Sporacles 4 inch plate build

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Sporacle
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

So a bit more progress, sight glass mounts have been brazed on, starting to get the hang of it, I started with 55% silver brazing rods and I find that the 15% silver run just as well. Obviously in the hands of a more skilled operator the difference would be noticeable but I can't pick it.

The 15% rods are a bit under half the price.
I'm starting to get the hang of pushing the liquid with the torch a bit better.

Prep is key, clean and clean again. Make sure your fit up is spot on and that you mask off with white out (saves heaps on clean up time)

Having a break over Xmas, have a good one :D
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

Set up for brazing the ferrules on, they are fractionally oversize.
A cut down section of half inch packs out the gap nicely
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Stonecutter
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Stonecutter »

Looking great Sporacle! Beads look tight from here. Dude that feeling of putting your first run through this thing is going to be AWESOME eh!
Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

I'm a bit all over the shop with my build order at the moment.
Waiting on a bit more pipe so I can cut my last plates and make the lid for my head.
So I've started my downcomers.
They are 3/4 with a flair 20mm bath depth and a 1 inch cap that will be fitted a little differently.
I heated the 3/4 to red hot then placed a 10mm half inch drive socket into the pipe and tapped gently with a block and hammer
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

No need to keep it red hot.....heat till red then dump in water....it will be soft.
Nice flare job anyway.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

I think the hardest bit is finding a 10mm socket Salty
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

Deflagameter is done, I think this is a shiny as I get
Edit. The inlet and outlet pipes are close together in this photo, internally there is a 90 and short section of half inch that extends the inlet and outlet to within about 5mm of the top and bottom plate :thumbup:
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20230102_160824_3.jpg
Last edited by Sporacle on Tue Jan 03, 2023 5:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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EricTheRed
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by EricTheRed »

Pic of the inside?

Nice shine:D
My fekking eyes are bleeding! Installed BS Filters - better! :D
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

EricTheRed wrote: Sun Jan 01, 2023 11:43 pm Pic of the inside?

Nice shine:D
Heres the ones earlier in the thread prior to ferrules, honestly got a bit of cleaning up to do before I do the completed inside shot.
The protruding tubes are on the downside :thumbup:
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20221218_074605.jpg
20221218_150720.jpg
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Sporacle wrote: Sun Jan 01, 2023 10:40 pm Deflagameter is done, I think this is a shiny as I get
If you can build one of those and it doesn't leak then your soldering apprenticeship is over......your officially a still builder.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

So I've got to get the oxy back to my mate so I've started on the head a bit early.
CCSC in Oz do a really nice head that I wanted to copy.
I decided to cap mine with a section of two Inc that has been split.
This will see how far my set out and fitting skills have come
There is a fair bit of fit up to do yet but the basic premise seems to be coming along
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2 inch cut and spread
2 inch cut and spread
4 inch templated and cut
4 inch templated and cut
4 inch templated
4 inch templated
2 inch templated and cut
2 inch templated and cut
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

So I've got the still head fitted up, will need a final trim after brazing.
The angle cuts on the two inch as shown in the last post are critical, you need to template the 4 inch to get the angles correct otherwise the inch flared pipe will cover the 4 inch but the pipe will not work at the joint.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Stonecutter »

Sporacle it’s amazing to see this coming along so quickly. You’re obviously putting in major time and effort.
Keep up the good work man :thumbup:
Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

Still head is finished and nearly leak free, got a small patch to do on the ferrule.
Still needs a final polish.
So three plates to drill, make and fit downcomers, one ferrule to fit and 4 sightglasses to make.
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20230110_083000_1.jpg
20230110_082945_1.jpg
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Steve Broady
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Steve Broady »

Man, that looks awesome! I can’t wait to see it finished and running.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by bcook608 »

Amazing work! Can't wait to see it all clean and dressed up!
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

3/4 inch flared downcomer with 1 inch blank cap, bath depth set at 20mm
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20230111_073129.jpg
20230111_072708.jpg
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by tiramisu »

that is a fuqton of copper. very nice.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

Paying penance to the "Distilling Gods" :wtf:
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

You going to drill again from the other side to get rid of burrs?.....double penance.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

:crazy: Yep, love the other side it's so much faster
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

All done, leak free.
This is the before a couple of hours on the die grinder.
Just got 4 sightglasses to make
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Sporacle wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 11:03 pm Just got 4 sightglasses to make
Why would you go to that trouble in this day and age .....call Punkin ....SD ...Au.....he sells them for SFA compared to the drama of doing your own.
Still running the ones he sold me 11-12 years back .....cost me a couple of bucks each.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:29 am
Sporacle wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 11:03 pm Just got 4 sightglasses to make
Why would you go to that trouble in this day and age .....call Punkin ....SD ...Au.....he sells them for SFA compared to the drama of doing your own.
Still running the ones he sold me 11-12 years back .....cost me a couple of bucks each.
48 bucks plus shipping, 48 bucks gets me my sockets for my 80l keg and some , got a sheet of glass from an old window, a circle jig for my plasma cutter that will take a glass cutter and time.
Plus I'm tight :D
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Thought Id seen tight .......but nothing going up that fishes clacker......is the old window pyrex?
Having said that , I'm pretty sure Yummy might have cut his own.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

:thumbup: Nah I'm not that tight Salt, just like learning how to do stuff myself.
If I didn't I would have bought a 4 incher from MT.
Glass is not pyrex, see how we go
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Yummyrum »

Correct Salty :thumbup:
My “window glass “ windows are still going strong in both my VM and Plated still .

viewtopic.php?p=7381808&sid=1e5284feed3 ... f#p7381808


Olddog also made his windows out of window glass IIRC .
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by Sporacle »

Yummyrum wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 5:15 pm Correct Salty :thumbup:
My “window glass “ windows are still going strong in both my VM and Plated still .

viewtopic.php?p=7381808&sid=1e5284feed3 ... f#p7381808


Olddog also made his windows out of window glass IIRC .
Thanks Yummy, 3 down and 1 to go, I found the trick was to only use the glass cutter to square off the lens, then just nibbled with a set of small pliers and crushed small sections at a time.
Found a place in Brisvegas that has the Borro lenses for half the price of SD, got to go up for a course next month so I will pick up a set then.
Good to know I can make them though :D
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by tiramisu »

You are making me want to spend money on a couple of sheets of copper.
I have absolutely no need to do so but that looks like a wonderful project.
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Re: Sporacles 4 inch plate build

Post by PuckJunkie76 »

Very cool build!
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