"ok, so ive read, googled, read, googled some more, read...you get the idea; i've decided to build a bokakob slant plate. i have spoken to a local company that builds/repairs dairies that has many sizes sanitary pipe and said i could go thru his scrap pile and get what i wanted. he said he thought he has 2"" and 3"" and maybe some 4"". i asked about 3"" and he thought he had an 8"" piece i can HAVE!
i plan to mount the column to a standard US keg, and have some questions that i couldnt find answers to.
i am wanting to build something modular so i can do reflux, pot, and stripping runs as desired.(possibly eventually adding a bubble plate, such as the ""StillDragon"", on the bottom)

questions...1) is there an ideal length of the packed column under the slant plates, and does that length change between a 3"" and 4""? (ordered copper mesh today from BH)

2) on a pot/stripper run, i will just mount the condenser head to the keg, right?

3) should i use 1/4"" or 3/8"" od tubing for the coil? (going with an 8"" around a cold finger)

4) 1/2"" or 3/4"" cold finger?

5) any thoughts to having a 2"" double 1/4"" coil on top of the 3"" column?

6) ive seen sight glasses used on plated columns to watch the condensation to determine the progress of the run. could this same concept be used on a packed column? (not to see whats happening inside, but to watch the condensation on the glass)

thanks in advance
MM"