4" bubbler tee design question

[Rockybrewa]

Hello everyone,

After the recent successful completions of my 2" pot still I have spend countless nights in the garage stripping batches and fine tuning my process for spirit runs. I now have another child and time is gold for me so I can't spend too much time screwing around after work. Hence the time has come quicker than expected to build a 4" perforated plate bubbler.

Now I am about to get my hands on a few meters of 4" pipe at a good price and am tossing up wheather to fabricate the sight glass sections my self or use 100x100x100 pre formed tee sections that will nicely fit 4" ferrules. If I do fab the tee sections my self I just for the life of me work out how everyone is making the round cuts for the horizontal piece to fit into the vertical piece. I plan on using 4" sight glasses right now.

I am very early into the design phase right now and doing cost benefit analysis for each of the options.

Can some one explain what process is used for making a modular tee section, specifically the major 90 degree join. Do you use a hole saw, or roughly cut the convex shape then file perfect? Or some other easy way haha.

Thanks in advance

Rocky!

[rumdidlydum]

If you use the pipe joint template thats here http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=1235&p=163559

There's many diferent ways of cutting it out, it all depends on what tools you have available.
You could roughly cut it with a grinder then finish it off with a dremel or die grinder.

Look forward to your build thread :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[dogbreath vodka]

Not sure if it's useful for you , but have a look at my first build.
It was all 4" "T's"
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=3943

[coffe addict]

Hey mate I'm currently building a bubbler with the T's. I went this way for simplicity but adds considerably to the build costs.
It's taken three full days and a few hours after work and I've built all but the bubble T's. I'm waiting on parts for the bubble T's.

Really easy so far and pretty quick.

[WTDist]

if you have the money go the tees otherwise you can just file the tee part down to the shape and draw a circle around the tee part. then drill this out with a drill bit following the line (ID of the TEE) then file it to the right shape :handgestures-thumbupleft:

or get a 4" hole saw for just this job

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/100mm-Triang ... Sw0UdXrE7u

i have a $2 3/4" hole saw and its done 25 holes in copper so far and still going strong. just use WD40 to lube it up a bit.
or look on ebay for different ones

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from ... w&_sacat=0

a cheap one will last this job and more but not forever. If i was making tees i would get this hole saw above or similar. if you can try get a hole saw for the ID of the Tee part so its easier to solder, otherwise it will need to be braised or flared/expanded :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Rockybrewa]

Thanks for all the great replays on the subject fellas.

I have decided to just hand fab the sight glass sections but have a continuous main body for the first 4 plates. And steering away from perforated plates to a single 2" bubble cap on each plate with a 3/4" down comer. But I will leave further details for a build thread.

With looking at all the ideas the best way for me to move forward is to just roughly cut and slowly shape the joins and silver solder. Once the joins have been made I will cut the guts out with holes saws and files. It might take a while but I'm sure I can get the job done with out any extra expense. Using only 4" pipe from the scrappy will save me hundreds of dollars in pre made t's, ferrules, clamps and seals.

[Zak Griffin]

If you use the cutting template that rumdidly posted above, you won't have to roughly cut and shape the sightglasses, they will be a perfect fit :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Rockybrewa]

I have printed out a bunch of copies to use. Really good idea. I hope it works out well.