Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Perforated & bubble cap plated columns

Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Chocko6969 » Tue Nov 06, 2018 2:55 pm

dans.brew wrote:
Joycy wrote:Cheers guys, i reckon the 100mm copper that I got was in such bad condition, it won't shine as good as new copper but I'll do my best to get it as clean and shiny as possible. What kind of a clear coat would go on to keep its shine?

Have you tried a citric acid bath? Between citric, steel wool and fine wet and dry sandpaper it should come up fairly good... well thats what i found worked well anyway.
I got some automotive clear coat from supercheap to go on mine, just need the time to clean my still up again. As long as the clear coat is rated to handle high temps.


Slightly off thread, but how much citric are you guys putting in for a bath, I reckon around 10-15ltrs of water? I've got some old 32mm pipe that's almost black and I'm using it to build a filter as some soldering practice before tackling my bubbler.

Cheers!
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Rock » Tue Nov 06, 2018 4:27 pm

Chocko6969 wrote:Slightly off thread, but how much citric are you guys putting in for a bath, I reckon around 10-15ltrs of water? I've got some old 32mm pipe that's almost black and I'm using it to build a filter as some soldering practice before tackling my bubbler.

Cheers!


http://www.aussiedistiller.com.au/viewt ... =29&t=6067
Here's a good discussion about citric and vinegar , for cleaning copper,
I've just soaked my plates, disassembled, in vinegar.
Last edited by Doubleuj on Tue Nov 06, 2018 4:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Fixed quote
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Joycy » Sun Dec 02, 2018 5:06 pm

So finally, after months of a lot more work than expected, I have finished!
4", 4 plate block head bubbler with 500mm packed section and 50l fsd milk can boiler. I spent some time polishing it but you really need to spend a lot of time on the copper to get it just right. For all of the time a nd effort I have put in, I am happy with what I have achieved. I am still a complete noob but I wanted to do it right the first time so I don't have to make one again :-D
Vinegar run and sacrificial run are yet to be complete but a 100l wash is ready to go as soon as she's clean on the inside.
Thanks to everybody along the way and this whole forum because without this i would probably be making a fuel like substance with a the crap I was building before.
All that is left is to name her but I will take my time with that one for now :D

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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby dans.brew » Sun Dec 02, 2018 5:16 pm

Very nice indeed! :dance:
Some nice nectar will flow from that shiny beast!
You've gotta stand back and be proud of that. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby r1zzla » Sun Dec 02, 2018 5:40 pm

A thing of beauty :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby nuddy » Sun Dec 02, 2018 6:22 pm

Thats a pretty looking bit of gear joycy.

Just in time for xmas as well.
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby clintonb » Sun Dec 02, 2018 6:44 pm

Well done, sure looks the goods :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Joycy » Sun Dec 02, 2018 6:49 pm

Cheers guys, I am pretty chuffed with how it turned out, I can't wait to run it. It will be doing plenty of running from now and over the Xmas to get used to it before attempting some bourbon and whiskey. I'm sick of paying 50 odd dollars a bottle at this stage :D
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby dans.brew » Sun Dec 02, 2018 7:04 pm

Joycy wrote:I'm sick of paying 50 odd dollars a bottle at this stage :D

And a lot of the stuff you buy wont be as smooth as what you can make! I find it's the first thing everyone comments on actually.
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby db1979 » Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:14 pm

Well done mate :clap:

Now have fun learning how to run it :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby woodduck » Sun Dec 02, 2018 9:06 pm

That is a bloody nice looking rig mate, gotta be proud of that :handgestures-thumbupleft: :clap: :happy-partydance:

Now the next fun bit, running it! Enjoy
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby bluc » Sun Dec 02, 2018 9:27 pm

Very nice joycy
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Joycy » Sun Dec 02, 2018 9:57 pm

Cheers again guys, feels good to finally get the finishing touches on it. Definitely looking forward to learning how to drive it now, you can only do so much reading before you just need to dive in and practice.
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Sam. » Mon Dec 03, 2018 2:34 pm

That is fucking excellent :handgestures-thumbupleft:

You should be more than proud of that effort :clap:
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Joycy » Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:27 pm

Sam. wrote:That is fucking excellent :handgestures-thumbupleft:

You should be more than proud of that effort :clap:


Thanks Sam, as soon as I seen the bubbler section on here I knew I had to build one and the minute I was done, I knew I made the right choice
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby db1979 » Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:55 pm

Joycy wrote:
Sam. wrote:That is fucking excellent :handgestures-thumbupleft:

You should be more than proud of that effort :clap:


Thanks Sam, as soon as I seen the bubbler section on here I knew I had to build one and the minute I was done, I knew I made the right choice


If you're happy with your choice now, just wait till you run it :D
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Currently having a makeover: 2" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (1" bubble caps, no sight glasses...maybe not for much longer!) on a bain-marie boiler.

Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Mr Tinker » Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:00 pm

Awesome job mate, that is a beautiful machine!
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Joycy » Sun Dec 23, 2018 3:10 pm

So finally the fun has begun! My sacrificial run to clean and run my still properly for the first time. I fired it up, put it into full reflux and let it reach equilibrium (I think) then started to pull some off. After taking the first 200ml and tossing, I noticed the first plate start to fill up halfway up the glass, the other 3 also died down. The others have start to build up a little now but have I done something wrong to cause this? I do have a leak just under the plate but would this make a difference?
The first 300mm I took off was arou d 93-94%, then I emptied the parrot but the second lot came through around 86%?
Any help or direction would be appreciated guys thanks

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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby Joycy » Sun Dec 23, 2018 3:14 pm

Also, I don't have a power adjuster on, am I running too much power through?
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Re: Joycy's 4" Bubbler Build

Postby PeterC » Sun Dec 23, 2018 3:55 pm

Hi, I think you need to mention what you charged your boiler with for the sac run. I found that on mine the system took awhile to load up the plates and stabilise. I had some plates leaking and bypassing around the seal. Once refluxing happened for a bit of time the plates started to fill nicely and balance up. The column behaves differently once the alcohol concentration gets higher on the plates. I did have some flooding initially and turned the power down for a bit but you say you don't have a controller.

The picture you post show fogging on the glass. For mine this indicates running out of alcohol from the boiler and going in to tails. If you had a small charge in the boiler or low alcohol it could all be sitting up in the plates and you are close to finishing your run.
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