StillDragon® Community Forum

Welcome!

Be part of our community & join our international next generation forum now!

In this Discussion

Fester's Corner

Product development seems to happen slowly. Always seem to be waiting on one part to be made so I can use that to build the next or complete a project.

The Gin Basket hit another snag because the much more durable basket came out of the mould a tad big and wouldn't fit the housing so re-tool and try again. Maybe next week the prototype will finally be good enough to begin production.

image

The new thermowell fitting lineup has been extended to include end caps from sizes 3/4" to 4”.
I hope these are useful but I'm only making a few of each size for now to see if they are needed by you guys.
No pictures of that yet.

The 8” Crystal Dragon is only a couple weeks away from being completed and the 4” is already in development. The custom gasket mould has been ordered now for the 4".

Perforated bubble plates in 4” and 8” are being produced now and should be available soon.

The 4” bubble tee has been shipped to USA with the SS sight glass included. About 6 weeks or so before they arrive.

The new Dragon Fire (non-bashful alcoholometers) will arrive in USA and Australia soon.

The filter plates are finished in 2” and 3” and 4” are in production. The custom gaskets for them are also being made now.

I've had a mould made to produce our own caps. We constantly run out of them because the factories make them to order. They promise 4 weeks but often take 8 to 12 weeks to get the caps and then they have to be sent to the machine shop. Now it's all under one roof and that should speed up production.

Our machine shop that make the risers and downcomers were hit by burglars and 4000 risers and, I think, 1200 downcomers were carried away. That's a setback because my stocks are low and the replacement risers and downcomers have not arrived yet, let alone get on the boat like they were supposed to.

The DIY element controllers on the USA SD website got an overhaul and the individual components are now listed. The price to build your own controller has dropped by almost half, from $56 to $31. This is StillDragon!

400 more Element Guards with the friendlier offset center hole has been completed and added to stock. They will ship to your distributors soon.

The factory that makes our brass SGK housings are completely uninterested in making them in aluminum. I'm uncertain if that's because they are aluminum or because I requested only 100 to be made. Either way, the expensive moulds needed to create a brass SGK won't be used to make them in aluminum, sorry.

And my desk is covered with notes and parts and it's getting difficult to find my keyboard. You'll never see a picture of that embarrassment.

DSC06688.JPG
640 x 480 - 27K
Tagged:
«13456789

Comments

  • Fester

    Aluminum and brass have different shrinkage rates when they cool from a melted metal. So molds made for brass would end up a different size when made from aluminum. Mold ejection angles also change so even if the size ID and OD wise would be acceptable the parts might not come out of the mold if they were poured out of aluminum instead of brass. Just a thought. The factory may have not wanted to fight that variance.

  • Ever wonder why there is zero competition on the SD brass SGKs?
    It's because we found a factory that will make them at 1/2 the price of the next closest quote, and we got many, many quotes before jumping into bed with them and giving them the big mould money. Now we are married to them because of the moulds and, no, the factory is not perfect - they often take way too long to produce the SGKs but we have to accept that to provide a 3" SGK for $30 instead of $60 to the customer.

    Many of our products have been copied by others (cough cough mcstill cough milehi cough) but so far the SGK seems immune. The only solution to the supply problem has been to order 4 times what we think we will need.

    I think that 100 pieces was simply not enough to get them interested to produce it in aluminum. We usually order between 500 and 1000 pieces in brass per order. That's a lot of SGKs but by the time we finally get them we are usually desperate for them. It is typical for us to order more before the last batch is even produced.

    An order for 200 pieces or 1000 pieces takes about the same time to produce. I figure for SGKs and brass ferrules about 3 months is a typical production time. Plus the time to get them to your distributor.

    It ain't always as easy as it looks but I love it. I have the best job on this earth, making stillin parts that are useful to me and you. Unless you count that gigolo dude bedding broads and getting paid for it - I maybe, just might, consider a career change :)

  • You are doing a great job Lloyd, and even just keeping up with us is a full time job. I don't know how you find the time for all the innovation that makes us stand above the imitators. Bravo :)>-

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited June 2013

    image

    I love the look of this special reducer made for RedDoor. It's an 8x4 shallow or "bowl" shaped reducer. It's pictured atop a 8" x 8" TC (tri-clamp) pipe section and the standard 8x4 is next to it. At only 100mm tall it helps him to squeeze in that extra plate while fighting ceiling height. The regular is 190mm tall.

    The 8" Crystal Dragon connecting rods and downcomer tubes were ordered today because more of the special gaskets arrived and we were able to calculate the exact height of everything.

    image

    I had to use copper plates until the SS perf plate arrive to get the measurements.
    This is really starting to come together now.

    And Law Of Ohms continues to flood me with wonderful engineered models, not just for what we are working on now, but also for future product ideas. SD owes him a group hug. >:D<

    8x4_bowl_reducer.jpg
    757 x 620 - 69K
    SAM_0472.JPG
    600 x 800 - 73K
  • Love the look of those reducers Lloyd, will they be available in smaller sizes? Can't wait to see the first of the Crystal Dragon's in operation, i am getting a lot of interest here. How are the parts going for interconecting the columns for Cleatus in NZ?

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • @punkin said: Love the look of those reducers Lloyd, will they be available in smaller sizes? Can't wait to see the first of the Crystal Dragon's in operation, i am getting a lot of interest here. How are the parts going for interconecting the columns for Cleatus in NZ?

    Ditto from me on all points.

    StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • Harley PM'ed for me to tell you that something looked wrong with them holes.... :))

    just kidding lookin good 8->

  • Very nice Lloyd. Those bowl reducers are very pleasing to the eye.

  • edited June 2013

    @punkin said: Love the look of those reducers Lloyd, will they be available in smaller sizes? Can't wait to see the first of the Crystal Dragon's in operation, i am getting a lot of interest here. How are the parts going for interconecting the columns for Cleatus in NZ?

    We were lucky the mould for that 8" reducer existed. I should say, the bowl existed because it starts out without the 8" ferrule or 4" pull. This is great because the pull can be any size we want so 8x6, 8x3, 8x2 are all good.
    I'll check on the other sizes - especially the 4". I'd like a 4x2 like this on my personal Dash.

    image

    It seems most of the parts that Cleatus needs are available now.
    The 8" Sight Tower flange acts as the base to mount the column to the table.
    The 8x2 short Tee arrived yesterday and is pictured above the bolt flange.
    Above that is an 8" Bubble Tee and topped off with RedDoor's reducer.

    Also pictured is the 3" base for attaching the condenser and parrot.

    DSC06695.JPG
    480 x 640 - 51K
  • edited June 2013

    image

    8" split column. the 8 plater stands 2.085 meters tall. The product condensers are an arrangement of a 3" dephlegmator as the pre-condenser, a 100mm TC pipe section and a 3" x 510mm product condenser.

    Everything can be bolted to a table or even pedestal mounted. It could be configured with copper bubble cap plates or SS perf plates.

    split_1.jpg
    200 x 448 - 20K
  • Looks terriffic mate, is there a blank plate to go in the bottom of the 2 x 8 reducer" Just a matter of talking to him to see exactly how many plates he wants i gues and mocking all the connebting pipe up from there.

    I'll give him an email. Thanks.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited June 2013

    @punkin said: Looks terriffic mate, is there a blank plate to go in the bottom of the 2 x 8 reducer" Just a matter of talking to him to see exactly how many plates he wants i gues and mocking all the connebting pipe up from there.

    Oh! thanks for that, never ordered the 8" blank. On it now though.

  • The customer will need to have a local welder modify the plate and do the drain plumbing. I hope that's not a problem.

  • Hi all this question is directed more to Lloyd can I get a measurement of the 8"crystal dragon my understanding is that the setup is able to have more than one bubble plate and if so I can work out how many sections that I need .

  • edited June 2013

    Fester You need to have a finished bottom section (otherwise it will be just wrong) in 6 "and 8" so people can set these columns on a bench and the "return-reflux" can be passed into the distillation boiler. I have decided to have a sight glass so I can really see all returns on their way to the boiler, the problem for you if you put into this is to you in that case you have 2pc variants otherwise you can end up the sight glass on the back so in your case I'd Recommend 2pc sight glass so you can turn 2 "inlet on the right hand as the left that bench can stand on both sides of the boiler, and even a drawing on the heights between bolierns liquid level and the bench level and also piping-draving should be available to download from the still dragon ... so nothing goes wrong ... Just a tip to boost sales ... of 6"-8 'modular glass or ss ...

    Cheers

  • @harley, to truly complete it I would need to provide the table and the boiler.
    Surely people with the skills to build a SS table could pipe between the bottom of the columns and the boiler? I'll do some more thinking on this.

    I think the piping between the dephlems and the product condensers will be a challenge but I can work my way through that.

    Good tip, Harley, to put a sight glass on the bottom L-)

  • edited June 2013

    I miss those 100mm 4 "screw-in sight glass in SD range, because I personally would have 4pc to my 12" copper column so I have the opportunity to work through these 4 "sight glass ... can you fix 4pc 100mm screw-ss sight glass for me Fester .. . thanks.

    image image

    1.jpg
    600 x 800 - 72K
    2.jpg
    600 x 800 - 67K
  • edited June 2013

    Here are some pictures of my bottom entry to my 8 "vodka column, which you can see I have only 1pc sight glasses and this is sufficient when you know which is ahead ... but in retrospect I might assemble a to so you can see right through and then you can turn 2 "entrance which way whatsoever ...

    I have deliberately chosen to have a relatively long distance between the cone for the gathering of reflux and 2 "steam input so that the reflux does not risk of " infect-mixed " with the incoming steam...

    But the big manufakturers have it really close together... and it is possible to let the cone go down by-through bench... to save space...

    Cheers :ar!

    image image image image

    3.jpg
    600 x 800 - 67K
    4.jpg
    600 x 800 - 54K
    5.jpg
    600 x 800 - 60K
    6.jpg
    600 x 800 - 69K
  • edited June 2013

    It looks like you have 3 "- 75mm ferrule at the top of the 8" column, this is probably a bit too big for the 2 "50mm is already on the edge of too big for you to keep up the gas velocity and lower heat loss condenser ring at wrong place ....

    Just a tip!

    38-40mm would probably be optimal but 2 "works ...

    I chose 2 "and will try to get the case on all tubes for speed is on the low side and then it is good if the tubes are inclined in the right direction ....

    Cheers

  • Those sight glasses are already a SD item Harley, Larry has them i am not stocking them ATM as there has been no demand, but Fester has them as far as i know.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited June 2013

    I believe Harley is referring to these...

    image

    The 3" SS sight glasses that were built into to 4" bubble tee.
    I didn't think to stock the individual parts for the customer to weld on but I'll check on it today.

    The tees pictured above will be available in the US in about 5 weeks.

    DSC06602.JPG
    640 x 480 - 61K
  • Yes, you have right Fester, but a need them in 4" 100mm so a can ger my big hand inside throu this 4" -100mm sightglass and 4pc is what a need.

  • edited June 2013

    I've been thinking about making a better solution to my next 8 "200mm colonn so you save space in the top .. and you can have more plates.... and it looks much better allso and cleaner...

    An 8 "200mm pipes-(like a hat) that are approximately 100mm high - over the end of the reflux cooler pipes .. with a 2" ferrule output on the side as far up as possible, the advantage of one is that it saves about 100-200mm in height and the It is also much better looking .... and you can turn the outlet around so you can have the product cooler on which side you need ... this solution has the big manufacturers at their facilities ... and I think 100mm is enough for gather all wapor to a 2" pipe outlet hight on side .... maybe you can go closer, but a dont need that...

    Cheers :ar!

  • I love the concept of this thread - keeping us up to date with the "back-end" of things. Knowing what's in development, on the next boat, etc., is a good thing.

  • @Lloyd said: Also pictured is the 3" base for attaching the condenser and parrot.

    take the bottom section with 2 "side entrance and set it after reflux condenser with a cap on top so you have maximized height and has a stylish and practical solution to a rotatable side exit to the product cooler which also saves headroom ...

    Cheers

  • @Lloyd said: image

    8" split column. the 8 plater stands 2.085 meters tall. The product condensers are an arrangement of a 3" dephlegmator as the pre-condenser, a 100mm TC pipe section and a 3" x 510mm product condenser.

    Everything can be bolted to a table or even pedestal mounted. It could be configured with copper bubble cap plates or SS perf plates.

    Just thinking Fester, this unit could be mounted without using a table by using TC pipe as pedestals?

    We'd just need one of the bolt flanges to TC conection and then any one could use any combination of TC pipe in between to connect and then bolt to the floor. Seems a much tidier option than a bench and no fabrication nessercary?

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • had a thought for the drain Lloyd. instead of having a plate on the bottom of the short T, could you flip the reducer that is on the top of the tall column in the picture and weld it to the bottom of the short T, then could use tri clamp pipes to complete. just an idea, Off to do a spirit run on some rum now :ar!

  • and then maybe weld your feet or legs onto a tri clamp? never tried that but with a teflon gasket it might work... then bolt/tie the feet to the table..? Jeez that's left hand thinking but might work.... no expensive sight glass end?

  • Something that is important is that the bottom of the column, table, or pedestal is a bit, at least about 10-20cm higher than the MAX liquid level in the boiler for otherwise learns not the return of reflux flow to the boiler as it is, and you either have a tube down inside the boiler or an input near the bottom of the boiler for the return of reflux ... it must therefore always be under boilerns liquid level so no steam can come this way ... This means that there may be a lot of different heights on the table to match the different heights of the different sizes of boiler ....

    Cheers :ar!

  • @harley said: you either have a tube down inside the boiler or an input near the bottom of the boiler for the return of reflux ... it >must therefore always be under boilerns liquid level so no steam can come this way ...

    Or you install a P trap in the return line to the boiler.

Sign In or Register to comment.