1/6 bbl keg thumper build

[Chauncey]

thanks to the advice of still_stirrin and others in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=73455

I went ahead and purchased the parts needed to build the thumper in question with a larger bore vapor path. using just what i had around wasnt quite feasible.

So its 2" to 1" into the thumper and the downtube is 3/4"

its a 1" out to the liebig where it reduces to meet the 1/2" vapor tube which is 36" in length.


here are pics of everything mocked up/unsoldered. gonna solder it up and do a cleaning run today, then run some Booners or some UJ depending on which has cleared most.

[Chauncey]

i should add the liebig is old, soldered like a year ago. the ferrules for the keg were also already done. chopped up an old column with a ferrule for the boiler end and used a piece i flanged out a while back for the thump connection.

very happy, waiting for some clients to pass thru the house then gonna get back out to the shop. gonna build a floor over the busted area in the pics later today too. won some money playing poker so i invested in construction materials

[still_stirrin]

You got it. Looks great. It’s gonna’ run fast for you. The thumper will be bumpin’.
ss

p.s. - You may need a heat shield between the boiler and the thumper if you heat with propane. They look very close together. Also, insulating the thumper will help it come online quicker too.

[StillerBoy]

Looking good so far.. except it is almost (just the PC is removeable) all one piece

You may want to incorporate some tri-clamp so as to be able to break it up for storage..

Mars

[Chauncey]

yeah they are pretty close. was thinking of shielding between them so my charge of feints/wash in the thumper dont start a boilin before the wash in the main boiler. i have a good bit more of the silver reflectix type insulation so was definitely gonna insulate it. there was a huge roll in the garage when i moved in this place and the landlord had told me anything i wanted in there was mine. most of my ferementers are insulated now too! cha ching

got a couple of the joints all soldered up now, letting one side cool so i can start the other

StillerBoy: im planning to eventually do that, till then i am either going to leave two joints to be flour pasted so i can pull her apart for cleaning, or solder her all up and later split the lyne arm with 2 ferrules in the middle. right now i gotta get all this wash i have run so i can start more and have plenty good drop for my mardi gras krewe

also your setup is beautiful! long as the ol lady isnt trying to do laundry i suppose do you do one and done runs or stripping and spirit with your thump setup?

[still_stirrin]

... the ol lady isnt trying to do laundry ...

Ooooooohhhhh! That’s gonna’ leave a mark!

[StillerBoy]

your setup is beautiful!

Thanks for the compliment.. All is good in that department, she does the laundry on Friday night, I get the place on the weekends (due to the lower hydro cost)

do you do one and done runs or stripping and spirit with your thump setup?

I do a strip to 35%, then spirit with the thumper setup..

Mars

[Chauncey]

made a little modification, pics to come.

i extended the 2 inch going down toward the thump so the 1/6bbl can just sit on the ground instead of on an upside down mash pot. figure it might have a bit more time to heat but will make the whole rig more stable over all.

[Chauncey]

just need to attach my condenser union now...

definitely gonna do 4 flanges/ferrules on the lyne arm so that it can be connected via 2 triclamps...

but for now everything lines up perfect with my thumper at ground level...

didnt have quite enough 1" to go to the bottom of the thump so had to reduce it to 3/4 but oh well. gonna cut notches and drill holes down thur

and sand/buff/shine her up

[Chauncey]

as ric flair would say WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

time for steam/vinegar/sac runs after i fix up my insulation situation and get my gas bottles swapped. got sick and put a kink in my plans of already being done with all this mash i have thats beautifully clear...

much like fishing though, making liquor requires patience. then when ya runnin, and afterword sipping, its like when the fish start biting

[hpby98]

Thanks for posting this! Finally some clear pix to build by..

[just sayin]

Nice, very nice!

[Chauncey]

Just ordered 6 stainless ferrules and triclamps to make it modular. Should be delivered on the 8th so once I start the work I'm gonna continue to update this thread.

And guys, thanks for the props, I haven't been this proud of something I put together for quite some time. So much thanks to this forum and all the knowledgeable contributors, HD "keeps it 100" in the parlance of our times!

[Yummyrum]

Allmyexeslivenhell
You deserve to be proud . You done a good job and it only sounds like its gonna get better
Happy Thumping .

[bluegrass]

Thanks for posting this! Finally some clear pix to build by..

I agree. I am in the process of doing the same exact thing to my keg still. I have been struggling to find an example of it, and of course a member on HD has what im looking for. I love this place!