New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Reflux still design and discussion

Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby woodduck » Tue May 19, 2015 9:51 pm

I'm with mac and zac, just build the pot as is, probably don't need to go as high as 800mm, 400 would probably be enough. And if you really want to do some neutral make up a simple boka or vm head about 800mm long that will clamp straight on top of your first riser.

Or you ask around, i recon there would be a heep of reflux stills out there colecting dust in the corner of the shed that someone might lend/sell you. If you were closer you could borrow mine, It just a relic on the wall now :laughing-rolling:

Keep brainstorming mate, don't rush in and it will all come together :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zaximus » Tue May 19, 2015 11:20 pm

MacStill wrote:
Zaximus wrote:
MacStill wrote:Honestly IMHO :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I wouldn't build a refluxing pot still, I would be building a pot for striping and spirit runs even if for your vodka still and spirit runs on rums etc etc ;-)


So you reckon leave the pot as a pot and not put the RC inside? And just run as pot for stripping and spirit? Then I guess later I could think about building the bubbler.


Yeah :handgestures-thumbupleft:


You know I was umming and arring about whether or not to put my build on here cos I thought who wants to know about my build but I clearly underestimated the community on this forum. Pot still it is then with a future plan of a 4" bubbler in the pipeline. Thanks all of you gents! :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zaximus » Tue May 19, 2015 11:23 pm

Thanks Woodduck that's exactly what I'll do. Take the time. Although I think that the poor with a later 4" is a perfect idea.
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zak Griffin » Wed May 20, 2015 6:48 am

Thanks for sharing the build mate. There's some very experienced builders here, and they love it when they can give advice BEFORE all of the copper is cut, rather than trying to help out after the fact.

Also, woodduck has had the Glass Duck on the portal for what must be nearly a year... It's about time for a new featured build! ;-)
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby woodduck » Wed May 20, 2015 7:55 am

Yer so come on Zax and Zac :teasing-tease: get these builds done. There hasn't been too many builds lately and even I'm getting sick of seeing that same photo on the portol :teasing-tease: :teasing-neener: :laughing-rolling:
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zaximus » Wed May 20, 2015 11:17 pm

Challenge accepted farken :music-deathmetal:

You buggers are very convincing you know! I spent all day thinking about this and then I decided that fuck the 2" column. I'm going 4" ferrule from the keg into an initial 4" x 400mm column into 4" - 2" reducer and into the 90deg bend and I'll start with the pot that way rather than going 2" to start with. I checked out Parkwoods Hardware (thanks for advice Mac) and they can give me a 1m length of 4" for $76. Haven't checked with plumber mate yet to see if he can get cheaper but I reckon that's not a bad price.

Then that way I have my 400mm pot column when I want to run as a pot and I'll have enough left over for a later dephlag and a packed section when I go bubbler route. So questions I have:
1. Is 400mm enough for pot? I'm pretty sure it's plenty, especially considering it will be 4".
2. Is 200mm enough for a dephlag, or should I go more if I want to use as bubbler dephlag later?
3. Is 400mm enough for a packed section?

Those measurements fit nicely into 1m but if I need to go more then I will. Feedback appreciated gentlemen! :happy-partydance:
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zak Griffin » Thu May 21, 2015 6:42 am

With a metre of 4", I would make a 500mm pot column (that will be used as your packed section later), and a 150mm tall module for a blockhead top. Then you can slip a gin basket in down the top of the column ;-)

You could also do a 100mm high RC, a 150mm plate module, and have enough 4" left over for a couple of BIG sightglasses, of that's what you want (i prefer 3" SG's on a 4" rig, but that's me...)

$76/metre seems pretty reasonable to me, for brand new pipe!
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zaximus » Thu May 21, 2015 10:15 am

Zak Griffin wrote:With a metre of 4", I would make a 500mm pot column (that will be used as your packed section later), and a 150mm tall module for a blockhead top. Then you can slip a gin basket in down the top of the column ;-)

You could also do a 100mm high RC, a 150mm plate module, and have enough 4" left over for a couple of BIG sightglasses, of that's what you want (i prefer 3" SG's on a 4" rig, but that's me...)

$76/metre seems pretty reasonable to me, for brand new pipe!


Mate, loving the idea of the gin basket, hadn't even considered it! But I used to make a herbal maceration in Croatia all the time, known locally in coastal Dalmatia as Travarica (or, herbal spirit). So the gin basket would absolutely go down a treat with me...love your work :clap:

Is a 100mm RC enough? Really? I would have thought it would need to be a little taller.

And if I'm going to do a bubbler in future, I'm thinking a glass bubbler for nothing more than the fact I love the look of them. I reckon the SG columns are cool as but I like the glass bubbler heaps better.

So in that respect, I'll have a 500mm pot column, a 150mm blockhead, leaving me with 350mm left over for RC and to flatten out to build my future plates with. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zak Griffin » Thu May 21, 2015 11:25 am

If you want a glasser, and want a gin basket, I would make the blockhead section about 250mm tall, and use 150mm of the leftover 4" to make the gun basket. Cut 4-5mm out of the pipe longways, and solder it back together so it's a snug fit inside the blockhead, and make a perforated plate for the bottom to hold your botanicals. Add a handle to the top, and a plate/cap to clamp to the top of the still and voila!

I hope this makes sense. I'll draw a picture if you're confused :D
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zaximus » Thu May 21, 2015 11:53 am

Yeah that makes sense mate. I would have thought though that the botanicals should be more in the line of the vapour path and not up high in the blockhead. The first thing that came to mind when I though gin basket was fabricating 3 brackets that would suspend the gin basket from the top plate so I could hang it down inside the 500mm section below the 90deg bend so that it's fully in the line of vapour. I didn't consider cutting the 4" pipe length ways, removing 5mm and re-soldering, great suggestion. I suppose there's many possibilities.

And so the 100mm RC stands ay?
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby WTDist » Thu May 21, 2015 12:02 pm

Zaximus wrote: I checked out Parkwoods Hardware (thanks for advice Mac) and they can give me a 1m length of 4" for $76. Haven't checked with plumber mate yet to see if he can get cheaper but I reckon that's not a bad price.


I havent seen the price for 4" in brissy but 2" is $53.IMO i think that is a good price. i wonder if there is any one in brissy doing this price :think:
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby woodduck » Thu May 21, 2015 1:45 pm

100mm rc will be fine mate. Mine is only 80mm and i never had a problem until i put the thumper on, i have to run it alot harder now to keep them all bubbling. Without the thumper i run my 2400w element flat out and it holds full reflux no problem :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zaximus » Thu May 21, 2015 6:05 pm

woodduck wrote:100mm rc will be fine mate. Mine is only 80mm and i never had a problem until i put the thumper on, i have to run it alot harder now to keep them all bubbling. Without the thumper i run my 2400w element flat out and it holds full reflux no problem :handgestures-thumbupleft:


Sweet, 100mm it is then. That leads to the next part then, is 1 element enough for the moment? I mean, if I'm only running it as a pot to begin with, I think 1 x 2400W element should be fine. Just means longer time to heat up the wash/mash but once running it shouldn't be a problem I think.
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zaximus » Thu May 21, 2015 6:12 pm

And thanks Zak for sending me a mark up of the gin basket idea into the taller blockhead! Great idea....who knows, maybe there will be a build to knock ol' Woodduck off his perch.....at least I'm entitled to some wishful thinking anyway. :O) :teasing-neener:
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby woodduck » Thu May 21, 2015 6:43 pm

I recon if you are only going to have one element to start with i would use a 3600w with a controller. It would be a bit quicker to heat up and faster for stripping runs but can be turned down for spirit runs, although I don't have first hand experience with 3600w spirit runs but hopefully someone can confirm I'm on the right track.
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby WTDist » Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:44 pm

Did this ever kick off?
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Re: New Build - Hybrid Reflux-Pot

Postby Zaximus » Sun May 07, 2017 8:05 pm

WTDist wrote:Did this ever kick off?

Just having a read back through this thread and how excited I was to get this going. I had to abandon fairly much every hobby and social life to get through uni, which I'm done with next month! Beauty is though that I have all materials still and this build will be resurrected.
Going to continue writing now for the 15,000 words I have to submit in 2 weeks but come mid June I'm tasting freedom again which will include building the still I planned back then. All is not lost...I'll be back...
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