Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi guys,

As stated above im on the road to building my own 4" bubbler. Going to be 4 plates modular using the perferated plate design. Have my 4" and 2" pipe to get me started. My first question may seem obvious to others. Im going to cut my modular sections at 150mm. How do you guys cut your 4" so straight and clean? How would you guys recommend i achieve this? Will keep updated with photos and try and use this section as some motivation!

Cheers

Hacksaw, grinder or pipe cutters. Though cutters sometimes pinch the end a touch depending how hard you press.

Just mark it up square and cut slowly and carefully

You can use some emery tape or some thin cardboard (Manila folder)to wrap around your pipe to get a nice square mark :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Good luck and look forward to some picys

Thanks for your help guys. Will 2" tees for sight glasses be an acceptable size? Or do you guys recommend the 3". I do have 2" available but no 3". Also how far is recommended for seating depth inside the module. Cheers

Most use 3" but I am considering 2" sight glasses also.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I have 2" SGs on my 4" bubbler, you can see plenty and I think they look more balanced than 3". Also cheaper!

bluc wrote:Most use 3" but I am considering 2" sight glasses also.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

As an added bonus you also get more copper surface area plus there cheaper, win win :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Stonemaker1 wrote:

bluc wrote:Most use 3" but I am considering 2" sight glasses also.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

As an added bonus you also get more copper surface area plus there cheaper, win win :handgestures-thumbupleft:

What would be the benefit of that that little more surface area? :think:

Sam. wrote:

Stonemaker1 wrote:

bluc wrote:Most use 3" but I am considering 2" sight glasses also.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

As an added bonus you also get more copper surface area plus there cheaper, win win :handgestures-thumbupleft:

What would be the benefit of that that little more surface area? :think:

SFA, since there'll already be a heap of copper anyway.

Even cheaper with no sight glasses.

Am i right in assuming that the 2 inch tee will sit flush inside the hole to be soldered or should i sink it in a bit? Cheers

Nathan02 wrote:Hi guys,

As stated above im on the road to building my own 4" bubbler. Going to be 4 plates modular using the perferated plate design. Have my 4" and 2" pipe to get me started. My first question may seem obvious to others. Im going to cut my modular sections at 150mm. How do you guys cut your 4" so straight and clean? How would you guys recommend i achieve this? Will keep updated with photos and try and use this section as some motivation!

Cheers

G-day Nathan,for copper pipe cutters do a good job but are expensive for a one off use ,you may be able ta find someone that can lend a set,for stainless ya pipe cutters need the right cutters and be strong enough,they all leave a berr on the inside of the tube wich may need ta be removed,wrapping a piece of paper around so the edges are all in line and tapeing it there is simple guide and then useing either a hacksaw or thin cutting disk in a small grinder,wich you should practice once or twice befor going for the money shot,after I like to put a full sheet of emery paper onto a small piece of glass ,with a little water on it first cleaning up and squareing the end,you can get berr removeing tools or flap wheels do the job too pretty cheap at the big green shed.Have you decided what type of flanges or ferrules you will use,as some may hide wonky cutting more than others .How did you come up with perforated plates,does it relate too ya drink of choice or because its easier ta build with less tools.cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Sam. wrote:

Stonemaker1 wrote:

bluc wrote:Most use 3" but I am considering 2" sight glasses also.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

As an added bonus you also get more copper surface area plus there cheaper, win win :handgestures-thumbupleft:

What would be the benefit of that that little more surface area? :think:

Guess I just love copper and thought the more you use the better off you are but that's just my opinion. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I'm guessing your a stainless man.....

hillzabilly wrote:

Nathan02 wrote:Hi guys,

As stated above im on the road to building my own 4" bubbler. Going to be 4 plates modular using the perferated plate design. Have my 4" and 2" pipe to get me started. My first question may seem obvious to others. Im going to cut my modular sections at 150mm. How do you guys cut your 4" so straight and clean? How would you guys recommend i achieve this? Will keep updated with photos and try and use this section as some motivation!

Cheers

G-day Nathan,for copper pipe cutters do a good job but are expensive for a one off use ,you may be able ta find someone that can lend a set,for stainless ya pipe cutters need the right cutters and be strong enough,they all leave a berr on the inside of the tube wich may need ta be removed,wrapping a piece of paper around so the edges are all in line and tapeing it there is simple guide and then useing either a hacksaw or thin cutting disk in a small grinder,wich you should practice once or twice befor going for the money shot,after I like to put a full sheet of emery paper onto a small piece of glass ,with a little water on it first cleaning up and squareing the end,you can get berr removeing tools or flap wheels do the job too pretty cheap at the big green shed.Have you decided what type of flanges or ferrules you will use,as some may hide wonky cutting more than others .How did you come up with perforated plates,does it relate too ya drink of choice or because its easier ta build with less tools.cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Hi hillzabilly,

Well...ive run with the perf plate design tue to the fact that it looks a little easier to complete. I do love my rum and whisky and was under the understanding that there was minimal difference when operating, between the two designs. Would love to be corrected and taught if thats not true. Cheers thanks guys!

Perf plate is designed depending on required power input and wanted output rate. Bubble caps can be run across multiple power watts input and desired product output rates..

I think its a bit of a Ford vrs Holden debate,personally I have never used them but plenty do and have gotten fine results,its about getting ta know how ta get the best out of ya gear, that makes the difference ta me ,wich only comes with plenty of trials,I also see that the desighn may be easier to complete for some people with only thumbs and less equipment,Mac used ta sell perf plates ready to go with down comers,wich is the very important bit in your still that I would not make ifn I was starting out ,to make sure the effort of building will be rewarded with success.cheers hillzabilly ;-)

Sorry was also going to do easy flanges with 1/4" tube. Ive aslipped a 105mm hose clamp to my measurement and will try follow that for straight cuts

You would be better off with the paper for a straight cut over the clamp. The width of the paper is the critical part. The paper needs to sit nice and flat/snug around the pipe then the edges need to line up nice and true. You will see what I mean once you wrap some paper around some pipe. The paper needs to be long enough to overlap itself so you can twist it until it lines up perfectly, that way there is no chance of it tilting like a thin clamp might.

I hope I haven't confused you here but once you try it it will make sence :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Wrap around. There a thing. Made for pipe fitters made from stuff bit like gasket paper..They even have all angles printed on them....

I found hanging onto the copper pipe whilst cutting could make things harder ,so made up a couple of wooden vee blocks to fit in the vise,and go easy how hard ya screw the vise as its pretty easy ta damage copper pipe in a metal vise.cheers hillzabilly ;-)

Stonemaker1 wrote:

Sam. wrote:

Stonemaker1 wrote:

bluc wrote:Most use 3" but I am considering 2" sight glasses also.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

As an added bonus you also get more copper surface area plus there cheaper, win win :handgestures-thumbupleft:

What would be the benefit of that that little more surface area? :think:

Guess I just love copper and thought the more you use the better off you are but that's just my opinion. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I'm guessing your a stainless man.....

I don't have a preference either way but I have tested it for myself to see how much copper it actually does take to remove sulphides ;-)