Thanks to Bobby_M and others for posting ideas here. I found this thread after I made my CFC. Apparently great minds think alike !
Sorry I didn't photograph the "build", but here is my finished CFC.
20ft of 3/8" o.d. (type L in my case) copper inside 5/8" high temp rubber hose
I have a couple comments and suggestions for future builders.
1) Only 20 to 25 feet is really needed for good (actually awesome!) performance. If you buy 50 feet of hose and copper, make 2 as suggested. Sell the second one or gift it to a fellow homebrewer in need.
2) Convoluted copper or wire wrapped copper would increase turbulence and efficiency, but flow is already turbulent so the benefits are marginal. If you are trying to make a VERY short and compact CFC, then these improvements may be necessary. For a 20ft homemade CFC, they only make construction more difficult and expensive.
3) No need to straighten out copper or rubber hose! The soft copper work hardens VERY quickly when flexed, so the less flexing the better.
I first carefully adjusted the 20ft copper coil to fit around a 5 gallon poly bucket. It was almost this size already, so it didn't take much effort. Then I wrapped and secured ~19ft of the rubber hose to the outside of the same bucket. The hose also had a "set" coil to it from its retail packaging, so this was pretty easy. NOTE: Plan it right and make sure both coils go in the same direction!
I then capped one end of copper with a little plastic boot, lubed up with plenty of dish soap, and literally screwed the copper coil into the rubber coil! This technique work well for this size CFC, but I expect that longer lengths and/or larger diameter copper might NOT go together as smoothly.
Only my local plumbing shop had the 1/2" to 1/4" reducers. McMaster-Carr also had them. MMC is a good online resource for many of the harder-to-find fittings, washers, and o-rings needed in the home brewery.
I've got decades of soldering experience and all the tools for copper plumbing, so the rest of the assembly was easy.
When I invert the bucket/CFC over the sink after cleaning, the neatly packed coils naturally drain clear. I then store my pump and several hoses and cords IN the bucket when not in use.
I planned my brew area to be next to my laundry area in my basement. Installed extra copper plumbing and hose bibs specifically for brewing. To minimize wasted water and heat, I'm sending the hot water discharge from the CFC into my washing machine for the next load of whites. Color me "green"
Best Wishes!
2009_01_19