How to keep a boiler's lid shut

[oplosan]

Im going to be building a bokakob still soon. Lots of copper and scrubbies, and some tri clamps, on the way along with a needle valve, and a new pump.

Really looking forward to documenting the build process, I've never worked with metal before (unless soldering circuit boards counts)

The last step of my puzzle is figuring out how to keep the lid down on a stock pot I plan to transform into my boiler, after hiring local metalworkers to drill + insert + weld a triclamp friendly flange to the stainless steel pot lid lol

Given the weight of the column could I just put some bricks or other weights on the stock pot's lid and call it a day?

Or would I be better off asking local metalworkers to add "trigger latches" to the stock pot and inserting an "everlasting PTFE gasket" between boiler and its lid?

Or maybe add a PTFE gasket between a stock pot's body and (modified lid) before weighing it down with cheap weights?

I have zero metalworking skills, zero plumbing stills, but I just wanna move on past my $100 chinese pot still. If you guys got any feedback I would sure as hell appreciate it. Sorry if this is the wrong subforum btw but "I don't want my homemade still to leak alcohol vapors out everywhere" felt like a safety issue so I'm posting it here, haha.

[Saltbush Bill]

Save your self the trouble and use a beer keg for the boiler.
No modification needed unless you want to go all fancy.

[oplosan]

Save your self the trouble and use a beer keg for boiler.
No modification needed unless you want to go all fancy.

sadly friend beer kegs are very difficult to find in Indonesia (86% muslim country) while X gallon stainless stock pots are easy to find & cheap..........

[greggn]

stainless stock pots are easy to find & cheap..........

If they're cheap then just weld the lid on.

[MooseMan]

This works very well Oplosan.

[Salt Must Flow]

The lid can easily be soldered on too. Its a DIY option to welding.

You can skip welding a Tri-Clamp ferrule to the lid by using a Tri-Clamp bulkhead fitting.

[shadylane]

Given the weight of the column could I just put some bricks or other weights on the stock pot's lid and call it a day?
Forget trying to use weights to hold on the lid.
Your going to need something mechanical holding down the lid because the column, condensers and cooling hoses etc are going to be heavy and awkward.

Or would I be better off asking local metalworkers to add "trigger latches" to the stock pot and inserting an "everlasting PTFE gasket" between boiler and its lid?
Trigger latches that are bolted or riveted would work.

[Dancing4dan]

This works very well Oplosan.

IMG_20230228_171629_430.jpg

My first still used this idea except the riser came off the centre of the lid allowing a piece of heavy wall steel pipe to fit over the riser as a weight. Used a small Liebig condenser as well to maintain balance. 3/4 over 1/2 inch copper.

It was really a short term solution for my introduction to distilling.

Lid was sealed with flour paste which works well.

Let’s see if this brings out more comments about biscuits!

[MooseMan]

This works very well Oplosan.

IMG_20230228_171629_430.jpg

My first still used this idea except the riser came off the centre of the lid allowing a piece of heavy wall steel pipe to fit over the riser as a weight. Used a small Liebig condenser as well to maintain balance. 3/4 over 1/2 inch copper.

It was really a short term solution for my introduction to distilling.

Lid was sealed with flour paste which works well.

Let’s see if this brings out more comments about biscuits!

This is my gin still Dan, so although it's not my main still, it's had lots and lots of use with no leaks so I'm now quite confident in the clips, I was hesitant that they would be good enough at first.

That pic doesn't show as it was taken before I'd fully finished the build, but I have a support tube under the second elbow, that presses down on the lid, and a tripod at the other end of the PC that negates all of the leverage force, so there's very little strain on the lid. Everlasting gasket for a seal.

And I do often like a cuppa and a biscuit while sat in the kitchen making gin!

[JustinNZ]

Absolutely outstanding, MooseMan! Best use of stationary supplies I have ever seen.

[MooseMan]

Absolutely outstanding, MooseMan! Best use of stationary supplies I have ever seen.

Well, hold on, would bits of old computer count as stationary since they were once used in an office...?

[Tammuz]

Solder your lid to the pot, then solder a 6". Ferrule to your lid. I put a 4" on my 20 l. , now wishing I spent about 20 bucks more for the 6". A little easier to clean.

[squigglefunk]

This works very well Oplosan.

IMG_20230228_171629_430.jpg

+1

[shadylane]

Another option is to use beam clamps like this to hold the lid on.

[MooseMan]

Yes they would provide a very solid lid connection if the clips don't cut it for you, easy and cheap to get too.

A socket in a battery drill will get them on and off quick too, good call shady.

[Salt Must Flow]

Wing bolts would be convenient

[shadylane]

Plus one on wingbolts.
It could limit folks ability to over-tighten and warping the lid, pot lip or squishing out the seal.

[squigglefunk]

those beam clamps do look the business but I will add you can get a bag of those office clips at the local dollar store in my area making it a damn cheap option. And they do work great.

[MooseMan]

those beam clamps do look the business but I will add you can get a bag of those office clips at the local dollar store in my area making it a damn cheap option. And they do work great.

They really do work great for such low cost.

It was Mars who suggested them to me for the stock pot still I was making and I was a little dubious at first, but they really do provide a solid and even seal.

[Bushman]

This works very well Oplosan.

IMG_20230228_171629_430.jpg

I also use these clips on my 6” opening on my 5 gallon milk bucket that I use for essential oils and gin. It has a small area for clamping near the handle and the beam clamps wouldn’t work in that spot.

[shadylane]

Office clips have many advantages for sealing a SS pot and lid.
Their cheap, have a constant clamping force and lots of them will get the job done.

[Saltbush Bill]

Simple fact is that it's a " Tried and True method of holding lids down.