Boka build

[Hick1960]

That thing is guna pump out some good hooch

Would have liked to have gone 3 inch but just using what I had left over from my pot head build. I’m hoping it’s a little faster than the T500 for neutral.

[LikkerSheWillLoveIt]

With my cone Boka, I am running an 1100mm column height, I consistently hit 94+% and my 700mm Liebig PC has the output at under 20C. I’ve just gained access to a digital alcometer that’s accurate to 4 decimal places, next run I’ll test it with that.

[Hick1960]

With my cone Boka, I am running an 1100mm column height, I consistently hit 94+% and my 700mm Liebig PC has the output at under 20C. I’ve just gained access to a digital alcometer that’s accurate to 4 decimal places, next run I’ll test it with that.

I plan on a short pc of about 400 mm long. 1” over 3/8”. Was basically thinking only this long because 1, it’s only to cool product, not knock down vapours and 2, that length will protrude just past my first trip clamp meaning not so much overhang when I take it off. Do you think that would be sufficient?

[RC Al]

Legnth will be fine, if you have a thinner outer shell to use, it will be more effective. A couple of mm of water jacket is plenty, any more and the water will channel though the middle from laminar flow

[Hick1960]

I think I have some 3/4 somewhere. I’ll try that.

[Hick1960]

1/4 “ tube for reflux condenser turned up today. Second attempt to wind the coil. This time I filled it with salt. Turned out pretty good.

[Hick1960]

Just gotta get the salt out now.

[BigRig]

Damn that coil looks good.

[Hick1960]

Damn that coil looks good.

Pretty happy with it. If I can’t get the salt out it might just become a centre piece on the wall :))

[Hick1960]

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Well after sitting the condenser in a bucket of hot water with a hose connected to one end and on full pressure for a day and a half, I ran out of patience. Over ordered the copper tube in case of stuff ups so decided to roll another, this time full of water. I filled the tube with water, kinked the ends with a pair of pliers then hard soldered the ends. Worked ok although the inner tube flattened marginally but the outer tube was fine. Not as pretty as the first one but hopefully it’ll do the job. I couldn’t get 1/4 inch fittings

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to connect the hose fitting so I stepped up from 1/4 to 3/8 then into the snap on fitting, soldering it all together. Wasn’t a tight fit so had a couple of leaks but eventually got it to seal.
Also did the same with my product condenser.

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3/4 tube with3/4 to 1/2 tee. Then soldered short pieces of 1/2 tube in each end. Then pushed 3/8 tube right through and soldered. I’ll cut the bottom tube to suit bench height when I’ve got it all together.
In the pic showing Boka head you can see a bucket behind. The condenser with salt still in there. Eventually it’ll clear I guess.

[Hick1960]

The coil I made filled with salt still hasn’t cleared after being hooked up to a hose all weekend. Even tried putting it in my boiler and boiling while pushing water through it.
I timed the flow through my second condenser that I made filled with water. It ran at 4.5 lts water per minute. I’m expecting a delivery from 5Star this week with my compression fittings so I can put it all together and give it a run. Will find out if flow is enough to knock down the vapour then.

[Hick1960]

Job done. The compression fittings turned up today for the take off valve ( thanks Andrew). Just gotta trim outlet pipe to bench height, give it a citric acid bath then hopefully a vinegar and sac run on the weekend.

[Nathan02]

Looks awesome mate

[Hick1960]

Looks awesome mate

Thanks Nathan
Pretty happy with the way it turned out.
I think the Boka looks a complicated build to the novice distiller looking at building a still ( well it did to me anyway) but it’s really quite easy. Hopefully anyone considering building one will look at this thread and get something from it.

[bluc]

Job done. The compression fittings turned up today for the take off valve ( thanks Andrew). Just gotta trim outlet pipe to bench height, give it a citric acid bath then hopefully a vinegar and sac run on the weekend.

You get all that salt out?

[Hick1960]

Job done. The compression fittings turned up today for the take off valve ( thanks Andrew). Just gotta trim outlet pipe to bench height, give it a citric acid bath then hopefully a vinegar and sac run on the weekend.

You get all that salt out?

No mate. The coil I done with salt is still hooked up to a hose. Salt not moving. I had plenty of tube so I rolled another, this time filled with water. Tube flattened slightly but I get a flow of 4.5 lts a minute through it.

[bluc]

Have you tried boiling the coil in a large pot?

[Hick1960]

Have you tried boiling the coil in a large pot?

Yes. Had it in my boiler for a few hours with the hose connected. Still didn’t budge. The hose blew off a couple of times because of the heat but I have better connection on it now. I’ll try it again. I’ve had it connected to a hose sitting in the sun. Still no movement.

[Hick1960]

Found time to do a vinegar and sac run. Got water at around 50 % flow and the coil is knocking down the vapour at 2000 watts from my t500 boiler. Hence the ladder supporting the column. Got a keg boiler planned which will hold it more stable.

[Hick1960]

Stripped 46 lts of CFW today, 23 lts using the Boka and 23 using my pot still.
First run was with the Boka. Ran power flat out , 2000 w, reflux water flat out and product valve fully open. Took 1hr 5 mins to heat. Collected 4.2lts @38% after discarding 100ml of fore’s. From first drip to end of run took 1hr 35 mins. Total run time of 2hrs 40mins. Condenser worked a treat. No vapour escaping from the top.
Second run using the pot head. Power flat out, water flat out, it took 1hr 2 mins before first drip. Collected 4.2 lts % 37% after discarding 100ml of fore’s. From first drip to end took 1 hr 35 mins for a total run time of 1hr 37 mins.
So pretty much exactly the same time.