Designing my first pot still

[instableoxymoron]

My design is similar to Samohon Pot-Still Drawing but I found his design after I started purchasing my own. My end game is to have a Tri-Clamp design and to at first create a pot still that attaches to a column and perhaps later build a reflux column.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... hp?id=8418

Here is a run down of my design -

15.5 gallon keg with
1 foot of 2" pipe using a Tri-Clamp flange design
2" to 1 1/2" reducer
1 1/2" 90 deg angle
1 1/2" to 3/4" reducer (I was thinking of adding a thumper later - should I use 1 1/2" for the thumper or is 3/4" good enough?)
3/4" 45 deg angle
Liebeg is going to be 3/4" pipe with 1/2" on the inside at 30mm length.

I noticed that Samohon's design has a lot of nipples and couplers in the design. This is all new to me. Is that the preferred way or could I just solder the 3/4" copper pipe into the 1 1/2" reducer? I am also confused about how to have the 1/2" inside of the 3/4" pipe for the liebeg. I was thinking I could have a 3/4" to 1/2 reducer which would allow me to connect the 1/2" inner pipe and then I think I could weld the outer 3/4" pipe to the other part of the reducer?

Newb with lots of questions...thanks for any and all help. I ended up purchasing 10' of 3/4" and 1/2" pipe because it wasn't that more expensive than the two feet of the same size and I thought I may need it later and I also have another 4' of 2" that I was thinking of using for a reflux later.

Ox

[instableoxymoron]

Using a propane burner as well.

[heartcut]

Sounds like that'll serve you well either way. Industrial distillation (my arena) tends to make changes in vapor space gradual. When I replaced my old still, I tried to incorporate this philosophy into the new design and it turrned out a lot faster, with the same quality. Good price on the keg and good luck.

[emptyglass]

For the leibig you could use a 1/2" x 3/4" x 3/4" tee, bore or grind out the lugs on the 1/2" leg, and push 1/2" tube through.

Theres plenty of info here on how to make one.