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First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 4:46 pm
by doogie
OK, going to bite the bullet and attempt to make my own pot still to go on my T500 boiler. Here's my plan;

Still plan.PNG

The purpose for the join in the column is so I can pack it with botanicals for gin which is what I'll be mainly distilling.

Comments feedback appreciated.

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 6:06 pm
by doogie
Well first hurdle, apparently 50mm copper pipe doesn't fit inside a 50mm to 20mm reducer 8-}

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 7:01 pm
by bluc
Or a 50mm ferrule. You need a straight coupler to joing to anything :angry-banghead:

There are codes on fittings some same size some expsnded. Unfortunately i am to cut to remember 8-}

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 7:22 pm
by doogie
Thanks bluc, I should have known not to assume :o

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:15 pm
by RC Al
Ok so ifn you dont have access to an expander, as bluc said, they make these wonderful things called couplers/sockets
These are even local to you
https://plumbingsales.com.au/copper-tub ... ckets.html

with the 15mm on your plan do you mean dn15 15.88mm or 1/2" 12.7mm ?
Either way the 25mm jacket is a bit big, also get the liebig connectors as close to the ends of the jackets as possible

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:01 pm
by doogie
Thanks Al, I’ll go down to a 20mm jacket then. As for the 50mm yes I know about couplers, as I said wrongly assumed a 50mm to 20mm reducer would connect a 50mm pipe to a 20mm pipe. It’s a bit hard in Melbourne at moment not being able to physically visit the stores.

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:30 pm
by dans.brew
Looks good doogie. A simple pot opens up your options with what you can make. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Is your 15mm to 20mm reducer going to be soldered or a union fitting? A union will allow you to move the condenser angle rather than it being fixed and also remove it for cleaning.
Just a thought... id imagine you'd have to be very careful putting botanicals in a 50mm column.. wouldn't want to cause a blockage. I'm not saying dont do it but just be careful not to jam too much in it. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 4:42 pm
by doogie
dans.brew wrote:Looks good doogie. A simple pot opens up your options with what you can make. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Is your 15mm to 20mm reducer going to be soldered or a union fitting? A union will allow you to move the condenser angle rather than it being fixed and also remove it for cleaning.
Just a thought... id imagine you'd have to be very careful putting botanicals in a 50mm column.. wouldn't want to cause a blockage. I'm not saying dont do it but just be careful not to jam too much in it. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Hi Dan
The 20mm - 15mm is going to be a push on connection so I can easily remove. On further reflection will probably put the botanicals in the boiler and put bits of orange or grapefruit in the column.

doogie

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 9:04 pm
by Lesgold
Hi dogie,

That design should work but I’d be looking at a longer condenser to keep your spirit cooler. On a slow gin run it would do the job but would not handle a stripping run without a lot of cool water being thrown at it. Good luck with the build.

Cheers

Les

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Sat Sep 05, 2020 12:56 am
by doogie
Lesgold wrote:Hi dogie,

That design should work but I’d be looking at a longer condenser to keep your spirit cooler. On a slow gin run it would do the job but would not handle a stripping run without a lot of cool water being thrown at it. Good luck with the build.

Cheers

Les

Thanks Les, what length would you recommend? I do have a T500 condenser that I’m using to make neutral at the moment.

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Sat Sep 05, 2020 6:35 pm
by Lesgold
I’ve recently completed two builds and put shotgun condensers on both of them. Your boiler element would be around 2000w so it won’t need too much to keep product cool. I would still build a 2” shotty to enable you to run it flat out on stripping runs. The disadvantage is that it does take a little more time to make than a Liebig.

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 8:34 pm
by doogie
OK, big break during Covid lockdown and some renovations but here it is...
IMG_6418.JPG

IMG_6419.JPG

IMG_6420.JPG

IMG_6421.JPG

IMG_6422.JPG


Thoughts anyone?

Thanks to @bluc and @Dude for helping out with a final soldering problem.

Doogie

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Sun Feb 28, 2021 7:53 am
by scythe
I would get rid of the push fit union at the top there.
Either get a stainless one or make it into a triclamp union.

I would also make the pipe that goes from the top union to the PC into straight pipes with an elbow, but I can understand why you just bent it.

Re: First go at building pot still

PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2021 7:59 am
by WhiskeySour
Nice work doogie

I also built a liebig for my first pot, they are very easy to build and it will work fine while you to learn to run your new pot. Once you have a few runs under your belt and some ageing stock built you can take the time to build a shotgun if you feel the need to upgrade, as I did