4" VM Build

[Salt Must Flow]

I just placed orders for all the remaining parts. The 4" sight glass, 4" ferrules, 4" end caps, a 2" ferrule, 2" elbow, gaskets and clamps were purchased from Oak Stills. $82 in parts and $93 in shipping I have no clue how long it will take to receive the order, but I assume it will be a relatively heavy box so it may ship SLOW BOAT and take 4-6 weeks

I found a SMOKIN HOT deal on a 6"x4" flat reducer on AliExpress for $27.72 free express shipping. Everywhere else I found were selling them for $45-$47 so I had to snatch it up before the offer expired.

I only need a few more copper fittings from a local plumbing supply shop, pipe insulation and Lava Rock. Once the Oak Stills order arrives, I can take the stainless pipe over to my guy to have it cut and ferrules TIG welded.

[MooseMan]

It's kinda funny how we regress at a certain age isn't it?
Getting all excited over the shiny, like some kind of kids waiting to open pressies! Haha
I can feel the excitement from the other side of the globe!

I'm constantly amazed at how some of the stuff on AliExpress is so cheap.
As well as still parts, I've been buying my android phones off there for many years, and get all my lure hooks and soft plastic lures on there too, for mad prices.

The last SS fitting I bought was like £9 free post, and cheapest I could find in UK was £27 with postage on top!

[Black Bull]

Looking great so far !
Curious to know your reasoning for the use of scoria to pack the column ?

[Salt Must Flow]

Looking great so far !
Curious to know your reasoning for the use of scoria to pack the column ?

Because it works great. It's easy to pack the column and easy to remove it.

[quadra]

...as well as price and availability!!

[Salt Must Flow]

Looking great so far !
Curious to know your reasoning for the use of scoria to pack the column ?

The column will have rolls of copper mesh at the base and Lava Rock filling the rest.

[Salt Must Flow]

While waiting for the rest of the parts to arrive, I'm trying to do whatever work I can in the meantime. I wanted to buy two of these Still Dragon 4" Plate Gaskets, but the shipping alone is $15 I wanted to use one for retaining the reflux centering plate and another to hold a packing retainer at the very base of the column. I figure I can make two plate gaskets myself.

I downloaded a 4" Tri-Clamp End Cap .STP file from GrabCad. I then used an online converter to convert the .STP file to a .STL file. Since I suck at drawing, I used TinkerCad to modify the end cap .STL file. I then 3D printed two of these 'jigs' using PEGT filament.

Gasket Cutter 01.jpg

I figure I can sandwich a gasket between these two jigs and shave off whatever material protrudes on the interior using a razor blade. In this pic I'm using a 6" gasket to try and demonstrate this jig I printed. A 4" gasket would sit nicely in the jig where this 6" gasket is fighting me every which way just to get this pic. When one of my China orders arrive, I can give this jig a shot using a 4" gasket.

Gasket Cutter 02.jpg

[Salt Must Flow]

Since I have so much time to kill, I made a couple packing retainers using flattened copper wire and soldered them together.

4in Packing Retainer.jpg

[MooseMan]

Neat little job.

So will you PTFE wrap the outer ring and sandwich them between sections of spool, so they basically become your flange seals?

[Salt Must Flow]

Neat little job.

So will you PTFE wrap the outer ring and sandwich them between sections of spool, so they basically become your flange seals?

I have no intention of PTFE wrapping the plate gaskets. Plate gaskets do seal Tri-Clamp connections while sealing around the centering plate. Here's that pic again showing what I'm talking about. I'll post a couple of pics tomorrow which will make plate gaskets more clear.

Centering Plate.jpg

The plate gasket will also seal the Tri-Clamp connection at the base of the column where the packing support will sit.

[bunny]

Unfortunately it's not 'split' insulation. So far I haven't found any 2" 'split' pipe insulation which would make it MUCH easier to install and the seams would mate perfectly. I may have to flatten it securely on a table, slide a marker flat across the table to draw a straight line on the insulation and then I can split it using scissors. So far that's the plan.

Ace Hardware has what you are looking for: item# 4000941, 4000939

image.jpeg

image.jpeg

[Salt Must Flow]

Unfortunately it's not 'split' insulation. So far I haven't found any 2" 'split' pipe insulation which would make it MUCH easier to install and the seams would mate perfectly. I may have to flatten it securely on a table, slide a marker flat across the table to draw a straight line on the insulation and then I can split it using scissors. So far that's the plan.

Ace Hardware has what you are looking for: item# 4000941, 4000939image.jpegimage.jpeg

Thanks bunny, I do know of that stuff. That is a polyethylene foam insulation. What I'm looking at is a foam rubber insulation similar to neoprene and is very flexible.

[zach]

Unfortunately it's not 'split' insulation. So far I haven't found any 2" 'split' pipe insulation which would make it MUCH easier to install and the seams would mate perfectly. I may have to flatten it securely on a table, slide a marker flat across the table to draw a straight line on the insulation and then I can split it using scissors. So far that's the plan.

I insulated a 17 inch diameter stainless mash tun with a thick black yoga mat that I found at a discount store for $5. It looks like the same neoprene that a wetsuit is made from 8 mm thick. I cut it with a razor knife and taped all of the edges and seams with black duct tape. I took my time and it looked somewhat professional, like a big can koozie. 7 years later it's still holding up good. I just mashed a batch of beer this weekend in this vessel.

I imagine you could do the same for a 4 inch diameter column. Maybe install with velcro adhesive strips so the insulation can be removed easily.

[Salt Must Flow]

Neat little job.

So will you PTFE wrap the outer ring and sandwich them between sections of spool, so they basically become your flange seals?

On the left is a normal Tri-Clamp gasket. On the right is a Still Dragon Plate Gasket. Notice that the interior of the gasket is missing on the Plate Gasket. That missing portion allows you to install a proper diameter plate. When that joint is clamped tight it seals the Tri-Clamp joint as well as around the plate.

Plate Gasket.jpg

I can also use a Plate Gasket to install a packing retainer to support the packing. I usually install 3-4 rolls of copper mesh at the base of the column then fill the rest of the column with properly sized Lava Rock. This retainer creates no restriction like perforated plates and screens do. Restriction can create a choke point and cause a column to flood.

Packing Retainer.jpg

Normally I'd just buy the plate gaskets, but something about paying $15 in shipping for two $4 gaskets bothers me. I'll try to make my own and see how that goes. 3D printers can be a really handy tool.

[MooseMan]

Aha now I see what you are getting at!

Oh you can definitely make your own just as good as those, especially with a 3d printed jig to cut against.

[Salt Must Flow]

The 6" x 4" Flat Reducer just arrived so the rest of my parts should be arriving soon following. This will connect the 4" column to the 6" opening on the boiler. I found it on AliExpress for $27 free shipping! Everywhere else I saw were selling them for $47 or more.

6in x 4in Flat Reducer.jpg

I ordered some 6mm OD copper tube with 1mm wall thickness for making thermowells. In the past I've never had any issues sliding any of my 4mm temp probes through it. For whatever reason, now a days these tubes aren't as precise and the ID is slightly irregular. My probes just won't slide through so I bought a 4mm reamer to ensure a nice smooth fit.

6mm Copper Tube.jpg

[Salt Must Flow]

The rest of the parts have arrived. Just a few things point out when it comes to Oak Stills.

Oak Stills Parts Order.jpg

Oak Stills 4" Tri-Clamp End caps are relatively thin in comparison to standard Tri-Clamp End Caps, they measure 0.18" thick. They work perfectly fine and are lighter as a result. All of my 2" and 3" End Caps measure 0.25" thick. Absolutely nothing to complain about here

Oak Stills 4" Clamps are noticeably light and feel like they are 'light duty'. Their 4" Clamps weigh 213g while one of my 3" Clamps weight 352g. I can already tell I'm going to want to replace these clamps in the near future. I couldn't recommend buying Oak Stills clamps. This is not just a snobby critique. 2 out of 3 times I was not able to get a 100% positive seal using PTFE gaskets with a 4" End Clamp and the 4" Sight Glass. I filled it with water and had a relatively slow leak 2 out of 3 times. The 3rd time, I had to really crank hard to seal it 100%. I don't have to crank as hard with NORMAL clamps, my 6" clamps or any other size clamps. I tested the clamps using a silicone gasket and it work perfectly the first time and didn't have to clamp hard at all. This would be expected because silicone gaskets are flexible. I'd like to see Oak Stills offer 'Deluxe Camps' (normal clamps) for twice the price and those would be WELL WORTH the purchase.

4" Oak Stills Clamp is on top and a normal 3" Clamp is below:

4 in Clamp vs 3 in Clamp.jpg

The differences between Clamps where it counts are OBVIOUS. Oak Stills 4" is on the left and a NORMAL 3" is on the right. Notice EVERYTHING is bigger and fatter with the 3" Clamps:

4 in Clamp vs 3 in Clamp 03.jpg

4 in Clamp vs 3 in Clamp 02.jpg

Oak Stills 2" Clamps weigh 129g while normal ones weigh 352g. The exact same reduced quality.

Oak Stills 2" Clamp is on top and a NORMAL 2" Clamp is below:

2 in Clamp vs 2 in Clamp.jpg

[Salt Must Flow]

I just figured out a quick work-around for these sub par clamps. I removed the knobs from a bunch of extra NORMAL clamps I had lying around and used them to replace the knobs on the Oak Stills Clamps. This solved the issues by 75%. If I'm ever feeling froggy, I may figure out a way to grind this portion to better mate with the fatter replaced knobs. I'm happy with this solution, but I would have preferred to pay more and purchased NORMAL quality clamps.

4 in Clamp vs 3 in Clamp 04.jpg

I recall seeing listings for replacement knobs for clamps. That could be a good option if someone intended to buy Oak Stills clamps, otherwise I'd recommend buying clamps elsewhere. No joke ... they SUCK and feel like a toy in comparison to NORMAL clamps

[Salt Must Flow]

That 3D printed jig worked perfectly for cutting the DIY Plate Gaskets. So pennies of the cost in filament saved me $23 by NOT buying Plate Gaskets I found that one of those disposable utility razor blades worked the best.

DIY Plate Gasket 02.jpg

DIY Plate Gasket.jpg

[Yummyrum]

I hear you SMF .
I bought some 2”clamps off Aliexpress and they are flimsy as shit compared to all the other ones I’ve ever bought .

I guess we should support our local distilling companies like Still Dragon etc , but the cheaper option always seems better at the time .

I’m sure the flimsy clamps have their place . I just don’t use them on high stress connections .

[Salt Must Flow]

I hear you SMF .
I bought some 2”clamps off Aliexpress and they are flimsy as shit compared to all the other ones I’ve ever bought .

I guess we should support our local distilling companies like Still Dragon etc , but the cheaper option always seems better at the time .

I’m sure the flimsy clamps have their place . I just don’t use them on high stress connections .

I think you talked me out of settling with these flimsy clamps. Once this build is done, I'll start shopping around for some reasonably priced clamps to replace these. At least replace the ones that are critical like throughout the column and the base of the tee.

[Salt Must Flow]

Trying to keep busy doing what I can. I completed the reflux centering plate which will be installed above the sight glass.

I drew a stencil, printed it, cut it out and used spray adhesive to stick it onto a copper sheet. I used tin snips to crudely cut out the disk. I then used a grinder to finalize the diameter of the round plate. I screwed the round plate to a board and used a Dremel tool with a cutting disk to make the cuts.

Centering Plate 01.jpg

Centering Plate 02.jpg

After all the cleanup work, I clamped the centering plate between two ferrules using the Plate Gasket I made. I then bent the petals of the Plate Gasket.

Centering Plate 03.jpg

4" Centering Plate, 4" Packing Retainer and 4" Plate Gaskets.

Centering Plate 04.jpg

[MooseMan]

Lovely work SMF, neat job on the copper centering plate. Fixing it to a board with a template to follow is much more stable and accurate than trying to cut freehand and it shows.

The 3D printed cutting guide worked well also then, that's extremely satisfying!

When my second child eventually flies the nest I intend to setup a "Clean side" workshop in the loft which is his gaming den currently.
The first thing to get purchased will be a decent 3D printer, they are just so useful.

Really looking forward to seeing this all put together now. Good quality images makes all the difference by the way.

[Yummyrum]

Lovely work SMF, neat job on the copper centering plate. Fixing it to a board with a template to follow is much more stable and accurate than trying to cut freehand and it shows.

True words Moose .
Thinking things through is part of the magic in the shed .
Simple things like some screws and a block of wood will also save the fingers from the burn as the copper heats up while cutting with the Dremel .

Every build topic has a handy hint or two for the next fella .
Thanks SMF , keep it coming

[Salt Must Flow]

Lovely work SMF, neat job on the copper centering plate. Fixing it to a board with a template to follow is much more stable and accurate than trying to cut freehand and it shows.

The 3D printed cutting guide worked well also then, that's extremely satisfying!

When my second child eventually flies the nest I intend to setup a "Clean side" workshop in the loft which is his gaming den currently.
The first thing to get purchased will be a decent 3D printer, they are just so useful.

Really looking forward to seeing this all put together now. Good quality images makes all the difference by the way.

My 3D printer sits on the corner of my desk. They don't take up much space. I store my rolls of filament in a closet so they're not lying around. You can get a really good printer for $200. I bought the Voxelab Aquila when it first came out for $200 free shipping on Amazon. It's still going strong and no breakdowns at all. Since then there have been sooooo many manufacturer upgrades and they're price still hasn't increased at all.

[Salt Must Flow]

Lovely work SMF, neat job on the copper centering plate. Fixing it to a board with a template to follow is much more stable and accurate than trying to cut freehand and it shows.

True words Moose .
Thinking things through is part of the magic in the shed .
Simple things like some screws and a block of wood will also save the fingers from the burn as the copper heats up while cutting with the Dremel .

Every build topic has a handy hint or two for the next fella .
Thanks SMF , keep it coming

The one tool I haven't posted yet is the Die Grinder. It's probably one of my most used tools for still related projects. Just about every part gets shaped or cleaned up using it. That's how I cleaned up and smoothed out the Centering Plate too. They work perfect for removing excess solder, cleaning up after welding, removing burrs, abrading surfaces prior to soldering and more uses than I can think of.

Die Grinder.jpg

I went to a local store that sells all kinds of tool related stuff, mostly China crap. I found big bags of these grinding disks and polishing disks for cheap. I bought one bag of each type and they've lasted years.

Die Grinder 02.jpg

I bought a cheap set of Burr Bits for the Die Grinder too. These things rip through stainless steel like you wouldn't believe so they work well with copper and solder too. They help to clean up inside of fittings, remove protruding welds and excess material inside of ferrules, etc...

Die Grinder 03.jpg

[Salt Must Flow]

Working on the Reflux Condenser now.

I soldered a 1/2" 90 Elbow to the top of the 1/2" OD coil.

Coil 01.jpg

I soldered a 1/2" 90 Street Elbow to the bottom of the 1/2" OD coil.

Coil 02.jpg

Here you can see that there's a bit of a gap between the 3/8" OD tube and the 1/2" Street Elbow. That's because these two were not manufacturered with the intent to be soldered together.

Coil 03.jpg

To help close this gap, I implemented a nifty trick I learned from a post by Shadylane. I annealed the end of the 3/8" OD copper tube and slid it over the drill bit clamped in a vise. I used a tiny ball peen hammer to peen all around the tubing which causes it to expand.

Coil 05.jpg

If you look close you can see that I also peened around the 1/2" elbow to get it to fit around the 1/2" OD tubing. Really handy trick Thanks Shady! Lastly, I soldered this elbow to the 3/8" OD tubing.

Coil 04.jpg

I have this condenser hooked up to the garden hose and I'm waiting for the salt to clear out. Once the salt is out I can continue working on cutting the inner coil down to size, drill out he 4" Tri-Clamp, thread holes and get the rest fitted up for the final soldering.

Coil 06.jpg

[Salt Must Flow]

Salt is flowing

Coil 07.jpg

Coil 08.jpg

[Saltbush Bill]

Die grinders, gods gift to still builders.

[MooseMan]

Salt is flowing


Coil 07.jpg


Coil 08.jpg

You've got to make one of these pictures your avatar!

Nicely done on the coil winding, they look very neatly done, to the point where you could market them!
And good to see a shout-out to shady for his nifty pipe spreading trick, works a treat.

That pic of the die grinder brought back memories for me. I worked in a foundry tool room for 7 years as a young man and had 3 different air grinders in my toolkit that I looked after like babies and were used daily.