Home Distiller

I have done alot of reading about this column and want to use it as a pot still also,can you do this with this column and make a good spirit (rum)..I just wanted to know if anyone has used it as a pot still and what the outcome was?

I have. Your take off speed is somewhat limited with the boka in potstill mode compared to a proper potstill head. It works ok for spirit runs and at slower take off speeds. It doesn't work great for strip runs..as it tends to leave the spirit too high abv. But, if you plan on single running or just using it for spirit runs, slow take off...it's fine.

I read in one of the post to use a 3/8 take off line oppose to a 1/4...do you have a 1/4 ? or would that matter?

snooka wrote:I read in one of the post to use a 3/8 take off line oppose to a 1/4...do you have a 1/4 ? or would that matter?

The needle valve is the limiting factor, not the 1/4" versus 3/8 copper... I remove the needle valve completely and use a connector in its place when doing pot still runs...

A boka is as much a potstill...as a potstill is or can be a boka. Neither one is good or bad. It just is what it is.

Maybe Ive missed it in this tread, a really great tread by the way.
When the height rage is given for this type of still, dose this include the height of the still head aswell or just the reflux column?

LOL just answered my own question read the how to again for the third time!!!
Can wait to start this one.

this gives me a great place to start. I have two 16 gallon beer kegs i plan on utilizing. going to destroy one at a time in case i don't get it right the first time.

My plan as of now is a mix of styles i have seen. basically cut a decent sized hole in the top of the keg, use a stainless salad bowl of medium size and cut a smaller hole in the top of that with a stainless commercial sink strainer, the strainer will have threads to connect or disconnect the column. and take it on up from there.

Any thoughts?

Does anybody have a template for making these boka cuts. I have printed off two different ones and they do not fit around a 2" pipe. they fall about 1/2" short


Thanks

@Urban Hillbilly

The measurements are for the packed section only because that is where the HETP's are calculated from... So only the portion that actually has structured packing in it, give or take a bit for the air space between the boiler and packing and the packing and reflux head...


@sotexreb

Please reconsider molesting your keg... There is no good reason to do so... Please share your reasoning behind wanting to molest a perfectly sealed ready-made boiler... I'm sure it isn't as valid as you might think... There is no need to get inside the keg...

maka wrote:Does anybody have a template for making these boka cuts. I have printed off two different ones and they do not fit around a 2" pipe. they fall about 1/2" short


Thanks

Maka, the "rev" template on wiki (also linked earlier in this thread) is correct for 2" pipe. Make "sure" your printer is not set to "fit to print"...but 100%.

sotexreb, I'll +1 what Rad said. Adding the bowl/screw/strainer,e tc combo is only going to complicate your build/parts, increase the likelihood of leaks and stability issues. I recently moved to a keg and considered putting in all sort of things. But, after using it as it was...it's perfect, solid. I've had no issues cleaning it either. But, if you just absolutely want a larger opening...then tig weld a 4" ferrule onto it. This will at least give you a better seal and stability than a bowl and gasket held on with wing nuts. I would just say, having considered doing it...it's really not necessary. Just one more opinion on it. Others may differ.

Usge

Thanks, that's exactly what the problem was.

maka wrote:Does anybody have a template for making these boka cuts. I have printed off two different ones and they do not fit around a 2" pipe. they fall about 1/2" short

I changed the size to 75% in my acrobat then printed it, and its only ¼" too big... certainly good enough to work with.

ok fellas I need some help here, im well into my first boka build and I seem to have hit a snag. Can anyone tell me what they used to attach the coil to a garden hose? I have seen connectors but they are cheap plastic. Also can anyone suggest a good thermometer.

Appreciate the help

savagemind wrote:ok fellas I need some help here, im well into my first boka build and I seem to have hit a snag. Can anyone tell me what they used to attach the coil to a garden hose? I have seen connectors but they are cheap plastic. Also can anyone suggest a good thermometer.

Appreciate the help

You really don't need or want a full sized garden hose dangling off your still... I run clear 1/4" ID line to mine and reduce at the water source... I can still supply far more water than my stills would ever need to keep cool...

hey

I would like an advise about wall thikness for a 316 austenitic SS. boiller 16 galon for a 2" column.

Thank you.

savagemind wrote:ok fellas I need some help here, im well into my first boka build and I seem to have hit a snag. Can anyone tell me what they used to attach the coil to a garden hose? I have seen connectors but they are cheap plastic. Also can anyone suggest a good thermometer.

Appreciate the help

I use 1/4" plastic ice maker line on mine with them push on connectors at top of my coil, have never failed me and very convenient and concealable. As for a thermometer, i went with a good digital one i picked up on cleareance from lowes. its a wireless kind that transmits the signal to a handheld. Im always with the still but at times i will do stuff at my workbench while its doing it thing. My workbench is 5 feet away, even though the remote can go up to like 100 feet or so i dont like to leave the still.
The analog ones arent accurate enough for me BUT after so long you wont even really need it cause you will know how the still runs and when to expect the goods,etc...

ok I guess my concern was the column getting hot enough to do damage to that water line, I take it this is not an issue ?


P.S. just got back from lowes, got ice maker tubing and lead free brass coupler from garden hose size to 1/4"

savagemind wrote:ok I guess my concern was the column getting hot enough to do damage to that water line, I take it this is not an issue ?


P.S. just got back from lowes, got ice maker tubing and lead free brass coupler from garden hose size to 1/4"

It gets fairly warm to hot but not so much its going to melt it or make it leak, or at the least mine hasnt.

Also note that the lead free brass coupler you bought is fine its not necessary on the fittings to and from coil as it does not come in contact with the process.

Good luck and Be Safe!!

You did a fine job on this. Pretty. It should produce a good percentage EtOH with a column that long. You might consider suspending it from the ceiling or some such during your runs. Wouldn't want it to get loose !! Good luck with it.

Cheers,
McT.

Ok i'm dense ,, I have read every word of 4 different post lines on the Boca ,, have 6 ft of 2" pipe ,, have 12 ft of ¼ inch
have the adaptors to fit the ¼ to my garden hose , have the flat plate for the angles ,, have a top cap , ,have the material to make the flange on the bottom work ,,but still have not been able to figure what keeps the packing in
the column . Mabey it was explaned and I missed all 4 times that I read it saw a fittings with holes around the edges but didn't figure out how or what it attaches to ,,,, planning to build it 48" tall total change is hard , I've ran a liebig for 20+ years and really want to try some of this new stuff

Ga_goat wrote:. . . . but still have not been able to figure what keeps the packing in the column . . . .

Friction... Yeah, doesn't seem like it could be that simple but it is...

I am going to give this a shot but was wondering a few things.

1. male to female connectors once connected do you have to use plumbers tape around the threading so that the still does not leak out?
2. what did you use to bend the plate tip down after it's soldered on ( i can imagine it being difficult to stick your hand in to get at it )

thank you.

nikkow wrote:I am going to give this a shot but was wondering a few things.

1. male to female connectors once connected do you have to use plumbers tape around the threading so that the still does not leak out?
2. what did you use to bend the plate tip down after it's soldered on ( i can imagine it being difficult to stick your hand in to get at it )

thank you.

1. Yes usually.

2. Make sure you anneal the tip on the plate before soldering it in place. Solder in the bottom plate first. Then use any long hard object (I am sure copper gets you excited but don't use that.... ) such as a long screwdriver, piece of all thread, piece of any pipe, to reach inside and bend it over. Annealed copper is very soft.

Getting ready to build, and maybe have took in too much all at once. Do I build my boka 12" and attach it to a column or leave it full length?

Most would make it so it attaches to the column.

Thanks, that was my original plan, when reading through these forums somewhere I got redirected to a nice build where it seemed to be a one piece 50" or so column.

Quick question on the bottom plate, on the template there are 2 lines for the size. Do I cut it full size and notch out the drip or cut it down to the smaller size leaving the drip?

jake22si wrote:Quick question on the bottom plate, on the template there are 2 lines for the size. Do I cut it full size and notch out the drip or cut it down to the smaller size leaving the drip?

Check out the first post in this thread, there is a picture of the plate sitting there. Check out the pic that Greenthumb posted in this thread http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=52823 looking up the bottom of the LM head. It shows the plate in place with the tab still needing to be bent down. Make it look like these examples.

those were the 2 pics that confuse me. the first post here looks to be a little less than a half circle with the cut out longer, the other post looks like a half circle with slits cut into the half circle.

edit
Just realized if I cut it smaller the plate would not make it to the stop cuts in the pipe.

I think I understand the confusion. Yes, the first image on this thread shows a cut back plate for the bottom plate where it's shorter than the top plate. You don't want to do that. The original design of the template included that dotted line going across the top 1/4 of the bottom plate...which was supposed to be a "depth" mark for how deep you cut the tab in the middle...not a trim mark for the entire plate. I re-built the original template (which was in multiple parts) into a one piece wrap around template and made adjustments to the original templates markings for the bottom plate so that it was clear that both plates are the same size...and that the tip of the tongue extends "beyond" that line. The back line is simply the "bend" line for the tab/toungue showing it's depth from the plate edge.

The key points: the two plates must overlap in the center...otherwise the reflux would just drain off the top plate down into the column without filling the bottom plate. If you use the template and cut one plate shorter than the other, they won't overlap. (edit: see that you got that jake)

You could just cut a small tab/square from the front of the plate to the bend line and bend it down. But, the longer tongue extending beyond the plate edge...makes it somewhat easier to bend it down after the plate is installed. (make sure to anneal it first). I just used a long stick...and pushed it down from the top. Worked fine.