Bryan's New Boiler Build

Boiler, burner and boiler modification talk.

Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Tue Jun 23, 2020 6:53 pm

G'day Guy's,
Well one can only look at my 50 and 80 litre kegs so the plan is starting to come together to let the 2 kegs be attached for life. :laughing-rolling:

Now using the simple method of finding out what diameter a keg is I put my dress makers tape around and got the measurement, then onto my 20+ year old calculator just divided the result by pi and the 50 litre keg is 363mm diameter. So sat the 2" output where the original output for keg is and centre punched the centre. Using my large dividers marked out the circle lightly then coloured it in with black texta, Then I scribed a heavy line for the cut line.

The idea is just cut the hole and sit the 50 litre keg in to mark out the cut and I may have to support the 50 litre keg. I do have that 6" fitting I got off fleabay that is bigger and a different triclamp standard. I had been wondering what to do what that triclamp connection and it has found a new home on the side of the 80 litre keg, which will serve as a good cleaning port for the still.

The original 2" outlet will get a 90 degree 2" pipe bend then with the 2" go off to either a triclamp connection or to suit the gate valve I score the for it which will serve as the drain and maybe yet the filling port.

I do have to buy a 6" triclamp off 5 star for the still output and I have that 4-6" SS reducer I bought off Mack many years ago so that can serve to suit my 4" modular system .

This Friday I will upto the Bridge with a bottle of my corn flakes moonshine to butter up the owner of the scrapyard and score a few lengths of 2", the 90 degree bend and hopefully a SS gate valve to use.

For welding this up I do have 3 options

1. Stick my 316 SS rods in the oven for a few hours to restore them and arc weld it up.

2. Get motivated and tig weld the still up and prepare to use a heap of argon as by tig welding it would need purging to get a decent weld.

3. Tack everything up and butter up the boss to let me take it into work and use their 10K pulse mig already setup for SS.

So the still is going to sit with 4 off 2" SS pipe legs with 100x100 by 10 mm SS plate for the feet.

Now for powering this still no elements are going to be used and as I'm so impressed with that luxford burner I made out of copper I'm thinking of making a 4 outlet one where 2 burners are on each side and each burner will be independent as using 4 of them may just be too much heat for a run but be great for heatup times. So buy regulating each burner should give the right heat needed.

The other option and it is one I want to do is just stick a wood fire under it like the old timers used to do and that should be a fun day.

Basically I have decided every wash I do will need to be stripped until enough low wines are produced to do a spirit run. Fair enough my 4" bubbler makes great stuff off a single run but using my pot stills where I strip everything does taste a heap better than a single run. Ok not in the same quantity and I am making brandy. :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

Pic's to come as I did get a new phone and hopefully it will be better for taking pic's and video's.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby bigcam » Tue Jun 23, 2020 7:50 pm

i married a 50lt to a 18 gallon was a pain but worth it marked it down off the 50 to the 18 but didnt look right so slow slowly flap disk to get tight fit
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby bigcam » Tue Jun 23, 2020 8:03 pm

and purge tig is the best :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Wed Jun 24, 2020 6:46 pm

Got home from work today and went up to my shed and checked the charge on the forklift battery thinking I better get some 2" flexible exhaust tube and setup my Listeriod to give the batteries a charge. Took a SG reading of the batteries and :scared-eek: fully charged sitting on 26 :happy-partydance:

So time get my 4" angle grinder out and using a part worn 1mm cut off disk cut out the circle on the 80 litre keg, kept the cut to the inside of the line and then went and cut the top off the 50 litre keg. So far only got the keg just over 1/2 way in and I do need to get a new flapper disk for the 4" grinder. I don't want to use my 5" as the chance of cutting too much or digging in just aint worth it.

The 80 litre keg is filthy inside and my pressure is down at the house shed where I'm washing a free Jackaroo bbq that was filthy as. Used a bottle and a 1/2 of degreaser and still got more to clean :angry-banghead: But once it's all clean and fixed up it will replace my 20 year bbq. So that jobbie is on this weekend and the 80 litre keg can also get a good blast. By the way the 50 litre is spotless inside and over in pretty good nic, the 80 litre is another story but with a good cleanup and bit of panel beating to get the dings out the boiler should cleanup nicely.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby bigcam » Wed Jun 24, 2020 7:35 pm

my 50lt keg deformed a bit when cut and it was a custom fit to sink it into the 18gal pain in the arse but :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:46 pm

Bigcam when I cut the top off my 50 litre it didn't deform at all, now I had already taken the base off it and decided to use the bottom off that keg for the the top of the new stilll.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:35 pm

G'day Guy's,
Well a build thread without some pic's just aint a build thread so lets get things started :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

the marriage.jpg


The marriage between the kegs is close to completion and went shopping today at the scrapyard.

butterfly valve and new fitting.jpg


Scored this SS 2" butterfly valve and a 1-1/2 BSP threaded adaptor, on the right side with the taper I'll cut it back to suit the 2" pipe and tig weld it. the 1-1/2" adaptor will go in the left hand side. I'll put a quick connector on it for a hose so draining the wash after a run will be a breeze, down the track I'll set it up for filling the boiler too.

2 inch pipe.jpg


Also scored the 90 degree bend 2" pipe and several other for making the legs. Next week at work I'll score some 100x10mm offcut plates to use for the feet.

So the fun begins gluing all this together

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:52 pm

too late to edit the above thread but had a look at the store and YES :happy-partydance: :happy-partydance: :happy-partydance: 6" ferrules are in stock so placed an order for one. As the budget has blown out this week the 6" tri clamp will have to wait for another day.

Cheers Bryan
Last edited by RuddyCrazy on Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby bluc » Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:59 pm

Going to be awesome :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Fri Jul 10, 2020 3:50 pm

So lets talk about the marriage of the kegs :laughing-rolling:

Now to find out the diameter of the 50 litre donor keg wrap a dress makers tape around it and stretch it tight not that tight if you have strong arms as one will stretch the tape making it useless :angry-banghead: . Line up the reading on the 100mm mark on tape and don't forget to subtract that 100mm or we get that dreaded 100mm error that happens to everyone. :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

Divide the correct reading by pi and that is the diameter of the keg, too easy isn't it

Now using a large divider or a piece of string on a nail mark out the diameter on the 80 litre keg. Stay about 1/2 a mil before the line and using a 4" angle grinder with a 1mm cutting disk cut out the hole. Sit the donor keg ontop set the angle grinder up with a new sanding pad as we don't want use a used one that we used on ferrous material. :violence-smack:

Get a set of feeler gauges and use the 10 thou one for checking the fit as we trim the hole for the marriage. We do want a close fitting joint for welding and doing it slowly is the key. After work I'd get the marriage that bit closer as we don't want the SS to get that hot to where it starts distorting :violence-stickwhack:

Just like the spirit we make taking things slow with SS to keep the heat away in important as when it come time to start tacking we want a close fit.

When I cut the top of the 50 litre donor keg I left the radius on as where it meets on the lowest point that radius will come into play to making a nice marriage. I still have several more visits to complete the marriage and the marriage weld will be one of last welds we do as all the ferrules have to welded on first.

That 6" ferrule I bought on fleabay (ripofffbay) where I got a full refund as the seller turned to be a true toff :laughing-rolling: is a different standard of the tri-clamp standard. This ferrule will go on the side of the 80 litre keg for cleaning when the time comes to do the job.

I do have a 4" ferrule here that is going on the 50 litre keg to use as a fill port and as the 6" ferrule ontop of the keg will dominate the 4" ferrule will be mounted partly on the side of the boiler. Yet to make that cut and it will be a nice challenge to do.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby nuddy » Sat Jul 11, 2020 2:45 pm

Hey bryan1, glad to see you biting off more than you can chew, then chewing like hell. Bigcam and myself have been down this road. Well worth it once the stills up and running on your shiny new boiler.

Getting the two kegs fitting was time consuming work. But worth it in the end. Chuck some more pics up.

I went with 2 x 6" ferrules, one for the column (when I upgrade) and one for fillport/cleaning access.

Build pics here: http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=11929
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby bluc » Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:20 am

Nuddy love that boiler. My fav boiler I have seen so far.
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sat Jul 18, 2020 7:52 am

G'day Guy's,
Had some spare time Friday arvo and while waiting for the mechanic to turn up had a bit of play with the boiler. Decided to cut the legs and put them on so sat the 80 litre keg on different buckets to get an idea of the leg height. Decided 300mm would be ideal so cut a 15 degree angle in the 2" SS pipe in my old hacksaw mitre saw which took a good 10 minutes. Then got some drawing paper and wrapped it around and used a sharp knife to cut the paper to make the template. Then I just wrapped the paper template around the next leg, marked it then hack sawed the cut. did the same with the other 2 legs then it was time to get the keg to the right height.

Now as the 80 litre keg sits nicely as the 2" drain port serves as the base point so raised it up with my 2 tonne car jack and got the spirit level out only to find the hole I have cut for the 50 litre keg was about 10mm off centre :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead:

So that idea went the way of the dodo and it isn't a huge error as that 2" drain port is pretty beat up and by trimming the 2" drain to fit will fix it. So the legs will have to go on later after the 2 keg are married.

After having a chat with a welder at work I'm going to buy a mig welder and use that to weld up the keg as the mig will be a handy tool for the workshop to have.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Fri Jul 24, 2020 7:41 pm

Well the tax return is in and the question is do I buy a mini spool mig and regret it later or just go for 250 amp big one. Now with the mini spool ones all I need to do is buy a couple of then and but a big spool and rewind the mini spools.

Now the 6" ferrule has arrived and thanks Andrew for the cuppa chups and my daughters loved them :handgestures-thumbupleft: as a treat out of nowhere.

As this project needs well over a metre of welding a mig is the way to go and as this 80 litre boiler is old and crappy a big roll of 309 SS wire should be the best wire to use as I do have a lot of uses for that wire.

In order to be creative I make dragon flies out of knives and flowers out of spoons, now say if I and have done make 20 of them they sell within a month.

With the tig it is setting the item in place then striking the arc only to find the item isn't trues SS and the 309 wire will weld the part.

So yes I do think a mig has to be part of my kit of things as they are such a good point ans shoot welder

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby scythe » Fri Jul 24, 2020 10:28 pm

I bought a 3in1 for this very reason.
There is a time for TIG and a time for MIG, occasionally stick too.
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sat Jul 25, 2020 12:20 pm

G'Day Guy's,
Well went shopping this morning and came home with a unimg viper 182 arc/mig welder and couple of 5kg spools of mild steel wire. There was noway I was going to pay $77 for a 1kg spool of 316 wire :scared-eek: :scared-eek: :scared-eek: :scared-eek:

So next week down town I'll see if I can source a 5kg spool of 309 SS wire and do a pricing on 5kg V 15 kg spools as theres no sense paying 5 time the price for the same wire :laughing-rolling:

Got a bottle of Argon here that I bought when I got the new arc/ welder, a lincon powercraft 130 amp a few years ago and that will do for now until I get a dedicated Argon/CO2 bottle for the mig.

Got plenty of steel here so the first job is making a trolley for the mig and argon bottle before the yard arm gets here :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sat Jan 08, 2022 3:12 pm

G'Day Guy's,
Well got sick of looking at that 80 litre keg sitting there and after getting the shed battery fully charged this morning time for a bit of fun :handgestures-thumbupleft:

cleaning port.jpg


Now as I haven't tig welded in a while decided to cut the hole after welding as I wasn't sure if the keg side of the weld would creep under the heat on me. Next week after work I'll get some some flux paste so i can passivate the welds and when the weld cools I'll fill the ferrule with water to see if they are any leaks.

As it was an awkward position to weld I did a trial run to see just how far I had to have the electrode out then put several small tacks to stop it lifting and tig welded it in.

Next job is putting the 6" ferrule on the 50 litre keg and the 4" ferrule for the fill port before I join the 2 kegs.

All good fun

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RC Al » Sat Jan 08, 2022 3:35 pm

Is it just the pic or are you a 1/2" off centre?
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sat Jan 08, 2022 3:46 pm

RC Al wrote:Is it just the pic or are you a 1/2" off centre?


Yea mate it is off centre and closer on the top of of the boiler, this was due to the flat section where the serial number was stamped in. There was upto 2mm gaps around and that was the best fit I could get and for reference I did use a full stick of 316SS filler wire.

Doing the water test didn't show any leaks at all so the next job is cutting the centre section out and this ferrule is the one I got off ebay where the 6" was a different standard to what we use. Got a seal and blanking cap so this ferrule and it will serve as the cleaning port just to use it up as it didn't have any other.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Bryan's New Boiler Build

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:12 pm

G'Day guy's,
Got to thinking about the legs and came up with the idea just to use some of 130x3mm plate I have here. :handgestures-thumbupleft: So cut 2 off 500mm lengths then marked out and tacked the legs on. Sure enough the top of the legs needs cutting to make a good fit as the idea of laying on the ground at my age aint the go welding :angry-banghead:

Decided well time I cleaned up the bench so it can finally be used as one instead of just as storage place for crap :laughing-rolling: So todays job was cleaning up said bench which took a lot longer than one thought :laughing-rolling: So an hour after work thru the week will get the bench ready so this boiler project can get moving. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

As I still have enough of that 130x3mm plate I'll take it into work and roll it so I make a baffle to contain the flames as I'm going to make a dual BD burner setup and 130mm should be enough to keep the flame in check :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Just about gone thru that first argon bottle which has lasted since I bought the new welder so a batch of dragon flies and flowers are planned to be made to pay for the bottle and also keep SWMBO happy :laughing-rolling:

My plan is get everything tacked up then i'll take the boiler into work and for a bottle of my finest my work mate will burn it in using a 15K welder so all the welds will be smick :laughing-rolling:

Cheers Bryan
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