Lowie's 4" Blockhead

[Lowie]

Well, it's time to ditch my trusty hbs reflux still and joint the big boys with a proper still! I've been reading the forum and collecting stuff for a while now so it's time to get into it. It's probably gonna take a little while as the bride has got a list as long as her arm for other less important stuff to get done. Why do they do that's to us? Anyway, I've got a stack of copper that needs a start on...

[1 2many]

Good luck with the build mate, can't wait to see it develope and post plenty of picks. ;-)

[bluc]

:handgestures-thumbupleft: :text-+1: looks like your off to a ripper start..

[nuddy]

Lowie enjoy mate, I had almost as much fun building mine as I do running it.

What are you planning on build wise?

:text-+1: on the picsssss

[coffe addict]

Ok I'll bite, what's the plan. Number of plates Caps, perf, packed section, gin basket, rc pc length size and no tubes. Details are the key to success!

[Professor Green]

Good luck with you build Lowie. Make sure you give plenty of happy snaps. And +1 on what coffe addict asked!

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

[Lowie]

Ok I'll bite, what's the plan. Number of plates Caps, perf, packed section, gin basket, rc pc length size and no tubes. Details are the key to success!

Haha, Good questions - I'm bludging off Nuddy's design as that looks the guts. :handgestures-thumbupleft: Made a start this long weekend!

[Lowie]

Lowie enjoy mate, I had almost as much fun building mine as I do running it.

What are you planning on build wise?

:text-+1: on the picsssss

Yours mate :-D

[Lowie]

Made a start on the weekend.
Used my trusty 12" to bend the flanges then finished off on the vice. After making all four of the the t-piece easy flanges I found out that the flanges were too thick so have ground them down.

[Lowie]

IMG_0118.JPG

IMG_0118.JPG

IMG_0117.JPG

Disk sander comes in handy...
And, before anyone mentions it, I'm accustomed to working in confined space with shit everywhere (although not as small as Zacs garden shed!) - I built my FJ in my little shed many years ago :D I used double sided tape to stick the pipe template to the tube and used the Dremel with a 1" cutting disk to cut out the shape. Worked a treat. I also used the double sided tape to run around the circumference to make a straight cut line. Chucked the 4" angle grinder in the vice (clamped it on the side handle) and spun the tube around using two hands. Had to dip In the water a couple of times to keep the tube cool on the old scratchers.

[Doubleuj]

:happy-partydance: nice work lowie, not many people do the whole flared end anymore but I bet it'll be 100% stronger for the extra effort.
As for dipping it, copper sure does get hot quick, I reakon there's 1 second between when you realise "hmm, that's warm" until "fuck fuck fuck"
:laughing-rolling:

[Lowie]

Made the sight glasses, silver soldered the rings to the tube. The back stop on the linishing machine came in handy to keep the tube nice and square as I span it around.

[rash]

looks good mate, try sneaking the build onto the brides "arm long list of things to do". Those lists never get shorter..... when you tick one off, 2 more are added :laughing-rolling:
SG's are 4"?

[Lowie]

I've been trying to knock that list fo for years rash. Don't seem To be getting anywhere...
SG's are 3"

[Lowie]

Here's a tip for young players.
When drilling sheet metal, ensure the workpiece is tightly clamped to prevent spinning during breakthough. Scratchers are not suitable clamping devices. :handgestures-thumbdown: You'd think I would know better being a fitter... :naughty:

[Lowie]

Tee's all soldered up (checked for water tightnes).

[bluc]

Awesome work :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Zak Griffin]

Love it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Lowie]

Nearly finished the Tee's, just have to wait for my new Dremel to arrive to clean them up. You will see in the picture two different ways of removing the internal piece of the 4" tube. I bought a 73mm holesaw thinking that as the internal diameter of the 3" tube was 73mm that would make a nice clean cut. Wrong. The copper tube lost its shape a bit in the soldering process and as you can see on two of the parts it just fit but took out a bit of the internal diameter as well. The holesaw wouldn't even look at the other two parts so I had to drill them out. Next time order a 71mm holesaw to be sure...

[Lowie]

Knocked off the RC last night, just have to wait for the Dremel to tidy it up a bit! I silver soldered the flanges (no easy flanges this time) and the water inlet/outlet pipes (they're a bit on the piss due to the sheetmetal drill going one hole too big :angry-banghead: the pipes and plate are soft soldered. Made the pipes a few mm longer each end Tom help with the soldering then ground them back with the 4". Whole job only took a couple of hours with no leaks :smile: