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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby Enigma » Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:16 pm

The brass on the parrot is lead free, have heaps at work. Thought l would make something different but l used copper tube that was abit to small, so when spirit comes up it lifts the alcometer slightly as well. Hopefully next one will work better. Still learning how my still performs,ie temps, flow rates, quantity, cuts, then try to make consistent washes. As l said before, have a lot to learn but will have fun every minute.
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby Enigma » Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:57 pm

Just made my first TPW the other day, looking forward to seeing the difference compared to the Turbo stuff. Also just checked out the pictures of other peoples Bubblers, truely, works of arts that inspire me. Might have to upgrade when l get better at this. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby Bundaboy » Wed Mar 07, 2018 5:56 pm

woodduck wrote:Was your first run a strip run? If so I'm not sure why you didn't get as much out for the second run. I would expect a little less but that seems like quite a bit to loose? Not 100% sure there mate, I never did strip runs with my boka and don't do them with my bubbler either :teasing-neener:

As for loss from the cuts jars, I wouldn't panic it will mainly be the higher alcahols that you don't want in your drink anyway :handgestures-thumbupleft: I would avoid leaving them for long periods in hot weather though :handgestures-thumbupleft:


No strip run? That's interesting. How did you manage that if you don't mind me asking (and what do you make?).
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby woodduck » Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:08 pm

One of the beauties of a bubbler, full flavour while getting high % and all on single runs. It's all down to the science mate and unfortunately it's over my head. Something about the condensate mixing with the upcoming vapour on the plates and plenty of reflux cycles does it some how. Someone with the tech knowledge will chime in hopefully.

I never did strip runs on my boka either but I had to run alot slower but I felt it was better to do that than 2 runs, just my personal preference.
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby Enigma » Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:50 pm

Hi bundaboy, not sure if you seen all the pics but the notes l took was my first run (turbo @ 14% approx ) As my notes said, as soon the temp risen abit it started to smell horrible and then when very high fast, shut down at 79c because l couldn’t handle the smell ( maybe because it’s turbo, yet to learn) So not really a stripping run, just seeing how my Still performs, ABV was high but even middle cuts didn’t smell quite right. Maybe because of Turbo or maybe collecting to fast even though ABV is high, as l said before, still learning. Then l redistilled what l collected abit slower, much better, but lost abit doing that but happy to have something better to drink. Also the other reason l redistlled, l need more practice. My drink of choice is Bundy and Scotch ( not together :laughing-rolling: )

Cheers
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby bluc » Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:26 pm

With rum and scotch your favs maybe you should consider a pot still to complement your reflux still. Simple 2" pipe into a condenser will suffice how you design the pipe is up to you longer riser helps prevent puking maybe little passive reflux. short pipe more flavour. Check out the pot still section for ideas.. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

And welcome :D
Last edited by bluc on Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby Bundaboy » Thu Mar 15, 2018 9:04 pm

Enigma wrote:Hi bundaboy, not sure if you seen all the pics but the notes l took was my first run (turbo @ 14% approx ) As my notes said, as soon the temp risen abit it started to smell horrible and then when very high fast, shut down at 79c because l couldn’t handle the smell ( maybe because it’s turbo, yet to learn) So not really a stripping run, just seeing how my Still performs, ABV was high but even middle cuts didn’t smell quite right. Maybe because of Turbo or maybe collecting to fast even though ABV is high, as l said before, still learning. Then l redistilled what l collected abit slower, much better, but lost abit doing that but happy to have something better to drink. Also the other reason l redistlled, l need more practice. My drink of choice is Bundy and Scotch ( not together :laughing-rolling: )

Cheers


I think we may have crossed wires there, I was replying to woodduck, but, if you like a Scotch, and I am assumingthat if you are creating a neutral and using essences? If so I thoroughly recommend doing an FFV, it is as quick, or quicker than a Turbo (and a hell of a lot cheaper) and it is a great base for a Scotch (and your favourite essence), you can even make a pretty fair whisky by just oaking the neutral. Cheers.
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby woodduck » Thu Mar 15, 2018 9:41 pm

Hi Bundaboy,
I've just re read the above posts and didn't realise you didn't really get an answer about how a bubbler works and why it doesn't need strip runs so sorry about that. I tracked this thread down and it should help explain better than I could 8-} :laughing-rolling:

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=3117#p46591

By the way I make both brown spirits and neutral with my bubbler and only neutral with my boka when I had it :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby Bundaboy » Thu Mar 15, 2018 10:00 pm

woodduck wrote:Hi Bundaboy,
I've just re read the above posts and didn't realise you didn't really get an answer about how a bubbler works and why it doesn't need strip runs so sorry about that. I tracked this thread down and it should help explain better than I could 8-} :laughing-rolling:

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=3117#p46591

By the way I make both brown spirits and neutral with my bubbler and only neutral with my boka when I had it :handgestures-thumbupleft:


Interesting stuff, I need to look into building a bubbler, but I was really more interested in how you were getting away without a strip run on the boka, what was your wash if you don't mind me asking?

Were you using the Boka in full reflux mode or more as a pot still?

I really need to do more experimenting with my Boka to get a feel for it's capabilities, but as we all appreciate I am sure... Time!
Last edited by Bundaboy on Thu Mar 15, 2018 10:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby woodduck » Fri Mar 16, 2018 7:02 am

I did a couple of turbos early on before finding this place then onto tpw. I also had a pot so the faints from spirit runs went through the boka for neutral.

A boka will pull azeo (96%) straight from a wash it will just be very slow, like 500ml per hour slow. I was using ceramic bits, copper pipe off cuts and stainless scrubbers as packing. The thing I found with the boka is it needed alot of reflux, when I first started I was trying to run to a temp and kept turning the power up and down causing chaos in the colomn. I worked out that I would turn the power up to the point where the condencer could only just but comfortably keep up (you don't want vapor coming out the top), this will give you maximum reflux then adjust take off till % is where you want it. Forget temps, only use thermometer to tell you when run is near over. Temp should hold steady till tails. It may not be that magic 78deg people talk about but don't worry. The temp is governed but the alcahol content more than the power.

Hope that makes sence, if not I'll have another go for ya :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby Bundaboy » Fri Mar 16, 2018 8:58 am

woodduck wrote:I did a couple of turbos early on before finding this place then onto tpw. I also had a pot so the faints from spirit runs went through the boka for neutral.

A boka will pull azeo (96%) straight from a wash it will just be very slow, like 500ml per hour slow. I was using ceramic bits, copper pipe off cuts and stainless scrubbers as packing. The thing I found with the boka is it needed alot of reflux, when I first started I was trying to run to a temp and kept turning the power up and down causing chaos in the colomn. I worked out that I would turn the power up to the point where the condencer could only just but comfortably keep up (you don't want vapor coming out the top), this will give you maximum reflux then adjust take off till % is where you want it. Forget temps, only use thermometer to tell you when run is near over. Temp should hold steady till tails. It may not be that magic 78deg people talk about but don't worry. The temp is governed but the alcahol content more than the power.

Hope that makes sence, if not I'll have another go for ya :handgestures-thumbupleft:


Very interesting, yes I have no problem getting to around 94% but my column is too short (600mm) I think to get azeo, however I digress. I have, perhaps, been labouring under the misapprehension that a good clean neutral requires a stripping run first but I think I need to have a go at running a single run slow (500ml may be slow but my current process requires 3 stripping runs and 12+ hour long spirit run (that's for around 105L of somewhat cleared FFV wash at around 1L/hour).

The 3 stripping runs are required to adequately charge my beer keg boiler with low wines, so that's 2 very full days basically every 3 months or so. That's not too bad really but it would be nice to be able to stagger it out a bit more and hopefully reduce the risk of that most unfortunate of events - "running out". ;-)

Anyway, thank you very much for that, the proof of the pudding and all that indicates I should get a 30L wash on and try it out. Cheers. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby Professor Green » Fri Mar 16, 2018 10:43 am

I added an extra 300mm section packed with stainless scrubber to my MacBoka (on a T500 boiler) and that worked a treat. It was still slow but made great neutral.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby Bundaboy » Fri Mar 16, 2018 11:13 am

Professor Green wrote:I added an extra 300mm section packed with stainless scrubber to my MacBoka (on a T500 boiler) and that worked a treat. It was still slow but made great neutral.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.


Yes, I have all the materials I need to do the same if I could just get around to soldering it all up. So much to do, so little time.

OTOH I have my eye on the 2" pot head unit from 5 Star which includes another 600mm section, alas they were out of stock just before xmas otherwise I would have it now :-(.

Cheers!
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Re: Hello fellow craftsman

Postby woodduck » Fri Mar 16, 2018 12:37 pm

Send them an email or give them a call. Their website isn't always up to date, they may have one in stock. If your looking at pot stills look into their 4" modular one. It can be added to over time to build a bubbler.

Give a single run a go, it may not work for you but it's worth a crack. Just adjust your take off till you get the % you want. It may be quicker than mine was, it maybe slower. Won't know till you try :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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