Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hey guys i scored this cheap as chips (been drooling over macs brand new stills for a while but couldnt afford it with 2 kids etc ). The downcomer height seems a little low but being not much higher than the bubble cap slits. Has anyone got one of these and can let me know how it performs or be able to comment on how much i should raise the downcomer . Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Hey mate good score :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I found with mac's downcomers that the spear that I had removed from a keg fitted perfectly inside the downcomer when I was experimenting with different heights
Also looks like you may need a breather on your parrot to stop surging :-B

What make is that? I've got a glasser they do the job well.

Great idea thanks bayshine, i'll see what i have laying around once it gets here. I got it on gumtree, but ended up checking out the make/supplier online. Its chinese. Picked it up for a grand, and chucked the guy a couple hundred bucks for postage

Done well, might have stung yourself on postage though!
When you get a chance to check I sent you a pm :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Postage was only from qld, its unused but has 2 slightly warped plates which ill flatten out easily. Cant check my messages yet man, im not authorized yet guessing i gotta put up some more comments and posts first. Might chuck an intro up in the welcome section, been a few years since i been on here

Why do you want to raise bath depth? What is it currently?

Very Nice, you need to rotate each second plate 180 degrees so the downcomers are not above each other.

bayshine wrote:Hey mate good score :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I found with mac's downcomers that the spear that I had removed from a keg fitted perfectly inside the downcomer when I was experimenting with different heights
Also looks like you may need a breather on your parrot to stop surging :-B

How could a manufacturer miss such an important part as a breather. what else have they missed or got wrong? ill stick with 5 star thanks. Sorry mate didn't mean to sledge your new purchase. was in home brew shop today and saw all the 5 star knock offs and none of it was a pinch on what I'm sitting in front of right now making some really great hooch :D

Theres a few small things i can improve easily but for the price i couldnt pass it up. I would have loved a 5 star rig over anything but providing for a household of 5 on a slightly above average wage, it was just a dream lol

Johno86 wrote:Theres a few small things i can improve easily but for the price i couldnt pass it up. I would have loved a 5 star rig over anything but providing for a household of 5 on a slightly above average wage, it was just a dream lol

I hear ya there buddy.

Run with what you've got mate. Check it for vapour leaks on the maiden voyage - perhaps a vinegar run just to be safe.

You can always decouple the parrot from the condenser and stick a small funnel in the end to catch the drips. No breather required then. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

Professor Green wrote:Run with what you've got mate. Check it for vapour leaks on the maiden voyage - perhaps a vinegar run just to be safe.

You can always decouple the parrot from the condenser and stick a small funnel in the end to catch the drips. No breather required then. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

:text-+1: you have done well with your purchase man :handgestures-thumbupleft: I know what budget limitations are like.

So i turns out the still was a little different but still a decent rig. Still concerned about the plates though. Riser holes are 15mm high, bubble cap slots are 10mm and downcomer is only 10mm high. I guess ill do my sac run on the weekend and see how she goes. Would it be an issue if i raised the downcomers to 20mm or at least 15? I know the dc's should be lower than the riser holes but pressure of the upcoming vapour should stop any fluid entering the risers yeah?. I appreciate any advice you experienced blokes can offer

Cheers

Heres a pic of the plate and rig

Yer you'd be ok to bring the bath upto 20mm I recon :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Thanks woodduck, i thought it might be :handgestures-thumbupleft: . I'll chuck a 20mm sleeve on the dc's for my sac run n see how it goes, then sort them out after if it runs well. 11mm bath depth seemed very shallow especially when the bc slots are 10mm

PeterC wrote:Very Nice, you need to rotate each second plate 180 degrees so the downcomers are not above each other.

Why is that important PeterC? I have 2 of mine inline with each other - didn't plan it that way btw...
Cheers.

Nice score Johno. There's some pretty good stuff coming in from China...
That plate looks exactly like the ones I have, same dimensions, works well as is. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Cheers

Lowie wrote:

PeterC wrote:Very Nice, you need to rotate each second plate 180 degrees so the downcomers are not above each other.

Why is that important PeterC? I have 2 of mine inline with each other - didn't plan it that way btw...
Cheers.

You don't want the reflux falling straight down the other downcomer. You want the reflux to drop on the opposite side and work it’s way over the plate for better mixing/cleaning.