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Mr.Spooky wrote:

rockchucker22 wrote:Ok to test I would use some packing on the top 2 plates and see if they stack. Easy test to see if you need smaller holes, or a tighter fit.

what would the packing do??? create more surface area?
i thought about puting a 1/4" ring around the plates to make a "wall" around the outside edge.
i can only think that what everybodys been saying is true,,,,,maby my reflux is slipping past the plates via the inner wall of the column,,,, once it gets to the botom plate, there is so much "up force" from the boiler that it holds out on the bottom plate.
spooky

I would do just as your thinking spooky.. a ring around the plates I feel sure will make the difference. You could just try it around one plate to see before you do it to all of them.
I think your on the right track for sure..
KS

i think that sence my plates were done individually,, nothings right about them,. they all have a *nice* fit (individually), but sence the center hole might be a bit off, its like a damn maze to get the tree in. you gotta turn a little to the left to get it to go an inch,, then a little to the right to get it to go another 3 inches.
spooky

rockchucker22 wrote:

rockchucker22 wrote:Take each plate add some solder to the edge and file until tight. You can make those plates fit. After that I would add solder to the holes.

Ok don't listen...it's simple.

hahaha im a listening !!!!! im just trying to decide the order of attack!!! i thought about filling in a few holes as well.
are your plates easy to remove????
spooky

Mr.Spooky wrote: iv got the fellas at the plumbing company believing that im making a pot and pan hanger out of the pipe and fittings that im getting from them. i hate lieing, sooner or later, it will catch up. i doubt they believe me anyway.
spooky

rockchucker22 wrote:]Yea I hate lying, I ran into the plumber we use( I'm a contractor) I had a pile of 2" fittings and he asked what are you doing? So I told him making a aporatice(sp?) to make biofuel....1/2 truth I guess.

I dont lie to no one about what i am building. I tell em the truth. whats it gonna hurt? I tell em I am building a "water purification system" It aint no lie, I just dont tell em that i am only saving the etho that i am purifying out of the water and reusing the etho free 'water' for subsequent generations of ujjsm to make more dirty water... thats gotta be purified again... lol it aint no lie if you just dont spill the whole can of beans. its only a half truth at that point, but its the truth.

Its been a while since you updated this thread spook. whats new? hows it going? you running your penny whistle or what? so many 'flute' build threads it hard to keep up with what everyone is doing individually.

post some updates. did you get that thing engine turned completely yet? did you get it lacquered yet? where are the latest pictures.

I just read all 22 pages and came to an incomplete abrupt end.

IzzyB

hey IzzyB,
it aint come to a end yet. iv been running a few times getting good results.. it just so happens that im getting ready to set up so i can do a run today. the engine turning is not done yet,, and im kinda glad that its not because after my run today, Penny is going under the knife again . i figure if this is going to be around for a while,,,,and im never gonna need another still, id might as well make this one a humdinger. shees gonna have all the bells, lights,, and whistles! im starting with the boiler. im going electric with the MK5000controller. ill also be going with a 4" takeoff,,drain holes,, and a few other tricks .
on the column, im going from a 2" takeoff to a 4".. theres a few other things im gonna do but i gotta keep that up my sleve for a while .... i also have to ask myself a few questions........ the reason that i made my plate tree removeable was so that i could add apperatus in the future,, such as a gin basket. now, after having the column built and in my hands, im thinking that i might solder the lower 3 plates in as permant fixtures, and only having the top plate removable so i can fit that gin basket in when needed.
iv got some parts and pieces coming in the mail as we speak and im pulling all of my recources together so i can get this show on the road.. unfortunally sheel be shut down for a while,,, but im sure that it will be worth the wait! ill be documenting with pics,, and video, and if im not too lazy,, in the end, ill do a quick little vid of the whole thing.
shew,, that was a mouth full
spooky

Mr.Spooky wrote:it aint come to a end yet.

Spooky I have followed this build, and what you have done so far is just, for lack of words without swearing or foul language, great! But the changes you are going to make will just add some character and a personal touch to your still,that is more than halve the fun of building. BRAVO!!

yea todd54, to me, the fun is in building.... it seems like ill just get a little drinking stock up, and then tare down the still and redo it,,, or ,,, get a good stock built up and mess with a boiler.. now that i think about it, my stock kinda dictates how fast i get working on things .. i placed a order last friday at pex for a bunch of copper fittings but im not sure if it went through or not, so i gotta call them on monday.. this next friday, ill have saved up some bread,, so im gonna be droppin some jack at Kentucky shinners new websight. there ill be gettin a little 4", a bunch of ferrels of different sizes, and triclamps to acomidate the ferrules, and a few other things..
keep posted!
spooky

Mr.Spooky wrote:now that i think about it, my stock kinda dictates how fast i get working on things

Hehe,,,,Sure do know what ya mean by that. Took me forever to replace the leaky self manufactured end cap on my tower. Plus I had enough stillin apparatatimuses in good working order.......to further delay the repair........

Got some good rum out of the tuneable thumper configuration though.

heres whats new. this 4" stuff i had sitting around, so i thought that id put it to use.. i got some more stuff coming from http://www.hillbillystills.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow that i cant wait to sink my paws into!!!!
spooky

Lookin good Mr. Spooky. Keep them pics a comin'. I've been thinking of building me another using 4" and a keg, but I don't know why I would need it. I think I just want to so I have something else to build.

Looks great Spooky! That's exactly what mine is supposed to like like if the welder ever gets to it this week...

so like i said before,,, ill tear my still down,, and redo it. so MOST,, or alot of my parts from the origional penny are gonna be reused.
from the very beginning, i wanted me a "easy in, easy out" gin basket, but i never got around to doing one, so now, the deflag is going to be removeable so i can pull it out, and replace it with a nice basket. my first deflag was removeable, as were my plates, but the way i conected the deflag to the column was ,,well,,, less that satisfactory to me.,, so now im doing a propper one.
on to the plates.. im using the same perferated plates that i had in Penny1,, just because thats what i had,and they work. but this time,, the plates are gonna be a permanant fixture, and all of the removeable apparatus will be above the plates.
this is going to be a 4 plate column with "see through sight glasses" i just aint got the other 4 sightglasses fitted yet.
spooky

i got a little more done today.. i redid my plates and put in J traps, and i got the sightglass ferruls welded in. (did it from the inside),,, and finally,,, got the plates welded in,, and one set of sight glasses fully done

Your doing some great work Spooky... Thanks for the pics.. Keep em coming friend..

ok,, heres the deflag shotgun. just engine turned it today.
im gettin closer!!!!!

Looking awesome Spooky! If it wasn't a complete ripoff of your look, I'd turn my whole flute in a heartbeat! I'm already dreading trying to sand and polish this beast.

wouldent be a rip off... go for it!!! but,, you still got to sand and polish before engine turnin .... (just not as much ))
spooky

That's look damn good Spooky. Love that finish. It will look good with the 2 SS clamps on it.

Prairiepiss wrote:That's look damn good Spooky. Love that finish. It will look good with the 2 SS clamps on it.

thanks!!!! i just hope it works
spooky

I don't see why it won't.

But I do have to point out something. After all that work on the finish. How are you going to attach the cooling lines? I see a hole in the side where I would think a line would be connected to it. Please tell me you don't still have to solder pipe in? I would hate to see that beautiful finish messed up by a solder joint?

Prairiepiss wrote: Please tell me you don't still have to solder pipe in? I would hate to see that beautiful finish messed up by a solder joint?

It can be done if you can work in a clean fashion, I attached the cooling takeoff and end caps to my product condenser after machining.

OD

How do you keep it from discoloring it?

Laquer it.



OD

Dang yer getting good at this here building Spook.

Very slick indeed.

Prairiepiss wrote:I don't see why it won't.

But I do have to point out something. After all that work on the finish. How are you going to attach the cooling lines? I see a hole in the side where I would think a line would be connected to it. Please tell me you don't still have to solder pipe in? I would hate to see that beautiful finish messed up by a solder joint?

OD is right. if your careful about your heat/flame, you can do it with minimal discouluring. though it will have *some* darker areas around the weld..
the reason that i weld the cooling linde in last is because (take note) when you are doing the turning, it is very important to keep the piece levil the whole time,, so the turns will be uniform.
though it might be idea to do the lines first, they would get in the way as your rotating the piece.
i hope that makes sence
spooky

LWTCS wrote:Dang yer getting good at this here building Spook.

Very slick indeed.

TANKS!!!!!! looks like i can polish a turd,,,,, just hope i can get some good shit juice
spooky

Goch ya!
I still havent got to the point of lighting the flame yet. But I have a few things I will be practicing on. I will see if I can get it mastered. Don't know if it will be as good as you guys but I will give it my best.

Cant wait to see yours all together.

Looks great as always Spooky... Thats a friggin nice finish man...

Thanks Spook and keep it coming...

thanks Sam. im going to be doing the product condenser the same way, and im gonna give the column the
OD shine
spooky

yes sir! looking great. i might have to find one piece to engine turn on mine. i am gonna go with a dark forced patina on it, so one shiny turned piece would be a nice contrast. prolly the phlegm killer.

good stuff spook.