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Yesterday I began my long awaited project to build an all copper still based on the "moonshine" stills of the North Carolina area.

I am using 0.7mm copper. I considered using 0.8mm but I decided 0.7mm is plenty for the size still I am making - 25 litres.

So far I have cut, shaped, and soldered the boiler and cut out the disc that will become the base.

I am using the flat lock seam without rivets.

I sure am having a lot of fun so far and finding the soldering easier than expected.

Keep the pictures coming members love to see this stuff. Couple questions:
1. What diameter and height have your chosen for the boiler?
2. Did you use software to design the still and calculate the layout?

Will be fun to watch this come together and see how you tie the lyne arm on!

I was aiming for a chamber size of 288 x 400mm to give a volume of 25 litres. I haven't used any software just good old fashioned mathematics

Great pics so far-i look fwd to seeing your project progress. Go the copper pot still

That looks good!
By 400 mm height you would have used 1253,80 mm of coppersheet, before rolling it up. (400-0,7 x Pi).
I assume you will be making a conical Lynearm out of sheet too..?
Any thoughts about the top...cone or flat..?

Not sure about your mathematics Danespirit...

I will be making a conical lyne arm and a conical top/ cape. The only thing I'm not sure about is how to attach the collar to the top of the cape. Anyone got any advice?

Got the base on now. No leaks so far!

Looking good, partial to old school myself! For the collar, just make a lip outward and slide it up inside your cap, tap the lip flush with your cape and solder. You could rivet to help it hold better.

Oh no Disaster! I thought I was getting the hang of this soldering thing but now I have melted a hole in my cap!!!!!!! Can I fix it or do I have to start again?

Yes Sir, looks like you got a little too hot. What solder are you using? That copper looks to have been at least dull red. Way too hot unless you were trying to silver braze it. Most standard lead free solders flow at about 450 to 475. Stay brite 8 flows around 525. There really shouldn't be any color change like that using standard solders. You can fix it by cleaning it really well and bending a little patch to cover it with. Then flux it up well and sweat the 2 pieces together.

Or maybe the cap copper is a different thickness than the rest of the still? Are you using the same weight copper for all the parts? I'm quite new here so take this question as being from a new guy. I made my still myself as well, and I had never sweated copper before. It is cool, isn't it? I went the route of buying all of the still components as a kit; all I had to do was roughen up the parts, flux and solder.
And your rig is looking great. Any repairs and imperfections simply adds character!

Edit: I just looked up the thickness of the copper I used in kit form. It's 16 oz copper, or 0.021 in or 0.53 mm. Yours is thicker so my question above is not relevant since your copper seems thick enough.
Bobdoe

Bobdoe wrote:Or maybe the cap copper is a different thickness than the rest of the still? Are you using the same weight copper for all the parts? I'm quite new here so take this question as being from a new guy. I made my still myself as well, and I had never sweated copper before. It is cool, isn't it? I went the route of buying all of the still components as a kit; all I had to do was roughen up the parts, flux and solder.
And your rig is looking great. Any repairs and imperfections simply adds character!
Bobdoe

When you have 2 different thickness materials you have to be careful to work one a bit more than the other . Flow temperature must be the same on both. Say the solder flows at 475 then both pieces must be in that range so you would keep your heat more on the thicker piece and work it up to the thinner piece. Soldering is quite simple process but there are a few little nuances that can make it or break it. Heat control is one of them. Cleanliness and good flux and solder is the other. Always work slowly bringing the temp into the material and watch what the flux is doing , that will give you a hint as to when it is approaching the correct temperature.

Well here we are in 2017 and I still haven't gotten any further! Usual story - my girlfriend left me, my dog died and my best mate told me to get lost because the girlfriend who dumped me had been his brother's girlfriend who I stole off him. Needless to say it was a screwed up time in my life and I needed to reflect on what had happened and why I had f'd up so royally so I decided to quit my job and walk the length of my country. The 3000 or so kilometers took me seven months over two summers and with working in between I just haven't had the time or life stability to get going again. I'm sure the majority of you couldn't care less about my non-distilling related tale of woe but there is a point to my sharing. The point is that whisky has been invaluable in the healing process. It truly does soothe the soul and bring joy to the downhearted. And it's also the supreme form of alcohol to hike with as it has the best weight to alcohol ratio. You could take a 3 liter cask of 13% red wine that is awkward to retrieve from a backpack and heavy and doesn't go well in coffee, or you can just take a nice bottle of whisky which weighs a third of what the wine weighs, fits in the side pocket of a hiking pack and can be removed with one hand without even stopping, goes great with coffee (and salami) and maybe best of all it's a fantastic way to break the ice when you're sharing backcountry cabins and tent sites with strangers. The warmest welcome I ever got on my travels was when I arrived late to a little cabin in the mountains (with 10 people already there with only 6 bunks) and a
Czech hiker, before even saying a word, passed me a bottle of single malt and bid me to take a swig. Yes that's right - not only can whisky heal the soul and brighten up a morning coffee but it is also a common language amongst men.

I'm willing to accept any advice, criticism or news of developments in soldering copper. Let's get this baby rolling!

And I thought I had problems.

Geoff

Life can be a bitch now and then.
I'm glad you are back here and a hobby/project can let the negative thoughts stand back for a while and get the brain some positive input.
Like the Chech hiker saw you needed a drop, we see you need a little help...and we are all here to help you.
So...what's the current state of the project...how many parts have you got and what needs to be soldered up..?

Welcome back mate

+ Danespirit and Pikey!

Welcome back! Get going on it again, and don't stop this time! Stilling for me is "my time". It's quiet time alone (mostly, sometimes SWMBO joins and spends a warm summer night outside while I run, but talk is always light and never serious). Looking forward to seeing more of your build.

Oh, I think rum goes better in coffee than whiskey (sure, whiskey is good, but that nice bit of molasses flavour of rum is so complimentary to a good cup of coffee).

Hope to see pics of your progress!

...am I the only one interested in the walk across the country? That sounds cathartic given the terrible consequences that led up to it.... You're like that guy on Kung Fu!!

Now...let's get this sucker built!!! Your alcohol is awaitin'