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Hey everyone I picked up a 5" by 7' type l piece of copper pipe for super cheap. I.was thinking about making a boka out of it. What size tubing for the condensor? Thanks for your help and I will keepkeep everyone posted on pics of the build its gonna start tomorrow

That 5" is too big for a Bokakob dual slant plate column with structured packing... And what would you use for a boiler to feed such a beast...??? Don't start building just yet because you need a better plan than you currently have...

I got a 55 gallon stainless drum with a 5500 w heating element and controller. I got the pipe for 60 bucks I couldn't pass it up. What would you suggest to build with it?

That would be the smallest boiler I would think you could use. You are really getting into the not for hobby size still. Bigger sounds better but isn't necessarily. I can speak from experience. My flute and 26gal boiler makes more than I can use. I would think too if you are looking for neutral you would need taller than 7' being so wide. Am I correct on that guys?

I just figured I had it I would put it to use. I guess I just wasted money. I guess I could.make a pot still for stripping runs

5" would work for a CM 'Flute' type still, or for other things. However, for a traditional column still, that is pretty damn huge.

For structured packing, 4" is probably the largest size that can be used. Above this, you get into 'channeling' issues, which means the condensation running back down will form channels, and the vapor will not properly revaporize it. That is why 'true' plates are often seen on these larger stills.

Also, you could make some very large Graham condenser's with them. There are many uses, for a hobby stiller, but a 5" column is likely larger than you would want to go with.

But for a $60 score, you did DAMN well.

H.

That would take a lot of scrubbys to fill it.

It would make a nice plated column.

And that is a nice score.

Build a flute. If you cant than you could always pay someone to make the parts for you (i.e. dephlag, plate tree, sight glasses). Aint gonna be cheap.

BTW, thats 53.27 pounds of copper... holy tuna fish

Is there any good builds on here making a flute? I didn't realize how expensive 90s and 45s holy crap are those bad boys expensive. The boka seemed super easy to build out of one piece

Could you explain to me why a boka wont work for this pipe?

Somebody already did a few posts up.^^^^^^^ :crazy:read the thread andy.

Sitting that pipe alone on top of a 55 gal drum will be wobbly and unstable. You start adding plates condensers and all the rest of the bits to make a column. That thing will be pointing west instead of north.

And fittings yeah you will have to make your own. I bet one fitting cost more then the pipe did. Don't they?

Man I know exactly what I would do with that.

I'm a welder fabricator so making a stand is no problem at all. And a reducer is 299 for a 5 to 3 inch.
What would you build with it?

Couple large volume bubble plates would be on my build list for sure.
My understanding is that 2" is very efficient .3" is not as efficient or as productive relative to the increase in diameter. Seems the column purists rarely exceed 3" at the hobby level.
Unless I miss understood the discussions held by some of the p.................

yea i dont wannna start going to big with it.i guess ill scrap it. i really wanted to make a boka still but i guess my pipe is to big.

LWTCS wrote:Couple large volume bubble plates would be on my build list for sure.
My understanding is that 2" is very efficient .3" is not as efficient or as productive relative to the increase in diameter. Seems the column purists rarely exceed 3" at the hobby level.
Unless I miss understood the discussions held by some of the p.................

Larry's got the idea. This is what I would have in mind for me. Just on a smaller scale. But its not your average build. And would probably take me years to finish. Single column of course. But then I'm a copper porn freak. So you shouldn't listen to me.

Andyfink wrote:yea i dont wannna start going to big with it.i guess ill scrap it. i really wanted to make a boka still but i guess my pipe is to big.

Don't scrap it. Man someone around here could put it to some good use. I would hat to see it to go to scrap.

A column that size, would be viable to fabricate your own bends (lobster backs) and reducers.

That 5" could make two nice flutes, whether using perforated or bubble plates... But you were thinking to big for hobby scale, as has been mentioned already... Scale things down until you at least know what you're doing - and preferably have a license if you want to run something that big... When you start going bigger than a beer keg it raises suspicions...

you could easily just put a flat plate on the top and run some smaller pipe out the side to your condenser.. See OldDog's "Stumpy" plated column. Reducers just look pretty. I think you'd want less than 4 plates though. or perhaps very shallow downcomers. It's my understand that a flute don't work if there isnt enough alcohol to pool on the plates. So the more each plate holds the bigger your runs need to be.

I sure wouldn't scrap it. I would like to have a piece of pipe like that just standing in the corner so I could look at it and dream about what I might could do with it in the future.

Ok so i feel confident enough to build a flute how many plates do you suggest i just wanna go for a neutral maybe 7 maybe 10?

So a super sized version of this? That would be a awesome build just super expensize

Thats why i was thinking boka to cut down on cost. But on the other hand your very correct

Found this at my local steel house. Its a 5x3 316 stainless steel reducer. Its a little thick but im sure it will work. Any thoughts?

Cost me 14 bucks. So i guess thats good. I ran out of time today so tommorow ill see what else they have

Andyfink wrote:Cost me 14 bucks. So i guess thats good. I ran out of time today so tommorow ill see what else they have

Dude -- you're absolutely killing those of us that have mortgaged our chicken farms to buy bits and pieces of copper. Please keep these "deals" quiet to help preserve what bit of sanity remains.

could build a hell of a ponu with that......no large fittings needed....lots of room for a thumper ball or large lower coil...

Slowly collecting parts. found this monster and a 3/4 stainless valve at the same yard today.

Drain for boiler