How you pack your column

[Dancing4dan]

Looking for discussion on how you pack a column with copper or SS mesh or scrubbies. As in what is your technique? The idea of not to tight but tight enough is pretty subjective and I have been unable to find a description of "how" to pack a column that will result in consistent packing throughout the column height and width.

Do you use a broom handle and ram it in?

Do you just keep shoving more scrubbies in by hand until they start to come out the other end?

Do you have a formula used to determine how much packing? Ie so many ounces of copper for every inch of column height and diameter.

I have a 2" copper packed column that is 45" tall. Initially not being sure how to get the packing done I just started rolling up a bunch of copper mesh and shoving it down the column. But it didn't seem to be very consistent and it was getting tighter the more I shoved in. When almost done I accidentally dropped the column on one end. Suddenly the column was only 1/2 full again. The mesh had slipped together and compressed under its own weight. Gave me an idea so I emptied the column and started to make loose fitting rolls and thumped the bottom of the column on the floor. This caused the copper to compress down at the bottom. I just kept adding more copper mesh and thumping the column on the floor from about 8 - 10 inches above the floor until the column was full. The copper reached its own level of compression and seems to work fine.

Look forward to hearing how you do this.

[Sporacle]

My copper is about 100mm wide and it is cut in lengths to be rolled so I can then place in my column with a broom handle. Half from the base and half from the top, they are not tightly rolled and hold by friction. Can easily blow through, seems to work for me

[StillerBoy]

Gave me an idea so I emptied the column and started to make loose fitting rolls and thumped the bottom of the column on the floor. This caused the copper to compress down at the bottom.

I have to ask why one would give himself such a hardship at loading a column with packing ? ?..

That's the main reason for switching to lava rocks many yrs back, say goodby to the hardship..

If one is has to use ss scrubbies, they are best done by compacting individual scrubbies no more than 1" in thickness, and packing column length of 12" only, and using a packer to pack into the column and extracting with.. so multiple column length of 12" are used, otherwise filling a 36" or more column is a real pain in the a..

Mars

PS.. but if one is still of the view that ss scrubbies is the way to go, then he's how I used to do it..

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[EricTheRed]

I use a 2m x 100mm wide copper mesh. Rolled up tight and crsmmed into the column. Repeat 6 times to hive me 60cm packing.
Column or riser depending on config
Rinse with hot water when run done. Never take it out.

[howie]

i buy 500gm roll which is 9m long x 100mm wide.
cut into 4 x 2.25m lengths, rolled as tight as i can by hand, then squeeze and push them into my 2".
these will not move and use a broom handle to remove.
so 4 x 100mm rolls of copper in a 1.1m column (500mm + 600mm), the rest filled up with SS scrubbies (about 15?), rammed in with the broom handle.
when the MIL comes around and falls asleep, i test the column by placing it on her mouth and holding her nose.
she's still breathing.

[EricTheRed]

when the MIL comes around and falls asleep, i test the column by placing it on her mouth and holding her nose.
she's still breathing.

[Bushman]

Having a 4” stainless column I wanted copper packing thus I made my own.
Making your own Packing

[Demy]

I use stainless steel scrubber, usually I let in as many scrubbers as possible .. initially expanding them by pulling them with my hands, this makes them perfectly fit to the walls, then with a stick that I built them compact inside the column. This works better than pre-compression before inserting them.
I think it is difficult to compact the scrubbers too much ...

[squigglefunk]

i use a 2.5" diameter copper column 3ft high, packed with copper mesh. The mesh comes about 5-6" wide I roll the mesh into tubes about the diameter of the pipe and stuff them in using gravity only. I will shake them down to pack them together. I have no prob hitting 95%.

[EricTheRed]

Copper scrubbie roll
60cm packed to each section. 1 x 2" and 1 x 3"
Packed tight
With my inadequate RC, can hit 93.5 to 94 for most of the hearts

[OtisT]

I ran copper mesh in my 2” column. The mesh I was using was 5” wide. I would cut a 1 lb roll into 8 equal length pieces. 7 of the pieces rolled up would pack 35”. The 8th piece is used for wrapping my RC in (totally unnecessary).

I use a stick with a small cup hook in one end to pack and unpack the column. Insert roles with the flat end of the stick. Use the hook for extraction, one roll at a time. By pulling one out at a time gently, the mesh lasts in a consistent condition for a long time.

The first time I packed the column I inserted the first roll to the top and marked the spot on the stick. I made the next mark at 5” and inserted the next roll up to the new line. Repeat until packed. Using the lines ensures you pack tightly, but not stuffing in too far.

Otis

[EricTheRed]

I ran copper mesh in my 2” column. The mesh I was using was 5” wide. I would cut a 1 lb roll into 8 equal length pieces. 7 of the pieces rolled up would pack 35”. The 8th piece is used for wrapping my RC in (totally unnecessary).

I use a stick with a small cup hook in one end to pack and unpack the column. Insert roles with the flat end of the stick. Use the hook for extraction, one roll at a time. By pulling one out at a time gently, the mesh lasts in a consistent condition for a long time.

The first time I packed the column I inserted the first roll to the top and marked the spot on the stick. I made the next mark at 5” and inserted the next roll up to the new line. Repeat until packed. Using the lines ensures you pack tightly, but not stuffing in too far.

Otis

Otis - do you leave and airgap between your packing? or just fill it up?

[OtisT]

No air gaps. I snug them right up together.

[EricTheRed]

No air gaps. I snug them right up together.

Thanks - same here

[Saltbush Bill]

After all the talk of different packing's its interesting to see how many are using copper mesh.......my opinion is that it might not be the cheapest but its hard to beat as a quality packing.
Rolled firm and snugged right up is the go.

[Dancing4dan]

copper being more malleable than stainless steel, does it compress tighter? I use copper and have not used SS.

[EricTheRed]

After all the talk of different packing's its interesting to see how many are using copper mesh.......my opinion is that it might not be the cheapest but its hard to beat as a quality packing.
Rolled firm and snugged right up is the go.

Very much so. It's a one off cost.
And for me, seems to trap a lot of the oily crap leaving me with cleanish tails

[Dancing4dan]

After all the talk of different packing's its interesting to see how many are using copper mesh.......my opinion is that it might not be the cheapest but its hard to beat as a quality packing.
Rolled firm and snugged right up is the go.

Very much so. It's a one off cost.
And for me, seems to trap a lot of the oily crap leaving me with cleanish tails

That’s what I noticed as well. To flush them out of the packing I use a chugged pump to pump hot Backset down through the column before removing it from the still. Followed by a hot water flush.

[Saltbush Bill]

o flush them out of the packing I use a chugged pump to pump hot Backset down through the column before removing it from the still. Followed by a hot water flush.

Hot backset or dunder does a wonderful job of cleaning any copper object, why would you bother to use anything else......its a free by
product after all and only headed for the drain otherwise.

[Dancing4dan]

o flush them out of the packing I use a chugged pump to pump hot Backset down through the column before removing it from the still. Followed by a hot water flush.

Hot backset or dunder does a wonderful job of cleaning any copper object, why would you bother to use anything else......its a free by
product after all and only headed for the drain otherwise.

You are right!

Before he passed away my Dad used feed grade molasses to remove rust from a 27 model T. It worked a charm. I should try hot Dunder on rust. Rat rod parts might benefit from this!

[bcook608]

I don't think it's polite to ask people about what they're packin'

[Dancing4dan]

I don't think it's polite to ask people about what they're packin'

[The Baker]

I don't think it's polite to ask people about what they're packin'

Obviously an American idiom.

Does it come from the cowboy movies or maybe there is another (naughty?) meaning?

(Don't really need to know.)

Geoff

[bcook608]

I don't think it's polite to ask people about what they're packin'

Obviously an American idiom.

Does it come from the cowboy movies or maybe there is another (naughty?) meaning?

(Don't really need to know.)

Geoff

Yeah. Definitely the naughty meaning

[bitter]

My copper packign I cut to length and then had a pile I rolled up to close the correct diameter then I wrapped around it made it a bit tighter. I did a run and then wrapped some more till got the right fit..

No I have SPP so no mess

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Copper blockier on to to hold in place

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[pynys pub]

little late to the party but any way I'm not so concerned how much you pack or what with but I've read that a thermometer probe is essential approximately 2/3 the way up the column . So if this is the case , does it matter if the thermometer touches the mesh ? Do you remove the probe each time ? Does the reflux have an effect on the reading of the thermometer ?

[Bushman]

copper being more malleable than stainless steel, does it compress tighter? I use copper and have not used SS.

It does compress, I have added packing over the years to what I started with.

[bluefish_dist]

2” is easy, just keep pushing in scrubbies until full. I found you had to push the first ones all the way to the bottom, the add the next one. If you try and push all at once the friction won’t let them move. For 4”, I used 4 per layer and rotated layers so the next layer aligned with the gap between two. For 6”, it was 5 or 6 around the outside and one in the middle. Rotating between layers to cover the gap. It was important and getting it right made the difference between making 190+ and 189.

[Setsumi]

little late to the party but any way I'm not so concerned how much you pack or what with but I've read that a thermometer probe is essential approximately 2/3 the way up the column . So if this is the case , does it matter if the thermometer touches the mesh ? Do you remove the probe each time ? Does the reflux have an effect on the reading of the thermometer ?

A themometer 3/4 up warns of tails approaching. But if you collect small your nose will warn.