wildcats pot still w/ccvm option..

[Wildcats]

I wanted to be as modular as possible. I decided to solder ferrules to each side of my Tee and Elbo. The ferrules fit the inside of the 2" pipe. I had to cut bushings from the 2" pipe so I could make the ferrules fit my fittings. I cut 3 of these bushings for the Tee, and 2 for the Elbow. I made them 1 1/4" long and soldered them up. I also made a 16" spool.

For my PC I wanted a shotgun. I have plenty of flat stock copper. But to be completely honest I wasn't very confident in my ability to make the baffles and end caps. I got with our good friend Twisted Brick.. He was able to get the parts out to me very fast (more about this later) So I cut my 4 vapor tubes out of 1/2" type l pipe, and solder them up into my 19 .5" tube set.

I then shot myself in the foot..I made a mistake and cut my shell for my PC 5/8" too short.. So I was left with either trying to fix it and take a chance on really messing up my end cap on one end. Or I could wait and get a new pipe. The new one will be here in the next day or so. I will be going CCVM and will need a RC as well. I practiced with a 20' piece of 1/4" copper tubing. I say "practiced" because I'm not happy with the result. Too much flatting of the tubing after I wound the coil. I will be using salt on the next go.

I needed an end cap to go onto my Tee. I have some flat copper. So I took a ferrule and traced around it, and cut it out. I then took a piece copper wire and solder it on. it works great. I have a flat on one side gasket like the one used on the keg.

I still need my PC shell
2"x1/2" reducer
my water I/O fittings
Theses are all in the mail.

I also made an 18" spool. I have a sight glass as well. All gaskets are PTFE. I will be heating with gas.

Ok, did I really need a shotgun condenser for a pot still? No, but i plan to reflux at some point. So shotgun it is. I just need to finish my condenser. I look to have it done in the next few days.

For anyone thinking about building a shotgun condenser. The baffles and end caps that Twisted Brick makes are absolutely phenomenal. They are the best fitting part on my build. I wish my soldering skills were up to par with the parts. Twisted Brick has went above and beyond with his help, tips and advice. He sent me pictures and helped out all thru my buying parts phase and now with the building process. And none of this would've been possible without this forum.

I felt I needed to make the effort to figure out how to post pictures. This forum and the members here are great. So much combined knowledge. I'm blessed to be apart of it.
Can't wait to get this thing done and see how she drives...

To be continued...

[MooseMan]

I wanted to be as modular as possible. I decided to solder ferrules to each side of my Tee and Elbo. The ferrules fit the inside of the 2" pipe. I had to cut bushings from the 2" pipe so I could make the ferrules fit my fittings. I cut 3 of these bushings for the Tee, and 2 for the Elbow. I made them 1 1/4" long and soldered them up. I also made a 16" spool.IMG_20230401_133649_2.jpg

For my PC I wanted a shotgun. I have plenty of flat stock copper. But to be completely honest I wasn't very confident in my ability to make the baffles and end caps. I got with our good friend Twisted Brick.. He was able to get the parts out to me very fast (more about this later) So I cut my 4 vapor tubes out of 1/2" type l pipe, and solder them up into my 19 .5" tube set.IMG_20230331_170509_2.jpgIMG_20230401_134006_2.jpg

I then shot myself in the foot..I made a mistake and cut my shell for my PC 5/8" too short.. So I was left with either trying to fix it and take a chance on really messing up my end cap on one end. Or I could wait and get a new pipe. The new one will be here in the next day or so. I will be going CCVM and will need a RC as well. I practiced with a 20' piece of 1/4" copper tubing. I say "practiced" because I'm not happy with the result. Too much flatting of the tubing after I wound the coil. I will be using salt on the next go.

I needed an end cap to go onto my Tee. I have some flat copper. So I took a ferrule and traced around it, and cut it out. I then took a piece copper wire and solder it on. it works great. I have a flat on one side gasket like the one used on the keg.IMG_20230401_142454_2.jpg
IMG_20230401_142518_2.jpg

I still need my PC shell
2"x1/2" reducer
my water I/O fittings
Theses are all in the mail.

I also made an 18" spool. I have a sight glass as well. All gaskets are PTFE. I will be heating with gas.

Ok, did I really need a shotgun condenser for a pot still? No, but i plan to reflux at some point. So shotgun it is. I just need to finish my condenser. I look to have it done in the next few days.

For anyone thinking about building a shotgun condenser. The baffles and end caps that Twisted Brick makes are absolutely phenomenal. They are the best fitting part on my build. I wish my soldering skills were up to par with the parts. Twisted Brick has went above and beyond with his help, tips and advice. He sent me pictures and helped out all thru my buying parts phase and now with the building process. And none of this would've been possible without this forum.IMG_20230331_165902_2.jpg

I felt I needed to make the effort to figure out how to post pictures. This forum and the members here are great. So much combined knowledge. I'm blessed to be apart of it.
Can't wait to get this thing done and see how she drives...

To be continued...

That's looking fantastic!
Your all copper looks way better than the stainless parts that I used.
And those copper ferrules look really neat and professional compared to the flanges that I bashed out with a hammer and back filled with solder.

If it helps at all, I wound my coils pretty easily with a bit of prep.
I gently uncoiled my 10mm copper and plugged one end of the tubing with hot glue and taped it up, then from an elevated level I poured dried building sand in whilst tapping the copper to make it settle and pack.
Once I had it full I just crimped the open end over a few times to seal it.
The winding went really well, just go very, very slow and if you feel it getting hard to bend, stop and anneal it.
If you look for my CCVM build thread there's some images of how I did it too.
I'm very much still new to this, but if my build info can be of any help to you then I'll be pleased, so feel free to ask if there's anything you see. I'm also hoping I can learn from what you do with yours

I'm really looking forward to hearing more from you and your new toy!

[Sporacle]

Looks great man, I have a very similar two inch CCVM that I run as a pot as well.
I simply remove the packing and but the blank cap on and have a have a really long riser, helps with puking and if you put your sight glass at the bottom you'd have heaps of time to shut down.
You'll love it, well done

[Saltbush Bill]

Great to see people building rather than buying off the shelf staino stuff........nice job

[Wildcats]

Thank you guys I appreciate they kind words. My pipe will be here today. Looking forward to getting my PC done.

[Wildcats]

My pipe is out for delivery. So I hope to get my PC done tonight.

[Wildcats]

Got my shot gun all soldered up. No leaks. Now I just need my reducer, witch will be here tomorrow. Then I'll be ready for my cleaning run and sacrificial run. I'll get some pictures up then.

[Chauncey]

We demand pics now!

[Bushman]

Great to see people building rather than buying off the shelf staino stuff........nice job

I second this feeling, also tutorials help others along their journey.

[Wildcats]

Thanks guys. I'll get the pictures up soon.

[PuckJunkie76]

Looks Great!! And very similar to what I'm doing with respect to the Tee option

[MooseMan]

Pics, pics, pics!

[Wildcats]

Looks Great!! And very similar to what I'm doing with respect to the Tee option

Thank you sir.

[Wildcats]

Pics, pics, pics!

I'll get the pictures up tonight when I get in from work.

[kimbodious]

Great to see people building rather than buying off the shelf staino stuff........nice job

I second this feeling, also tutorials help others along their journey.

I don’t buy into this elitist “if it’s not home built copper it’s not worthy”. Not everyone has the skills tools or time to DIY.

[Bushman]

Great to see people building rather than buying off the shelf staino stuff........nice job

I second this feeling, also tutorials help others along their journey.

I don’t buy into this elitist “if it’s not home built copper it’s not worthy”. Not everyone has the skills tools or time to DIY.

I wouldn’t call it elitist and I agree with for some buying is the best option. Having others go before you with a tutorial gives some that are on the fence confidence to do it themselves. For me I am a visual learner and by building I felt I had a better grasp on how things work.

[Saltbush Bill]

I don't really care what you "buy into" , I always have and all ways will enchorage people to build their own stills over buying off the shelf stainless bling.
Building is as much a part of this hobby as any other skill involved in making good booze.
Plenty of people including my self had absolutely no copper working or soldering skills when they started in this hobby......those that try to learn usually succeed......those that don't never do and never will.
If it wasn't for the builders in this hobby we would all be stuck using things like air stills.
All of the better commercially available designs that are available today are copies of things first built and designed by members of forums like this.....they didn't just happen by accident.

[Wildcats]

I don't really care what you "buy into" , I always have and all ways will enchorage people to build their own stills over buying off the shelf stainless bling.
Building is as much a part of this hobby as any other skill involved in making good booze.
Plenty of people including my self had absolutely no copper working or soldering skills when they started in this hobby......those that try to learn usually succeed......those that don't never do and never will.
If it wasn't for the builders in this hobby we would all be stuck using things like air stills.
All of the better commercially available designs that are available today are copies of things first built and designed by members of forums like this.....they didn't just happen by accident.

Yeah just wanted all copper and to build. I could've safed a lot of money going with stainless. But like I said.. I wanted copper.

[Wildcats]

Ok I just scored some 3/8" and some 1/2" tubing from the HVAC guy at work. And a bag full of fittings.

What do y'all think about me making my RC coil outta 3/8" tubing??. Maybe just a single coil....

[Wildcats]

Great to see people building rather than buying off the shelf staino stuff........nice job

I second this feeling, also tutorials help others along their journey.

Yeah all the builds on this site we very helpful in my approach to me building my still. I hope my build will help the next guy wanting to build.

[MooseMan]

Ok I just scored some 3/8" and some 1/2" tubing from the HVAC guy at work. And a bag full of fittings.

What do y'all think about me making my RC coil outta 3/8" tubing??. Maybe just a single coil....

Go for it Wildcats, that's what I used for both of my coils, although being the other side of the water I called it 10mm (It actually fits 10mm push fits too, with a perfect seal)
My RC is a single coil and knocks down everything the boiler puts up.

[Wildcats]

Ok I just scored some 3/8" and some 1/2" tubing from the HVAC guy at work. And a bag full of fittings.

What do y'all think about me making my RC coil outta 3/8" tubing??. Maybe just a single coil....

Go for it Wildcats, that's what I used for both of my coils, although being the other side of the water I called it 10mm (It actually fits 10mm push fits too, with a perfect seal)
My RC is a single coil and knocks down everything the boiler puts up.

IMG_20210713_202559_667~2.jpg

Hell yeah. Looks like I'll be winding a coil as soon as I get home.

[MooseMan]

Give this a look before you start, it might help.

I think end of page 2 or page 3 I get to winding the coils.

viewtopic.php?t=83586

[Wildcats]

Give this a look before you start, it might help.

I think end of page 2 or page 3 I get to winding the coils.

viewtopic.php?t=83586

Thank you sir. Nit gonna get to it tonight. Lol. Long day at work.

[Yummyrum]

If it wasn't for the builders in this hobby we would all be stuck using things like air stills.
All of the better commercially available designs that are available today are copies of things first built and designed by members of forums like this.....they didn't just happen by accident.

True words Salty . Nobody of sound mind could argue that .

This forum with its talented constructors who have posted with both their failures and successes have moved the hobby forward . Yes the sideline observers have been able to copy and reap the rewards of those that have blazed the trail . …. And why the hell not .
Kimbodious's Staino Mechanno set is a classic example .

The staino verses Copper argument will go on for ever .
My Mechanno set is all copper …. Just like Wildcats


Well done Wildcats .
Love your work man

[Wildcats]

If it wasn't for the builders in this hobby we would all be stuck using things like air stills.
All of the better commercially available designs that are available today are copies of things first built and designed by members of forums like this.....they didn't just happen by accident.

True words Salty . Nobody of sound mind could argue that .

This forum with its talented constructors who have posted with both their failures and successes have moved the hobby forward . Yes the sideline observers have been able to copy and reap the rewards of those that have blazed the trail . …. And why the hell not .
Kimbodious's Staino Mechanno set is a classic example .

The staino verses Copper argument will go on for ever .
My Mechanno set is all copper …. Just like Wildcats .

Well done Wildcats .
Love your work man

Thank you kind sir.

[Wildcats]

Plan for today after work... Wind a RC coil. Make a brace to go from the rim of my keg to support the shot gun. Build a proofing parrot. Order more tri clamps. Order my gas burner and regulator. Figure out my fittings for my water lines. I'm sure there is something else.. brain is a little foggy this morning.... TBC

[Wildcats]

Ok I almost forgot... Get the rest of the pictures up on build thread... Don't worry I won't forget the pictures

[Wildcats]

My third try at a coil. This time with 3/8" tubing. I filled it with salt. Welp... I'll probably either get some 1/4" tubing and try it again... Not likely... Probably just buy a coil and be done with it . I still have the 3/8" tubing. I couldn't get past the first bend. Hanging it up for tonight.

[MooseMan]

My third try at a coil. This time with 3/8" tubing. I filled it with salt. Welp... I'll probably either get some 1/4" tubing and try it again... Not likely... Probably just buy a coil and be done with it . I still have the 3/8" tubing. I couldn't get past the first bend. Hanging it up for tonight.

Explain exactly what you were doing and what went wrong I'm sure we can help!

Was the tube completely full of salt? Tapped loads to settle it all down nicely and sealed both ends so that the salt can't just migrate away as you bend?
Are you using 3/8" copper from a big open coil?
Are you fixing/clamping it to something solid to wind it around?
Are you going REALLY slow?