Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

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Knife_man
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Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Knife_man »

So in the theme of making my own even when it's probably not worth it :roll: .

I intended to built my own using two spare ferrules ,a couple off offcuts of stainless (or scrap as my friendly steel stockists referred to them :lol: ) but I've been struggling for ages to find a source for glass. Not wanting to use any old glass jar and certainly not wanting to pay to get a piece custom made /cut.

I stumbled across candle covers

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Glass-Open-E ... 635-2958-0

Come in a range of sizes borosilicate glass (which I think is the right stuff?) and not too expensive could be useful to replace a broken one as well if there is one of a suitable size.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Pure Old Possum Piss »

Here's a real sight glass for about the same money with shipping. I'd be afraid to use something as thin as those candle things (1-2 mm).
Plus these use Triclamps to connect.
Possibly be a lot cheaper but the time you get everything for candle glass and build it yourself. They have sight glasses of all sizes from 1" up to 6", maybe even some bigger ones.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Knife_man »

If you have a source for a sight glass which is that cheap id be very interested .... cheapest I've found is in the £40 region.

The cost for me to build one up is just the cost of the two ferrules and possibly the stainless discs. Although for me these come from a friendly steel stockists who let's me take some offcuts and then plucks a price out of thin air to go in the "tea money pot" .
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Setsumi »

Knife_man wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:04 am So in the theme of making my own even when it's probably not worth it :roll: .

I intended to built my own using two spare ferrules ,a couple off offcuts of stainless (or scrap as my friendly steel stockists referred to them :lol: ) but I've been struggling for ages to find a source for glass. Not wanting to use any old glass jar and certainly not wanting to pay to get a piece custom made /cut.

I stumbled across candle covers

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Glass-Open-E ... 635-2958-0

Come in a range of sizes borosilicate glass (which I think is the right stuff?) and not too expensive could be useful to replace a broken one as well if there is one of a suitable size.
To me that would be a glass column. But yea things do change and if you can build it that way you will have a very nice plater/flute.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Knife_man »

Setsumi wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:06 am
To me that would be a glass column. But yea things do change and if you can build it that way you will have a very nice plater/flute.
Have I got the terminology wrong?
Is that why I can't find them cheaper?
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by NZChris »

1mm & 2mm is a bit on the thin side for something that is going to have a still head stacked on top of it.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Yummyrum »

About 8-10 years ago , I saw some fellas were using something similar on the Aussie forums. They were using glasses from Primus and Coleman gas Tilley lamps.

They stacked them up using the copper plate to seperate them with gaskets and had 4-6 threaded rod to clamp it all together .

I still feel about the same as NZChris that its a lot of stress to put on 1-2mm glass, but it seemed so long as the top and bottom plates were really thick , the bolts seemed to handle the stress quite well . Just had to be mindful to keep rhe heads as close to the still as possible .
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Knife_man »

I was under the impression from a engineering standpoint that the reason these had nuts above and below the plate was so that the glass saw no load.

So the load is tranfered down through the top plate through the four threaded rods and the glass floating between the two seals

That's how I would design one anyway.

I've never actually handled one but I suspect that is how they are designed.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by shadylane »

Yummyrum wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 2:13 pm
I still feel about the same as NZChris that its a lot of stress to put on 1-2mm glass, but it seemed so long as the top and bottom plates were really thick , the bolts seemed to handle the stress quite well .
That makes three of Us.
I wouldn't trust 1-2mm glass. Also, that thin of glass would be more difficult to keep a seal aligned.
I'm using 5mm borosilicate glass chimneys and I have to be careful with the nut adjustments.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by shadylane »

Knife_man wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 2:23 pm I was under the impression from a engineering standpoint that the reason these had nuts above and below the plate was so that the glass saw no load.

So the load is tranfered down through the top plate through the four threaded rods and the glass floating between the two seals
Your right, that's how it works.
Gently tighten the outside nuts so everything is even and the gasket is compressed.
Then tighten the inside nuts to lock everything in place and carry any loads.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Setsumi »

Knife_man wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:27 am
Setsumi wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:06 am
To me that would be a glass column. But yea things do change and if you can build it that way you will have a very nice plater/flute.
Have I got the terminology wrong?
Is that why I can't find them cheaper?
I would not say you have the wrong terminology (for today) but way back when platers/flutes first appeared most colums were solid copper or stainles steel and sight glasses were mounted on stubs or ferrules. Have a look at the flute talk thread. For me a stack of 360⁰ glasses is a column. Yes I agree there are solid columns with a single 360⁰ diopter that act as a sight glass.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by MooseMan »

Knife_man wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:59 am If you have a source for a sight glass which is that cheap id be very interested .... cheapest I've found is in the £40 region.

The cost for me to build one up is just the cost of the two ferrules and possibly the stainless discs. Although for me these come from a friendly steel stockists who let's me take some offcuts and then plucks a price out of thin air to go in the "tea money pot" .
Knife_man if you are happy to wait a couple of weeks, AliExpress is crazy cheap for stilling parts.
I got myself a lovely short sight glass a couple weeks ago for my 2.5" column from them.

Assuming you are looking at 2" as most people do, check this out for example:-
Screenshot_20230204-155423409.png
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Knife_man »

MooseMan wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 7:57 am
Knife_man wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:59 am If you have a source for a sight glass which is that cheap id be very interested .... cheapest I've found is in the £40 region.

The cost for me to build one up is just the cost of the two ferrules and possibly the stainless discs. Although for me these come from a friendly steel stockists who let's me take some offcuts and then plucks a price out of thin air to go in the "tea money pot" .
Knife_man if you are happy to wait a couple of weeks, AliExpress is crazy cheap for stilling parts.
I got myself a lovely short sight glass a couple weeks ago for my 2.5" column from them.

Assuming you are looking at 2" as most people do, check this out for example:-

Screenshot_20230204-155423409.png
All the ones I've looked at the price almost doubles with shipping to here (the uk) it's one of the few products where it's cheaper to buy it from the UK when the shipping price is taken into consideration.

Perfectly happy to wait since I don't really need one in the first place ...... Just some eye candy 🤣.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Knife_man »

MooseMan wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 7:57 am
Assuming you are looking at 2" as most people do, check this out for example:-
I think this is the same one you posted same seller at least
Screenshot_20230204-220604.png
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by StillerBoy »

Knife_man wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 2:04 pm Perfectly happy to wait since I don't really need one in the first place ...... Just some eye candy
A sight glass when properly used will provide valuable information, and it's more that just "some eye candy"..

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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by MooseMan »

Knife_man wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 2:10 pm
MooseMan wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 7:57 am
Assuming you are looking at 2" as most people do, check this out for example:-
I think this is the same one you posted same seller at least
Screenshot_20230204-220604.png
The one I took a screenshot of has free shipping mate, so it's only 20 quid. If you download the app I can send you a link if you can't find it.
I think if you go bigger than 2" they add shipping though due to the weight.
If you need smaller, the compact type sight glasses are really sleek.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Knife_man »

MooseMan wrote: Sun Feb 05, 2023 12:13 am
Knife_man wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 2:10 pm
MooseMan wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 7:57 am
Assuming you are looking at 2" as most people do, check this out for example:-
I think this is the same one you posted same seller at least
Screenshot_20230204-220604.png
The one I took a screenshot of has free shipping mate, so it's only 20 quid. If you download the app I can send you a link if you can't find it.
I think if you go bigger than 2" they add shipping though due to the weight.
If you need smaller, the compact type sight glasses are really sleek.
Downloaded , thanks
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by MooseMan »

Here you go!

£20.62 10%OFF | 3/4" 1" 1-1/4" 1.5" 2" 3" Tri Clamp Clover Sanitay Flow Sight Glass Diopter Fit Pipe OD SUS 304 Stainless Steel Fitting Homebrew
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPuCNYI
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by Knife_man »

MooseMan wrote: Sun Feb 05, 2023 4:33 am Here you go!

£20.62 10%OFF | 3/4" 1" 1-1/4" 1.5" 2" 3" Tri Clamp Clover Sanitay Flow Sight Glass Diopter Fit Pipe OD SUS 304 Stainless Steel Fitting Homebrew
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPuCNYI
Thanks for that ,interestingly when I open that link on my tablet which takes me to the website I get £25odd for shipping , when I open it through the app on my phone free shipping and a lower price.

Certainly pays to have the app.
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Re: Sight glass , glass ( candle covers )

Post by MooseMan »

Your welcome, just sharing the love!
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