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I'm making a condenser controlled vapour management still so temps always below 100 and no pressure. The fittings are machined out of 304 and consist of a flange that a clamp goes around with a collar that inserts into the pipe. They're called tri clover, I don't think they have much use outside the food/beverage industry.
 
I'm making a condenser controlled vapour management still so temps always below 100 and no pressure. The fittings are machined out of 304 and consist of a flange that a clamp goes around with a collar that inserts into the pipe. They're called tri clover, I don't think they have much use outside the food/beverage industry.
Commonly used in vacuum systems for instruments (but difference may be presence of groove on the face?)
https://locoscience.com/collections/vacuum-fittings-1/?sort_by=manual

50mm to 2" NPT
https://locoscience.com/collections...0-flange-to-2-npt-male-vacuum-fitting-adapter

Copper 2" fitting
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1822831...ugAIdQVjplNbtMLxk1crThVbqGZA9zt_FlsOrqjZ0CefQ
 
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Commonly used in vacuum systems for instruments (but difference may be presence of groove on the face?)

50mm to 2" NPT

Copper 2" fitting
They look pretty similar but my dog they're pricey. That website has tri clamps that look the same as the tri clover that they sell for food and bev but once again OUCH with the pricing
The copper fitting would be perfect but at 25 USD compared to 5 AUD for the stainless, with the number I'd need I could pay somebody to weld them up with the difference in price,
 
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They look pretty similar but my dog they're pricey. That website has tri clamps that look the same as the tri clover that they sell for food and bev but once again OUCH with the pricing
The copper fitting would be perfect but at 25 USD compared to 5 AUD for the stainless, with the number I'd need I could pay somebody to weld them up with the difference in price,
you think this would be a fairly niche product but...

silver solder/braze?
 
you think this would be a fairly niche product but...

silver solder/braze?
dearer again. I've only got propane torches, I might have to upgrade to MAPP
If it was me I'd just bin all the copper do it in stainless and weld it all up. But that's kind of what I do for a job.
Nah, it has to be copper, lots of copper. Copper does chemistry stuff in a still that makes things come out nicer. After it goes through a copper bubbler 2/3 of the vapour path gets packed with copper wool. This leads to a copper reflux condenser to control how much vapour goes through the copper lyne arm and into the copper shotgun condenser.
It's going to make a neutral spirit as clean as possible, then I've got a trick up my sleeve to get it cleaner.
 
dearer again. I've only got propane torches, I might have to upgrade to MAPP

Nah, it has to be copper, lots of copper. Copper does chemistry stuff in a still that makes things come out nicer. After it goes through a copper bubbler 2/3 of the vapour path gets packed with copper wool. This leads to a copper reflux condenser to control how much vapour goes through the copper lyne arm and into the copper shotgun condenser.
It's going to make a neutral spirit as clean as possible, then I've got a trick up my sleeve to get it cleaner.
Do we pay a deposit now? Or will you invoice out?
 
No they don't, because they are a fiddly fucking pain in the arse*




*most of the time
They are my preferred union for milk/dairy/food industry, it's the most hygienic and has the best fit up.
Unfortunately most of the time I'm dealing with putting new stuff into old systems so there ends up being about 4 different style unions. Then add European machinery with different tube sizes and fittings and it's just a bag of dicks. Like this Homo I installed the other week.
Compress_20251126_211138_8775.jpg
 
They are my preferred union for milk/dairy/food industry, it's the most hygienic and has the best fit up.
Unfortunately most of the time I'm dealing with putting new stuff into old systems so there ends up being about 4 different style unions. Then add European machinery with different tube sizes and fittings and it's just a bag of dicks. Like this Homo I installed the other week.View attachment 421152
Your explanation is spot on and exactly the issue with them.

They are like the bottom bracket of the beverage industry.
 
so many different types... https://www.idealvac.com/files/manuals/Common_Vacuum_Fittings-Selection_and_Assembly_Guide.pdf


if a tight push fit with copper heated, and won't get too hot in service, probably should be ok?
If need a 100% vapour seal... is there enough meat on the ferrule tube to machine a groove for a skinny O-ring?

swaging? 🙃
If the ferules do end up being too loosey goosey then a couple of O rings might be a good idea. That would also give me the chance to easily change pipe lengths if I have to do some fine tuning.
I know there's some damn fine machinists on here that I can give a chuckle to when they hear I do that sort of thing with a file on a wood lathe.
 
The weather was good enough to get on the roof and replace the super dodgy flashing that worked fine for all rain except rain accompanied by a strong easterly.

I used that expanding foam goop on gaps on the ends to stop critters moving in.

Time will tell whether it handles the easterly weather.


Flashing bodgy.jpeg



Flash flashing.jpeg
 
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