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Question 1. - Stainless tube...I use copper, but a wad of copper scrubbie top or bottom is enough to remove the sulfur and easily cleaned.
2. potstill height can be anything, so use whatever you have as reflux height with the packing in or out, just no reflux.
3. kind of...would be hard to seal. But look for the slanted version ala manu.

Thank you very much .
Nathan.

does anyone know of any cheap European suppliers for all this stuff? SD have most (they don't have a 3x3x3 Tee) but they are still quite expensive..

I don't know about European but I got a lot of my SS sanitary pieces from China via eBay

I will take a look - thanks. Did you weld the triclamp ferrules yourself? or do they come with them already?

already welded! link UK

that's certainly a nice find for the 2" stuff! I wanted to go large.. 3"

I've used DISTILLARUS from china before. The SS quality is pretty good and not too dear. https://www.aliexpress.com/store/166102 ... 8c99RAEKyo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

thank you! that's a comprehensive supplier no doubt.

ebay has a 3" x 36" stainless spool for $50 w/shipping

https://www.ebay.com/itm/292179939631

I priced out all parts on ebay including a 3" sightglass -

3" x 36" column
3" Sightglass
3" tee
6" extension
3" to 2" reducer for product output
2" 90deg elbow
2" triclamp to 1/2" NPT male/fem for connecting to my existing 36" liebig (until I build a shotty)
3" clamps and ptfe gaskets
2" clamps and ptfe gaskets
$345.- shipped

60" SS gas line for ez-RC
$25.- shipped from amazon

I've already got copper scrubbies but should add then in too for pricing

We're still talking range of $375 - $400 for all parts in SS. Copper and it's more.

I guess 48" packed column would also be mo-betta.

I mean for the occasional neutral run for infusions / etc... COuld do it w/out the sightglass to get it going... Also add deflag later. And plates without sight glasses for some modular capabilities...

I'm mulling it over..

Cheers!
-j

@jonnys_spirit,
Looks like a great plan for a modular still. IMHO put a 3" elbow before the 3"-2" reducer (or better still a 3"-1/2" endcap after a 3" tee) - you want to keep the same diameter right up to the RC but the only tradeoff is a minor reduction in speed of ouput. Check out from the pics below how I use the top part of my CCVM to construct a pot still (all you need extra is a 3" cap)
cheers!

needmorstuff wrote:does anyone know of any cheap European suppliers for all this stuff? SD have most (they don't have a 3x3x3 Tee) but they are still quite expensive..

Hopefully not too late but Glacier Tanks is having a big sale for the next few days. Their stuff is excellent and the prices are good. Not sure if they ship European though but worth a look.

definitely - thanks.

what's the difference between

Sanitary Spool | Tri Clamp 3 in. x 18 in. - SS304 / 3A @ $31
and
Sanitary Spool | Tri Clamp 3 in. x 18 in. - SS304 / 3A / ASME-BPE @ $58

Just that it adheres to American Society of Mechanical Engineers?

however... $200 shipping - then in the UK we would have about another 25-30% import duties. So not economical.

Some good stuff on that site for sure though!

needmorstuff wrote:what's the difference between

Sanitary Spool | Tri Clamp 3 in. x 18 in. - SS304 / 3A @ $31 <— you get what you get???
and
Sanitary Spool | Tri Clamp 3 in. x 18 in. - SS304 / 3A / ASME-BPE @ $58 <— you KNOW what you’re getting.

Just that it adheres to American Society of Mechanical Engineers?

Manufactured to a material specification means it will meet the requirements of the spec. Without a material standard, it’s kind of “potluck” or whatever the producer wants to make. It could be the same materials, just without the inspection paperwork. Or it could be all the trash that’s left over when they “pay the bills” with the materials that make them the most profit. Believe it or not, the “paperwork” can be more expensive than the materials themselves.
ss

gotcha. we have B.S. no.. not that. I don't think stuff that's not approved can even be sold here.

needmorstuff wrote:gotcha. we have B.S. no.. not that. I don't think stuff that's not approved can even be sold here.

approved in what way? you might be surprised at the non-compliant shıt that gets sold openly.

for what it's worth i've had mixed success with cheap chinese parts. but at that price you pays your money and takes your chance.
main problem has been with the quality of machining on the triclamp faces, so the gaskets don't fit and seat right. which is not actually a real problem if you're happy to do a bit of fiddling with adapting the gasket or making your own, but a consideration for sure.

sorting out a triclamp VM column attachment myself at the minute but haven't totally finalised the details - and whether it will be condensor controlled or not!

durty_dunderpants wrote:

needmorstuff wrote:gotcha. we have B.S. no.. not that. I don't think stuff that's not approved can even be sold here.

approved in what way? you might be surprised at the non-compliant shıt that gets sold openly.

for what it's worth i've had mixed success with cheap chinese parts. but at that price you pays your money and takes your chance.
main problem has been with the quality of machining on the triclamp faces, so the gaskets don't fit and seat right. which is not actually a real problem if you're happy to do a bit of fiddling with adapting the gasket or making your own, but a consideration for sure.

sorting out a triclamp VM column attachment myself at the minute but haven't totally finalised the details - and whether it will be condensor controlled or not!

Same here, I bought some "supposedly" tri-clamp fittings from "Still-Dragon" that were machined incorrectly. The outer diameter was fine, but the central groove wasn't in the right place nor was it the right size. $250 wasted, oh well, caveat emptor. I guess that their Chinese supplier didn't have a clue. And SD didn't do a quality control check on the incoming parts. You don't always get what you pay for.

didn't you get onto Sd to sort it out? I have only heard good things about them and their customer support.

newbie here and long time lurker .This is a great thread thank you redwood hillbilly for pointing me in the right direction and dad300 for creating the thread , very informative.

planning on running a 3 inch by 46 column packed with copper scrubbies on top of a keg . I will be using a tapering reducer to connect the 2 inch keg fitting to the 3 inch pipe, at the top of the pipe I will join a 3 inch wide stainless ''tee connector'' which will go to a liebig as the product condenser .
I cannot see myself importing corrugated ss tubing from America to the UK, the cost would be prohibitive , I am waiting for my 2 inch to 3 inch reducer to arrive from over the pond and with delivery and customs charge that altogether cost me more than the price of my copper column It was the only suitable one I could find though so I had to buy it
. have done many searches and the only corrugated tubes here or in nearby countries are coated in clear lacquer and I doubt I could sand it off or use nitro mors/aircraft stripper to get it off (not something I would like even trace amounts near the inside of the still .

so my questions are which size copper tubing should I use to make a vapour condenser coil? , I am guessing bigger is better with a 3 inch column , I know it needs to restrict the vapour from going into the product condenser until I want it to so it should be a snug fit , would a single wound coil be up to the job? . Ideally I want to recirculate the water as I don't want it to go to waste ,

I am fully prepared to make a coil , I know filling the tubing with water and crimping and soldering shut will help a great deal and even if I have to do a few attempts it should be cheaper than importing . appreciate any insight

have you tried distilling dominoes.. has has 2 to 3 adaptors and I think ss corrugated tubing

needmorstuff wrote:have you tried distilling dominoes.. has has 2 to 3 adaptors and I think ss corrugated tubing

Thank you so much . I typed ''distilling dominoes corrugated'' into my search engine and found a place selling it straight away , it wasn't distilling dominoes , it was distillinguk but because I tried your suggestion I got what I wanted in a round about way so I take my hat off to you

distilling dominoes looks good too , it may be an offshoot of the other website as they look similar . thanks for showing me both . it will save me an afternoons work winding the coil or spending a days pay+ on importing

same guy.. few different sites and account on ebay also.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Keg-to-Still ... 1438.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

do share where you got your parts from I am looking at a VM

needmorstuff wrote:same guy.. few different sites and account on ebay also.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Keg-to-Still ... 1438.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

do share where you got your parts from I am looking at a VM

I wish i'd bought that reducer instead . I ordered mine on sunday and it was from here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Inch-to-3-I ... SwZd1Vaoak" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

with shipping and import charges the one you pointed out would have been cheaper and also it would have arrived quicker . oh well , live and learn , I could have used a tool to widen the 3 inch pipe to fit snugly over or under that one you just showed me

I got my keg from a bistro off freecycle and he said it was one he could not return because it was damaged?? looks fine to me , maybye a bit dented , so he paid the deposit himself and just got fed up with looking at the old one so gave it away . my 3 inch pipe is an offcut from ebay , 76mm is the same as 3 inch , if you type in 76mm copper pipe occasionally offcuts pop up which are cheaper , I did order triclamps and the stainless tee from china which will be here in 2 weeks hopefully but the websites you pointed out were slightly cheaper and they would have been here now as well . I guess thats because ebay and paypal take their cut

the burner I want is here https://gasproducts.co.uk/large-square- ... -ring.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow . not bought it yet but looks promising , I heard about it reading the forum

and thats about as far as I have got , my brew buckets and heaters are from wilko's I will be doing birdwatchers first as I like neutral but I will probably do all kinds for xmas presents for next year . ccvm looks a good choice to commit to

He has only just started doing the 3£ keg adaptor I think.. I've not seen it until recently.

so you are going copper column to stainless TEE?if so how are you going to connect the two?

needmorstuff wrote:He has only just started doing the 3£ keg adaptor I think.. I've not seen it until recently.

so you are going copper column to stainless TEE?if so how are you going to connect the two?

i'm hoping to use a tool used for expanding exhaust pipes from the inside (not sure what its called but I know there is one in the shed) to make the stainless tee expand enough to put a ferrule in and then solder it . I know this may be easier said than done with stainless, but maybe I can help the stainless expand by heating it with a blowtorch or similar . or another alternative is to file the inside of the tee with a dremel tool to get the ferrule in . I could also file the ferrule down at the connecting part that goes into the stainless tee . I may have to use all these methods together but pretty confident it can be done . I have built all kinds of things with power tools and a twisted imagination

pretty sure I did see some on ebay that were 2 inch wide pipe with 3 inch ferrules , I have read through this whole thread today after talking with you (which has been really helpful by the way ) and I seem to remember dad300 saying a 2 inch tee at the top of a 3 column would be fine . maybye there is 3 inch wide tee with ferrules out there . I will have a look in a bit and if so i'll post a link

you can get copper 76mm x 54mm x 54mm tees and you could then solder a copper ferrule on the 54mm. same guy has the copper ferrule and the copper tees are on the webs

ferrule https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 3019767186" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

tee
https://www.superdiscountplumbing.com/p ... ings/10151" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

actually just get the copper tee and one of the 2" keg adaptors I linked you.. save that soldering..