Well here it is, my take on a 3" stainless VM.
I already have a 50l keg but I really have my heart set on getting a 50l or possibly 100l Stainless Milk Can Boiler for no other reason than they are stunning, and possibly cheaper than the combined cost of a 50l keg with a 200mm ferrule & 200mm x 75mm adaptor plus the other ferrules etc for element, drain & filler port. Not to mention the cost of fabrication.
The lower section of 75 x 500 column with removable perforated plate should make a nice gin basket.
I am also using the theory that a narrow 38mm into the horizontal condenser should provide a high take off rate during VM operation. I believe that all the trials and errors that have been conducted with the development of the VM and high take off rates have all given in and been ultimately restricted by the size or should I say the surface area of the output condenser, hence I am still toiling over the idea of a shotgun condenser to reduce restriction. Any flow of medium will take the line of least resistance. My hope is to have at best a 2:1 reflux ratio with valve wide open, of course I can't achieve this with a 20mm output condenser, but this should still provide a 3.6:1 ratio. Some may say the valve doesn't need to be 2" but the cost between 11/2 & 2" is negligible and this leaves me with room to move in design. Something I would love to experiment with would be to use a small dephlegmator just prior to the output condenser, a cool zone as lead in. I wish I had Punkins parts to play with.
Heating control will be via PID with PT100 sensor & and visual alarm with buzzer plus the option via switch to changeover to potentiometer adjustable SSR, with amp & volt meters.
Cooling water will be provided via a large 20l portable evaporative air conditioner, something I will experiment with, may need to add a storage tank.
I am currently having the shotgun condenser quoted, if the cost is high I will buy a TIG.
Anyway here is the detailed drawing, I am open to ideas and comments.
Here it is converted to a pot still