Been awhile since I was in the forum, and since running my pot still, but I did a few ujssm small batches this weekend and have an issue...on my final run I noticed condensation dripping down my copper worm as traced it back to the connection between my arm and worm (soldered 1/4" copper pipe connection bolted to arm). I used flour paste to seal it up and had no issues/leaks through the run. When I started cleaning and disassembly of my rig, the soldered connection stripped clean off my worm...
My question is this: is this connection (from arm to worm) something I can fit together snuggly ( without soldering a new connection) and flour paste every run, or should I solder a new connection? I haven't used the still in about two years and ran it twice prior to this over the weekend before today's failure...(I use a hot plate heating element BTW so no real danger of blow out if I happen to catch a leak and shut it down right away...)
I still use slip joints on my pot still, I wrap them with PTFE tape then slip them together, then wrap the joint with more tape. No messy flour paste and never had a leak. I've been running it 4 years that way.
If i picture it right sounds like the perfect place for a copper union fitting.
Though in places I do use ptfe wrapped unsoldered slip fittings, usually vertical though where gravity keeps em fixed.
