Bushy's Bubbler Build

by **Bushy** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:50 pm

Righto.
I've read every post on every site about these.
I,ve been to the mecca of modular bubblers.
I've tossed off to every photo of a finished build and I can't take it any more.
I want one.
Which means I'm gonna fkn have one.

Today would be Bushy's Bubbler Build day number 1.

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I'll start with all this.

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And make this.

*Please note that any resemblance between this here picture and a www.5stardistilling.com.au still is circumstantial and probably a figment of the imagination bought about by the over consumption of dodgy home made rum. :wave:

This is actually a near copy of the WineGlass style of still. Thanks to you Empty.
I do like the idea of a packed section for neutrals. Tried the lava rock in me column and it comes up a treat.
And just take it out for the bourbon runs. Best of both worlds.
Also goin to put a section above the product condensor. This will get the parrot at the right height and when I'm an old bloke i could call it a gin basket.
Four perf plates. Three inch glasses. Should be a good allrounder
And speakin of good allrounders
Hey Mac.
If you were a legend in your own lunchbox, you would need a fukn trailer for your crib bag. All the work you put in to both this site and the art of makin a still is the stuff of.... fkn ...i don't know.....somethin pretty fkn shit hot. Spose I'm just tryin to say "Thanks Bloke"

Anyway, thats that. Got a couple of days chained to the wheel then she's weekend off.
Fuck fishin, fuck the kids, fuck the Mrs, I'm goin next door to build a still.

Bushy

by **Yummyrum** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:07 pm

Go Bloke :dance:

by **BackyardBrewer** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:12 pm

Good luck, take pix & vids!

by **Brendan** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:18 pm

Champion :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Good luck with the build bloke.

by **bt1** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:26 pm

When it bits it does bite hard...building is shear pleasure quality time imho..

Nice design like it just a few recent thoughts and changes ...

I'm a huge fan of rock filtering but I got to say I was struggling with yields. The rock section induces so much reflux the top plate was getting belted with just a above plate rock section.
I've now run shortie (6 plater 2.3m on keg) several times without the rock section and it yields better , top plate not copping as much.

I've changed both platers to a new layout for rock, one section below plates and second above plates but much shorter. combined length is greater however. I don't think it matters where the rock is it cleans up regardless maybe to a lesser degree below plates given the lower quality spirit input. It still removes plenty however and that to me is the point.

Not saying this is only way to look at it and notice your is removalable...good move...but might pay to have a look at how it's going to be used. Even with a 23 jet Mongolian I reckon in winter it would drown the top plate due to level of reflux. This could just be a 6 plater 125mm spacing overall height issue but I'd thought I'd throw it in before you start cutting.

Link to incorporated below and shorter above plate rock sections.

http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=3015&start=60#p48344

bt1

by **Brendan** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:47 pm

This is only a thought bt1 (sorry to hijack Bushy)...

Are you soaking the rock prior to use? I know in terms of carbon filtering, you wash the carbon by swirling it around in hot water several times and remove all the small particles...then you have to soak it for several days prior to use...something to do with it filling up its pores with the clean water, and then hangs onto the nasty compounds in ethanol when filtered through...otherwise it could be absorbing half your ethanol...just a thought in relation to your yield? :think:

by **MacStill** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:54 pm

Nice work bushy, your plan is not flawed in any way at all bud... just go ahead & build it the way we discussed at my place and you will not be disappointed :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Bushy** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:49 pm

Yeah thanks for the heads up there BT. So many variables there though. Heat input, downcomer size, wifes time of the month.
I'll do a suck and see and I can always make changes later. The advantage of semi modular is that changes won't be too hard.
Reckon one change I will make is a window or two in the packed section. :think:

Bushy

by **emptyglass** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:14 pm

Bushy wrote:Reckon one change I will make is a window or two in the packed section. :think:

Bushy

It wont hurt. The time I tried it, it was very interesting to see how it works.
Like you say, you can always change it later.
3/4" downcomers work pretty well.

Just follow what mac says and you'll be right.

by **googe** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:39 pm

Good stuff mate, looking forward to seein it come together :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **bt1** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:50 am

Yeh nothing wrong with your build plan bushy...I just put it up cos it's an issue I've worked out lately. At least you've a heads up so you can consider when running in the cooler ??? months.

Gut feel is it's a height issue and your design won't suffer that by the looks..

bt1

by **emptyglass** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:51 pm

bt1 wrote:I'm a huge fan of rock filtering but I got to say I was struggling with yields. The rock section induces so much reflux the top plate was getting belted with just a above plate rock section.
I've now run shortie (6 plater 2.3m on keg) several times without the rock section and it yields better , top plate not copping as much.

Can't back the cooling off a little?

I've found if you want to purify it a bit more, there will be more work and the still will be slower. No free lunches, but I havn't suffered a yeild loss that was noticeable.

Brendan wrote:This is only a thought bt1 (sorry to hijack Bushy)...

Are you soaking the rock prior to use? I know in terms of carbon filtering, you wash the carbon by swirling it around in hot water several times and remove all the small particles...then you have to soak it for several days prior to use...something to do with it filling up its pores with the clean water, and then hangs onto the nasty compounds in ethanol when filtered through...otherwise it could be absorbing half your ethanol...just a thought in relation to your yield? :think:

Not sure wetting the rock will help. The goal here is to get the water back in the boiler, and the hooch in the bottle. The moisture in the rock would migrate back to the boiler and it would become saturated with alcohol pretty quick. At least in my mind anyway (scary place, that). But you get it back later in the run.

by **MacStill** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 1:59 pm

got an update for us Bushy ? :pray:

by **Bushy** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:40 pm

So day 2 and 3 were tied up with work. I did make a template out of 3 mil plate.
During me lunch break of course. ;-)

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Get up satday mornin.
Big cup o tea and straight out to the shed.
I hear tell that the plate tree is the hard bit, so plate tree it is.
Got me plates flattened out from a bit of 2 inch.

Clamped em all together and proceeded to start stack drilling them.

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Kachink, kachink and kachink.
Whoa, fukn hold on here. Three drill bits in about twenty holes. The coppers strange shit. Sorta spreads and grabs the tiny drill.
I'd have more luck tryin to stack drill Mrs Bushy. b-(
So separated em and drilled every hole. Tedium.

Got there in the end. Clamped all the plates together and did the Mac lathe trick with the bastard file.

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They come out alright.
Then I cut a few bits of 3/4. Glued em on. Made me little cups and J cup.
Threw a length of stainless rod up em and wacko
Plate tree.

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Time for another cup o tea.

by **Bushy** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:49 pm

Now I thought I'll start at the bottom and go up.
I robbed the stainless ferrule of ol potty. Sorry dear but your outta here.

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And then I made my very first easy flange.

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Should be called the absolute fuckin piece of piss flange. Whatta winner.
Which is lucky because i've braized more rings than Freddy Mercury.

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by **1 2many** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:53 pm

I like the template for the hole drilling ,coming along nicely . :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Bushy** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:14 pm

Next bit up is the column. Beauty.
Made a template for the 3 inch bits and knocked em out.

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You don't need all the computer programs to make a pipe template. If there is interest I could do a tutorial or something to show how easy it is.

Put the flanges on .

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And then made a absolute fuckin mess of the first one.

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The disparity in thickness between the two bits was really fkn with me head. Oh and I tried to solder from the outside. Solder from the inside with this join.
Anyway by about the third one i had it sussed.

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Maybe the fourth one. :roll:

Cut the guts out with a two inch hole saw and then die ground the extra away.
And because I am an impatient bastard, tried a glass on.

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by **Bushy** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:35 pm

Made the RC and PC. RC is 5 inches long with 7 x 3/4 pipes. PC is 18 inches with 4 x 1/2 inch. One of the cooling line on the RC goes to the bottom.
I didn't take any photos of this stage. I was gettin a bit carried away with the job.
Here is one piccy though.

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Always use a square guys. Every join. I do this sort of stuff for a living and swear by the square.

And that was me Sunday.
Missus dragged me outta the shed to go and drink with friends. Not so bad.

by **MacStill** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:40 pm

Going great guns mate, you certainly dont mess around :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **SBB** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:44 pm

Nice going Bushy, :handgestures-thumbupleft: I did all my holes individually to, had read a mob of "broken bit" horror stories before I even started. Drilled the lot with one drill bit doing it that way.