3rd try

[Wildcats]

Ok so I've tried making a coil outta copper 1/4" tubing again.... With better results then the last two times. Only I still have to add a cold finger down the middle and then clear the salt. Then I think it'll be good to go. Will finish it today after work

[Wildcats]

[Wildcats]

My plan is to have a sight glass on top of my tee and below. These is 9" from top of the sight glass to the top of my tee. So I think this coil will be long enough.

[Wildcats]

[Wildcats]

I was gonna to use 3/8" tubing for the cold finger. What do y'all think???

[Saltbush Bill]

Have you found the different tutorials on winding coils that are spread around the forum?
For what its worth I think that one is lookin pretty damn good so far, seen prettier but not by a lot.

[Wildcats]

Have you found the different tutorials on winding coils that are spread around the forum?
For what its worth I think that one is lookin pretty damn good so far, seen prettier but not by a lot.

Thank you sir. Yes I have read just about everything here in HD about winding coils. They have all been a great help.... Maybe 1/2" for the cold finger....

[MooseMan]

I was gonna to use 3/8" tubing for the cold finger. What do y'all think???

I'm not sure if it will matter what diameter you use for the cold finger so long as you get a clean, leak free join to it.

From the pictures though mate, it looks like with the sight glass on top, that coil will not go quite far enough past the tee to prevent vapour getting past?

[MooseMan]

This is where mine ends up, if it helps.

You can just see the end of the last coil poking into the tee opening, with approx 6" of coil up out of the top.

[Wildcats]

I was gonna to use 3/8" tubing for the cold finger. What do y'all think???

I'm not sure if it will matter what diameter you use for the cold finger so long as you get a clean, leak free join to it.

From the pictures though mate, it looks like with the sight glass on top, that coil will not go quite far enough past the tee to prevent vapour getting past?

Well I'll look at it and take more pictures when I get off work. If not I have two more pancakes of tubing... So I will be able to wind another longer if needed.

[MooseMan]

I was gonna to use 3/8" tubing for the cold finger. What do y'all think???

I'm not sure if it will matter what diameter you use for the cold finger so long as you get a clean, leak free join to it.

From the pictures though mate, it looks like with the sight glass on top, that coil will not go quite far enough past the tee to prevent vapour getting past?

Well I'll look at it and take more pictures when I get off work. If not I have two more pancakes of tubing... So I will be able to wind another longer if needed.

No need to make another, you could either stretch the coils open on the one you've made so that it's longer, or straighten the tail up and bend it 90 further up, so the coils go in deeper?

[Setsumi]

I was gonna to use 3/8" tubing for the cold finger. What do y'all think???

I'm not sure if it will matter what diameter you use for the cold finger so long as you get a clean, leak free join to it.

From the pictures though mate, it looks like with the sight glass on top, that coil will not go quite far enough past the tee to prevent vapour getting past?

Well I'll look at it and take more pictures when I get off work. If not I have two more pancakes of tubing... So I will be able to wind another longer if needed.

Just add straight tails to the coils, that will make it go deeper. Yes you wil need to get a way to keep the condensor in place, a few tabs of pipe soldered perpendicular to the straight tails will alow you to wedge something to keep the position.

Oi, I miss building? Well done on sticking it out.

[Wildcats]

I was gonna to use 3/8" tubing for the cold finger. What do y'all think???

I'm not sure if it will matter what diameter you use for the cold finger so long as you get a clean, leak free join to it.

From the pictures though mate, it looks like with the sight glass on top, that coil will not go quite far enough past the tee to prevent vapour getting past?

Well I'll look at it and take more pictures when I get off work. If not I have two more pancakes of tubing... So I will be able to wind another longer if needed.

No need to make another, you could either stretch the coils open on the one you've made so that it's longer, or straighten the tail up and bend it 90 further up, so the coils go in deeper?

Yeah that's kind what I was thinking. Thank you for the feedback man.

[Wildcats]

I was gonna to use 3/8" tubing for the cold finger. What do y'all think???

I'm not sure if it will matter what diameter you use for the cold finger so long as you get a clean, leak free join to it.

From the pictures though mate, it looks like with the sight glass on top, that coil will not go quite far enough past the tee to prevent vapour getting past?

Well I'll look at it and take more pictures when I get off work. If not I have two more pancakes of tubing... So I will be able to wind another longer if needed.

Just add straight tails to the coils, that will make it go deeper. Yes you wil need to get a way to keep the condensor in place, a few tabs of pipe soldered perpendicular to the straight tails will alow you to wedge something to keep the position.

Oi, I miss building? Well done on sticking it out.

Thank you sir. I wish you would build something again ... Love your build threads...

[Wildcats]

Got the cold finger in. And got it hooked up to water... Now just gotta wait for it to clear......

[Wildcats]

IMG_20230504_212522~2.jpg (15.77 KiB) Viewed 1473 times

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IMG_20230504_212415~2.jpg (13.68 KiB) Viewed 1473 times

Hopefully this will do the job. It's 10.5 ft in 1/4" with a 12" 3/8" cold finger. Have everything now to do reflux run, except for all my packing and need a few more gallons of low wines. I only have 4 rite now. I do have more SSS that needs stripping.....


Sorry about the side way pictures. I tried to get em up rite. No luck tho

[Yummyrum]

I was gonna to use 3/8" tubing for the cold finger. What do y'all think???

I'm not sure if it will matter what diameter you use for the cold finger so long as you get a clean, leak free join to it.

From the pictures though mate, it looks like with the sight glass on top, that coil will not go quite far enough past the tee to prevent vapour getting past?

Well I'll look at it and take more pictures when I get off work. If not I have two more pancakes of tubing... So I will be able to wind another longer if needed.

No need to make another, you could either stretch the coils open on the one you've made so that it's longer, or straighten the tail up and bend it 90 further up, so the coils go in deeper?

Agreed Moose,
Coils work better when spaced .
I see the condensate spiralling down in the gap between the coils .

[MooseMan]

IMG_20230504_212522~2.jpgIMG_20230504_212833.jpgIMG_20230504_212415~2.jpg

Hopefully this will do the job. It's 10.5 ft in 1/4" with a 12" 3/8" cold finger. Have everything now to do reflux run, except for all my packing and need a few more gallons of low wines. I only have 4 rite now. I do have more SSS that needs stripping.....


Sorry about the side way pictures. I tried to get em up rite. No luck tho

Looks good to me!
Based on the last picture the coil will be able to totally "Block" the tee opening and keep you in reflux until you raise it.

I would still stretch/tease the coils open a little if you can though. You'll get extra length meaning you can use a slip of loose copper slid between the coils to hold it in vertical position, and as Yummy said it should make it perform better with some space between each turn.

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious I don't mean to teach you to suck eggs, but you'll have to do at least one cleaning run once you've got your column fully assembled and packed, before you can run reflux.

I got a fair bit of nasty green oily crap out of my packing after a vinegar boil, then a bit more with water boil, then at first a tiny bit cloudy but totally clear within 300ml of my sac run on the packed column.

[Wildcats]

I'm not sure if it will matter what diameter you use for the cold finger so long as you get a clean, leak free join to it.

From the pictures though mate, it looks like with the sight glass on top, that coil will not go quite far enough past the tee to prevent vapour getting past?

Well I'll look at it and take more pictures when I get off work. If not I have two more pancakes of tubing... So I will be able to wind another longer if needed.

No need to make another, you could either stretch the coils open on the one you've made so that it's longer, or straighten the tail up and bend it 90 further up, so the coils go in deeper?

Agreed Moose,
Coils work better when spaced .
I see the condensate spiralling down in the gap between the coils .

Thank you sir. I will stretch it out more. And I'm sure you are responsible for the up rite pictures. Thanks again lol.

[Wildcats]

IMG_20230504_212522~2.jpgIMG_20230504_212833.jpgIMG_20230504_212415~2.jpg

Hopefully this will do the job. It's 10.5 ft in 1/4" with a 12" 3/8" cold finger. Have everything now to do reflux run, except for all my packing and need a few more gallons of low wines. I only have 4 rite now. I do have more SSS that needs stripping.....


Sorry about the side way pictures. I tried to get em up rite. No luck tho

Looks good to me!
Based on the last picture the coil will be able to totally "Block" the tee opening and keep you in reflux until you raise it.

I would still stretch/tease the coils open a little if you can though. You'll get extra length meaning you can use a slip of loose copper slid between the coils to hold it in vertical position, and as Yummy said it should make it perform better with some space between each turn.

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious I don't mean to teach you to suck eggs, but you'll have to do at least one cleaning run once you've got your column fully assembled and packed, before you can run reflux.

I got a fair bit of nasty green oily crap out of my packing after a vinegar boil, then a bit more with water boil, then at first a tiny bit cloudy but totally clear within 300ml of my sac run on the packed column.

Yep I was forgetting about another cleaning run. That another reason why I love this fourm. Thanks guys. Hope to get it all done this weekend. I hube a 5"x 32' roll of copper mesh for my packing. Do y'all think that'll be enough?

[drmiller100]

Great job!!! It is harder than it seems and lots if guys tslk about it and you DID it!!!

Fwiw I've used scrubbies very loosely on top of the coil to increase efficiency.

Also it seemed to me having the cooling water go down the coils and back up the middle made it slightly more efficient.
I agree not having the coils touch each is more efficient.

[Wildcats]

Great job!!! It is harder than it seems and lots if guys tslk about it and you DID it!!!

Fwiw I've used scrubbies very loosely on top of the coil to increase efficiency.

Also it seemed to me having the cooling water go down the coils and back up the middle made it slightly more efficient.
I agree not having the coils touch each is more efficient.

I thought this coil was gonna beat me again, but I had success at last. It shows if you keep at it you'll get it done eventually. Thank you sir.

[Saltbush Bill]

Hi I'm new. Been trying to figure out how to post in welcome center.

You've come a long way in the last 4-5 months Wildcats
Congratulations on the coil

[Wildcats]

Hi I'm new. Been trying to figure out how to post in welcome center.

You've come a long way Wildcats
Congratulations on the coil

Thank you sir. Yeah I couldn't even figure out how to post on here at first. Lol. Love this site and the wealth of knowledge here. Thanks to all how paved the way.

[MooseMan]

Yes congrats on getting your coil done man, I'm very glad that you stuck at it and got a great result in the end.

[Wildcats]

Yes congrats on getting your coil done man, I'm very glad that you stuck at it and got a great result in the end.

Thanks MooseMan. I have been stacking up my low wines for a reflux run. Still have more SSS that needs stripping. Than it'll be time to try out my still in ccvm. Thanks for all the support and help along the way.

[MooseMan]

Yes congrats on getting your coil done man, I'm very glad that you stuck at it and got a great result in the end.

Thanks MooseMan. I have been stacking up my low wines for a reflux run. Still have more SSS that needs stripping. Than it'll be time to try out my still in ccvm. Thanks for all the support and help along the way.

Keep that SSS coming!
You can't have too much once you start running neutral!

Looking forward to hearing about your Reflux run mate, it's a learning curve!