Brendan's 3" VM

[Brendan]

Well I finally got off my arse and decided to put up a few pictures from my build over last Xmas. I built a 3" VM reflux still, and made it modular, so that I could also build and attach a pot still head using the same lower portion of the column...I have oposted the pics from the pot still portion into the pot still thread...


Here's my proposed layout after I had bought a few of the bits and pieces and started laying them out in the shed...

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I built most of this still EXCEPT for the reflux condenser which I acquired from Mr McStill (thanks mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:), as I tried a couple of winds and it kept coming out like a piece of shit...so this was a much better option...

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Here's the Tee i used in the column for the take-off port...during my research for this build, I had read that there be a problem with the falling liquid from the reflux condenser landing on the lip of this take-off port on it's way back down the column, which can pool in this section. The idea was propsed to build in a little "verandah" or "balcony" as such, so that the vapour can be collected as usual, but any falling liquid will fall off this ledge and down the column instead of pooling in this branch...I cut out a piece of flat copper sheet, cut a slot in the tee, and got it in there real tight...cut it to shape on the outside, soldered it in place, and filed it down nice and smooth...seems like it does the job nicely...

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Here's the take-off piece post soldering the rest of the pipe joiners together...

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[Brendan]

All the pieces starting to come together...forgot to mention, I made a very "rough" graham condenser, which I didn't show particular photos of, can only load so many :?

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Here's the final thing once it was all put together...it had only been soldered here, not shined up obviously....

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Here's a closer view of the take-off port area...again, the solder was filed back and it was shined up a lot better than this afterwards...

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The boiler with element installed and wired, and wrapped in insulation material...

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My only regret is I don't seem to have any photos when I shined it all up...I cannot believe this, I was so quick to wrap it all up in the insulation...anyways, I followed a post of OD's on shining up the stuff, except I didn't go as fine as he did...just a basic clean up with about three different grades of paper i think it was...then polished it, and sprayed clear coat lacquer to avoid oxidisation...here is the only friggen photo I have of any piece looking half shiny...anyways, you can see my half ass attempt at a reflux centering ring sitting in the top of it...this is the bottom half of the column, and the part which is also used as the column for the pot still head...

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[Brendan]

Looks a bit rough, but here's a pic of "Randy the Reflux Still" getting a workout...he's all wrapped up in insulation, and the cooling water is provided by a submersible pump plumbed in at the bottom of a wheelie-bin full of water (240L from memory?)...

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That's all i've got for now, I have a lot more photos, but wanted to cull them down for the posting...

Now, i'm already looking to a 4" bubbler! :think:

Oh sorry Frank, and a 10" AirStill :D

[Brendan]

My Pot Still part of the build...

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1447

[Frank]

....
Now, i'm already looking to a 4" bubbler! :think:
Oh sorry Frank, and a 10" AirStill :D

Mate, nice work and a good looking still for sure... it'll serve you well, I trust. Please keep us posted on your distilling travels. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

.......and I completely understand you future aspirations too. FYI, my Airstill is a Stainless Steel 7.5". ;-)

[Brendan]

FYI, my Airstill is a Stainless Steel 7.5".

Have you considered a putting in a bubble cap plate with peepers? :))

Haha, thanks mate.

[Brendan]

Oh and I forgot to add, that I whisked this up at the same time...and chucked an alibaba watermark over the photo...

PlateColumn.jpg

:laughing-rolling: Impressed? :roll:

[crow]

I completely understand you future aspirations too. FYI, my Airstill is a Stainless Steel 7.5". ;-)

:laughing-rolling: :teasing-tease:
Brendan how does the Graham go at knocking down vapor , how much water does it use as I'm kind of thinking of making one of these if and when I make a plated column (might just save my bickies and get it built) , figured this my be more in my skill range . EDITthat jokes been done by some fella called Glow :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :teasing-tease:

[Brendan]

Croweater, well mate I can't remember the exact sizes as I did it 6 months ago, but it's fairly small tubing coiled inside a 1 1/2" tube (i think?)...so there's a lot of water in there compared to the size of the inner tube carrying the vapour...

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You can see the inner coil starting to crimp a bit...but it hasn't been a problem with the amount of stuff coming through it...you think that's bad, you shoulda seen my attempt at a reflux condenser :angry-banghead:

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So to answer your question it has no problem with the vapour, as the distillate comes out cold, as does the water out of the condenser...however, I push a lot of water through this (recirculating), because the water out of the graham goes to the water in of the reflux condenser on top of the column...and the water out of that returns HOT!...It doesn't take too long to start warming up the 240L full wheelie bin...

So as a product condenser in my setup, it's overkill as pushing the water at a slow trickle out would knock down the small amount of vapours coming through (only drips..ie spirit run)...where i'm pushing the water through at a fair rate of knots to feed the reflux condenser...have considered controlling the water to both condensers separately via the taps i have setup coming off my pump...

As for the plated column use, you'll have to see what the more experienced guys that have build plated columns will say...i've only built 2 condensers and they are both overkill putting out cold distillate...if i do another build for a plated column (IF), I would look to make it as small as I can while achieving the desired result...my liebig on my pot still is a good example, over a metre long it takes over the shed when setup, looks like a bloody whisky distillery in there :-D

And if you're building a plated column, you'll build a defuckenflagonameter...which is basically a small shotgun condenser anyway?? Or you had another plan?

[Brendan]

that jokes been done by some fella called Glow :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :teasing-tease:

Yeah, I read it today...thought i'd throw it in after seeing that ;-)

[crow]

No I meant as the main product condenser but I have a mate here that builds steam engines . he reckons the boilers , which are BTW exactly the same as shotgun condensers used in reverse are piss easy once you know how and is going get me to watch next time he builds one . the way he explained it he basically drops the solder rod in the tube and heats it until he sees the rod start to go down and then put it into the next tube and repeats the heating until they're all done.....I think . Well i'll see when he does it anyways

[Brendan]

No I meant as the main product condenser

Yeah, what I was getting at was that you were saying building a graham as it would be easier...but I meant that if building a plated still, you'd need a deflogger at the top of the column...so you'd need the skills to do that anyway, and therefore could knock up a shotgun for product condenser? Unless you had a diff plan instead of the deschlongmater for reflux?

[crow]

Nup your right but I struggled to make this I'd have to pay someone to do it for me , but ya right if I could make one I could make 2 :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Brendan]

Theres always www.5stardistilling.com.au :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I'd like to buy one of their rigs, but will wait a little while at the moment...would love to give them some business...will also consider building my own down the track, it wouldn't be as pretty as some of the ones on here, but there's just something bout making your own...apart from the labour of love, you understand everything about how it works!

[crow]

Bud.... I've seen your copper work .... have you looked at mine PRETTY :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: a copper smith I ain't , can braze sorta my soldering looks like kindy capers :doh: Making ya own yes I agree the job satisfaction would be great but truthfully if I had the G's to spend I know which way I'd jump

[Brendan]

Haha, I hear what you're saying...

When I started with the build, I had really only done small scale electronic soldering, but learnt pretty quickly with a few practice pieces and some experienced guidance ;)

Personally, I think the hardest part about a build like that would be the bubble caps, and the poles in the condensers all close together...so having one all Tig welded from www.5stardistilling.com.au would be nice :D

But anyways, this is a VM thread :text-offtopic:

Yeah so for this build I watched a few videos on soldering larger diameter pipe, and did a few small test pieces just to work out angle & distance of heat applied, and where to apply and using the right amount of flux and all that...and the key was just getting it to flow around the whole joint quickly...the hard part is when there are multiple joints close together, and don't want to melt one you've already done perfectly (had that happen!) :angry-banghead:

[crow]

yes so have I more than once , very frustrating when you try to fix one little pin hole and the whole job falls apart :angry-banghead: