants. In the 40 years I have been at my place of employment I have seen so many different things come through the door. I am not the best at anything but am pretty good at a lot of things and always learning. We even learn by helping someone else with a problem. Makes us think of things we haven't thought of yet. Well I am rambling again better slow down the taste testing.

I have to agree, Corene. I have learned so much in the coal mine. We can't just order what we need when we break down. It takes about 2 hrs just to get parts from the warehouse to the face underground if they go after it as soon as we want it. At $600 a minute, we can not afford to wait 2 hrs, so we learn to adapt and make what we need fast. I had a boss that carried everything with him. He had things stuffed everywhere. We needed a fuse once, thought the warehouse wouldn't even have it, he pulled it out of his ear muffs! A fuse I never seen before in my life and he had it on his person... and way now I am rambling, I have learned so much from you guys (and girls) on here and I will never stop learning. I hope not anyway. If you find the gasket, let me know. Thanks!

[corene1]

You know all this stuff has been out there awhile and more we don't know about yet. I think it is just the depth of the members and the diversities of their trades that combine to make this forum what it is. I come across things all the time at work and they immediately start me thinking . I wonder if that would work? That is one of the joys of working in a small family job shop instead of a big production shop. I get to work on a lot of different things from tiny medical pieces to big pieces for the cement plants and other big plants. In the 40 years I have been at my place of employment I have seen so many different things come through the door. I am not the best at anything but am pretty good at a lot of things and always learning. We even learn by helping someone else with a problem. Makes us think of things we haven't thought of yet. Well I am rambling again better slow down the taste testing.

I have to agree, Corene. I have learned so much in the coal mine. We can't just order what we need when we break down. It takes about 2 hrs just to get parts from the warehouse to the face underground if they go after it as soon as we want it. At $600 a minute, we can not afford to wait 2 hrs, so we learn to adapt and make what we need fast. I had a boss that carried everything with him. He had things stuffed everywhere. We needed a fuse once, thought the warehouse wouldn't even have it, he pulled it out of his ear muffs! A fuse I never seen before in my life and he had it on his person... and way now I am rambling, I have learned so much from you guys (and girls) on here and I will never stop learning. I hope not anyway. If you find the gasket, let me know. Thanks!

Well this is the stuff I was talking about I cut a piece and tore it so you can see it is like a piece of string cheese inside with a thin casing on the outside and it is soft and malleable. It is probably available close to you or by mail order from McMaster Carr . if you can't find it I will send you some of this. It is a bit old but still workable.