Plated Column Still Plans

[flamehawk]

gents,

I have thoroughly search and gone through the 11 pages and i cannot locate a set of plans to build a plated still. see plenty that give build logs and they are informative however I'm not sure how they work. A set of plans would be really handy. Anyone know of a link?

thanks
ian

[flamehawk]

I guess what i really need to know is how are the plates positioned.

What clearance is acceptable between the plate and the wall of the vertical pipe.

[kelbygreen]

plates can be possitioned heaps of ways clamped into the joint section of 2 pipes, put on a threaded rod so all plates are attached to that, you could solder them into the pipe if you never wanted to change them out.

the plates should be as tight to the wall as possible as what your creating is a bath with the perferated holes/bubble caps let the vapour pass threw the baths to give it like a extra distill per plate. then the downcomers set the bath depth when the depth reaches the height of the downcomers it flows into them and drops on the plate below or the boiler for the last plate

[Sam.]

From HD history........ The first plates made for a home 4" were cut out with a pair of tin snips ...the small gaps caused vapour bypass and particularly the bottom plate never loaded .

Some smart fellow like Mac found that if you put the plate in a nut and bolt, stuck it in a drill press and held a file against it , you could get a very tight fitting plate that would seal against the side and not cause the vapour bypass.

This same fellow also made modular stills that had the plate clamped tight onto the gasket .......Check out macs early builds ...its all there

Also check out Austin Nichols on HD :hand:

[kelbygreen]

you wont need plans the build logs show you everything and you can chose what you want to do and how you do it, also the time and cost you want to put into it as well. Read up some more you will work it out :D there is alot of work goes into building one so be prepared and alot of frustration will be had as well :laughing-rolling:

[flamehawk]

I've built steam engines before so i think i have the skill to knock one out. I'm rather driven when i want something.

Few good ideas like the plate placed in between the seals. For some reason i did not think to shove it into my lathe :wtf:

Might just start with some 100mm T pieces and go from there! Steady as she goes.

[kelbygreen]

sounds good :handgestures-thumbupleft: there will be some headaches along the way I wanted to punch mine out fast and its been near a year since I done anything :oops: but going into it with a different attitude now then before dont want to build it fast just keep it in my mind and do bits where I can :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[bt1]

kinda depends if you want to strive for...optimal or just plain functional.

Lots of build blogs here but the areas where design/build can influence outcomes is sometimes missing.

Depends on your view of life, you may choose to consider bath depths, bubble caps vs. perf plates vs valved trays, downcomer ideas, modular for varying drink variations valved trays etc.

Plate gap to column wall is just one issue addressed via assembly methods, acid etching/patena development, chilling/heating/oiling, floating centre vs. fixed rod plate trees, pyrex segments vs. copper.

11 pages is basic...How far do you want to take this?

bt1

[Yummyrum]

What bt1 said.......but you can start going round in circles never being able to commit to one design due to all the possible variations ......this is where I am :angry-banghead:

Or you could take the logical approach like Bushy did and just choose a sensible common ground design and bash it out in a few days...hes been drinking bubbler juice for over a year and I'm still looking at bits in the shed and drinking Pot stilled stuff

[bt1]

Yumm,

just tell us how far you want to go down the tube of design....There's no rocket science here you just need to decide where you want to be...

basic, functional, optimal...

The best build ever.... is the one you complete!

bt1

[Bushy]

What bt1 said.......but you can start going round in circles never being able to commit to one design due to all the possible variations ......this is where I am :angry-banghead:

Or you could take the logical approach like Bushy did and just choose a sensible common ground design and bash it out in a few days...hes been drinking bubbler juice for over a year and I'm still looking at bits in the shed and drinking Pot stilled stuff

Cheers mate.
I spent more time reading and thinking about bubblers than I took building one. For sure. I read every build thread on every forum. But the build time is unimportant.
Plan yr build, get the bits, bloody build it. I reckon.

[MacStill]

Took me a good 6 months to build todays Mac 4, after a few years of about 30 prototypes that are still being used today.... things have come a long way.

There's some real dodgy advice out there, be careful who you listen to & follow your gut.

For example: I wouldn't be building a 6 plate still for whiskies, rums or the likes (IMHO it's a still that fits the "no mans land" category, it's lost, it's neither good at flavors or neutrals 8-} ) then spending a year trying to improve flavor :laughing-rolling: guess it depends what you call optimum ;-)

Building yourself is great if you follow a few simple guidelines, the more you stray from the proven designs that work the more variable issues you could be facing, so by going modular you can remove/revert/change easily with out the need of a total rebuild.

If you know you want a purpose built 1 piece still for flavors, a 4 plate bubble cap still is going to be hard to beat ;-)

Take it slow and keep it simple, you wont regret it.

Mac.

[flamehawk]

I am time poor so the ability to run a wash through quickly appeals to be greatly.

The look of the MAC 4"SSG is without doubt a magnificent piece of engineering. I may very well go that way.

I would like to add a SS port to the back to add an LED light. After all you want people to see what's going on

[TheMechwarrior]

I am time poor so the ability to run a wash through quickly appeals to be greatly.

The look of the MAC 4"SSG is without doubt a magnificent piece of engineering. I may very well go that way.

I would like to add a SS port to the back to add an LED light. After all you want people to see what's going on

You have you're answer right there mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Time poor means you gotta buy the Mac4 ;-)
Forget about the port and tinkering for now, get the Mac4 and make the most of your time *I need a drinking emoticon right here*

[Kimbo]

I think Mac is on the Money there, 6 plates will strip too much flavour from a Whiskey or Rum and not enough for a Vodka.
Its a bit of a nowhere design!

[flamehawk]

100mm copper seems very bloody pricey. Tradelink seem think that people don't shop around.

I had an idea :ugeek:

two 100mm joiners, brazed together with a MACs SS feurrell either end.

You could cover the braze with a lovely brass 4-5mm strip soft soldered on.

Thoughts?

[Yummyrum]

Or make easy flanges....cheaper .....also new technique is to just solder the copper ring on ...no flange bashing required ...that's what I'll be doing.


yeah and don't buy new 100mm copper ...especially from tradelink ...they are cheap for couplers and Tees but definitely not for pipe......try the scrape yards :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[flamehawk]

Is there are thread on the new technique?

[Yummyrum]

Is there are thread on the new technique?

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=3087#p45959
Good shit here :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[flamehawk]

Yep saw the easy flange before. Tried to make some with soft solder. Fail!

I'll keep an eye out for the new technique of just soldering the ring straight on