My 1st Boka build err lil help guys...

[Wraith71]

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It all starts off so simply .. Hey I did pretty good in science at school ... I'm kinda handy in the garage , so why not .. after going down the buying it path .. and NOT very impressed ... break out the tools and a fair bit of reading online and following some pic's .. here's my first build .. 2in copper pipe.. cold finger , copper mesh for packing .. no lead solder ... if anyone can see a stuff up please gimme a nudge in the right direction...Cheers

[rumdidlydum]

Its customery to introduce your self.
Pop into the welcome center for your next move ;-)

[scythe]

Oh dear you bought one from the cranky ebay seller, yeah its a bad design poorly executed.
Your one will work much better and faster.
Might want to make a double coil condenser if your one does not knock all the vapour down for you.

[Adam007]

Hi mate, you can check out my boka build in my signature link.

What size copper is your take off tubing?

[Wraith71]

Oh dear you bought one from the cranky ebay seller, yeah its a bad design poorly executed.
Your one will work much better and faster.
Might want to make a double coil condenser if your one does not knock all the vapour down for you.

Hi , Thanks for that .. I was thinking of that when I made it .. did plan to fill the coil void a bit with some copper mesh or running some wooo baby its cold water .. devils in the details.. The cranky doorstop mite end up as wall art or I mite hit it with my blow torch gut it and salvage whats good if any ..

[Darwin award]

Yeah, I got one them too.....its serviceable for neutral...if you get the extension as you did...if you pack it with mesh...if you chill your cooling water before you run it through....if you do 3 runs....actually....no, it isn't that good come to think about it :laughing-rolling: Atleast you supported the veterans....

[Wraith71]

Hi mate, you can check out my boka build in my signature link.

What size copper is your take off tubing?

Hey Adam ....Im not very good with still part names yet .. ( Redneck remember!) so bring a match and enlighten me ... And big congrats on your Boka .. sure looks like you had a blast making it, very neat. If it tastes as good as it looks you'll be singing bohemian rhapsody backwards in no time!. ... I am half way building a Liebig for mine also .. not sure what difference it makes but .. only one way to find out.

[Wraith71]

Hi Ya Darwin ...
Yer seems like every one ive chatted to says their a piece of the perverble .. .. even heard tell theres lead in it .. hummmm ........... anyways bit like ur first car ... no air con .. windy windows .. even had a tape deck for your Bon Jovi !! Its a learning curve.. ...

[Adam007]

Take off = where the good stuff comes out. And the needle valve is hooked onto :)

[Wraith71]

Take off = where the good stuff comes out. And the needle valve is hooked onto :)

Ahhhh Gotchya ! :text-imwithstupid: Its 1/8 .. will be running about 4ft down, 3ft of which will be thru 3/4 water jacket cooler ..same 1/8 was used as a place to put a temp probe just below the top plate ... wondering if I should put a cap ontop of my coldfinger .. lol sounds a lil James Bond.

[Redux]

Welcome... im just west of you i think....

fun time learning the terminology... it does get easier! (but then you discover wash types)

anyhoo... Hiya!

:greetings-waveyellow:

[Wraith71]

Hey ya-all ,
Don't ya hate it when you loose ur laptop .. and cant remember any login info .... sheesh what a pain .. any how hope every ones been good .. and big sorry if I missed any Q,s or G'Days ..

[CaptainRedBeard]

Take off = where the good stuff comes out. And the needle valve is hooked onto :)

Ahhhh Gotchya ! :text-imwithstupid: Its 1/8 .. will be running about 4ft down, 3ft of which will be thru 3/4 water jacket cooler ..same 1/8 was used as a place to put a temp probe just below the top plate ... wondering if I should put a cap ontop of my coldfinger .. lol sounds a lil James Bond.

If you capped the cold finger, be sure to drill holes to vent to the atmosphere. Would hate to leave that valve closed and have a bomb go off.

You sound like you know what your on about anyway, so with that...
Welcome back mate :handgestures-thumbupleft: glad to have you back on board.

[Wraith71]

Take off = where the good stuff comes out. And the needle valve is hooked onto :)

Ahhhh Gotchya ! :text-imwithstupid: Its 1/8 .. will be running about 4ft down, 3ft of which will be thru 3/4 water jacket cooler ..same 1/8 was used as a place to put a temp probe just below the top plate ... wondering if I should put a cap ontop of my coldfinger .. lol sounds a lil James Bond.

If you capped the cold finger, be sure to drill holes to vent to the atmosphere. Would hate to leave that valve closed and have a bomb go off.

You sound like you know what your on about anyway, so with that...
Welcome back mate :handgestures-thumbupleft: glad to have you back on board.

Hey big thanks for the info , and the welcome back ... there is a vent hole already in place , its just above to slant plates. I was going to dangle a temp prob in there so if it gets too much pressure out she pops.. but I think having an extra on top wont hurt. I'm still testing out the cold finger and tweeking up a few minor mods. Will be posting a few pics of the finished item .
cheers all and and a big :text-thankyoublue: for help.

[CaptainRedBeard]

I wouldn't advice putting a vent hole anywhere that vapor may escape, it would need to be above your condenser not below. So make sure your thermometer is sealed in, no holes or leaks.

By having a hole above the plate, and below the condenser, your pretty much going to be spilling most of your booze out in vapor form. The vapors highly flammable too, so you could light up your garage like a Christmas tree.

Seal the sucker in, and only have it open with holes in your cap.

[Wraith71]

I wouldn't advice putting a vent hole anywhere that vapor may escape, it would need to be above your condenser not below. So make sure your thermometer is sealed in, no holes or leaks.

By having a hole above the plate, and below the condenser, your pretty much going to be spilling most of your booze out in vapor form. The vapors highly flammable too, so you could light up your garage like a Christmas tree.

Seal the sucker in, and only have it open with holes in your cap.

Hi Cap,
Funny you should point that out, cos that's the very thing ive been trying to get right. Ive had the condenser redneck fixed onto a coffee tin half full of simmering water checking whats going on where.. :angry-banghead: theres only so much you can learn without the practical side. ( watching too much mythbusters on discovery channel I think ) I will be sorting out not so much a cap as a loose fitting top plate with vent holes , the cold finger keeps sitting down to the plate and leaning against the side. So hopefully this will hold it bit more true.
Luckily my garage has very good ventilation thanks to twin exhaust fans installed to keep the smell of 2stroke from annoying the missus. But thanks for the good word , nice to know fellow stillers have a bit of nouse to spread the safety msg.
Cheers mate.

[CaptainRedBeard]

Haha, I love how everything just gets thrown back to being redneck related :laughing-rolling:

Mate, as a subtle piece of advice, scroll through the boka builds from members here on this site. You can replicate their builds that are proven to be safe and they work. Yours looks very similar to others on here, but I fear your missing out on some critical aspects, both in efficiency and safety.

Got any photos looking into your tube at your slant plate also?

[Wraith71]

Ok bit of an update ... ditched the coldfinger in fav of a helic wound double with a cap and some u-beaut fittings from the plumbers supply ... Works smuch better!

[Wraith71]

Break out the grinder and gave it a chop top .. chuck in a few stainless bits and a heat proof gasket .. on went the long awaited drain valve .. and now we're cookin.

[Wraith71]

Now all back together ( settin up for a vinegar cleaning run ) even runs like a bought one..! :D Now wondering what to do with my big pot still..