First Timer Boka build

[poompy]

Hey,

First timer build here so dont expect some marvel of a creation or some slick DIY skills. I will happy to get it together, not leak and produce some nice neutral for the missus.

So I have finally got all the gear needed (I believe).
6m of 2inch
30m of 1/4 inch
2inch cap
MAP torch
Solder
Flux
Ball peen hammer

and im sure there is something i have missed but can sort that out on the way.

This build may be a little slow as time is not on my side but will do my best.

I had a go at my first condensor yesterday afternoon. Found a bit of dowel that was 18mm OD. Drilled three holes near the end.
Roughly measured out 4m of 1/4inch. Filled it with water and clamped each end.
Cable tied one end to the dowel and started winding. This is the end result, a double coil, 200mm long. Still with the cardboard stuck in there. Soaking it overnight to see if it will come out easily.

IMG_20141109_164339 (Medium).jpg

Thats it. Hopefully tonight I can get the cardboard out and mount it to the 2inch cap.

[CaptainRedBeard]

Nice coil, but if it's anything like mine, you'll probably stab yourself in the hand half a dozen times trying to get the damn cardboard out. Some suggest using a high pressure hose to blast it out.
Good luck with your build :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[poompy]

yes i can see stabbing myself happening. hopefully 24hrs soaking in water may soften it up. will give the pressure cleaner a go otherwise....fire??

[Meatheadinc]

rolling the coil will harden the copper. fire will anneal it and may disfigure

[sp0rk]

fire will anneal it and may disfigure

If you get the copper up over 400C, it shouldn't get that hot if you're just lighting the cardboard

[Meatheadinc]

lol your right sp0rk

just don't use the map torch like I once did :oops:

[poompy]

right well i will leave the flame to the absolute last option. dont want to disfigure or destroy this condensor beacuse knowing my luck on my 2nd attempt of winding a condensor it wont go as smoothly 8-}

[Matt_Pl]

Nice work so far!

I put my coil in the webber bbq for 20 mins at 250oC then once it cooled a garden hose did the trick to remove the cardboard spacer.

:handgestures-thumbupleft:

[poompy]

I present to you the ugly duckling haha.
Got the cardboard out fairly easy, pressure cleaner did the trick with a bit of removal manually with a dull knife (no stabbing wounds :D)

IMG_20141110_154350 (Medium).jpg

IMG_20141110_154405 (Medium).jpg

Then the fun started :angry-banghead: . Never soldered two bits of copper together before. Started off using to much heat and screwed things up, made a mess. But I some what recovered towards the
end and this is the result. No leaks :D Ugly as hell but i think it should do the job. Oh yeh it also fits nicely in the 2" pipe :handgestures-thumbupleft:
The top section is 1/4" elbow -> 1/4" -> 1/4" to 1/2" union.

IMG_20141110_212549 (Medium).jpg

[poompy]

i was attempting to use ezi-weld 602 for copper to copper. I wasnt having much luck at all :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead:
then i found the original bernzo stuff Bernzomatic Flux I had laying around. It had gone a little hard. I just wet the brush i was using to apply the flux and I had a lot more luck.

Anyone able to shed some light on this for me? is the ezi-weld 602 the wrong stuff? I am thinking I may as well go out and buy some Bakers Solder Fluid.

I will be making some easy flanges soon. Anyone able to shed some light on what I will need from here?

Cheers

[CaptainRedBeard]

Baker's and aquasafe will do the trick for soft soldering.

[sp0rk]

Ezi-Weld 602 is a brazing flux, at soft soldering temps it wouldn't even be melting yet
Like CRB says, try Bakers Soldering Fluid and Aquasafe 100 soldering rods (or a reel if you feel like splurging on that)
I personally use Ezi-Weld 801, it cost the same as Bakers and was on the shelf last time I was looking around at Gasweld (I'm trying to avoid the big green shed)

[allnamestaken]

I've found that ordinary rosin flux works really well with Aquasafe - and any residue won't cause corrosion problems like Baker's will.

[Zak Griffin]

Nice work mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Have you drilled a vent hole in the cap? :think: this is a must, otherwise you've just built yourself a potential bomb ;-)

[poompy]

Baker's and aquasafe will do the trick for soft soldering.

Cheers will drop in this afternoon to pick some up.

Nice work mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Have you drilled a vent hole in the cap? :think: this is a must, otherwise you've just built yourself a potential bomb ;-)

Sure is a hole in the top. 6.5mm to be exact ;)

[Zak Griffin]

That'll do the trick :handgestures-thumbupleft: just wanted to make sure. It could be easily overlooked though.

Looks like you've got the hang of working with copper... So are you going bubble caps or perf plates when you build your bubbler? :laughing-rolling:

[poompy]

That'll do the trick :handgestures-thumbupleft: just wanted to make sure. It could be easily overlooked though.

Looks like you've got the hang of working with copper... So are you going bubble caps or perf plates when you build your bubbler? :laughing-rolling:

we will see how i pull up after this build. i'm sure it wont be my last. as frustrating as it was last night to begin with getting some from it at the end made it all worth while.

[Linny]

If you get stuck im in the area and have all the gear. TIP for soldering to reduce sanding , use whiteout or graphite pencil to draw a dam line, it stops the solder from running down your job

[poompy]

cheers for the tip and offer Linny :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Stopped in at bunnings yesteday. Picked up some items
15% silver rods
Bakers Fluid Flux
and some other miscellaneous items.

Cut a 100m section out of the 2" pipe :shock: was a little nervous at doing it. Flattened it out for the plates (had to anneal it first hopefully this doesnt come back and bite me)
Printed out the boka template it was to big for the pipe :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: so will use the plate as a guide today to get the right print out size.

I did make some 1/4" rings though and it easier than I thought it would. No flux needed. Tried to pull one apart and it didnt budge. No holes in the join. So good to go? Obviously havent attached them to the pipe yet. Here is one

IMG_20141111_201438 (Medium).jpg

It seems to be a good fit, slight lump from the soldering which I guess I will have to grand/file/sand down?

I enjoyed the brazing/hard soldering process a lot more, is the draw back a harder clean up? Could I use this for the plates, output and temp probe?

[poompy]

Just fixed up the boka template to match our 2" (50.8mm OD) pipe.

Boka Template 50.8mmOD.pdf

Let me know if there is any dramas.