copper pot

[trigger12]

hey hey

cut an old saxon hot water unit down to about 50L and swapped the 1800watt element for a 3600watt.
did my head in thinking of a way to make the 65mm still detatchable then came up with useing a copper rocket and soldering in four bolts.

would like to hear some feed back and any ideas for improvements. also my still is currently 950mm high and wondering if it should be cut down... my thoughts are the vapour might get too cool by the time it gets to the top? i will be insulating.

still got a big clean up and a few more welds ahead of me, hopefully done this weekend.

thanks for any feed back.

[Kimbo]

Gday Trigger,
that will work just fine being a potstill, there is no need to insulate. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[kiwikeg]

nice work mate looks fine to me :handgestures-thumbupleft: vapour will still be hot when it hits the top and any reflux will just bump up the ABV% :D maybe bung some scrubbies is the column if you want to experiment but otherwise well f*****G done.double :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[crow]

reckon you are go to go as is bud :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[emptyglass]

Only thing I can say is get some wash into it and run it!
Good job bloke

[trigger12]

ok thanks for the reply fellas,

should i have a thermometer on it? and if so does it go on top of the pot testing the air temp or deeper into the wash?

[bt1]

hello trigg,

has this girl had a good tub up inside i.e. vinegar/steam runs etc...

Nothing wrong with a tall pot..mine near the same hieght...in winter when it's bloody cold I' have to throw a couple a towels wrapped around it cos I'm a tight bastard and hate wasting gas to heat it.

thermos no value on a pot really...if you really felt the need put it as late as poss say next to connection after bend.. run on flow rate slow thin pencil width for spirit runs as mush as the girl can do for stripping.

enjoy!

bt1

[trigger12]

thanks BT,

its my 1st pot and have no experience in running a still so all this info is very handy. Im going to put the gerny over the pot today and if my sparky is available and gets me a 15amp plug il give it a burn tomorow.. what is the best cleaning run? do you use straight vinegar or do you mix with water?

thanks, trigger12

[JayD]

thanks BT,

its my 1st pot and have no experience in running a still so all this info is very handy. Im going to put the gerny over the pot today and if my sparky is available and gets me a 15amp plug il give it a burn tomorow.. what is the best cleaning run? do you use straight vinegar or do you mix with water?

thanks, trigger12

They recomend 50/50 for a cleaning run, followed by a junkerhol run with the cheapest wine you can buy, then a quick steamclean...I give mine around 30-40 mins then into your first ethol run...woo hoo... I like the way you made do with what you had available... :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[trigger12]

thanks JayD good to know!

have to admit i was rather proud of my still... til the cobra came about. a decent offset in my verticle section would have helped counter weight the cooling collum. might be worth a go.

[bt1]

Howdy trigg,

Jayd nailed it ..normal is to 50/50 with vinegar /water let her steam it's head off with no cooling for a good 30 plus mins...check steam and end of condenser with a white /tissue...if there's discoloured residue still present steam longer.
Normally do a pure water steam run after that to get the acetic acid form vinegar out.

then a cheap white wine(red can add unwanted flavours) for a short run. It will have a slight dull coating on the inside of copper its called patina and it's what your chasing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patina
It builds up and needs a periodic clean out, vinegar, steam, some use acids.

Hot water poured through still after run is good, some also re heat empty still breifly as it assists with better drying. In winter important especially if you don't use for several weeks as you can get mold growth.

You could give that lovely tall girl a good run over with fine steel wool to shine her up and add a couple of thin clear coats of heat proof clear...3M brand Exhuast clear is ok to 650c if your real keen....just makes external cleaning easier down the track and adds some optic candy value...cos you'll be looking at in amazement for a fair while...

Enjoy
bt1

[trigger12]

thanks BT,

yeah gota put a bit of elbow into her yet. cant wait to fire her up.. thanks for your help so far fellas

[MacStill]

I like it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Sam.]

I believe there is use for a thermo mounted at the top where she bends, I haven't made a parrot to fit my new alcometers but on a stripping run I know when its about rooted as the temp will slowly climb then once at 98 - 99 I shut it down knowing that I have got almost everything I can out of it.

For a spirit run definitely better to use a parrot