New still build pics.

[emptyglass]

Some stuff I been making.

[emptyglass]

And some more.

[emptyglass]

Cost me heaps to get all this film developed.

[googe]

Nice mate :handgestures-thumbupleft: , what's the little things on the side of rc?. I like your parrot connector, does it clamp down onto the pc or are there holes?. Bout time you posted some new stills ;-) . I wish you would do a full tutorial from start to finish on one of your builds.

Cheers

[emptyglass]

The blurb;
4" diameter, main column a touch over 900mm long, 5 perf plates, 3/4" downcomers.
7 tubes 3/4" diameter in 4" case for reflux condenser.
4" to 2" reducer and standard short radius bends to the product condenser.
Product condenser is 3 x 3/4" tubes in a 2" case.
Parrot has stainless steel capscrews to attach it and provides a great vent. It has a fores and heads drain that really saves smearing issues.
2" triclamp style sight glasses, notched on a milling machine and has copper back up rings.

Notes;
The condensers attach to the column via an expanded joint. The stainless screws are more of a precaution as it seals pretty nice. It can be sealed with good ol' flour paste, or silicone, or soft soldered permanently, but its designed to fit in the post. Packed sections (scoria, structured copper or whatever) can be added.
The plate tree comes out the top. Plates can be removed and run as a 2 plate still if need be.

Performance;
So far, pretty good. Cracked 3 litres an hour on the first real run at 93% from a 10% wash. Heads and tails compression was good, 400 mls fores and heads, an easy 4 litres hearts and about 500 ml tails, so on par. Pretty fast all in all.

[emptyglass]

what's the little things on the side of rc?.

A wig-wam for a goose's bridle. They are top secret.
(have a gig at it assembled)

I wish you would do a full tutorial from start to finish on one of your builds.

Cheers

Maybe one day mate.
Thanks. You might be the only guy that looks at it though

[Yummyrum]

Nice bit of sax there EG.

Are you still brazing the sight glasses and swaging out the column ? If so,you sure do clean up the braze nice ^:)^

Noticed this time you plumbed cold to both condensers with control each output instead of the three way valve you used in previous instrument .
Whats your reason for this ?

Cheers Yummyrum

[googe]

Ah I see, do you do the expanded joint?. That's a very nice touch mate, I'm really sick.of seeing tri clamps everywhere on stills, love the cleaner look!. Your a bit of a quiet achiever ;-)

[Brendan]

I'm really sick of seeing tri clamps everywhere on stills

Well you're gonna hate my build then mate, I'm going overboard with them, but will be able to do anything :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[googe]

I'm really sick of seeing tri clamps everywhere on stills

Well you're gonna hate my build then mate, I'm going overboard with them, but will be able to do anything :handgestures-thumbupleft:

It's not about if I like it mate ;-) , there a good easy option :handgestures-thumbupleft: .

[emptyglass]

Thanks yummy. I guess mac's going to ping me on this one, but I had a go at soft soldering this one. Personaly, I didn't see the need to swing a keg around on the end of it, as we are not making axle stands here boys... :teasing-neener:
Gotta say, I enjoyed mucking around with soft goo.
I havn't used 3 ways since the first version, that tassie converted to 2 single valves. They work great, I like them, but they cost a lot, this adds cost to the end product. 2 valves work just as well, if not as eloquent.

Ah I see, do you do the expanded joint?. That's a very nice touch mate, I'm really sick.of seeing tri clamps everywhere on stills, love the cleaner look!. Your a bit of a quiet achiever ;-)

They don't call me BP for nothing 8-}
I havn't been off slacking. I' like what you can do with triclamps, but lets face it, most of us set up for our fav drink and muck around when we can. This one still lets me remove plates, but lets me do a double run for a reasonable vodka once or twice a year, without a packed section. It still has enough modularity to add one for running vodka all the time. If you like the clean look, you might like whats on the drawing board here.

I'm really sick of seeing tri clamps everywhere on stills

Well you're gonna hate my build then mate, I'm going overboard with them, but will be able to do anything :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Nothing wrong with triclamps mate. Flexablus maximus.

[googe]

very true mate, I look.at so.many different builds and think oh that's how that's done, then another is different and think hmm that first one wasn't right, or was it. So many different options but we must do what works right for us. You, Mac and alot of builders have different ways of doing things, it's nice to see it all and build some kind of monster from all the info, I really like your rc to column connect though :smile: .

[Yummyrum]

EG hate you to have to spend more on film development but just re-looking at the bottom down comer,can't quite work you what you did there.
It looks like you did your 45 deg but it should be a J ?
please excuse me I'm tired

[emptyglass]

Thanks Googe.
I tried to go a bit fancy pants with the connection, but you could do the same thing with a bit of flattend tube and some self tappers, what I did is just a bit more reliable option.
If your mates uncles brother has an expander, it works well.

[emptyglass]

EG hate you to have to spend more on film development but just re-looking at the bottom down comer,can't quite work you what you did there.
It looks like you did your 45 deg but it should be a J ?
please excuse me I'm tired

Shit! just realised I forgot to add downcomer cups!!! :D

I know you are tired, just work with me here buddy,,,
Downcomers are there to get the heavier stuff down to the bottom. Trouble is, the vapor wants to go up them. You still awake?
A fluid lock stops the vapor. Dosn't matter how its achieved, so long as it is.
If the plate has fluid on it, there is enough fluid to create a lock. The downcomers are cut at 45 degrees at the bottom. Very observant for a tired guy :geek: This also sends the downcoming liquid towards the column wall and arround the plates, stops laminar flow ( a blast from the past). J's on all plates would work, I just don't use them.

[googe]

Don't know.what you mean about the flattened tube empty?, to.many rums on my part maybe, tomorrow I will probably see the light of day 8-} . Do the non cap down comers work with all bath depths?.

[emptyglass]

I mean you could use any old bit of crap that you wanted to attach and jamb some self tappers to pull it together. If you choose to solder it solid, its ok, but you wont be able to remove the tree. Thats not all bad once you decide how many plates you want to run (I'm tipping 5)

Just depends on if you want others to see it I guess (fat chicks and vespas are fun to ride, but don't tell your mates)
Nothing wrong with junk in the trunk :obscene-buttred: , I might add.
Yeah, too many rums myself.

LostMySpaceBarNow.

[googe]

I get it now I think :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[emptyglass]

I havn't had a desire to change the bath depth, so I don't know if they work in all bath depths, but no reason why they shouldn't.

[Yummyrum]

Hi EG

I understand what your saying about fluid lock forming where the down comer is against a plate but how does this work on the lowest down comer ? That's the one I would have thought you had to fit a J to or do you have some other trick ?

Cheers Yummyrum