My next and last still build

[Bonjimmi]

Thanks MR...... My thought process was if i did it the other way and my plates flexed a little.... While putting the plate tree into the column.... the down comer might hit the bottom of the cap, restricting the flow and I would never know...
This way everything stays in the right place.....

I also fitted my coil inside my 2" condenser and soldered up the water in and water out conections....

Bon

[Bonjimmi]

I finished the plate tree.....

Bon

[Bonjimmi]

Well guys...... I have to put my build on hold.... My 16 year old daughter is having surgery and it looks like My family and i will be living at the hospital for 1 to 2 weeks.......!

I am hoping they have wifi there so I can keep reading my favorite 2 sites AD & HD.....

hoping my world gets back to normal soon so I can get back to the copper.....

Bon

[emptyglass]

I wish your daughter all the best. My girls are a lot younger, and I hope I never have to look down the barrel of what you are.

I like your idea of the downcomer caps, but MR has already claimed stealing rights, so I'll stick with not using them at all.

Plate tree looks pretty cool.

Keep in touch, and keep thinking of the still. We all need a place to go when it gets a bit much, its a pretty good bunch of guys here. Check out the off topic page.

[bentstick]

Luck to your daughter bon! We will be here when your daughter and,your family are over the life dilemma!

[Bonjimmi]

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to give a quick update.. My daughter's surgery went well and her recovery is going good...

And thanks for all the very kind PM's

Bon

[bentstick]

to her and the family!

[Bonjimmi]

Got home from the hospital today. My daughter is amazing.. She did great and is recovering at home with us..

While we were away I got my package from still dragon. The site glasses and fittings look great.... I should be back to work on my still soon.

Bon

[Bonjimmi]

Made two 2" jigs today. The smaller one is to bang out the 2" easy flanges and the larger one is to cut the 4" fish mouth in the 2" sight glasses so they will fit snug to the 4" column.

[Bonjimmi]

Finished up my 2" shotgun condenser tonight. what a pain in the ass.. I am doing a leak test on it now......

[Bonjimmi]

made my first 4" fish mouth cut on the 2" sight glass copper. I am using type L copper so it will be nice and thick for the 2" tri clamp...

[Bonjimmi]

I haven't got many responses from my buddies here on HD... I am hoping you guys agree with the decisions I'm making on my 4" build...and you would let me know if I start going down the wrong road...

[emptyglass]

What he said.

You have got MashRookie wanting to steal you ideas. Can't get much higher praise than that.

Your build is looking good, you seem to have a handle on the beast, you got good skills, just keep the pics coming, we are all still out there watching you.

Don't worry, you'll get sent to the back of the class if you mess up. But you're looking sweet.


And if you're back to still making, I take that as a thumbs up on your little girl.

[Bonjimmi]

Well its good to know that you guys are watching and have my back on this build... Yes my daughter is doing great and recovering nicely from spinal fusion surgery... Very painfull... but she is healing nicely...

I will keep the pic's coming... up next is the sight glasses

[bentstick]

No matter if it quite, they,we,I are watching, you dont get away with much, you are doing a bang up job! you have other pics out there I ve seen!

[Bonjimmi]

I finished my first sight glass.. I cut the 4" fish mouth first, then cut the sight glass to length, then banged out the easy flange....... then I put my 6" disk sander into the vise and sanded the face of the flange perfectly flat.

only 5 more to go.......!

[pfshine]

Very very nice. I really like the jigs for the fish mouth and flange. I cant wait to start mine

[Bonjimmi]

Got the sight glasses done..... i have to sand down the face of the flange so that the gaskets has a nice seal.... Then I can solder them onto the column....

[Bonjimmi]

[mash rookie]

Your killing me! Solder this baby up and get her up and running! Come on Bon!! Dont forget the shine.

[Bonjimmi]

Well I got them all soldered up today.... I will try to do a leak test tomorrow on them.... I have to say "that really sucked"
I am sure there will be a few leaks that I will have to resolder...

[acfixer69]

SUCKED?? that should have been easy for you. Bettin it's better than you think.
Ac
I know you have heat problems but if thats what need to be fixed well fix it

[Bonjimmi]

Solder has a mind of its own some times...it likes to run to places where you don't want it to go....
On the six sight glasses... I must have tried six different ways to solder them... And each way was a pain in the ass....
I will clamp the glass on and put a 4" plug in the bottom and fill it up with water to see if it looks like a sprinkler system...lol

[acfixer69]

soidier runs to the flux . Flux runs down .

[Bonjimmi]

Did my leak test on the sight glasses today and......NO LEAKS...

and if anyone wanted to know how how I sealed up the glass.... I took a 2" flange gasket sliced off the ridge on one side with a razor .... put the flat side down on the copper flange and the side with the ridge up against the glass and clamped it down......

[Bushman]

Did my leak test on the sight glasses today and......NO LEAKS...

and if anyone wanted to know how how I sealed up the glass.... I took a 2" flange gasket sliced off the ridge on one side with a razor .... put the flat side down on the copper flange and the side with the ridge up against the glass and clamped it down......

glass2.JPG

With your documentation you are helping a lot of members that are quite but using your methods, nice work and keep up the "how to" info!

[Bonjimmi]

Thanks Bushman......... I'm getting excited ....... I can see the finish line.
I installed the the plate tree.... All I have left is to solder on the 2" reducer flange that clamps to the keg ,
And then build the parrot ..... Then I can do a cleaning run and see if my 3000w of heat will run this beast.

This build has been fun.... I hope my fellow distillers are enjoying it too

[Bonjimmi]

[Bonjimmi]

I need some ideas from you guys...... If you look at the pic, I have a 12" open space above the top sight glass. What should I do with it?????
Should I cut it out and bring the shotgun down a foot... it is pretty tall?
Should I pack that space with something????
I need some idea's Please

[pfshine]

cut it out and send it to me