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Hey master distillers,

Been awhile since I was in the forum, and since running my pot still, but I did a few ujssm small batches this weekend and have an issue...on my final run I noticed condensation dripping down my copper worm as traced it back to the connection between my arm and worm (soldered 1/4" copper pipe connection bolted to arm). I used flour paste to seal it up and had no issues/leaks through the run. When I started cleaning and disassembly of my rig, the soldered connection stripped clean off my worm...

My question is this: is this connection (from arm to worm) something I can fit together snuggly ( without soldering a new connection) and flour paste every run, or should I solder a new connection? I haven't used the still in about two years and ran it twice prior to this over the weekend before today's failure...(I use a hot plate heating element BTW so no real danger of blow out if I happen to catch a leak and shut it down right away...)

Any help/advice would be much appreciated!

I still use slip joints on my pot still, I wrap them with PTFE tape then slip them together, then wrap the joint with more tape. No messy flour paste and never had a leak. I've been running it 4 years that way.

Oatmeal, flour, water makes a good goo - run over with a torch before the run starts, it's pretty much set.

If i picture it right sounds like the perfect place for a copper union fitting.
Though in places I do use ptfe wrapped unsoldered slip fittings, usually vertical though where gravity keeps em fixed.

Thanks guys...ran it with paste only, and didn't have an issues. My last run till spring, so that will give me plenty of time to work on her:)