My first attempt at a condenser coil for a boka still

[Jjones0120]

So today I attempted to make a condenser coil for a boka column and I’m a little disappointed and at the same time a touch proud. I filled it with water and solder the ends (this worked well on a larger diameter), made a crude version of a coiling rig and went for it. The inner coil seems flat and the outer seems ok, it fits in the column well and i can blow thru it. I only kinked one part and I fixed it. Does anyone have any tips for not flattening the inner coil? I plan to make another one and would like to be a little better prepared, the videos made this seem so easy . I used 1/4od copper tubing. My coil rig consisted of a piece of metal
Pipe with eye bolts mounted in 2 wooden blocks. You’ll
Have to pardon the mess, I’m in the middle of building a transmission.

[Jjones0120]

[Saltbush Bill]

Looks ok for your first try , seen a lot worse.
Hook a hose to it and see how well the water flows.
A lot of people fill the tube with salt or sand before trying to bend them. There are a few 'How To Tutorials on the forum. Probably in the build section.
If I find it I'll post the link.
app.php/googlesearch?cx=012980085383122 ... itesearch=
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11554
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=14559&start=30

[rgreen2002]

A lot of people fill the tube with salt or sand before trying to bend them. There are a few 'How To Tutorials on the forum. Probably in the build section.
If I find it I'll post the link.
app.php/googlesearch?cx=012980085383122 ... itesearch=
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11554
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=14559&start=30

I actually used to fill the tube with water and crimp the ends. Then I would freeze the tubing. This seemed to make it easier to turn without kinking... YMMV!

[Expat]

A lot of people fill the tube with salt or sand before trying to bend them. There are a few 'How To Tutorials on the forum. Probably in the build section.
If I find it I'll post the link.
app.php/googlesearch?cx=012980085383122 ... itesearch=
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11554
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=14559&start=30

I actually used to fill the tube with water and crimp the ends. Then I would freeze the tubing. This seemed to make it easier to turn without kinking... YMMV!

I never managed to get mine to coil nicely so I gave up and built something else.

[OtisT]

Flow rate through the coil is what matters. Hook one lead from your coil to your home water source, open the flow wide open, and measure your rate out the other end. (How long does it take to fill a gallon jug.). Do some math to get your flow rate in lpm or gpm. The flow will need to be enough to knock down all of the heat you apply. What is your boiler’s max wattage? For me, it takes a flow rate of 3.5 lpm (1 gpm) to knock down all 5500w I can throw at it. That is with a constant supply of cold water (city source). If you are recirculating water, you will want additional flow potential for when your reservoir temp begins to rise. Running a lower wattage means you can get by with less flow.

FYI, depending on your power input, a single coil with a good flow should be enough to knock down what you throw at it. My 10” long single coil made of 1/4” copper tubing will knock down 5500w, with a 3.5 lpm flow rate. That is 24 winds, 1/8” gap, about 11’ total in copper tubing. The link in my signature below shows what that looks like.

To prevent crushing, Salt packing is the key for me. With water/air, it only takes one small air bubble or water that is not de-gassed and you can get flattened sections. Salt is easy to work with. Some complain about the removal, but that is easy too if you do it right.

1) everything must be DRY. Dry tubing, salt, etc.
2) straighten your copper tubing and plug one end with a screw or cap or crimp it.
2) lay your length of tubing up a staircase, open end at top.
3) from the top of the stairs use a funnel and pour salt into the tubing. Every ounce or so, stop pouring and shake the tube to get the salt inside to pack down into the tube well. Repeat until the tube is full, shake it some more to be sure it is done compacting, then seal this end.
4) wrap your coil and make all the bends you want. Cut the leads to desired length.
5) hook one lead to your home water source and turn the water on. Nothing will come out at first but in 5-15 minutes under pressure it will begin to drip and one minute from there you should have full flow soon after. No work, just time.

Otis

[Saltbush Bill]

What if you don't have a stair case>? , about one in every thousand houses where I live do?

[The Baker]

What if you don't have a stair case>? , about one in every thousand houses where I live do?

Ladder?

Geoff

[OtisT]

What if you don't have a stair case>? , about one in every thousand houses where I live do?

Maybe a small hill or embankment, roof of your house (if it’s not flat), climb a tree, stand on your truck, sit on your girlfriends shoulders, etc. From a completely different perspective how about using a big hole, or ditch, or open dry well, or canyon. You don’t need a high space if you have a low one. . From a maker, this question seems disingenuous. Otis

[Jjones0120]

I did a flow test, I pushed 1/2 gallon in 1 minute. Seems a little restricted but it flows. I’m going to run a propane burner for now, I’ll eventually upgrade to a electric setup.

[3illmesmart]

This is one of the things that I love about this forum. It never crossed my mind that stairs would be rare.
If we didn't have an upstairs (Opa did), we had a downstairs. At the very least, next door would.

[OtisT]

I did a flow test, I pushed 1/2 gallon in 1 minute. Seems a little restricted but it flows. I’m going to run a propane burner for now, I’ll eventually upgrade to a electric setup.

Well that should be good up to around 2000w. I know you can’t tell what power you are running at with gas, so when you start running the still under full reflux to reach equilibrium, be sure to check the temp of the cooling output with your hand. If you are running with a full flow and the output temp starts getting hot you know you are reaching the condenser’s limit.

I don’t see a vent in your cap. Do you have a vent in the top of your column somewhere?

Otis

[MartinCash]

I found mine not too hard by never straightening the copper tube in the first place, and following the natural curve of the copper as much as possible. This was on the second try. Luckily I'd bought twice as much tube as I needed.

This is annealed copper, and if you straighten the tube to coil it, you're hardening the copper and making it somewhat more likely to flatten and kink it.

If you plan to use salt, though, you have to straighten... so you win some and lose some.

[Jjones0120]

I haven’t drilled a vent yet, i got a little ahead of myself. I’ve never ran a still so this will be a learning experience all the way through. I made a 5gal batch of sugar wash and turbo yeast as my sacrificial run, it’s right at 20%. I’ll be sure to take my time with that condenser, I may try to make another one with some of the ideas I’ve got from here, y’all have been great and I appreciate all the response!

[The Baker]

This is one of the things that I love about this forum. It never crossed my mind that stairs would be rare.
If we didn't have an upstairs (Opa did), we had a downstairs. At the very least, next door would.

We watch the house shows on TV.

It amuses us when the English turn their noses in the air a bit and call single story houses like ours, 'boongaloes'.

Geoff

[n_plains_drifter]

Nice work!