Hello all, 1st time posting. I am getting ready for my 1st run. I have been reading and watching videos for a while. I thought I had a good base knowledge of what to do until I read Rick Morris's "Joy of home distilling". I was planning to use the vapor temperature on my still to help me learn my cuts until I read that if you are using a thumper you cant do that. My question is. Can you use the vapor temperature in the thumper in the same way I was planning to use the distiller vapor temp? I realize I need to learn to make cuts by taste and smell but that process would be easier for me if I had a reference starting out.

The thumper on brewhaus isn't very informative... This is another key to the puzzle.

I believe it is 3 liter, and have read elsewhere that it 'should be' half the size of the kettle. Is there an authoritative size recommendation for this?

Also, I'm trying to picture it in use, connected directly to the kettle lid (no column) - is waste heat from the kettle (thumper directly on the kettle) any value?

After the added condenser (shotgun), I picture the collection actions to be fairly low in the workspace,as in working on my knees. No?

Thanks