Starting a bubbler

[Mouse.]

Started to build a 4" bubbler on the weekend.
Planning five bubble plates with a 500mm packed section and 3" sight glasses on easy flanges.
Condensors, 4" * 100mm RC with four 1" tubes. PC shotgun 2" * 500mm with six 1/2" tubes.
Current boiler is 50lt keg with 3600 & 2400 elements from FSD.
Got around the scrap yards and picked up some 3" copper pipe for $7/kg,and an old Carlton 90lt keg for $30 so might be upgrading the boiler as well.
Some 4" off a plumber mate and 1/4" from a Fridgie.
Expect to be seeking a bit of advice along the way and getting an order together for FSD.
Thanks to all who have posted their builds, great reads that help to get your head somewhere near the mark.

Pipe.jpg

Easy flange.jpg

PC.jpg

old keg.jpg

old keg brushed.jpg

I am guessing a 4" ferrule weilded to the old 4" thread is the way to go or are there other options?

[Bushy]

Way to go Mouse. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Good start

[Zak Griffin]

Good start mate, can't say I've ever seen one of those kegs :think: awesome boiler though.

Sounds like you've done your research, this one will be done in no time!

[kiwikeg]

Awesome score on the keg :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[dogbreath vodka]

Hey Banksy.... eeeer Mouse
That keg is top shelf as a boiler and $30!!! :scared-eek:

Your build looks great already.
It will be done in no time. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Keep the pics coming.

DBV

[punchy21]

You're off to a great start mouse :clap:

Looking forward to the rest of the build mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Bushy]

Quick question on the boiler. Stainless ?
I got a couple of aluminium kegs that look a bit similar. Scottish something or other ale.

[dogbreath vodka]

Quick question on the boiler. Stainless ?
I got a couple of aluminium kegs that look a bit similar. Scottish something or other ale.

First photo shows rust....

Good to be cautious though :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

DBV

[Mouse.]

Thanks for the feed back guys, read all of your builds and enjoyed the lot.
This forum has become a bit addictive.
Keg is a stainless CUB Bushy, appreciate the checking guys and any advice you want to throw my way. Will take a bit of cleaning the inside but well worth it.
The guy at the junk yard was looking for staino pipe in a recycle bin for me as legs for my current keg and getting the shits with this "drum" that kept rolling in his "ffing way" when I spotted the CUB branding. Good find better price. :D

Away for a week so not much happening for a while.
Mouse

[dogbreath vodka]

Hey Mouse
I have a 6" ferrule in the top of my keg boiler and it is just large enough to get a grinder in there.
Makes cleaning any rust out a lot easier..

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=6425

Not sure how anyone else does it.

DBV

[Mouse.]

That's a hell of a boiler BJ, might be a bit big for my job. Pressure washed it last night and it looks like grime no rust so bonus there.
Where do you get the Metal BRITE Bourbon Junkie?

[Mouse.]

Reference the bolier comment to you DVB sorry mate.

[dogbreath vodka]

Reference the bolier comment to you DVB sorry mate.

No worries mate.... actually your boiler is larger than the one I'm using.
Mine is 80ltrs.... so that 6" ferrule would do the job for you real good.

You can always use a reducer to bring it back to 4".
Apart from getting into the boiler to clean it, the 6" means that should you want to upgrade your column, the boiler is already there. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Trust me .... it's better to overbuild than just make it for the current needs.

I'm sure it will work out whatever you choose to do. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

DBV

[Mouse.]

Well finally I have this bubbler to a stage where I think it is nearly ready to run.

Fully expect a bit of shit for taking a 2yr vacation along the way. Trying for the umteenth time to seal leaks in a RC & PC can be pretty frustrating when after all your efforts it still leaks like a rainwater tank hit with a claymore. Probably didn't need that long to recover but definitely got sidetracked.

Kicked off the build again at the end of August this year, motivated by an 8hr spirit run in a 2"pot and it came together pretty well. Only needs the seals tested and i think I'm ready for a vinegar and sacrificial run. Wasn't game to post along the way in case I went AWOL again.

Big thanks to everyone who has posted their builds and how to's as it really helps when you find yourself out of your depth. The info on this site is really amazing.

And thanks to 5 Star for the shinny pieces and bubble plates.

Heres a few pics of the build.

full1.JPG

Full2.JPG

4 plate front.jpg

Some progress photos,

Belt Grind.jpg

Sight Glass ports.jpg

[Mouse.]

A little more of the build.

Tees.jpg

Found this part that looked like it might make a half decent surge ball.

Head cap surge ball.jpg

5 Star bubble plates.jpg

All shined up

Cleaned up.jpg

Cooling system

Plumbing.jpg

Now for the final seal test particularly in the Tees with the 5 Star plates. I have used the 5 Star seal with a flat section in both the sight glasses and Tees. In the Tees I dropped the plate in the inner ring and cut a silicone seal from baking sheet to go outside this inner ring then a second silicone seal to drop over the top. Initial tests, the sight glasses sealed with very little pressure if any, just the weight of the clamp was nearly enough for a water fill test. The Tee seals sealed with some adjustment under water fill, so hoping this will work under vapour after final assembly. Might have made my Easy Flange a bit too flat not leaving enough depth in the flange to seal tight enough in the clamp.

Still minor problems compared to chucking a wobbly 2 yrs ago and not getting back to finish the project.:angry-banghead:

Pretty happy now. :-D

[Wobblyboot]

Well done :handgestures-thumbupleft: got there in the end :teasing-neener: I like the copper porn.... U didn't use the 90l boiler?

[rumdidlydum]

Awesome work mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:
To solve your seal drama you could double up two custom sight glass seals ( the ones with only one groove on them) That's what I had to do on a one flange. :-B
I wish I had access to your linisher, that would have made your life easyier :mrgreen:

[bluc]

Looks awesome great work :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Professor Green]

Nice one. I'm really loving all builds going on the moment.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

[Zak Griffin]

Sounds like you've done your research, this one will be done in no time!

Famous last words :angry-banghead:

Great to see you got it done, thanks for sharing the pics etc with us!

So much copper porn going on here lately :happy-partydance: