StillSmart

Hi Everyone

I'm Brand new on here! I've been browsing the AUS/NZ forums for a while, and have been toying with the idea of building a Reflux Still for a few years now, in fact I have 4 KG of 6mm ceramic Rashig Rings I bought back in 2011, anyway when I come across a forum for us Brits, I just had to join :-)

Anyway, I'm no stranger to brewing, I have a garage full of gear and mainly make all grain beers, but have made pretty much everything over the years, beer, wines etc

I've now decided its time to build a still, I was looking at the T500 but think I can do a better job for less cash! I'm still tempted to get the T500 boiler if it works out easier than modifying the top of my home brew boiler, which is a 50litre stainless steel job with a 3Kw immersion heater in it, I also have a phase angle controller to lower the power of this boiler but the top doesn't create a seal when fitted.

My plan is to build a Bokakob with as little soldering as possible, so far I have the following parts

3m length of 54mm copper tube
10m coil of 8mm copper tube
10m coil of 6mm copper tube
4 x 54mm cap ends
2 x 54mm inline copper fitting (the ones that have the solder rings included)

I'm going to build 6mm double wound cooling coil I have some 6mm compression fittings with a 1/4 inch thread they're going to go though one of the 54mm end caps and screw into similar fittings on the outside to make the job solder free.

I'm also planning on holding the two angled plates in the column in place by sliding a 54mm solder ring coupling piece over them and just heating this coupling piece to melt the solder already inside it, creating a seal. For the outlet and temp probe fixing, I'm planning on using compression fitting again that are for 8mm copper pipe but can be screwed in to a threaded hole, the section of the column where they screw in will be effectively double wall'd as it will be where the coupling is that holds the plates in place, I'll get some photos up as soon as I can of what bits I've got and how the build progresses.

Look forward to any comments and suggestions from you guys, good or bad, there's always room for improvement in any design.

Anavrin,

Welcome to the forum,

You seem to have things well thought out and know here you are going.

If you will allow me a couple of observations, if you have already taken them into consideration them just ignore me. But they me be of some use to anyone reading the post in the future.

Your plan for the cap sounds good and it will keep everything nicely in place, the one important item you do not mention is a Vent. don't make every thing too snug or you will get pressure building up, which is not a good thing.

Putting the 54mm coupler on the outside will make a strong joint and keep the slant plates in place but it leaves the opportunity for the plates not to be soldered to the column. This does not matter and the still will work fine but leaves a gap for "stuff" to get between the column and the coupling. Whatever the stuff may be, it may be smelly and the small gap could never be cleaned. I do not know if it is a justified concern, maybe my paranoia pills have stopped working again. The slant plates are a concern to a lot of people but they are not all that hard to make and easy to solder.

If you still want a double thickness for screwing in take-off and temperature connections just solder a scrap piece of 54 mm pipe too the outside.

Don't give up on the lid of your boiler, it may not seal now but there are lots of options before throwing money at a new boiler. What does your boiler look like?

Take your time and enjoy the build.

Hi YHB

Heres a pic of my boiler

its a 50 liter SS catering pot with a 3kw immersion heater, the little box to the right of it is my phase angle controller for lowering the power



I was a little concerned about any liquid getting stuck between the column and the outer coupling, I may have a go at soldering the plates in, just that I've had some soldering disasters in the past so was trying to keep it to a minimum.

Nice shade of blue - it looks very much like the shade of blue they use in hdpe barrels?

Or am I mistaken?

Brian

Its a camping mat used to insulate the boiler

Or is it insulation?

Sorry its been a long day!

If we canot get that to seal I would be very surprised.

In my present location my cmputer facilities are Very limited and I am struggling to post pictures and links.

If you google "silicone edging" you will see what I would suggest for the seal on your boiler lid.

After that, all that is needed is something to hold it in place.

Brian

I've just taken some pics of the bits I have acquired for this build but cant find my card reader

I'll get some on tomorrow, and check out the silicone edging, cheers. gotta take the other half out for dinner, that wont be cheap!!!!!!

YHB wrote:If you google "silicone edging" you will see what I would suggest for the seal on your boiler lid.
Brian

You may find this Link just what your looking for.......

Hope you don't mind me saying this but the slant plate is just one of many of Alex (Bokabob) designs. There are other alternatives.

I've finally decided im going to convert my boiler used for my home brew, I've found some clamps to hold the lid down, see link below

http://www.protex.com/TCH-FMAB-053-034- ... ilver-blue

and I have a 2 inch tri clamp set coming off ebay that I will use to attach my main column to my condenser with my slant plates in, I think I will also use tri clamps to fit it to my boiler lid, I'll just need to find someone who can do the welding of the tri clamp ferrule's into the end of my copper tubing and into my boiler lid

They seem a very expensive solution.

There is little or no pressure acting on the boiler lid so the force required to keep it vapour proof is minimal. I think on my set-up the weight of the column, packing and a couple of condensers full of water is more than enough to seal the lid.

Why not think about getting a few lengths of screwed rod from screwfix, add a plywood collar top and bottom of the boiler. The whole thing will cost less than one of the clamps you quote.

That was what I started out building but I got a bit carried away and ended up with this. It looks a bit over the top but the screw clamps are made from old floor boards and cost nothing.

Tis a thing of beauty YHB...well done sir..

Forget what it looks like, I was trying to say it was cheap.