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moving right along...it ain't no magic flute, but i'm gettin' pretty excited.

VAPOR BE WARNED!!! triple 1/4" coil over 3/4" coldfinger. i traced the slant plates with a marker on the outside so the angles and placement could be seen in the pics. takeoff will be routed back to the needle valve in front.

i know "turbo" is a bad word in these parts, but this sort of turbo should be ok?



shot of the reflux center/return.





just waiting on a couple more parts to show, then i'll be able to finish it off. i still have to do a couple more soldering ops, so i haven't given it a thorough pickle/cleaning yet.

what do you guys think?

That's some nice copper work condensificator, it's looking good,


OD

Very interesting built, congrats.

What does the propeller do

thanks guys.

Mel Gibson wrote:What does the propeller do

i'm hoping that the "propeller" will induce turbulence in the vapor path to spread and distribute the vapor in both the reflux condenser and the vapor output. i'll be doing one inside of the 1" id product condenser as well (the twisted "ribbon" variety) .

moving right along...it ain't no magic flute, but i'm gettin' pretty excited.

Ok, it ain't OD's flute, but you sure know how to work with copper. Very good skills.
I can't say anything about the effect of the turbo, but I sure like the look!
When you decide to build a flute, looking at your skills, you can, this will be as nice as OD's.

Interesting to say the least. You have some great copper working skills. Very nice.

WOW! Very cool!

I can not help but to think, geeez, how long did this take the guy? Very unique design. Nice coppersmithing. I think your turbine blades are backwards. Just kidding. If it doesn't make licker, it'll definately make you car quicker. Put a boost gauge on that fucker.

Damn...thats a pretty sweet build. Very Nice!

Great work, condensificator...

thanks y'all! i'm pretty stoked. the 90* showed up today, so i got to get some more done:


i'm going to do an offset pair of 45's on the bottom of the column to put the balance point over the center..this bitch already weighs 50lbs unloaded! doing quick disconnects for the water in/outs, and soft copper plumbing the water from product condenser to reflux condenser. thinking about a pressure gauge also...know it's not really ever needed, but a good failsafe with a bomb this big. need to do a bolt up brace or two so i can still break it down, but it's a bit more sturdy to move around. with those teflon gaskets and the length of the thing, the leverage makes it slip around silly.

...also...the old "measure twice, cut three times" bit is playing again here. i measured the top of the boiler to the ceiling of my space, then made the whole thing to comfortably fit inside that measurement...totally forgetting that i had ordered a new heat source to allow the bigger boiler and still to operate. it's about 18" higher than the ceiling with the new burner! fuck. i laughed my ass off when i saw the dude's rig that went through the hole in his ceiling...now i'm trying to figger out how to do the exact same thing! fuck.

You are a true craftsman.

I would love that anvil and hammer set for my shop.


OD

what...non of you guys going to comment on the distance from the takeoff to the gate valve? you built a beautiful rig for sure. in the past i've read posts on where to place the gate valve. think most want it close to the takeoff tee to avoid pooling of distilate/heads. then theres the verticle/horizontal debate. so cut it all apart and redo it only kidding, it will no doubt work great. love the soldered joint on the triclovers. mine are nasty from silver solding. gman

oh.....think veiw port!!! to watch your wonderful reflux in action. i'll donate to you some pyrex plate for your enjoyment.

Nice build condensificator...

I like the take-off from the Bok down to the Liebig. IMO the LM really is great for taking the cuts to the VM...
I'd love to know how she runs man... Keep us posted...

And great coppersmithin...

Beautiful work. Love the attention to details.

Be interesting to see how well the 'turbo' fan works, and if it interferes with the reflux being centred.

How did you do the soldering for the ferrules?

[Mods. Can we add this bowdown icon to the emoticons list?]

HookLine wrote:

bowdown-1.gif

Beautiful work. Love the attention to details.

Be interesting to see how well the 'turbo' fan works, and if it interferes with the reflux being centred.

How did you do the soldering for the ferrules?

[Mods. Can we add this bowdown icon to the emoticons list?]

Yes, Bow Down would be good...I have this strange urge to lay cake and beer at the bottom of this still...and Bacon!

Scottishboy can you tell me where got you temp meter, on the column. I've look around but can't seem to find one that fits on column like yours. I must be a little thick. post or pm me. todd54

thanks KS!

OD, the anvil is yours for the flute...i imagine shipping to OZ should be pretty cheap on it, it only weighs 400lbs (181kg).

glassman wrote:what...non of you guys going to comment on the distance from the takeoff to the gate valve? you built a beautiful rig for sure. in the past i've read posts on where to place the gate valve. think most want it close to the takeoff tee to avoid pooling of distilate/heads. then theres the verticle/horizontal debate. so cut it all apart and redo it only kidding, it will no doubt work great. love the soldered joint on the triclovers. mine are nasty from silver solding. gman

oh.....think veiw port!!! to watch your wonderful reflux in action. i'll donate to you some pyrex plate for your enjoyment.

i was figuring that an easy, gradual reduction from the 3" port to the gate would be best for vapor management, so that's why it got stretched out. if the distance from port to gate is too great, i can easily do another elbow/reducer section with a shorter reducer. that is one of the main reasons i wanted to go fully modular, so i could move shit around if needed. yeah, the original design was going to have the gate horizontal:

after a bunch more research, i decided on vertical to conserve space and be able to have the gradual reducer. i was aware of what had been said about pooling, but i figured that it's all going to come out eventually, so i didn't see it as an issue...and again, with it all being modular, easy to change if it is not kickin ass.

the joints are done with a TON of flux, a ton of heat, and stay-silv 56...then smoothed of with a composite wheel.
might have to take you up on that pyrex...the seed has been planted.

Samohon wrote:Nice build condensificator...

I like the take-off from the Bok down to the Liebig. IMO the LM really is great for taking the cuts to the VM...
I'd love to know how she runs man... Keep us posted...

And great coppersmithin...

thanks dude. i really appreciate your help with this project. as you can see, i took your advice on all points. first bottle is for you.

HookLine wrote:

bowdown-1.gif

Beautiful work. Love the attention to details.

Be interesting to see how well the 'turbo' fan works, and if it interferes with the reflux being centred.

How did you do the soldering for the ferrules?

thanks! doesn't seem to me like the swirling vapors would have enough force to push around the falling reflux...don't really have a control to verify any effect of the turbo, so i guess i'll just have to put in a sight glass!!! solder is stay-silv 56. then hit on the wheel to make it purdy.

ScottishBoy wrote: Yes, Bow Down would be good...I have this strange urge to lay cake and beer at the bottom of this still...and Bacon!

i have been laying down cakes of yeast, sacks of sugar and bowls of corn at its feet every night.....oh...and bacon! yes. is it wrong to love your still more than your wife?




fun, fun, more to come...

todd54 wrote:Scottishboy can you tell me where got you temp meter, on the column. I've look around but can't seem to find one that fits on column like yours. I must be a little thick. post or pm me. todd54

if you are talking about mine (the one in this thread), i got it from mile hi, but you can get them online pretty easily. it's all stainless, it has a 2.5" probe, and it's 1/2"npt, so it's very easy to mount, just solder a 1/2npt adapter where you want the port.

SIGHT WINDOW! the gears have been tuning all day...i'm doing it. i've got a 3" end cap that i'm going to use as the "frame" for the window. i was thinking about fabricating a box out of bar stock all day, then i was looking though my parts drawers and came across that cap...had an AH-HAH! moment. held it up and with a bit of persuasion will be perfect. stoked!

condensificator wrote:thanks y'all! i'm pretty stoked. the 90* showed up today, so i got to get some more done:


i'm going to do an offset pair of 45's on the bottom of the column to put the balance point over the center..this bitch already weighs 50lbs unloaded! doing quick disconnects for the water in/outs, and soft copper plumbing the water from product condenser to reflux condenser. thinking about a pressure gauge also...know it's not really ever needed, but a good failsafe with a bomb this big. need to do a bolt up brace or two so i can still break it down, but it's a bit more sturdy to move around. with those teflon gaskets and the length of the thing, the leverage makes it slip around silly.

...also...the old "measure twice, cut three times" bit is playing again here. i measured the top of the boiler to the ceiling of my space, then made the whole thing to comfortably fit inside that measurement...totally forgetting that i had ordered a new heat source to allow the bigger boiler and still to operate. it's about 18" higher than the ceiling with the new burner! fuck. i laughed my ass off when i saw the dude's rig that went through the hole in his ceiling...now i'm trying to figger out how to do the exact same thing! fuck.

condensificator wrote:if you are talking about mine (the one in this thread), i got it from mile hi, but you can get them online pretty easily. it's all stainless, it has a 2.5" probe, and it's 1/2"npt, so it's very easy to mount, just solder a 1/2npt adapter where you want the port.

Thanks,
For info on mile hi i'll check it out. ( It's just lately the brain is not firing right, it's got to be the beer!). But the modification I like to make to my own 1.5 column, (maybe even a digital one), will allow mine to be able function as your own.

todd54 wrote: Thanks,
For info on mile hi i'll check it out. ( It's just lately the brain is not firing right, it's got to be the beer!). But the modification I like to make to my own 1.5 column, (maybe even a digital one), will allow mine to be able function as your own.

http://www.milehidistilling.com/ i have used them for a ton of stuff from the time i started this adventure, and i recommend them highly...my needs have sort of outgrown what they offer, but they still have a lot of stuff that is easy to get from them. you could also just do a google or ebay search for "stainless npt thermometer."

here's my plan..i'm gonna sneak it inbetween the slant plates at an angle so i'll be able to get a better view of what's goin' on in there.

going to cut this 3" cap that i didn't use so that there is just enough room to mount the sight glass inside...like so:

i want it to be just below the liquid level so i can see the good stuff splashing around.

this is what it looks like from directly behind so you can see the offset.

super stoked. it's just like when i ended accumulating enough drinking stock that i could slow the fuck down and make some proper cuts and pay attention to what i was doing and make some great stuff. that's kind of where i am at with building this still...have a really good reflux rig and a really good pot still at the ready...no need to rush.

condensificator wrote: here's my plan..i'm gonna sneak it inbetween the slant plates at an angle so i'll be able to get a better view of what's goin' on in there.
super stoked. it's just like when i ended accumulating enough drinking stock that i could slow the fuck down and make some proper cuts and pay attention to what i was doing and make some great stuff. that's kind of where i am at with building this still...have a really good reflux rig and a really good pot still at the ready...no need to rush.

can't wait to see this!

Why not use an irrigation fitting like we are using on the flutes, it makes it easy to seal the glass.


OD

therealraycharles wrote:
can't wait to see this!

...yeah, me too!

olddog wrote:Why not use an irrigation fitting like we are using on the flutes, it makes it easy to seal the glass.


OD

yeah...i thought about that, but i like the idea of a really big viewing area (i figger i should be able to get about 2-1/4" of viewable glass...and i've never been one to do things the easy way!
...plus i have that extra 3" cap...plus, plus, i think it will look cool as shit!!!

...and as far as sealing it, i am going to make a ring of 1/8" plate with the same shape and hole pattern as i drew on the outside of the "window" cap with threaded holes that will fit snug up against the inner wall of the cap. the holes on the cap will be through holes. layer of sax cork on either side of the glass, inbetween the internal copper holding ring and the cap. stainless 8-32 screws to mount everything together. don't see why it wouldn't work.

ordered the cork, should be here on tuesday. just measured the hole i want to cut again, it's gonna be 2-3/8" (6cm) dia of glass. so sick!

Every one is getting into sightglasses now, I suppose next we will see LWTCS putting some on his thump tower.


OD