6" Research

[ticknaylor]

I think macs stills are kickarse one day I will own a methuselah 8-) but me and the missus saving for a house I don't think she'll let me get that one not yet anyway. So I was toying with the idea of building a 6" copper bubbler because I hate how long still day takes out of my day. Anyway I like the idea of bubble caps (mainly coz I nearly snapped drilling my 4 inch perf plates :)) ) I'm just pricing to see if its worth doing. It would be something I'd do over a long time. With bubble caps do you have to make them modular to seal the bubble caps I see a major hurdle being the acquisition of 6" ferrules the price jumps substantially between 4" and 6" and Im not sure I want 6mm copper holding a rig that big together and sealing wouldn't be as easy without the cavity in standard ferrules??

[MacStill]

I have a nice big chunk of 6" pipe here bushy gave me, it's yours if you want it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Bushy]

I have a nice big chunk of 6" pipe here bushy gave me, it's yours if you want it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

:text-+1:
Hoped to see that lump go to a good cause

[ticknaylor]

PM sent cheers guys :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[jim]

Here's one way to seal a plate between two sections of pipe.

Split a length of 1/2" (about half a meter for 6" pipe), anneal and flatten. I made a jig and ripped the pipe on a tablesaw with a metal cutting blade mounted.

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Cut it to a more precise length once you can wrap it around your pipe.
Clean and prep your joint. Loosely wrap a pair of wires around the pipe.

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Slip the length of flattened 1/2" under the wires and twist tighten the wires. Use thicker wires that can handle your torch going over it a few times without breaking.

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Solder like you would a normal slip joint, and pull off the wires.

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I stuffed a wet rag in the sight glass hole before soldering to prevent it from desoldering. That worked to prevent the SG from desoldering, but it made soldering the joint around it pretty rough, since the pipe didnt want to heat up. I would place the seam in the back if I were to do it again.

[jim]

Making the sections of two plates each saves a bit of money on fittings. My current setup of three plates pulls 94% easily. I used 6" ferrules for this, I butt soldered the ferrules to the pipe. I would not recomend doing this, as I've had several leaks. I would use the above method to fix the ferrules on. I'm almost finished the above plate section, and will let you know how well an easy flange compares to a regular ferrule.

[ticknaylor]

Thanks Jim I appreciate the time you spent to help us out. Not 100% sure I wanna do it like that but thanks for sharing. After catching up with Mac and discussing it there a few issues I gotta deal with before I go ahead with it. Easy flanges cant be hammered as flat on 6" if you want to get good seal so I'm not really that keen on easy flanging it now the other issue being if you go with ferrules then getting it expanded is an issue because the pipes so thick it'll need heating and then theres the cost 6 inch ferrules so got a lot of thinking to do I'm not going to ruin a a beautiful bit of pipe if I cant do it properly :think:

[MacStill]

I wasnt being negative today Tick, just wanted you to know what you're up for, because when you start looking at gear this size there going to have to be compromises somewhere.

You're either going to need to get a bit spendy to make it a comfortable rig long term, or cut corners the cheap way and battle problems for the life of the still, and as you know my opinion already is build slowly over time and your expenses wont be noticed as much but your rig will be a cracking build you'll never regret.

But!!!! now you got the pipe hurry up and build the fucking thing :teasing-tease:

[ticknaylor]

I wasnt being negative today Tick, just wanted you to know what you're up for, because when you start looking at gear this size there going to have to be compromises somewhere.

You're either going to need to get a bit spendy to make it a comfortable rig long term, or cut corners the cheap way and battle problems for the life of the still, and as you know my opinion already is build slowly over time and your expenses wont be noticed as much but your rig will be a cracking build you'll never regret.

But!!!! now you got the pipe hurry up and build the fucking thing :teasing-tease:

All good mate I know your weren't being negative its good to hear from someone who's attempted such a build coz I can learn what issues you found building it, I mean I would of had to learn the hard way if you didn't tell me so I appreciate it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[ticknaylor]

So here's the 3 inch copper product condenser I'm toying with I've drawn the inside and out side diameter of the pipe. Just wondering what everyone thinks obviously the left is probably over board but hey what not go overboard with these rigs. Im gunna make it 500mm long

[Potmash Boka]

Me personally, I'd go the left one. Can't tell you why, but just would.
But I would put the tubes in a one hole out twist. ie the centre 4 by themselves, then the outer ring by themselves.

[Zak Griffin]

Go the left one, but rotate the middle 4 by 11.25 degrees, so that the pipes sit 'between' the outer ring, rather than against them. Will give you even(ish) gaps all 'round.

Get me?

[Bushy]

They're both overkill imho. Why make it hard. The one on the right but lose four of the outside holes.

[Woodsy71]

Id go the one on the left.

It'd make a mad kaleidoscope.........

[ticknaylor]

They're both overkill imho. Why make it hard. The one on the right but lose four of the outside holes.

Yeah was leaning that way had a bit to much time on my hands at work so I used microstation for something useful :handgestures-thumbupleft: