Pot Still / Stripper using T500 25L boiler

[SBB]

Im tossing around the idea of building a pot still using my T500 boiler. Id mainly be using it to strip TPW before running it through the reflux column. Questions I have are.............
A: Is there an easy way to fix another still head to the existing lid of the boiler?
B: Would the wattage of the element (2000w) be suitable for pot stilling/stripping?
C Am I wasting my time even thinking about it , would I be better off going the whole hog and setting up a 50L beer keg and building or have someone built a column that can do both jobs.
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[reknaw]

You could fit another column to the 25 ltr boiler, 2200w would be ok to strip, I personally would go the keg. A lot less stuffing around for a much better result.

It all depends on what you want and what YOU will be happy with :D

[MacStill]

A, You can get brass backing nuts from a plumbing supplies that you could solder/braze on the stripper to fit your boiler, this is how I've done a few builds for a couple of members on here who wanted to stay with their 25L boiler.

B, 2000 watts would do the job, more would be better but it will be fine.

C, No your not wasting time at all, A keg boiler and pot head is the go for sure. If your happy with your T500 stick with it, they are ok for a reflux still, get a gas fired keg and pot still head sorted and you'll be happy you did.

If you build it yourself you'll be happy you did, and you can use that as a practice run for building your future reflux column.... win win ;)

Columns that do both pot still and reflux are a bit of a trade off, IMHO you are better off having a still designed for it's purpose as a pot or a reflux but some people like the convenience of a combo.

Build your own, you wont regret it ;)

[busman]

It's REALLY freakin' easy to build a basic pot still head :mrgreen: . I'm doing the same, I've got a keg and I'm building a pot still head for stripping as well as a VM column. The pot still head (minus the liebig) comprises six bits of copper and two bits of stainless (a ferrule and a threaded fitting for the liebig). Reckon you could knock one up in under an hour.

[Heffers]

It's REALLY freakin' easy to build a basic pot still head.

x2

I'm nearly finished whacking together a pot still that will be used for stripping runs. I got the copper from a metal recycling yard, the bends and reducers from the local plumbing shop, the ferrule and tri-clamp from 5Star and a keg from some un-named generous publican; cut it all to length and brazed/soldered it together.

Mine was only complicated by fabricating a shotgun condensor, which wasn't really all that complicated in the end. Other than that it was a simple evolution. As Mac has said it is a very rewarding experience.

Cheers,
Heffers

[SBB]

Thanks for the quick response and the opinions people :)
I think with 170 Liters of TPW bubbling away in the corner Im getting a bit excited and trying to come up with faster ways to process it :lol:
Still not to sure which way I will go.....but I do know that in the end I want something based on a beer keg and Gas. I was thinking of using the the T500 pot still build as a trial run and learning experience. I may still go ahead with it....dunno for sure yet!
Spent some time today checking out the three local plumbing supplies and bought the bits n piece I need to build a parrot ( or what I think I need) :? Hopefully once this project is complete I will have some idea of how to solder :?
Can some one give me some idea of what sort of silver solder I need to use when building a still or parrot???
I bough two sticks today $6 each......42% silver from memory. Have done a bit of reading on other sites tonight re solder types and there seems to be more to it than first meets the eye :( From what Ive read some silver solders contain nasties that shouldn't be used. Alsoi are there pros and cons of different fluxs...brands and types????
Thanks for all the help
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[MacStill]

You dont want the brazing sticks, you want soft silver solder ;)

This is the solder you want

http://www.bernzomatic.com/PRODUCTS/SOL ... fault.aspx

And the flux

http://www.bernzomatic.com/PRODUCTS/SOL ... fault.aspx

Bunnings stocks it ;)

The solder sticks you bought are for brazing, they require a lot of heat & clean up is difficult, you need to get the copper cherry red before it melts and this causes it to go black (carbonizes?)

The soft silver solder melts at a lot lower temp & clean up is a breeze, I only use brazing for structural parts of a build where a join needs to hold some weight ;)

Those brazing rods you got will come in handy later on when you want to join SS to copper ;)

[SBB]

Thanks for that Mac I will go with your suggestion......The bloke at the plumbing supply place told me to not use to much heat on the stuff he sold me or it would "ball up and be hard to use"....could he have sold me something other than what your thinking of???
Cheers SBB

[MacStill]

could he have sold me something other than what your thinking of???
Cheers SBB

Nah they're for brazing mate, just high silver content, I bet they werent cheap either ;)

Soft solder is so much easier to work with, but again be careful with the heat.... you want the solder to chase the flame, once the work piece is hot enough to suck the solder into the join move the heat further around the join.... you'll see what I mean ;)

[SBB]

Got stuck into building the pot still head for the T500 boiler today and glad I did. Things are going well so far with most of the still head and condenser amost finished.
Two questions I have are.
1: Can someone suggest an appropriate and safe gasket material to use under the brass backing nut that Ive used to attack the column to the boiler.
2: Ive read a bit about pickling brass when it has to be used in still building.....any ideas / opinions on this. ????
Cant find the threads now but I believe that vinegar and peroxide are used????
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[MacStill]

PTFE tape is considered safe if it's a threaded connection you want to seal, or musical grade cork for a gasket but I dont like that shit, you can also get triclamp gaskets in teflon (PTFE) in a lot of sizes that are great to use as a gasket for anything stilling related.

Midway metals and a few other sources are posted for tri clamps and accessories in the distillers warehouse section ;)

[stilly_bugger]

This is the solder you want...

Great to have an aussie-based site for this reason. Thanks McStill.

Maybe someone who can read MSDSs could start a sticky thread listing safe solders and fluxes? If one already exists, I've missed it (and apologise in advance).

Cheers.