Thanks for the prompt feedback guys!
5 o'clock wrote:If you cut your black handle in the lid will it lose some of its strength and rigidity?
I don't think the handle itself is providing much rigidity, although I guess it must provide some. The way the lid is shaped (inverted dome and ridge) I think it should have some rigidity. I suppose I'll always find out, and I'm not too worried about mangling the lid.
5 o'clock wrote:I have a similar urn already modified with a salad bowl lid with stainless clamps to hold it on.
I'm curious how thick the walls of the salad bowl are?
5 o'clock wrote:I am waiting on my new keg to be modified so don't need the urn anymore.
ticknaylor wrote:Hey mate as someone that built a boka originally from an urn I would say theres a reason why people use kegs.
Kegs certainly are sturdy, I can see why people use them. I do like that I can open the urn up to clean it though. I think if I was to move on from the urn I'd still lean towards one of the HBS boilers.
ticknaylor wrote:Kegs already have a fitting that is compatible with 2" ferrules not saying you cant use a screw fitting many have but if you read the standards for 3A sanitary fittings threads aren't allowed like any standard you its over designed but for a reason.
The thread would be sealed outside the vapour path, and constantly subjected to vapours at 70+ degrees so I would have thought this would cover it. I can see why you would avoid threads in your brewing gear since you can get bacterial build up in them (although my fermenters all have screw thread taps). I guess I could learn to weld and weld a ferrule on, and this would also strengthen the hole in the lid. The main reason I went with the screw fitting is I can picture myself achieving it! I guess I can just take it to a local machine shop and get it fitted.
ticknaylor wrote:An urn has a thermostat which means it clicks on and off to maintain a constant temp in the boiler which doesn't work for our purpose in distilling you cant control a still by heat input. Needs to be removed for your urn to work.
The urn seems to have a click at the very upper end of the thermostat. I'm hoping this means it's just switched on at that point, but I'm also happy to open it up and bypass the thermostat if this proves not to be the case
ticknaylor wrote:Shop around you should be able to find somewhere you don't need to buy 6m lengths. Got a plumber mate?
I can buy per the meter from Reece's here, but it doesn't seem good value. I've asked a plumber just to see, but so far no luck.
ticknaylor wrote:Hate to be a wanker but theres link in tips from the work bench that could help ya have a gander heaps of good info in there on kegs electrical setups burners etc
I'll take a bit more of a look there. I'd take a bit more convincing to head down the keg route I think.
Dominator wrote:2400w will be too much power for a 2" pot still on a spirit run.
I thought if you could knock back down the vapour it didn't matter how much power you had. I've obviously missed something here, is it an issue of flooding the column?
Dominator wrote:Instead of buying ferrules for your column, you could make ezy flanges. A search will get you heaps of info and guides on how to make them. Also you will need a seal, as well as a tri clamp to join them, I didn't see that on your list.
I guess I can always try to make an ezy flange and if I stuff it up cut it off and put on a ferrule. I had thought the ferrules would make it easier. I had a tri-clamp on the list but no seals, and I figured I'd either be making a PTFE gasket or similar. I guess I'd still need to make a gasket for the ezy flange.
Dominator wrote:I don't think a 3/8 over 1/4 liebig condenser is going to work, especially in pot mode. It will create way too much restriction. You really need to go at least 3/4 over 1/2 or even 1" over 3/4. You can get 1/2 and 3/4 copper pipe and fittings from bunnings.
Once it's knocked back into liquid the flow rate shouldn't be too high, but I guess there will be a lot of vapour speed at the start of the liebig. I'm quite happy to go larger on the liebig since the parts are a lot cheaper. I spotted the reducer Ts there the other day, but I didn't notice exactly which sizes they had.
Dominator wrote:If you don't already have them, you will need some tools for your build, a butane or mapp gas torch, solder, flux and a hacksaw will be your main tools.
I've got a friend with a 'decent sized plumbing torch' that he inherited from somewhere, and hacksaws. I was planning to buy solder and flux with the 2" pipe.
Dominator wrote:For your reflux coil, a 150mm double helix will be more than enough for a 2" still. I can't remember how much 1/4" I used to make mine, maybe someone else can chime in, but I have a feeling 3m wont be enough.
Cool, thanks. I guess there is no problem with going too big on the coil, I can always fit a valve to slow it down. I'll do a bit more research for this bit.
Dominator wrote:Have you had a look for scrap metal recyclers near you. You can save a packet on copper and you could get 3m of 2" for buger all.
I've called a few (none seem to be open outside work hours) and dropped in at one once. None of them seem to hang on to any copper for any period of time around here. A mate of a mate works at one so I've been trying to get him to keep an eye out. I'm pretty well at the point where I just want to get the gear so I can get this done :)