Advice for making my pot still

[wombatvvv]

wombat please read the safety and materials section in the new members must read area

I assume this is in reference to the aluminium?

I have read some past posts on aluminium vs stainless steel as a boiler. As it's used for distilling, I was pretty convinced by the argument that aluminium was fine. It's not as if you're going to be distilling off heavy metals in the end product. It has the advantage of being much easier to drill too. Perhaps I'll compromise and go for a stainless steel boiler with an aluminium mixing bowl for a lid (which is the part to be drilled)?

edit: I couldn't find a materials section in the new members must read area. I have done a lot of searches on aluminium though, and it seems inconclusive.

[jholmz]

Im done somebody else can beat there head against the fracking brick wall

[wombatvvv]

Im done somebody else can beat there head against the fracking brick wall

Right. Whatever mate.

I have read the new members section. But when there's diagrams on the main site explicitly showing rubber and silicone being used, and lengthy, inconclusive threads on the use of aluminium, I think a complete and utter novice can be forgiven for making a few incorrect assumptions about those things.

For what it's worth, I will certainly take the advice not to use the bungs or silicone. As far the aluminium goes, I've done plenty of searches on the forum, and the results seem pretty inconclusive. If I can get a pot for free, I'm satisfied that's okay for a first still, and can always be substituted for a SS one in the future. On the same token I'm pretty satisfied that using an aluminium mixing bowl lid with a SS pot would also be okay. If you have a problem with any of that, then a polite and helpful discussion is in order.

Honestly, if the novice section is going to frustrate you and JAS so much, just move along. I appreciate your time and help so far, but I'm not demanding anyone help me out. For those that are genuinely happy and willing to help a novice and share their knowledge, I'm very much appreciative of their time, and I'm all ears. On the other hand, it seems there's always some on every forum who just want to hang around acting the grizzled veteran telling newcomers to "do a search", and "read the rules", which is really not very polite and only moderately helpful (the first time).

[just-a-sip]

wombat

although i will never condone the use of aluminum, you are right there has been much argument over the subject and no definitive right or wrong. i will day that i would usually air on the side of caution. but if you simply must use aluminum know that it will deteriorate with all the alcohol vapors. so plan for a speedy upgrade to stainless at your earliest convenience

[wombatvvv]

Thankyou, as with the rubber bungs, I will take your advice.

I've been looking at SS stockpots on the Internet.

I found this one that is quite cheap:

http://handyimports.com.au/new-commerci ... oiler.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

However, it does say something about an "alumunium base" which raised an eyebrow:

http://handyimports.com.au/catalog/prod ... mage/2761/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

If I'm going to buy a new one, instead of using the 100L aluminium one that Mum would donate, then I'd like to get one that will last.

[wombatvvv]

Mkay ... condenser coil take II. Much happier with this one. I'll cut up the old one for short lengths of pipe when needed in the rest of the build.

The pipe is still 1/2in. in diameter and 3m long (that's the size they sold), however, I've managed to get seven (and a bit) pretty neat turns in it. If any other newb find this thread and is curious to how I did it, it was very easy. The trick is to find a fence post or something that is firmly anchored, which will allow you to apply some firm leverage pressure very close to the bend (I think if you apply the leverage away from the bend, you might risk kinking the pipe), and wrap it around that.

And just for the record, here is my All Bran wash in a 30L fermenter. Been bubbling away nicely for the past few days. It was 42degC in Sydney yesterday, but looks like it survived.

I'm off to reeces plumbing in the morning to sort out a blow torch, solders and the like for the rest of the build, and have ordered a 30L stainless steel stockpot from the Internet. So no aluminium, no rubber, no silicone. Thanks all for your help so far, I am listening.

[ErnieV]

I got ahead of myself too and was directed to the "reading lounge"

Glad I read it all, that's all I'll say, good luck

[wombatvvv]

No worries mate.

I actually spend a lot of time in there reading.

[wombatvvv]

Okay, so I went and bought a load more stuff this morning. Including the stockpot, holesaw skit, drill, fermenting bucket, etc., this will bring the price of this project up to around $400. That's about $300 more than I had in mind when I started. Most of that cost has gone on tools (blowtorch, drill, holesaw kit, pipe benders, pipe cutters, etc.) that I didn't have and will keep for the rest of my life (or unti they break), so maybe it's not fair to count them in with the overall cost.

Anyway, here's what I've collected so far. The holesaw kit and drill are not pictured. Hopefully this will be pretty much it.

Those long rods at the bottom are the solder. The conversation at the counter when I bought them went like this:

"Do they contain any lead?"
"That's what all the plumbers use."
"Okay, but do they contain any lead?"
"They're 2% silver."
"Right ... so they don't contain any lead then?"
Blank look.

One of the other sale people informed me that no, they do not contain any lead. Should have just got the rolls at the hardware store that explicitly state, "no lead".

They actually had a 2" copper flange for $25 which is handy. I don't think I'll need that huge (and very heavy) blue steel plate (which came with the flange). I think I'll just drill through holes through the flange and attach it with stainless nuts & bolts, then solder up the gaps to make it airtight. I also got copper reducers which fit together nicely. I'll solder them up to make the head section. Question: Is there any benefit to using a foot or so of 2" pipe in the head section before I reduce it down to 1/2", or is this short head section that goes directly from 2" -> 1" -> 1/2" okay?

Lastly, I got some stainless steel washers with a 1/2" hole diameter that fit nicely over the copper pipe. I'm guessing with some solder I can make them into small flanges for 1/2" pipe. I was planning to make the thumper with the 1/2" pipe going straight through the lid to the bottom of the container, with a stainless steel washer soldered in place on either side of the lid to make an airtight seal. For the output pipe, I'd just create a flange from the washer and solder that onto the outside of the lid. Does this sound reasonable?

Once again, I'm no handyman, and apologies if I'm asking dumb questions of have dumb ideas. I'm here for advice and very much appreciate anyone that can take the time.

Regards,
Vic.

[wombatvvv]

This is the design I've come up with. Hope it makes sense.



- Some of those joins are sealed with plumbers tape instead of permanent solder, just so I can easily dismantle the setup.
- The flange will be bolted down, I just didn't draw the nuts and bolts on the diagram.
- Question: is there any advantage to adding a foot or so of 2" pipe between the flange and the first reducer?
- Question: if instead of using a cork bung, I drill a hole just big enough for the thermometer and solder it in place, will that ruin it (due to the high heat involved?)

[just-a-sip]

This is the design I've come up with. Hope it makes sense.



- Some of those joins are sealed with plumbers tape instead of permanent solder, just so I can easily dismantle the setup.
- The flange will be bolted down, I just didn't draw the nuts and bolts on the diagram.
- Question: is there any advantage to adding a foot or so of 2" pipe between the flange and the first reducer?2 inch would allow you to run just a bit faster, i would love to see a real column from this but what you got is much better then what you had.. hats off for taking the advice and improving your build
- Question: if instead of using a cork bung, I drill a hole just big enough for the thermometer and solder it in place, will that ruin it (due to the high heat involved?)i still say ditch the thermometer, there is no reason to have one, however if you must... the heat will damage the thermo not to mention that you wont get accurate readings because the connection on the metal will most likely give false readings off of the material its attached to.

[wombatvvv]

Thanks mate, as always, for your advice.

[jbird1992]

If that a 2% silver brazing rod I hope you got some mapp gas for your torch. It is gonna take some serious heat for the big copper fittings. In other words propane won't get hot enough for 2% I braze in my trade with 15% that melts at a lower temp and I wouldn't attempt that with out mapp gas. Might look into soft solder and flux for a more pleasant experience especially if you have never used a torch. IMHO

[Lucent]

And to think building the still especially a tinker tot one such as that is the easy part

You copy and pasted that picture wrong half is missing

[wombatvvv]

If that a 2% silver brazing rod I hope you got some mapp gas for your torch. It is gonna take some serious heat for the big copper fittings. In other words propane won't get hot enough for 2% I braze in my trade with 15% that melts at a lower temp and I wouldn't attempt that with out mapp gas. Might look into soft solder and flux for a more pleasant experience especially if you have never used a torch. IMHO

Ha! Yeah, I discovered this the hard way!

I did actually get the silver solder flowing with the propane torch, but it took a long time and even then it was just a smidge. I ended up getting a little silver solder into the joins that need the most strength, and then going over the top with soft lead-free solder to fully seal them up right. Pretty messy job, but considering it's my first go I'm pretty happy with it so far.

One question ... is the plumber's tape going to be okay? Nobody has commented on that yet. My reason for using it is just to make the thing easy to dismantle and move around. I could use stainless compression connectors (or even brass, according to some people), but there's two issues: 1) they cost an arm and a leg; 2) I'm not sure they're even air-tight. Especially after I unbolt them and rebolt them a few times.

[steve2md]

The plumber's tape (Teflon) should be fine, or you can just dough those joints as well. It's only a minute or two more cleaning after the run...