Mini Keg pilot still

[LunaDogFever707]

Not 100% sure this goes here, but it's my best bet I think.
Anyhow, been working on building a small, wee little mini keg setup to be my pilot still before I spend time and $$ on the bigger one and ferments to go with. While back, I got 2x sankey kegs online brand new, 8 liters each, for $20/each. Couldn't pass it up! One I've left alone, the other, well, see the pics (hopefully) Haven't sticked stainless since 2014 out in the oilfields, figured I'd start small and cheap. Did the ferrules with 15cfh argon purge and hit em with some 1/16" 304L rod at 25 - 28 amps. Worked a lot better with the purge than on my test scraps. Anyhow, hopefully these pics upload. Please note, havent been in the hobby in a hot minute and just getting back to it, would like to try to make a bit of everything at some point.
Questions/comments, good/bad, give it to me!

[LunaDogFever707]

Entire head/column, all of it, is assembled from parts purchased from Oakstills. Frown if ya want, but piece-for-piece here in USA would cost a small fortune! Anyhow, I had cut the bottom ring of the mini keg, welded a 2" ferrule for column, then welded another 2" ferrule on the side/bottom for a 1650w element. Then tacked in 3x SS coupling nuts to thread bolts into for legs. Original sankey is now bottom and will attach some bits for a drain. Still need to make up some cooling lines, get a pump, get a poly drum to hold my cooling water. Then do all my different runs before actually running.
Well then! Eh?

[MooseMan]

Nice welding Luna.

The ability and kit to be able to weld stainless with a decent finish, is hugely beneficial in this hobby.

There's not really much that you can't build.

For that little 8L boiler though, all you need on top is the straight section, the 2 elbows and the condenser. Ditch the sight glass tower, thermo and parrot.

Already looking forward to what you do next, but get plenty of research in here before you start another, and when you do, start a build thread right from the beginning.

[30xs]

Nice work. The boiler size would best for using as a test batch or gin still. May be difficult to load the plates and have a take off with less than two gallons in the boiler.

[LunaDogFever707]

Nice welding Luna.

The ability and kit to be able to weld stainless with a decent finish, is hugely beneficial in this hobby.

There's not really much that you can't build.

For that little 8L boiler though, all you need on top is the straight section, the 2 elbows and the condenser. Ditch the sight glass tower, thermo and parrot.

Already looking forward to what you do next, but get plenty of research in here before you start another, and when you do, start a build thread right from the beginning.

Thanks bud, I try! Much better at things nowadays than 5-6 years ago. The welds i landed on my ferrules - I still used die grinder to smooth and blend em out, get rid of a few craters. Everything is water tight, no drips or anything after filled overnight.

As far as whats on the lil still, it's got the glass tower, then dephleg, then a short spool with thermowell, 90s over to the shotgun, then parrot. I'd have to get another spool to swap in place of the glass or else my product shotgun will be nearly 90 degrees horizontal lol

And I've been reading a good fair bit literally each day, eyeing all the builds, using the search function often. That search sure is handy! As for next build, already have most materials on hand. Going to have a friend do the tig welds on it, I don't have the near the skill or hand dexterity of a fulltime tig welder.

[LunaDogFever707]

Nice work. The boiler size would best for using as a test batch or gin still. May be difficult to load the plates and have a take off with less than two gallons in the boiler.

Yeah that's the plan, use it as a test still. I call it a pilot still. For a bit, at least until I get my fermenter built, I'll just run different local store-bought beers and wines in it.
This lil keg can hold 2.1 US gallons, technically, but I'll only put in 6 quarts. Might only get a quart out of it lol work with what I got

[MooseMan]

I'd have to get another spool to swap in place of the glass or else my product shotgun will be nearly 90 degrees horizontal lol

If you just put the Dephlag on the boiler (No water connected up so it's just acting like a spool), then the 90s then the condenser, you'll be fine.
Put the boiler up on something if you need the extra height.

The tower will just give you grief, the parrot will smear everything the still produces, and the thermo will add confusion.

Edit: Based on the pics of those beads you did, I would say you easily have the skill needed to do all your own welding.

[LunaDogFever707]

Yeah that lil 2" tower i bought a while back without researching about plates n bubble caps, my mistake. Didn't cost much and I'll fool around with it here n there. I'd made a post recently about my electrical service and in there I'd said I only wanna make neutral. I'd say scratch that, I'd like to give everything a go. In time of course. And this lil still I'll use mostly to tool around, learn better how things work, try some stuff, experiment and such, while the bigger one gets made.

Thanks for the compliment bud, but those welds were with stick. I've got a few stick machines and 2 wire machines, but no tig setup. I could do scratch start with my stick machines, but I don't have ANY tig stuff at all. Plus, it's a good thing when you can pay a friend to do stuff. Win-win for us!

[LunaDogFever707]

So quick question, maybe one of ya can answer me. I've made it thru to page 10 of search results with 2 different searches, but no luck. Anyhow...

The oxide layer inside 304 pipe, does that need to be ground away/polished, if used inside the boiler? Or just get it clean?

[MooseMan]

I'd personally want to polish it away completely, then acid passivate the entire surface.

If you are making a new boiler with it, you'll want to passivate everything anyway.

[LunaDogFever707]

I'd personally want to polish it away completely, then acid passivate the entire surface.

If you are making a new boiler with it, you'll want to passivate everything anyway.

Polish and passivate it? I'll be reading up on passivating stainless for a bit, thank you good sir! When it comes time for that project I'll do any/all I gotta do to get it done right. Love this forum!

[MooseMan]

You are very welcome Luna.

I'm already looking forward to your build thread, we really like those here, with lots of photos!

And yeah, this forum is THE place to be if you want to learn everything there is to learn in the hobby.
We are all still learning, mainly from each other.

[LunaDogFever707]

You are very welcome Luna.

I'm already looking forward to your build thread, we really like those here, with lots of photos!

And yeah, this forum is THE place to be if you want to learn everything there is to learn in the hobby.
We are all still learning, mainly from each other.

It's probably guna be realistically about a month before I start that build thread for bigger still. Some details for now: 18" diameter 304 SS, schedule 10 for the boiler.
10ga sheet 304 SS cut out to cap both ends.
Top cap will have:
1x 6" ferrule for column
1x 4" ferrule for fill/viewport/etc
3x 2" ferrules for.....plans lol

Bottom cap will have 12"L x 6"W x 4"H sump, 2x 2" ferrules on the 6"x4" side for heating elements
1x 2" ferrule somewhere on low end of 12"x4" side for drain.
4x 10" long pieces of 2" pipe for legs, pads with threaded holes in them for leveling bolts going to locking casters.

Volume will be 20 gallons on the dot, will only fill to 15.

Anyhow that's all I'll share for now, don't wanna spoil the goodies I've got in the shop and planned (:

[30xs]

I’d swap your ferrules around. 4” for column and a 6” fill port. At hobby scale there’s no need for anything larger than a 4” column/riser. The ability to leave a 4” column on the boiler and refill for the next run will make you appreciate a larger fill port. I have a 6” fill and sometimes wish it were 8”. Pouring from buckets can be done on a 6”. 8” would just be easier.