Pot still design

[Goldie]

So SBB has found 1" over 3/4" better, what is everyone else's experience with the size of condensors.

[crow]

I didn't have enough 1" to make one so I used 3/4 over 1/2 as I had miles of it and I get 100% vapor knock down to the point that my distillate comes out ice cold . PS my still is a 2" basic pot still , if you want to see my threads on it look at Liebig condensers in beginner quest. and My megger fuggly pot still in pot stills :))

[audistiller]

I suppose the question could be raised whether the 1 inch over 3/4 has any benefits over the smaller size your using Crowman, I still know shit about this, but from your last post, there may not be much of a reason to source the larger size copper, when the smaller diameter pipe works fine and is likely a bit cheaper..?


Regards

[Sam.]

Mine is 2 inch over 1 inch just because that's what I had. Read afterwards about crimping the tube so instead I have had to put copper mesh up there to stop the huffing. Can still make it shoot out vapor if I crank the fuck out of the burner on a stripping run but is completely unnecessary as I can do a 50l strip in 2 hours from flame on to flame off. When I build another it will be smaller

[R-sole]

The question of throughput needs to be considered.

[Sam.]

Throughput?

[R-sole]

capacity.

[Sam.]

Ah ha yeah I Probably need a bigger boiler

[crow]

Toying with the Idea of putting 1/2" in 3' Graham condenser when I build a plated column , trying to see why it wouldn't' work and should less risk of smearing than the other sorts I see normally employed I could be wrong , normally am

[R-sole]

Sorry, what i'm talking about is the throughput (capacity) of a condensor.
I was posting in reply to this...

I suppose the question could be raised whether the 1 inch over 3/4 has any benefits over the smaller size your using Crowman, I still know shit about this, but from your last post, there may not be much of a reason to source the larger size copper, when the smaller diameter pipe works fine and is likely a bit cheaper..?

Assuming a two inch still carries more vapour than a 1 inch still and that a 1/2" worm will aloow more vapour to collapse than a 1/4" worm, then a 3/4 liebig will carry more vapour (produce more quantity) than a 1/2" one.

I know there are people who disagree with this and say that the vapour will just speed up to pass a restriction, and i belive that is true for a short restriction.

[crow]

Mine is 2 inch over 1 inch just because that's what I had. Read afterwards about crimping the tube so instead I have had to put copper mesh up there to stop the huffing. Can still make it shoot out vapor if I crank the fuck out of the burner on a stripping run but is completely unnecessary as I can do a 50l strip in 2 hours from flame on to flame off. When I build another it will be smaller

Right well that's baked it for me I'm getting a bigger burner 2 hrs fuck lucky if I can get the boiler up to temp by then :roll:

[Cane Toad]

Hey Crow,you want a fast boil up time :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft: Then check out my BD747 in accessories :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: Will cost ya about $5 in scrap material,and about half an hour to chuck it together......but be warned......they fuckin WORK :laughing-rolling: :D :laughing-rolling:

[Goldie]

Mine is 2 inch over 1 inch just because that's what I had. Read afterwards about crimping the tube so instead I have had to put copper mesh up there to stop the huffing.

Just reading about crimping the condensor now, is everyone else crimping their condensors? Have the results been good?

[audistiller]

Then check out my BD747 in accessories

Out of curiosity I went for another look, I'm sure I have seen the thread before. I looked through the Accessories Section and also did various searches, but I got absolutely no results. I did however get a few results using the Google Site search 5Star setup in the Beginners Section above this thread.

Here`s a place to start though - viewtopic.php?f=7&t=769


Regards

[cdbrown]

Just got a call from the plumber - he'll be dropping the stills and column off in a little while. Pity I'm still at work. It'll need the burner for heating which is fine. I'll give it a steam run tonight most likely and tomorrow arvo should be doing my first strip run. Will post pics when I get home to show the gear and what ever questions I have.

[SBB]

Just reading about crimping the condensor now, is everyone else crimping their condensors?

Crimping is without doubt of some benefit........In short it helps stop Laminar flow of vapours within the condencer.
Keep in mind that your crimps must be of the vertical kind .....not horizontal. Horizontal crimps will cause pooling and therefore smearing of cuts.
Crimping 1/2 inch is easy to do using a pair of side cutters......there are probabaly easier and better ways......thats just how i do it.
From what Ive read doing 3/4 is harder as its easy to to squash the 3/4 to a point where it wont fit up the one inch outter easily........I could be wrong here....just what Ive read.
Im about to tackle a 1 inch over 3/4 in the coming weeks..........will let you know how i go with it re crimping.
Maybe 5Star or Mac or one of the other more experienced builders can help out here.

[bt1]

Crimping is the go as u mentioned for 1/2' especially.

The other thing found useful was for the long condenser is to put a wedge shaped turbulator tip in hot end of leibig, with a 180 twist to cause a vapour swirl effect.

This is only gently tapped into leibig throat so it can be pulled out routinely cos tied to the tail of that is approx 1.5 mt of copper electrical wire...wound it round a pencil so it fits inside 1/2". It a fairly loose fit.
After about a year you pull it out and you should see how chewed up the tail wire gets It like gets eaten by vapour. On goes a fresh lot after a swim in vinegar and then fresh water.

cheers
bt1

[crow]

I didn't crimp mine I just stuffed a bit of stainless up the outlet work no probs . knock down is well and truly 100% , as I said comes out ice cold same temp as the water going in from the tap . tiny bit of huffing and thats because I can't regulate my water down enough but I'll fix that with an inline valve on the hose one day

[cdbrown]

Ok - not what I was expecting going by the various stills on this site.

What the fuck are these things???

Both together


This one has a small pipe at the bottom and at the top (just barely visible in the photo) and out of each side. Only one of the side ones has the threaded join.


Shiny thing is a temp gauge. Only outlet is at the top. In front is another piece which fits to the top of the pot


What was on the top - reflux column? Has marbles inside it.

[MacStill]

Duct tape :violence-stickwhack: