StillSmart

I've spent all this week thinking & sleeping about this bloody tank...I've taken on board what Capt said about cutting the tank..but it's got to be done as it's too big for what I need. I've thought that when I cut, if it's unmanageable I could brace across the bottom with a length of 15mm copper pipe with the ends flattened and soldered just up inside so that it won't hinder fixing the bottom on.
With the aid of a calculator the cut could be at 18", this will give me a volume of 83 liters, this could be reduced to 14" at 65 liters this will still leave plenty of head room when it's run.

With the advice from you guys I'm going with a 4" column (Bokakob sytle) start off easy. So now's the time to start buying the bits...JTM plumbing look to have the best prices...hope to have some photos soon.

I love a challenge good luck with it

AM

aidanmac wrote:I love a challenge good luck with it
AM

Thanks AM....I thought you were coming around to give me a hand..

Jaysus! I called around earlier but you must have been out

AM

OK...I'm one step closer as I now have 1.5mts of 76mm copper pipe... plus an end cap. All I have to do now is build the smegging thing..

Icefever wrote:OK...I'm one step closer as I now have 1.5mts of 76mm copper pipe... plus an end cap. All I have to do now is build the smegging thing..

Now fill it with SPP and it will be worth a fortune

Don't VT...all I can see at the moment is £££££ flying out the window .

I've just ordered 2x3" ferrules and a triclamp, so I'm another step forward . I hope to find some time over this weekend to make a start...


Edit...

Can anyone tell me why this column has a reduced section almost at the top, under the condenser


I like the look of it and think that this type won't be to tricky....or am I deluding myself??
All I need to build it would be to buy two 3" reducers...but down to what size??
Also would you guys pack it???

The reduced section forms a cup for the condensed distillate to collect in, where it can then be drawn off using the valve. Its an alternative to the slanted plates.

You file off the end stops in the top reducer so the smaller diameter tube goes right through it for a couple of inches, this then forms the overflow for the collecting cup.

When the cup is full if flows back into the tube and is centered in the middle of the packing, its a good idea.

Edit: yes it needs to be packed else you would be simpler building a pot still.

Cheers Capt....that make sense when I think about it.

Well I've made the first cut...

that's a start, all I have to do now is clean it, fix a bottom to it, fix element, build the column,

I did something like that. here's the book I posted on the build download/file.php?id=22

It didn't work very well and I had to re-work the design as you can see in this thread viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2587

AM

That's got me thinking now AM....I've been reading up on so much just lately my brain hurts..

What I've noticed about this column is the top 4 joints are a push fit, so it should be easy to redo if I have to.....not that I want that.

In theory, the reducer at the top of the column is supposed to increase turbulence and add a little extra speed to the vapour. In reality it actually prevented the vapour getting out through the take off valve. I elected to reconstruct mine without the reducer and it worked brilliantly.

I could have taken another path and raised to condenser so that the bottom of the coil was at least 12 inches above the take off valve, I think that might have worked too. The cooling effect from the condenser coil extends quite a bit below the coil.

AM

Ahhh I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel, in the plans the top condenser shell is 9"long but it's fitted straight into the top reducer. So you think that if that top shell was, say 20" with an 8" condenser that may work??.

I'm willing to give it a shot and build this model, for a first time build it's straight forward and I know it will teach me about the art of distilling.

Surfing the net you find loads of folks that have made these stills, I loved building my brewery, but it's been changed about 3 times, hopefully for the better.. but I'm always willing to take on board whatever I'm told by anyone who's been doing this hobby longer.

My frustration with that design really got to me. After all the hard work, to find that it didn't do what it said on the tin really got my goat

The sad part is that having fixed the problem I then discovered that I have no need for a reflux column and it's now laid out in a storage box never to be used again

AM