Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

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Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby Mickyh2882 » Thu Jun 21, 2018 7:16 pm

Hey Fellas,
New member and first time poster from Newcastle.
Some great info found on this site and lots to learn.
This hobby started out after a mate lent me an air distiller, easy place to start but a long way to go until I taste a decent neutral. I have only done 2 runs, both HBS turbo’s. After reading this site they will definitely be my last with a few TPW runs to follow.
My question is, I have limited space but looking at getting a reflux setup. I’m happy with doing neutrals for the moment until I learn more. Would the pure distilling setup be a good place to start?
Thanks in advance.
Mickyh2882
 
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Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby Sam. » Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:33 pm

G'day mate and welcome here :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I can't comment too much on the shelf items these days but I do believe the pure distilling rig is better than the T500. Someone can correct me if they can.
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Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby Professor Green » Thu Jun 21, 2018 9:22 pm

Welcome to AD Mickyh.

I can't answer your question but I'm sure there will be someone here will be able help you out.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.
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Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby dans.brew » Thu Jun 21, 2018 10:10 pm

Welcome mate! :greetings-waveyellow:
I cant comment on a t500 but i started with a Pure Distilling Still. They are a good still if your keen for an off the shelf option. Fairly simple to use.. they are made that you cant really go wrong if you follow the instructions. If you go down this path though, do your cuts even though they dont say a thing about it in the instructions. It truly is one of the most important things a new distiller should try and get there head around.
I did out grow my PDS fairly quickly as i dont drink heaps of vodka and the rum essences weren't really doing it for me.
It is fairly easy to put a pot on the top of the 25ltr boiler and i interchanged between the 2 depending on what i wanted to make. Made for a good start for me anyway.
Hope this was some help. Good luck!
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equipment: Pure Distilling Reflux Still
2" Pot Still with lieberg
4" x 4 plates Bubbler with 2"bubble caps on 50ltr keg boiler

Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby woodduck » Fri Jun 22, 2018 8:02 am

Hey mate welcome aboard :greetings-waveyellow:
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Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby Mickyh2882 » Fri Jun 22, 2018 9:26 am

Thanks for the response guys and I’m so happy I stumbled across this forum. Soooooo much information to take in and so many guys willing to help everyone out.
As I said, I have no equipment yet, only a borrowed air still but the sooner that goes, with the turbo wash, the better.
I’ve been trying to find a second hand setup but I haven’t been able to find anything so from what I’ve read and watched the pure distilling setup seems ok. Will definitely learn to do cuts with it though.
One question I do have if I was to get the PD off the shelf setup, I understand the no plastic so if I was to be doing TPW, would I need to run that through the plastic bucket filter setup they use?

I’m very open to suggestions though if anyone has something better or another path I should be heading down.
Again, thanks for having me guys. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Last edited by Mickyh2882 on Fri Jun 22, 2018 9:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby dans.brew » Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:02 am

Mickyh2882 wrote:One question I do have if I was to get the PD off the shelf setup, I understand the no plastic so if I was to be doing TPW, would I need to run that through the plastic bucket filter setup they use?


I never ran anything i made through that carbon filter.
Since you are fairly open to ideas, you might be best of buying something secondhand that can be used as a pot still and reflux. I did find with the PDS Kit you got a bit of extra stuff that i have never used.
My mate did end up getting one of these stills secondhand for $200, so if you keep your eyes open who would no what might come up.
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2" Pot Still with lieberg
4" x 4 plates Bubbler with 2"bubble caps on 50ltr keg boiler

Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby woodduck » Fri Jun 22, 2018 12:14 pm

Have you thought of building your own? It's not that hard to knock up a pot or boka. What do you want to drink? That will help decide what still to go for
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Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby Mickyh2882 » Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:22 pm

Thanks Dan, I’ll keep my eyes peeled on gumtree and the such.

Hey woodduck, as I’m only new to all this I was going to just do neutrals to start with and use essences. As far as what I drink, about the only thing I don’t drink is rum. I have seen a fair bit in reflux stills and understand those so I was going to learn to do cuts with TPW. I’m not really sure if the processes for whiskeys and gins.
I don’t know much about pot stills but the more I read it seems like if I approached this by getting a boiler that I could put a reflux and a pot on I could do much more with that.
As far as budget goes, I’d be happy to spend 1k on a setup.
Building one myself, I’d have to do a lot more research on this forum and get some tips.
I could get hold of an old keg easy and I could put a heating element in easy enough. I think I’d get a bit stuck on the condensers though.
Any help mate would be greatly appreciated.
Mickyh2882
 
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equipment: Beginner

Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby woodduck » Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:19 pm

You could build both and interchange them like you said or you could just build a bubbler and be done with it :handgestures-thumbupleft: Have a look through the stills section and see what takes your fancy. Building really isn't that hard and a lot of blokes here who'd never touched a blow torch have successfully built stills. You don't need alot of tools and basic ones at that.
Here's a few to get you started, there's plenty more in the tips from the work bench section. These threads are where I learnt to build stills, they're absolute gold :handgestures-thumbupleft:

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=76

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=11390

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=1237

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=3087

There is also a video on how to build a shotgun condenser in the site donors area so if your keen to see it hit the donate button down the bottom of the page, donate $20 and you'll even get a nice blue jacket to go with it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Just a small tip mate, take your time and don't rush in. it may take a few days or even weeks (I read every page of every thread in the plated column section before I built my bubbler) of reading threads to work out what suits you but it will be worth it when you build/buy the right still for you and not just some artifact that hangs on the wall like my first 2 stills.
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Re: Newbie Welcome- Reflux system?

Postby RC Al » Fri Jun 22, 2018 8:06 pm

You can also out source the soldering/brazing/welding to a pro for $60-100/hour after scrounging the bits from scrap metal yards, many ways to skin a cat :)


Oh and hi :greetings-waveyellow:
Last edited by RC Al on Fri Jun 22, 2018 8:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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