Home Distiller

Caliche wrote:Tummydoc- that is beautiful work. How in the heck did you solder it all? Was there brazing involved?

No, that was all normal lead free plumbing solder on the copper. Stay Brite 8 on the stainless ferrules. I had to solder a short 2 inch sleeve onto the ferrules first. I soldered the 2 inch-3/4 inch reducer and elbow into the tee, then added the sleeved ferrules.

I am setting up a big (70 litre??) stainless vessel like a thumper.
I will be able to use it as a thumper; to steam distil grain ferments; or to both ferment and distil grappa.
If I get around to doing those things...

Anyway the point is I am fitting the down pipe (for the vapour) on the OUTSIDE.
No complicated fittings needed on the top.

There will be a plate with holes in it to keep solids etc. above the perforated pipe that brings in the vapour.

Geoff

That will be great for a dedicated vessel Geoff, and simple. The thump spear allows me to change between multiple sanke kegs of varying sizes, but i usually go with a half barrel keg.

Well, it’s not pretty but it’s done and it doesn’t leak! I used a 1” snorkel down into the thumper which was a little tight making that internal turn. I had to really trim back the bells. Only soldered, didn’t have to braze after all. Thanks for the help! Now just gotta get my kegs back from the welder and I can do my cleaning runs.

Cheers!

Well done Caliche ,should work well .

I ran across this thread a while back and it inspired me to do my build, so thanks Yummy!
Today I saw it linked in another thread, so figured I'd share the way I went about it.

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2017 4:11 am It was a bitch to make.

I just took your word for it here, didn't even try it. I rearranged things a bit and took advantage of the cheap stainless TC adapters available on Amazon. All of the copper is standard stuff you can get at any box store.

Full Setup ISO: Section: This makes it really easy to solder up, assemble, take apart, swap spears etc.

Realized:

Very nice tjsc5f

tjsc5f wrote: ↑Mon Sep 12, 2022 6:57 pm I ran across this thread a while back and it inspired me to do my build, so thanks Yummy!
Today I saw it linked in another thread, so figured I'd share the way I went about it.

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2017 4:11 am It was a bitch to make.

I just took your word for it here, didn't even try it. I rearranged things a bit and took advantage of the cheap stainless TC adapters available on Amazon. All of the copper is standard stuff you can get at any box store.

Full Setup ISO:
thumper_ISO.JPG

Section:
thumper_SECTION.JPG

This makes it really easy to solder up, assemble, take apart, swap spears etc.

Realized:
thumper_Full.JPG

That's a nice rig. Can you give us some detail on what kind of charges you run in the kettle and thump and what kind of yield you get with the 2 plate vm over it and abv data?

I run a similar setup to these, I'll link it up.

Chauncey wrote: ↑Tue Sep 13, 2022 12:05 am Can you give us some detail on what kind of charges you run in the kettle and thump and what kind of yield you get with the 2 plate vm over it and abv data?

The configuration in that pic was taken during a sac cleaning run. To date I have only ran half a dozen or so stripping runs through it with plates, reflux condenser and valve removed.
For those runs, boiler was charged with water (as full as possible through the 6" port). Thump keg roughly half full with really thick all grain, grains included. Strip off roughly 2 gallons at 30-35% with these types of runs. Lots of visible oils come through late in the run.

Planning on doing several runs this fall with wash in the boiler and grains in the thumper + plates. Will be logging a lot of info and share the results in a new thread.

Thnx

About 6months ago I made another thumper attachment so I could have a Double thumper . Just realised I didn’t post anything on here about it .

Here I had soldered up all then internal copper bits in a similar fashion to my first time . Then I am ready to solder on the triclamps This always a tricky bit that bothers a lot of newbys .
One of the main things to get right is the heat .
I use a MAPP torch . These things can put out a tremendous amount of heat . It is too much for soldering SS .

This is a pic of the flame typical on a MAPP torch . It is roaring and you can see the blue flame shooting out the nozzle .

. Alas this much heat will cook the flux , burn the stainless and solder will ball and dribble everywhere .

You need to turn down the heat . I find that enough heat is just at the point where the torch will stay lit but if you turned it down anymore it will go out . I also notice that the nozzle starts to glow red . I suspect it is because there is not enough gas flow to keep it cool . Regardless , thats the best heat for do in SS soldering .
Also notice I have used blocks of Pumice to hold my work while soldering and have used wet cloths to prevent the heat melting the other joints .

This thing was not ment to look beautiful . I’m using a squat 50l keg and a taller 50l keg ( because thats what I have ) so I will have to make the thump pipe longer on one than the other .
This was just a trial setup with bits of 2” modules and stuff I have lying around . I would have loved go have made it all look the same with similar sloping lyne arms and risers but I am over all that .

I also thought I would show the newbys my soldering .
Most pics we see in build topics are all cleaned up and shiny . But here's mine warts and all

You can see the dribbles and lumps .
So then I spend some time with a few files to get the lumps and dribbles off .
You can use sand paper to finish it but I prefer to use a big SS scrubber . It will remove small amounts of solder but also polishes the copper to a matt finish . Alas I haven’t run a Rum through it yet but I have 180litres fermenting at the moment and have collected a pile of Low and High wines from previous Thumper runs that I am hoping to use in this .
Cousins process will not be happening fir a while or at all .

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2024 7:13 pm I also thought I would show the newbys my soldering .
Most pics we see in build topics are all cleaned up and shiny . But here's mine warts and all

Pretty don't matter when it's going to be wrapped in insulation.

shadylane wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2024 8:19 pm

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2024 7:13 pm I also thought I would show the newbys my soldering .
Most pics we see in build topics are all cleaned up and shiny . But here's mine warts and all

Pretty don't matter when it's going to be wrapped in insulation.

True that Shady

Looking great yummy.
Warts are the best bit.

Was doing a run yesterday an saw a drop forming on the liebig, damn it a fucking leak to sort.
Went i went to vipe it away it was just a solder blob

Looks great man!

You don't have do do the full cousins process to take advantage of the double thumpers, just using the high and low wines in the thumpers will produce a good full flavored rum

Informative stuff Yummy as always. This stuff is gold to those of us with less experience than you.

And man I would kill for a workspace that big...

Swedish Pride wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2024 2:31 am Looking great yummy.
Warts are the best bit.

Hee hee , we all got them Swedish . Shame the damn price of solder is going through the roof . Wish I could keep more of them on the roll …… but it’s never going to happen .

Bolverk wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2024 3:24 am Looks great man!

You don't have do do the full cousins process to take advantage of the double thumpers, just using the high and low wines in the thumpers will produce a good full flavored rum

Thats what I’m hoping for Bolverk . From what I’m reading , the cousins process isn’t going to get me something I will actually enjoy .( sounds like its disgusting essence ….. not a nice drink )

But a nice full flavoured Jamaican Rum will tickle my fancy .
To be honest , I’m not holding much hope .Having run plates 3/4 and then a thumper , and having seen slight but not significant changes , I’m mildly optimistic . Mostly curious about the effect of the High and Low wines loading of the Thumpers . Having played with a single Thumper and High wines loading to good effect , I’m hoping for some advantage .

MooseMan wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2024 3:31 am Informative stuff Yummy as always. This stuff is gold to those of us with less experience than you.

And man I would kill for a workspace that big...

Thanks Moose .
I am blessed with the shed I have . I have a typical Queensland block and they are relatively huge and so are the sheds that are on them . built to house boats and RVs ….. neither of which I own or are interested in … so I fill it my way

Always happy to give back to the community . If it weren’t for the guys on here that posted pics and hint’s , I would never have had a go .

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2024 5:22 am
Thats what I’m hoping for Bolverk . From what I’m reading , the cousins process isn’t going to get me something I will actually enjoy .( sounds like its disgusting essence ….. not a nice drink )

But a nice full flavoured Jamaican Rum will tickle my fancy .
To be honest , I’m not holding much hope .Having run plates 3/4 and then a thumper , and having seen slight but not significant changes , I’m mildly optimistic . Mostly curious about the effect of the High and Low wines loading of the Thumpers . Having played with a single Thumper and High wines loading to good effect , I’m hoping for some advantage .

Agreed, high ester rum was never meant to be drank straight... it's a blending component. But you can do a lighter version to get a good "low ester" rum. Considering a high ester whiskey is right around 75-100, a 100-200 ester rum is very drinkable straight and has that good ester punch.

The double retort is an intensional smear machine. The idea is to get alcohol diversity where it wouldn't typically be so you end up with esters you wouldn't typically get. I don't recall if you mess around with a muck pits but just loading some muck in the boiler and little vinegar in the final retort will give you a something really good.

What Bolverk said.
I mix in a small bit of high ester with my more insipid rums for a more ( for me) well balanced result that has just enough back bone to not be overwhelmed by any of the tiki adjuncts.

Yummy, i always have probs soldering Ss, i think by your commentary i see my problem, too much heat, appreciate the detail, can you give us the products you use, what brand flux and solder.etc.
Cheers
Reefer1

Reefer1 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2024 2:54 pm Yummy, i always have probs soldering Ss, i think by your commentary i see my problem, too much heat, appreciate the detail, can you give us the products you use, what brand flux and solder.etc.
Cheers
Reefer1

Hi Reefer
So I’m in Australia . This is the Solder we get at Bunnings Hardware . They are our “big green box “store . I’m on my third roll of this now .
It’s Aquasafe lead free . To be honest , I still are not 100% sure if it does or does not contain any Silver . All attempts to find SDS sheets or other exacting details always ends up conflicting .

The flux I use is this one .
Duzall . I bought it when I was a teenager in NZ about 40 years ago and it’s still working LOL .
I have also used this Bakers Flux which is also available in our big green box store . It does the same job .
Now , I’ve probably mentioned it here about a thousand times , but both these liquid fluxes are Zinc chloride based and also contain hydrochloric acid . They are etchant fluxes . They “bite” into the clean surface of the metals they are used on .

Now out of interest , if you get a bunch of Zinc metal and dump it into some hydrochloric acid and keep slowly adding it until if dissolves no more , guess what you get ? Zinc chloride ….. and some residual hydrochloric acid .

Anyway thats what I use in Australia .

Also , my other trick is one of these Genuine Hog bristle brushes to apply the Flux .
You need to keep applying fresh flux throughout the soldering . Plastic brushes melt and fuck up the soldering.

Hog bristle brushes don’t melt . So when the flux starts to sizzle , you need to apply more . Thats when the hog bristle brush shines . Where you apply the heat is really important .
Copper sucks heat ….. it’s a great conductor and it will pull heat away very quickly .
Stainless is not so good at it . If you apply heat to stainless it conducts the heat away slowly . So you may have 1000°C cooking the fuck out of it , warping and cooking the chrimium and a few inches away , it’s barely a few hundred degrees .

So what works for me is to put the heat into the copper . It’s usually the biggest mass , plus it pulls the heat away the fastest .

Now , if you have a SS ferrule touching a copper piece , the heat of the copper will also travel into the SS . When the junction of the Copper and the SS is around 350-380°C , then both metals will be equally hot enough that you can apply the solder and it will bond perfectly to both . ….no balling , no runs just a nice joint

Thanks pal for the detail, i can get bakers in the uk i have various acid fluxes i had no luck with, i think it's the heat, too much, i have ss furrels and copper tube, i will give it another go with zinc chloride.
Back to the op, i like the design of the vapour tube 1 pipe in and done, never used a thumper i might make one for the hell of it.

Reefer1 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 29, 2024 3:07 am Thanks pal for the detail, i can get bakers in the uk i have various acid fluxes i had no luck with, i think it's the heat, too much, i have ss furrels and copper tube, i will give it another go with zinc chloride.
Back to the op, i like the design of the vapour tube 1 pipe in and done, never used a thumper i might make one for the hell of it.

Same here on the flux reefer, I've tried several common types and none of them work well.
I also tried making some with zinc from wheel balancing weights dissolved in concentrated HCl, the solder still won't wet out on the stainless.

I've finally found a place that sells dedicated stainless soldering flux quite close to me, so I'm gonna get some to try as it's not expensive.

This stuff, they do post if you want to try it.
https://soldersandfluxes.co.uk/product/ ... teel-flux/

That's the exact stuff i was lookin at moose, i have some so called SS flux from china, i tried it just to wet the ss as a test even with slight heat, no good. Just keeps beading up i have several types of soft solder still no luck.
I ended up buying copper furrels in the end, pricey, but i still have a couple of SS one's that i keep in the hope one day i may be able to use them.
Reefer1

Got to run this yesterday . Got off to a bad start . Realised I’d left the jars in the washing machine . Went inside to get them and a glass of water for on the fly tasting while Boiler was getting close to the boil .

On the way back to the shed I smell Rum and Mollasses

Seems it did come to the boil ….. and puked ….out a gasket I had not seated correctly . So after a breakdown ( the still, not me ) and a visit with hose we were back in action .
Incidentally , the 4” modules on the boiler were just windows ( no plates) so I could see any foaming . Strangely , I missed that important part .
I had 60 litres All Molasses rum wash in the boiler , 10 litres of Low wines in the first thumper and about 10litres of High wines in the second thumper . Also spankings for me , the High wines were around 80% abv and I put them in as is . But if we are to follow Caribbean process , I see no point in diluting to 40%

Now ,these High and low wines were collected on the last time I used the single Thumper . The high wines also had about a litre of heads in it IIRC .

I ended up running around 4kw and takeoff speed was close to 5l/h
In hindsight I should have run a bit slower but the taste is good .

I ended ip with about 8 x500ml jars of heads . ( although I’m temped to include the last 2 of them )
About 7 litres of heads . Then I pulled another 5 litres of High wines and 5 litres of low wines . At this point the abv comming off the still was close to 0 . I had had enough and switched off .
Note the nice green oily low wines

Also I forgot to break the connect pipes and so when I come out today to check how much had built up in the Thumpers , they had basically sucked up with there being only 500mls in the second and 5l in the first.

I have another 120l of wash to go . I think next time I will collect the high and low wines un smaller containers so I can better proportion them .
I have had similar thoughts with this run as last single thumper runs and that is that heads are coming over so nice that I feel I should be keeping more but I am fighting this . This run reenforced that . I really want to add more heads to the keeper but worry I am adding too much .

The hearts cut is pretty wide but it’s all clean . When the tails started to come over ( I test on the fly every 500mls ) there was a very defined point where hint of tails become tails with a burn on my throat . A few more jars in and the burn got even more noticeable . I can’t say I have ever experienced this before .

Very happy after first attempt . I’m hoping I can now dial in the wines better now it’s coming off the dual thumpers instead of the single .

Yummy are we related? Your building looks as messy as my outbuilding.

Bushman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 6:20 pm Yummy are we related? Your building looks as messy as my outbuilding.

Disorganised chaos Bushy

I know where everything is ……. It’s in the shed somewhere

OK , I just had to make up some blends .
Seeing I have 7 litres of hearts , and 500mls in each jar , it’s quite simple .
Blend one is 7mls of hearts + 0.5mls of last jar + about 10mls if water .

Blend two is 7mls of hearts + 0.5mls each of last and second last jar + about 10lms of water .

Pleased I did that . Last jar was OK , one with second-last in it two was a bit too hot even for me .

So about to reload thumpers again but still unsure where to put the heads . My gut is telling me to add it to the High wines but Bolverk suggests putting it in the boiler .

Thoughts