My modular flute build

Vapor, Liquid or Cooling Management. Flutes, plates, etc.

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prattman92
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My modular flute build

Post by prattman92 »

Well I’m going to build a 4” flute. I’ve read the flute talk thread twice and I was gifted about 4’ of 4” copper from a cool ass plumber from work. Jumping in.
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Re: My modular flute build

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My plan is a 4” deflagamator on top and (4) 6” long modular pieces with 3” sight glasses. Stainless ferrules to connect it all together. Reducing to 2” for the 90’s and a 2” x 24” long shotgun product condenser. I know it’s longer than I need, but it’s a PC for a different pot still build I have in mind.

Maybe build a parrot like OD made that had the vent holes drilled in it bc it looked cool as hell. But that’s a future me problem lol
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Re: My modular flute build

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Re: My modular flute build

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Re: My modular flute build

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Re: My modular flute build

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Re: My modular flute build

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Re: My modular flute build

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Very sorry for the double pics and bad photos… first time and all lol
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Re: My modular flute build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

To get your cut pipe completely flat and smooth it helps if you can slam it hard between a couple of heavy sheets of flat metal plate.
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Re: My modular flute build

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Ended up just under 8” for the deflagamator
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Re: My modular flute build

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Saltbush Bill wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 11:03 pm To get your cut pipe completely flat and smooth it helps if you can slam it hard between a couple of heavy sheets of flat metal plate.


Do you mean my 6” pieces? Bc I just used a hand band saw for that
(Edit) I see you meant my inside pieces for the shotgun/deflagamator I think. I used two pieces of 2x4 and hammered until flat. THB I redid it after these pictures bc the shotgun turned out like shit bc it was the very first time I soldered. Got some sound advice the next week, recut all my stuff and trashed the old one. New one looks clean and I’m much happier with it.
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Re: My modular flute build

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Also @SB
I’ve seen that you view baffles as unnecessary. While I might agree with that in a hobby sized still, I added them for funsies lol

(As in it’s the first time I’ve soldered and was practicing a bit)
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Re: My modular flute build

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Now I’ve just got some thinking to do on how to attach these sight glasses to the 4”. Any suggestions on how to trim the fitted 3” copper to the 4” pipe? (I added the copper, it’s just a stainless straight weld piece)
Wish I had a lathe. I’d just put some sand paper on the 4”
(You can see my gen1 shotgun there, and it was some terrible soldering. I’ll try to add some pics of my 2nd attempt that turned out much better tomorrow.)
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Re: My modular flute build

Post by Sporacle »

There are a few template tutorials for pipe cutting on line, alternatively you could estimate the cut line with a generous margin and then attach the emery to the 4 inch and sand that way, or drill a 3 inch hole in a short length of 4 inch and mark that way. Have a look at SBB build, he uses a template and I think Yummy uses the sand method :thumbup:
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Re: My modular flute build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Some photos here that show you how I go about it.
viewtopic.php?p=7581311
Suggest you shorten your mounts as much as possible .....the closer the sight glass to the column the more you will be able to see.
You will also find a link to the pipe template that I use next to the photos.
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Re: My modular flute build

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Saltbush Bill wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 1:55 am Some photos here that show you how I go about it.
viewtopic.php?p=7581311
Suggest you shorten your mounts as much as possible .....the closer the sight glass to the column the more you will be able to see.
You will also find a link to the pipe template that I use next to the photos.
Excellent advice there .Templates ,dremels and sandpaper .Worked for me .
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Re: My modular flute build

Post by Setsumi »

Well pratman92 you have an audience. More photos please? Caps or sieves? If caps, standard or procap style? Run dimensions either way.
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Re: My modular flute build

Post by Oatmeal »

Impressive work so far!
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Re: My modular flute build

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Wow SBB! Thank you for the link you provided to the website for pipe joints. I will end up using your method of grinding it down then sanding it to a smooth finish. I also will make it as short as I can
Setsumi, I am planning on making sieve plates. I like the idea of a clear cut for tails. However, I don’t like the idea of drilling a million little holes!
Thank you oatmeal! I’m happy to have all of your support. Don’t get to excited though, I’m only a weekend warrior and with the holidays season, it’s going to be a slow build for me. But I’ll make sure to document what I do here when I’m able to
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Re: My modular flute build

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I was reluctant to even take a picture of the first attempt. Because… just wow…
I got it way way to hot and it wasn’t flowing how I wanted it to and I just put globs of solder on to see if I can get a seal and I still couldn’t.
Yeah.. just needed a full reset and I picked up some liquid flux and took my time with heating it up. I think the second one turned out a little better :mrgreen:
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Re: My modular flute build

Post by Chauncey »

Looking good thus far. When things get too hot the Flux burns and nothing sticks so as you noticed sometimes you gotta let her cool, clean her up and try again.
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Re: My modular flute build

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Decided I wanted a thermometer above the deflagamator. I want one below it too, but thought I’d try my hand at fabricating this one into the 2” 90 tonight
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Re: My modular flute build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Don't waste your time looking at thermometers........put one on the boiler if you really must have one at all.
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Re: My modular flute build

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Added some ferrules to the first 90. I cut a small piece of 2” and fit the ferrule in it. Added a bead of solder and let it cool. Then I put the now small piece of copper ended ferrule in the 90. Soldered them together and now it’s ready for the dishwasher
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Re: My modular flute build

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Saltbush Bill wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:27 pm Don't waste your time looking at thermometers........put one on the boiler if you really must have one at all.
Yeah, I agree it’s sort of pointless to add thermos. But I like the look of the big ol thermometer and I know that sort of how the first gen flute guys learned to run their flutes. I figured the same for me. Might as well add them now and not look at them later
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Re: My modular flute build

Post by Yummyrum »

Nice work prattman .
The different diameter tubes in the Deflag have got me thinking .
Theoretically , the vapour speed will be higher in the smaller tubes than the larger ones . It could be that vapour passes through these tubes before the larger ones . Not sure what or if anything that will have to do with how it runs . But it just got the cogs turning .
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Re: My modular flute build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

prattman92 wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:12 pm I know that sort of how the first gen flute guys learned to run their flutes.
Thats news to me........nice to know.
prattman92 wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:12 pm I figured the same for me. Might as well add them now and not look at them later
Again ......all that will do is confuse the hell out of you.......I once watched a bloke try to run a flute for the first time....he was a Thermometer man and had 3 thermometers :roll: .....what could possibly go wrong ?
I watched him chase temperatures unsuccessfully for an hour and a half before convincing him to tape over the faces of those thermometers.
Within 5 minutes of doing so he was running his column the way it should run......prior to that was a disaster.
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Re: My modular flute build

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olddog wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2011 10:29 pm The point in using a dephlegmater on a plated still is to be able to regulate the temperature to around 78C degrees of the distillation on the top plate. Once heads have been taken, this regulation enables you to extract all the ethanol available. This is why the hearts remain at 90+ABV for the entire run and the takeoff will decrease from a stream to drips once taken, after this when the dephlegmater is turned off to take tails, they are so compressed that there will only be 300mm (a cupfull) from a 23-30lt wash. This is how a Flute works.


OD


OD constantly tossed 78/79 degrees out when talking about the original magic flute in “FLUTE TALK” and other posts. This was just the first one that came up when I did a quick search.
And the hillbilly flutes had a temp on top on the deflag. But I think OD said it’s better on the bottom? Idk I can’t remember. Later on in the “flute talk” thread, it was discussed how temps are a good reference/tool but isn’t the end result. It’s about how the plates are behaving, output, yatta yatta. But at the same time, I know you’ve got a flute, learned to run it without temp probes and I’m sure make a damn fine drop!

Ill get back to you over the next few weeks and let you know if I removed them or not! 8)
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Re: My modular flute build

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Yummyrum wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:27 pm Nice work prattman .
The different diameter tubes in the Deflag have got me thinking .
Theoretically , the vapour speed will be higher in the smaller tubes than the larger ones . It could be that vapour passes through these tubes before the larger ones . Not sure what or if anything that will have to do with how it runs . But it just got the cogs turning .


Thanks yummy! I’m not sure I’ve seen it anywhere else either. I just wanted more vapor paths and was struggling with my 3/4 pipe and I just decided ona whim to add the 1/2 instead. I’ll also get back to you and let you know if it functions how it should :think:
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Re: My modular flute build

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Yummyrum wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:27 pm Nice work prattman .
The different diameter tubes in the Deflag have got me thinking .
Theoretically , the vapour speed will be higher in the smaller tubes than the larger ones . It could be that vapour passes through these tubes before the larger ones . Not sure what or if anything that will have to do with how it runs . But it just got the cogs turning .
I do believe the vapor speed will be the same through all the tubes. Speed would be determined by the total volume of vapor and the total cross section of area that it had to pass through.

Think of it this way if you had vapor traveling at speed x through a 2" pipe, then changed that out to 6 pipes of different sizes with the same cross section as the 2" pipe the overall area and speed should be the same. I now this doesn't take things like surface tension into account.

D.
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