Home Distiller

More progress...

Plates are done. They are 5.75" apart, ended up with 130 holes in each plate. Downcomers are 0.5" ID and will stick up .625" beyond plate with the idea that I can always cut some off. Bowls are 0.75" pipe caps cut @ 0.625" high. All-thread is SS 5/16" x 30". Lock washers and nuts on each side.

NcHooch wrote:
'course it goes without sayin that the more holes in the plates, the more power you'll need to keep the liquid on them.

Thanks. Yeah, that makes sense to me. I plan on 220V 3500W element with a homemade Phase Angle Controller. Trying to line up another keg. I have a 1/4 keg for my small setup now.

This will go on the dephleg inlet.

Well, I ordered some more goodies today, from GVC . This should be the last of the parts for the top. Just need new keg, element, and power regulator.

Products Quantity Unit Price Total

Ferrule, Butt Weld, Sanitary Tri-Clamp® Fittings, 304 SS, No.7, Size: 3" Product Code: GVCEG14AM73.0
1@ $10.09 $10.09

Ferrule, Butt Weld, Short, Sanitary Tri-Clamp® Fittings, 304 SS, No.7, Size: 3" Product Code: GVCEG2CS3.0
4@ $7.69 $30.76

Clamp, Heavy Duty, Wing Nut, Sanitary Tri-Clamp® Fittings, SS, No.7, Size: 2" Product Code: GVC13MHHM2.0
2@ $7.35 $14.70

Clamp, Heavy Duty, Wing Nut, Sanitary Tri-Clamp® Fittings, SS, No.7, Size: 3" Product Code: GVC13MHHM3.0
3@ $9.42 $28.26

Tri-Clamp® Gasket, White PTFE, Size: 2" Product Code: GVC40MPG-200
6@ $1.27 $7.62

Tri-Clamp® Gasket, White PTFE, Size: 3" Product Code: GVC40MPG-300
6@ $1.80 $10.80

Ferrule, Butt Weld, Short, Sanitary Tri-Clamp® Fittings, 304 SS, No.7, Size: 2" Product Code: GVCEG2CS2.0
4@ $3.77 $15.08

Cap, End, Solid, Sanitary Tri-Clamp® Fittings, 304 SS, No.7, Size: 3" Product Code: GVCEG16A3.0
1@ $8.25 $8.25

Ferrule, Butt Weld, Sanitary Tri-Clamp® Fittings, 304 SS, No.7, Size: 2" Product Code: GVCEG14AM72.0
1@ $5.98 $5.98

Cap, End, Solid, Sanitary Tri-Clamp® Fittings, 304 SS, No.7, Size: 2" Product Code: GVCEG16A2.0
3@ $3.94 $11.82

Santa showed up again today. Pyrex, Lathe, tools, 3" and 2" copper fittings...

I turned this down on the lathe. It started off a JIC #16 with a 1" x 11-1/2tpi parralel thread. Just sheared it off and gave a flat spot for an o-ring to seal. It should accept the 3500W element. It will be welded to a Tri-clamp cap with a hole cut in the center.

Sick!

progress.....

stick welded my element adapter after i bored the cap on the lathe
finished the product condenser and brazed the u-bend with 15% silver rod. brazed the 2" stainless tri-clamp fitting on the outlet with 45% rod. Not happy at all with the results of the copper-to-stainless joint. Seriously considering buying a TIG welder. Still need to attach the 3" tri-clamp to the big side of the bell reducer.
started brazing the dephlag......
progress on the pyrex column has been delayed because the end flanges are just too big to be turned down on my lathe. They are headed to a buddy's shop to finish facing and turning and o-ring groove.

bottom's up....

Also, started the phase angle controller for the 5500W heating element....

I just found something at work that I want to use in my build.

It's a PTFE Joint Sealant called SEALEX® made by Thermoseal®. I haven't seen it used anywhere on this site, but it looks pretty safe.
http://thermosealinc.com/index.cfm/m/4/s/3/ss/24.cfm

This quote is from their website

"Sealex® joint sealant, specially processed, 100% pure PTFE on a roll, provides soft, highly compressible gasketing for longer life and trouble-free sealing".

Here's a pic...

The SS flange has the Sealex® on it. It's soft and pliable and can create a seal when pyrex is sandwiched between the two plates/flanges. I'm not using it as a sealing surface though. My flanges are getting turned down in a lathe to accept a -232 PTFE O-Ring like so... I'm only using it to prevent the glass from cracking when I wrench the nuts down on the all-thread. However, it looks like a good(and more practical) alternative for someone without access to a lathe.

I'm basically making a longer version of the sight glass pictured below and for well over half the cost.
Please let me know if you have any thoughts or experience, good or bad, on using this stuff.

More Progress...

Machined the plates down to fit through the glass...
Almost finished with the dephleg
More to come. I get the flanges that sandwich the glass back tomorrow...

Here's a couple more for you guys paying attention...

Holy mackerel. Lookin sweet. I'd love to see a you tube video of this baby in action when finished!

Thats gonna be a hard one to run I think. Cause your gonna be lookin at that smokin hot column. Man I cant wait to see this one running. Its mesmerizing....Well done my friend.

Very nice lookin rig,+1 I would like to see a video of this doing its thing!

there will definitely be a video fellas. I'm still worried about the glass cracking but I was just itching to try it anyway.

shinendine wrote:there will definitely be a video fellas. I'm still worried about the glass cracking but I was just itching to try it anyway.

I'm looking forward to the video!

shinendine wrote:I just found something at work that I want to use in my build.
It's a PTFE Joint Sealant called SEALEX® made by Thermoseal®. I haven't seen it used anywhere on this site, but it looks pretty safe.
http://thermosealinc.com/index.cfm/m/4/s/3/ss/24.cfm
This quote is from their website
"Sealex® joint sealant, specially processed, 100% pure PTFE on a roll, provides soft, highly compressible gasketing for longer life and trouble-free sealing".
It's soft and pliable and can create a seal when pyrex is sandwiched between the two plates/flanges. I'm not using it as a sealing surface though. My flanges are getting turned down in a lathe to accept a -232 PTFE O-Ring like .
I'm only using it to prevent the glass from cracking when I wrench the nuts down on the all-thread. However, it looks like a good(and more practical) alternative for someone without access to a lathe.
I'm basically making a longer version of the sight glass pictured below and for well over half the cost.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... e#p6941263
Please let me know if you have any thoughts or experience, good or bad, on using this stuff.

a little info here. your experience could be added.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... e#p6941263
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... e#p6929135

cob wrote: a little info here. your experience could be added.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... e#p6941263
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... e#p6929135

thanks for that, cob. hadn't seen it. i'll report my findings. i didn't plan to use the ePTFE to make the seal since i'm using o-rings, but maybe i'll remove them just to try it out.

you should be able to reduce the overlap problem by cutting opposing diagonals where the seam meets like most hard teflon rings are done.

just curious what your using for soldering the ferrules to the copper pipe

jimmyjames1981 wrote:just curious what your using for soldering the ferrules to the copper pipe

just replied to your thread about the same thing. 45% rod. I didn't like the finished product, so I'll TIG the rest. It will set me back a couple weeks until I can get to a friends shop but the finished product is worth it....night and day...

Yeah, the Olddog did make a boo boo on the 3/16" thing, I can vouch for that. But without him, where would we be?

That baby looks impressive, but I can understand a healthy fear of breakage. Why not wrap it in clear vinyl covering untill you get confidant that its structualy good. It wouldnt provide an answer to every possible problem, but it will stop glass going everywhere.
Once the column is proven to be good (my guess is it will be fine), it may be a real bitch to get off.

Well........

I BROKE THE GLASS!!!! There goes another $100. I'll continue to work towards getting it right, but went ahead with a copper column to get things running. Here's some copper porn...

Good ol' easy flanges. Super simple... I chocked them up in the mini lathe to face the sealing surface... oxy/acet with silver flux and 15% rod. took me a couple practice runs to get the heat right.
Easy flange on top to slide the tree in. Stainless tri-clamp on bottom...

Almost finished...

The rest of the materials for the sight glasses are on the way.

Also...

Been learning to use my new lathe and started playing with a homemade grain mill. Rollers are re-purposed 1.25" knurled aluminum handles for a angle grinder. Turned down some brass bushings. One is a "dead" roller, meaning it is not adjustable. The other uses the offset concentric bushing on both ends for gap adjustment. This will give me a 0.01-0.30" adjustment. It will be framed in with 2" aluminum flat bar 1/2" thick. My plans are to use a hand-crank at first while I mock up a motorized assembly with belt and pullies.

Good looking work shinendine, very nice

thank ya sir. should be running it this coming weekend

My...what a long deflagmator you have!
I bet you show it to all the girls!

Lmao...yeah it's a good 8 inches. Didn't want to end up with the short end of the stick.