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Hi all

I am in the process of designing a boka still.
By designing I mean looking at what everyone else has done and copying it lol

I have a 30L presewrve boiler so was going to follow this post as my design plan

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17205

so that's a 36.5 cm head
and a 115ccm column

I hope to put ss scrubbers or copper mesh in the column (is there somewhere I can find out how much to put in?)
I can put in double coil of copper like Pooyan but would rather use a CSST condenser.
but I understand that the best way to do this is to use 1/4" (6mm) but for the life of me I cant find any (that doesn't cost the earth) in the UK
so does anyone have any idea where to get it or is willing to sell me some (to be honest I don't know how much I need- I know a double copper condenser need to be about 6" but it scares me to think about trying to make that- if I can make a "loose" stainless steel condenser instead.

I have loads more to ask but will look up and read first- problem is there is so much info you end up getting sidetracked

thanks all

i got it in the local DIY shop, got 1/2" rather than 6mm, works good.
Do you have Woodies in UK?
http://www.woodies.ie/flexible-hosing-1 ... tor-376814" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
else check ebay for solarpanel pipe

Once you've learned to bend a copper coil, you'll never want to do it any other way

[HINT - If in doubt, toast some salt and the pipe coil to get rid of any moisture. crimp one end pour salt in, tap down, crimp other end, bend tube , cut off one crimp and tap the salt out. ]

Swedish Pride wrote:i got it in the local DIY shop, got 1/2" rather than 6mm, works good.
Do you have Woodies in UK?
http://www.woodies.ie/flexible-hosing-1 ... tor-376814" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
else check ebay for solarpanel pipe

Now that looks perfect.
we don't have a woodies but I do have a friend in Ireland who might be able to buy it and post it.
I have seen some on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322453026566? ... Tags=bu=bu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
that looks like it could do the job.

I am thinking of making a mini still and it seems for a 2" I would need about a 6 inch copper coil as per this thread
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17205

how much ss should I use? I thought that you used the same amount even though its not a double coil because the surface area is greater.
Would 1/2" (OD 16mm) fit in a 2" pipe ok?

I asked at the plumber supplies store in town and they showed me similar flexible connectors, WHICH ARE LINED WITH A SORT OF RUBBERY SUBSTANCE.
Geoff

yes those shower hoses are easy to find but I would have thought that the rubber would be too insulating to use

Do NOT use shower hoses...they are lined with a rubber hose inside...BAD!
In the build, you linked to there is a very fine coil. perfectly made and not longer than necessary. 150 mm double wound for a 2" is fine, as long as you keep the water flow at +1 L/min.
I'd forget all about salt, water and freezing it etc..you can do without. Here is how I made mine: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=52290
The important thing you got to remember is to work WITH the copper...not AGAINST it.
For my coil, I used braking line, but I don't know if you can get that in genuine copper in the UK.
It comes in a flat coil, so part of the curve is already there, which makes it easier than it already is ( well, at least for me).
Wear some gloves with rubber, to get a firm grip and slowly bend & stretch the copper simultaneously around the mandrel.
If you do it like that, it won't get kinked either.
Don't rush it...
If you can't get your hands on braking line, maybe you can try to get some refrigerator line somewhere local. It has to be at least 5-6 mm though (smaller don't do the job).
Air conditioning pipe is 1/4", that's perfect too and I believe you can get that in the UK.
Just be aware of the right size mandrel, as it's larger in diameter than braking line ( 1/4"= 6,35 mm).

Edited to add: You can see how long I made my coils in the link above.
For a 2" Boka /LM 150-200 mm double wound coil will be sufficient.
As it's the main condenser on this type of still, you may want to have an additional PC on the take-off.
Just like the one I made here: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=54834
A simple coil out of 10-12 mm pipe will do the job too....

yeah I saw that Chinese offering, looks ok to me, but hard to tell before you have it in your hands, which would be 1-2 month depending on shipping time.
for some reason I'm wary off that SS coil but I get SS ferrules from China, go figure...


mini still or big still, the size of the condenser is dictated by the amount of heat you're going to throw at it.

I'm not really one for meassuring or calculating, I used a meter of CCST for my 3" condenser, i'm throwing up to 5000w on it and it manages fine, might even be a bit to big as my gate valve is almost closed when I'm running my still.

Danespirit wrote:Do NOT use shower hoses...they are lined with a rubber hose inside...BAD!
In the build, you linked to there is a very fine coil. perfectly made and not longer than necessary. 150 mm double wound for a 2" is fine, as long as you keep the water flow at +1 L/min.
I'd forget all about salt, water and freezing it etc..you can do without. Here is how I made mine: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=52290
The important thing you got to remember is to work WITH the copper...not AGAINST it.
For my coil, I used braking line, but I don't know if you can get that in genuine copper in the UK.
It comes in a flat coil, so part of the curve is already there, which makes it easier than it already is ( well, at least for me).
Wear some gloves with rubber, to get a firm grip and slowly bend & stretch the copper simultaneously around the mandrel.
If you do it like that, it won't get kinked either.
Don't rush it...
If you can't get your hands on braking line, maybe you can try to get some refrigerator line somewhere local. It has to be at least 5-6 mm though (smaller don't do the job).
Air conditioning pipe is 1/4", that's perfect too and I believe you can get that in the UK.
Just be aware of the right size mandrel, as it's larger in diameter than braking line ( 1/4"= 6,35 mm).

Edited to add: You can see how long I made my coils in the link above.
For a 2" Boka /LM 150-200 mm double wound coil will be sufficient.
As it's the main condenser on this type of still, you may want to have an additional PC on the take-off.
Just like the one I made here: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 87&t=54834
A simple coil out of 10-12 mm pipe will do the job too....

Danespirt
your winding topic was one of the first I looked at.
My concern is that not having a workshop at all I have to look at not only the cost of materials but the cost of time.
yes copper pipe is cheap but if I then waste half of it and spend 2 days getting it correct I may be better off spending a bit extra and buying the stainless steel which will be so much easier and quicker to use.

Swedish Pride wrote:yeah I saw that Chinese offering, looks ok to me, but hard to tell before you have it in your hands, which would be 1-2 month depending on shipping time.
for some reason I'm wary off that SS coil but I get SS ferrules from China, go figure...
mini still or big still, the size of the condenser is dictated by the amount of heat you're going to throw at it.

I'm not really one for meassuring or calculating, I used a meter of CCST for my 3" condenser, i'm throwing up to 5000w on it and it manages fine, might even be a bit to big as my gate valve is almost closed when I'm running my still.

I know exactly where you are coming from.
Whilst looking at that I also came across threaded stainless steel flanges.
I am still working out the design of my mini still (hinges some what on the boiler lid.) But as I want to do a mini boka with slant plates in 2 sections I wondered how viable it was to have a threaded ss flange that the column just thread into?

not sure if it's a good fit with the threaded stuff, the ferrules work great so I get them instead.