A bit about me...let's see, 'bout a decade ago I spent hundreds and hundreds of hours on this forum (mostly reading and learning), had a few dozen posts. Had little money. Built a very small 1.5" bok. Ran some liquor. Close friends/family thought it was great, but I knew it was just ok.
Had some kids. Lost my time. Hung it up for a while. But wanting to get back into it, and have been hanging onto some copper I got on the super cheap years ago. I really love OtisT's pot still and thumper design and he's given me some grand ideas. I want to throw this out here for input and ideas.
I'll try to start from the ground up.
- Heat Source: 220v element. I built a controller years ago. Can't remember off the top of my head, I believe it's a 4500W element.
- Boiler: Going with a keg. New (used) keg. The one I use currently I hate. It's banged up and the rim is bent. Doesn't sit straight. So a new one it will be, 2" tri-clamp ferrule for the element.
- Boiler/Column Connection: Years ago I saw all these crazy people putting big ferrules on the top and I thought that was a lot of work and expense, so I didn't do it. Now I see why. My plan is to put a 4" ferrule on top of the keg for loading, cleaning, and connection to 4" riser. Also, future stills I can do a reducer down to 3" as I plan to someday build a 3" column as well.
Now...it's gonna get a bit pricey, but here's my rough design for the pot still and thumper. I'm going to use tri-clamps where ever possible. Feel free to chime in on any of this with comments, suggestions, warnings, encouragement, whatever.
Oh, lemme throw this out there before I start. I have 9' of 2", and about 10' of 3" and 4"...all DVW copper.
Ok, so here's what I have for design thus far:
- 4" ferrule onto 4" copper riser (OtisT idea)
- 4" to 2" copper reducer with very short 2" riser with 2" ferrule
- 2" tri-clamp sight glass to see foaming/puking
- 2" column with ferrules on each end
- (2) 2" tri-clamp stainless 90-deg elbows for flexibility in take-off angle
- 2" take off / through path with ferrules on each end
- 2" tri-clamp stainless 90-deg elbow
- 2" tri-clamp T - so the T will be oriented with two ports vertical and one horizontal. The through path will come over/down and connect to the horizontal (bottom) of the T using an elbow so that there's flexibility in height/angle placement of the thumper. Top of the T will have a push-fit cap which will be able to function as a port to add liquid mid-run for flavoring and/or to pull off to vent and prevent any back-pressure (idea from Otis) - This is where I'm a bit...unsure. I don't think that a 2" pipe will fit straight down the bung hole of a sanke keg. So I was trying to figure out - if I have a 2" copper tee with copper pipe/ferrule on the upper port. This would tri-clamp connect to the bottom of the other T. I "believe" using a 2" to 1" copper reducer fitting (not coupling) would possibly be an option, the idea to have the reducer sit inside the top of the T facing downwards and essentially forcing the vapor being pushed down into a 1" down rod which would go into near the bottom of the thumper. I "believe" that could be done in a way that sealed the T at the upper end so that vapor coming out of the thumper would be forced out the horizontal part of the T to the condenser.
I'm using the words "believe" in quotes b/c without those components and a dry fit, I'm not overly confident on that. Any input there appreciated.
- For the thumper I have a couple of 50L kegs that I picked up a long time ago super cheap and have never used. They're a goofy conical shape but covered with really thick rubber on top and bottom. Seems to me one of them would work great for a thumper.
- For the condenser, I really like Otis's dimroth and would likely try to copy that, only difference would be 2" coming in, so just stay 2". I might go Leibig to start just b/c it's straightforward and easy, but feel like that's something that can be decided "last".
I'm probably missing a bunch of things, and might try to sketch this up if I get a chance since pictures are way easier to understand, but thought I'd get this out there.
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
- Irons
