FLUTE TALK

[Mr.Spooky]

i think that i got an idea as to how the plates mount to the threaded rod, and then to the drill press,,, but does anybody have any pics of it? i guess you just cut the plates out and leave about 1/8 inch away from your scribed lines and then just work your way down??
thanks
spooky

[olddog]

i think that i got an idea as to how the plates mount to the threaded rod, and then to the drill press,,

I just use a nut and bolt with a spring washer to stop it getting loose.



OD

[olddog]

I have just been thinking a little bit out of the box, sort of a brainfart.
We know that with a flute the hearts come off at around 79 degrees and we adjust the flow through the dephlagmater to maintain this.
Could a senser be connected to a motorised valve fitted to the dephlag output so the temperature will be controlled automatically. It would work a bit like the electric fan works for your car radiator, when the temp gets too high the fan cuts in to cool the radiator. Are there any tech heads out there with any ideas on this. You could then set temp stops to take forshots, heads, and then hearts.


OD

[The Baker]

I have just been thinking a little bit out of the box, sort of a brainfart.
We know that with a flute the hearts come off at around 79 degrees and we adjust the flow through the dephlagmater to maintain this.
Could a senser be connected to a motorised valve fitted to the dephlag output so the temperature will be controlled automatically. It would work a bit like the electric fan works for your car radiator, when the temp gets too high the fan cuts in to cool the radiator. Are there any tech heads out there with any ideas on this. You could then set temp stops to take forshots, heads, and then hearts.


OD

The fuel alcohol people do something like this all the time.

Their stills have an expensive valve as one of the main parts. Not being a mechanical type I can't say exactly what it adjusts or how, but I THINK it is the QUANTITY of the cooling water, and it uses temperature (not sure of what...the wash??? boiling temperature of the wash???....) as the operating criteria of the valve.

Anyway, with their experience they might be interesting people to talk to. Who knows, THEY might like YOUR idea, it could be a lot cheaper....

alcoholfuel group at yahoo.

[hstuurman]

I had the same idea with my ponu:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 36&start=0
The only one I could find is the Danfoss AVTB, but they cost about EUR 350,-, rather expansive for a valve.
Anyone a cheaper idea?

[Thorn_veritas]

Im sure our electronic wuzards could come up with something? Wouldnt think it would be that hard a pump connected to a tbermometer.

On second thought it is probaly a very hard build bit im sure some1 could sort something out.

[ScottishBoy]

SB I used your drill press and file method for the last build, it resulted in plates with a perfect fit, I doubt if you could have put the smallest feeler guage between the plate and the column wall, the fot was that good, without your idea, otherwise I could have only achieved this with a lathe.
I also mounted the plates with 4 pieces of hard silver solder rod to form a plate cage, I just put 4 extra holes around the perimeter to take the rods and soft soldered them to the plate, this keeps the plate perfectly flat when you slide the plates into the column.



OD

Excellent! My goal is to make this so that anyone with basic shop tools can do this. I figure a drill press will be the most complicated piece of machinery we need. I really should shoot some video at some point, but there is this "life" thing that keeps getting in the way.

[rad14701]

You could use the same water control valve that the Charles 803 uses... They aren't cheap but apparently work very well... They have fine adjustment capabilities but I'm not sure you'd want to be making a lot of adjustments throughout a run...

[Mr.Spooky]

You could use the same water control valve that the Charles 803 uses... They aren't cheap but apparently work very well... They have fine adjustment capabilities but I'm not sure you'd want to be making a lot of adjustments throughout a run...

it seems like there might be something in HVAC thermo heating that might do this. alls it would be is a thermocoupler(?) and a relay.
does that sound right???? might try johnson controls
spooky
edit: not thermo heat,,,, but geothermal.

[rad14701]

Johnson Controls V-47

Temperature Modulating Valves

[Mr.Spooky]

couldent you use one of these: http://cgproducts.johnsoncontrols.com/M ... 125188.PDF" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
and one of these: http://www.emersonclimate.com/en-US/pro ... alves.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
im just throwing stuff out there. but i know what a solenoid valve does, and i know what this thermostat does.
and i think that this would work.
spooky

[olddog]

couldent you use one of these: http://cgproducts.johnsoncontrols.com/M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow ... 125188.PDF and one of these: http://www.emersonclimate.com/en-US/pro" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow ... alves.aspx im just throwing stuff out there. but i know what a solenoid valve does, and i know what this thermostat does. and i think that this would work. spooky

I think you are probably right Spooky, but when I really think about it, you only set the temp once at the start of the hearts takeoff, and from then on, it's stable. I was probably overthinking the need for control.


OD

[Kentucky shinner]

This is what i am going to try on my Hillbilly soon as the time allows. I have on of these that came from work. It would allow very precise adjustment of your water flow and once you find the sweet spot you should be able to hit it dead on every time. I am going to install this on the line going to my dephlag. It has a flow controll on the bottom and the little ball floats to tell you how much flow you have.
let me know what you think.

[Mr.Spooky]

thats pretty damn cool,,, plus, you got exact numbers. how does it hook up???? what is it called?? is that a water column guage?
spooky

[Kentucky shinner]

I dont know what is called but I have found them on ebay when you do a search of flow controller. when I saw them I thought man we have those at work. so I went to the maint shop and told them what i needed and the instrument guy had one he had rebuilt. you hook your water to the bottom vai a 3/8 compression fitting and the flow goes out the top. when you increase your flow the little ball floats up and the tube is graduated with numbers. It is a very fine precise controller and you can get a full stream 3/8 of an inch out of it if you need it.
I can wait to try it out. I will have to replumb my rig but if it works I am going to find a supplier and I will be using them instead of the ball valve.

[Kentucky shinner]

here is a link to one. I have found several on ebay for around 40 - 60 bucks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... _500wt_922" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[olddog]

Dolikeadrink is bustin to see a progress pic of his flute build, so here ya go Wayne.

The column will attach to the keg with a 4"triclamp, the keg has already been modified to take this.
The dephlagmater also attaches with a 4"triclamp and can be moved to the top of the column when the 6 plate column is added to the existing 4 plate base column, giving the adaptability to run either as a 4 plate colum, or a 6 plate column or stack them together to make a 10 plate column. Extension tubes will be made to extend the cooling tubes and vapor tube when it is used in the 10 plate mode, I have yet to make the 6 plate column, I will be starting that today.



OD

[kenfyoozed]

I can wait to try it out. I will have to replumb my rig but if it works I am going to find a supplier and I will be using them instead of the ball valve.

How can i ever decide on something when you keep adding awesome ideas!

[Kentucky shinner]

she looks mighty fine OD... He should be very happy with that.

[Kentucky shinner]

I can wait to try it out. I will have to replumb my rig but if it works I am going to find a supplier and I will be using them instead of the ball valve.

How can i ever decide on something when you keep adding awesome ideas!

I will have to try it out on mine before Install it on someone elses rig.. but If you would like you can be the first. I will do it for the cost of the flow controller.

[Kentucky shinner]

Ok Im off to find one right now.. Hell ya..
I think it will be a really good addition. It should make controlling the dephlagmater really nice.
KS

[olddog]

Hey KS, do you like the new float on surface mount sight glass fittings? they make for a cleaner joint when you mount them on the column.



OD

[Kentucky shinner]

What did you use as a gasket on the 4" triclamp OD?

[Mr.Spooky]

What did you use as a gasket on the 4" triclamp OD?

if i might chime in here,,,, if its a good tight conection,,, a few wraps of PTFE tape works wanders.... iv tried the cork,, and something of this size(4") looses shape and distorts, shrinks, and what not.
spooky

[DOLIKEADRINK]

What did you use as a gasket on the 4" triclamp OD?

G'day KS i supplied OD with the clamps and gaskets, I have 2 types of gaskets Teflon and Viton, I have not used the Viton yet, I found it was hard to make the Teflon seal seat and seal correctly without over tightening the Tri Clover clamp,
I rapped the Teflon seal with Teflon tape and it sealed good without over tightening the clamp.
I have been told that the Viton is a little softer and is still safe to use.

Cheers: Dolikeadrink

[Mr.Spooky]

i cant wait to see this hooked up to 4"!
im thinking about hooking up my flute to my future boiler via the 4" column. that would put my bottom plate roughly 4" above the boiler conection. does anyone see this as being a problem?
thanks
spooky

[olddog]

That should not be a problem at all.


OD

[moonshiner dave]

Well fellas, I've been watching all these flute builds and I have to say that I can't stand it any longer. I have given in and am slowly starting on mine. I am however kinda going a different direction. Instead of using pipe, I had some leftover sheet copper from my previous pot still build and thought I would give it a try. Unfortunately I have ran out of sheet and am currently waiting on another roll that I ordered. The wife was not happy about that but I expect she'll get over it before she gets married again. O.K., on to the details, the pot is a 25 gallon from my previous build, the column is made of sheet, 6 in. diameter, 30 inches long. It's going to be a 3 plate design and I already have the tree built and set in the column and will be removable. Sooooo, here is a crappy pic from my phone that I took just to give an idea. I am still hashing out thoughts in that big ol melon of mine on how I'm going to do the condenser but it will come to me in time. Thank you all for the wealth of information and any and all thoughts are welcome.

Shiner

[olddog]

Hi Moonshiner Dave, You will be the first six inch build of the flute design for hobby use, what type of plates are you using, bubble caps, seive plates, valve plates? I hope you have a good head of steam for a six inch column.


OD

[LWTCS]

Yes a good head of steam. So much so that I would recommend bubble plates for fear that perf plates may not behave.

And by the way,,,,,she is gorgeous your boiler looks really well done

So we got Rock on the 2" and moonshine on the 6"

I. Spect we'll see'm both on the family photo album?