counterflow chiller question

I am preparing to make a cfc tomorrow.I have everything I need for the build but was wondering if there is a trick or technique that will make running the copper through the garden hose a little easier.just wanted tto ask before I start. Thanks in advance.

Been a while since I did mine, but I do remember this:

- Straighten the copper line as best as you can.

- Run hot water through the garden just before you start pushing the copper line through it. This will soften the hose and make it more malleable.

- I used a very thin coat of vegetable oil on the outside of the copper line (using veg oil on a rag or paper towel). This will lubricate and make the assembly process easier.

- When done, to make a coil, I used the outside of a plastic bucket and wrapped the CFC around it.

M_C

blkandrust said:

I am preparing to make a cfc tomorrow.I have everything I need for the build but was wondering if there is a trick or technique that will make running the copper through the garden hose a little easier.just wanted tto ask before I start. Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

Very soapy water is what I used. Any water based lubricant will work though.

If you have the patience to read the whole thing, there is a ton of info in this thread. It covers different designs, making them from scratch, making them from an existing IC, what methods make it easy, and on and on.

KY Jelly. I have tons of it laying around the house.

In my experience I wouldnt waste your time making it. Priced one out and it came out the same as buying one. Not to mention you dont need to worry about ruining it and having it not work properly. Here is the link to where we bought ours, and we ordered some grain with it, Free shipping over $100

more power to you if you make it yourself, just alot of work that isnt needed......

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/produ...10458&osCsid=e684005725a00c27d371a1ee358305b0

I didn't use any lubrication when threading the copper into the garden hose. I used the black goodyear hose and i didnt have any problems. Like was mentioned earlier, just make sure your copper is as straight as you can get it. If it has any bigger bends in it while you try to thread it in; that's where it'll bend and crimp. If i had any advice it would be to cut the hose a little long. You can always trim any excess off.


This is what I was able to come up with in an afternoon.

Thanks for all the replies.I just mashed in an amber,gonna try and start my build shortly.Multitasking.And,ummm,I am out of KY but I do have a plethora of Emotion Lotion,would that work?

I used soapy water to lube mine and it slid right through...I purchased all my parts for $80, so cheaper than the $100...oh,and that made 2...I sold the other for $50.

After all that I think I am going to go to an immersion chiller....it just makes sense to get the whole batch below 140 as quick as possible. Might run both?

I used some liquid dish soap and a bit of water. I also taped the end of the copper with some electrical tape to prevent the cut area of the tube from digging into the hose. Plus you get the added benefit of no soap entering the copper. Mine did get stuck about 2/3 of the way, so I just added some more liquid soap and water to the other end of the hose and it slipped through.

Mine probably got stuck due to the soldered 14 gauge copper wire I spiraled around the copper tube. Its supposed to create some turbulence in the water as it passes through making it work better.

The spiraled wire also keeps the copper coil in the middle of the hose, or at least off the sides.

Have you got any pics of the soldered wire on the copper. Am thinking about doing the same..

I have all the parts but haven't had the time to put it all together! But i'm following this guy's lead, he's got some good pics of his CFC build. For whatever reason i do have a spare vacuum pump but i haven't decided if i want to use it or not:

http://suburb.semo.net/jet1024/CFC.htm