here is some photos of my stainless work its taken awhile as i have been working
flat out atm but i should have all the copper work done this weekend
it will be a 50l potstill with all 2inch pipe and a 30lt i think as i have not
filled it with water yet as i cut the size done on my keg and it
will have a 1 inch over 3/4 inch liebeg all is looking very good.
Gotta say I like it. That is the best way I have seen to connect a stainless thumper and be able to clean everything out. Why don't you just 180 it in stainless and tri clover together? Are you going gas or electric? Only negative thing I can say about it is it is not at my place.
The rest of the pipe will be in copper and
Every thing is tri clamped together. I thought the
6 inch hole on the main pot and 5 inch hole
On the thumper was the go easy cleaning and
Maintenance. I will be using gas as my heat source
And I am debating if I should insulate the thumper.
I was thinking SS because of how easy it is to get and already ready to go. Are you thinking copper for getting rid of sulfates? I would think insulating the thumper would be a good idea. You could always do an un insulated first couple of runs and see how it works and if it is worth doing. I assume that you are going to align the tops of the kegs to minimize heat loss and minimize pipe. If you get tired or board with your build put a sail on it and send it to me. Nice job.
Hahaha didn't figure it would get the sail. Tell us how it works when you get it going and let us know how much the thumper changes abv and what you like and don't like about the thumper. Not a lot of people on this site seem to use them. I think it is a great idea. You get the thumper as a free be on your gas/elect bill and aprx 50% more size for wash or low wines, little higher abv, if boiler pukes thumper catches it. You can run mash in boiler and low wines in thumper. I am not sure why more pot still people don't have thumpers. Are you gonna learn how to drive the pot still first or plan to jump in both feet and thump first? I know it is a little more to learn and figure out but I think it is a win win for the Aussie.
I've read mixed reviews on insulating a thumper. Part of the idea is that you want your distillate to have to power your thumper, and more often than not you have more than enough power available and actually want some heat loss from your thumper to more efficiently reflux.
Here is what I would do: Try it out without insulation, if you find your thumper is filling up too much with liquid and not enough vaporizing is happening, then insulate it little by little to help keep more heat in until you find a balance.
Experience is what you get right after you need it.
This is your first still?? I think this is the definition of jumping in with both feet. Looks great and i cant wait to see more from you. just a thought, it looks like your going to be doing large scale ferments. Might want a fill and empty port so you dont have to tear things down and siphon out.
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. Lamb Of God
Aussie_Distiller1989 wrote:Here is some picture of it nearly finished
It clearly not finished as the joins are held together
By duck tape and wood haha
Well, that's the smart way to do it, get a mockup before soldering it together so you know everything fits and all that before it's permanent.
It looks good too, I'm curious to see how it will run.
Experience is what you get right after you need it.
It will be a very beautiful creature when you are done if you keep it like this. If it were mine I would cut back on the copper. The more copper/SS you have the more energy (electricity or gas) it is going to require to run it. Are you after reflux on the thumper with the angle like it is?
There will be some reflux as a because of the goose
Neck but I don't believe that there will be that much
That I will be able to tell. And y do u believe that copper
To stainless joins takes more energy. As in the copper pipe
Drops its heat into the stainless.
And is there any way to stop cooper oxidizing after I polish
It all up nice and shiny.
Nope. Copper to stainless has nothing to do with it. The extra pipe is what it has to do with. Copper sucks heat and take longer on the heat up and more energy. Your design would be easier on the eyes. I am not an expert on these matters. I would get a second opinion or maybe a 3d. I am not perfect. I do agree you won't have much reflux but that's not what you are after in a build like that. I do like your build
I don't think that amount of extra copper would really be noticeable unless you're stilling outside in the wind and heat loss is an issue. If start up times are too long, you can also always just take a heat gun or even a blow torch and preheat the column and lyne arm and such to assist. But it would be a matter of maybe 15 minutes of extra heat up time, not sure it would be an issue.
Experience is what you get right after you need it.
I didn't see any ports in the kegs so I figured propane. Propane means out doors. Maybe you could put a little propane under thumper on heat up to speed up times. Another thing that might help heat up is wrap a piece of sheet metal around the keg and burner to make a heat shield. This would funnel the heat up and around the keg and out the top instead of just heating the bottom. That might on cutting down on heat up times.
If I am wrong and you are doing electric I would scrap everything I said in last paragraph. If electric Id wrap those kegs in insulation.
Its a really nice build whether you do anything I said or not. I would be proud to own it. For me time is money. Your priorities might be different. Good luck with your build.
Yeah I'm running gas and my still is in a shed but its open on one
Side so there is plenty of venalation.
I'm building the stand now for it
The burner is a big tree ring one so the wont be any dramas with heat
Just noticed a small problem, maybe not a problem at all. Your last set of reducers where the vapor exits the goose neck. There will be pooling there, not enough to block flow but from what i understand, pooling bad. Eleminating the 45 before the reducers would solve that. Add a removeable 90 after the reducer to direct traffic. (i will add a pic of what i call a removeable 90 when i remember my photobucket account password)
Just a thought, because any vapor that crosses the highest point of your goose neck will condense into product, why not start cooling there? Maybe a cold finger? Maybe as a pre cooler? Just an idea as a challenge.
I may be overestimating the heat exchange properties of copper but i think you will have quite a bit of reflux. Not say'n thats a bad thing, just betting you will make some high proof stuff. Cant wait to see the numbers.
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. Lamb Of God
I use removable 90s and 45s to get the product going in the right direction and always down hill. A a single wrap of T-tape on the sealing surface puts my mind at ease with that brass.
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. Lamb Of God
Ar yes I do see I might just make it have a bit more
Angle going down on that last 45 just incase I do
Get some liquid before the condenser and if I have any
Trouble ill just have to fix it.
Correction I removed the last 2" 45 bend and put the
Reducers onto the end of the goose neck and
I will add a 3/4 inch 45 bend to join onto the condenser
This way there will be no pooling.
I plan on having it all soldered up this week if
All goes well will post pics.
My hook rum wash is going very slow as it has drop
To 18c at day time and 6c at night it's dam cold.
The yeast won't be stressing the dam things are on
Holidays.
