Gday from Perth, here's a custom still I've almost finished

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Gday from Perth, here's a custom still I've almost finished

Postby Ridgeydidge » Sun May 05, 2019 12:27 am

Hi fellow distillers, I'm new to the game but have been given a custom still from my uncle that I am finishing off, he made the still I'm doing the boiler. It's flanges to easily split and clean, Oring sealed, purge welded and fully passivated to food grade. I'm a sheet metal worker but have moved into coded exotics welding
(titanium, duplex, stainless, copper nickel etc.) mainly tig the last 5 or so years. He's been using this design for about 20 years. I am a big American bourbon drinker, really love the rye style and hope to make my own eventually the proper way. I mainly drink makers mark tho, for the price I think it's pretty damned good. The good ryes are a bit pricey to have all the time.

After reading up Alot on this site there is a few things I am aware of that I need to change, spewing as I bought the outlet hose and element before learning they arnt really the best. D/E Natural rubber and the 2200w weldless.
I'm pretty sure this is what you guys call a external valved reflux still? Anyways, I can't wait to get into it and currently have a tpw bubbling away.
Cheers, Hayden
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Last edited by Ridgeydidge on Sun May 05, 2019 12:32 am, edited 3 times in total.
Ridgeydidge
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2019 11:36 pm
Location: Perth, wa
equipment: Home made reflux still 50L keg boiler
60L fermenter

Re: Gday from Perth, here's a custom still I've almost finis

Postby Mne » Sun May 05, 2019 7:34 am

Hi and welcome Ridgeydidge:)
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Re: Gday from Perth, here's a custom still I've almost finis

Postby Doubleuj » Sun May 05, 2019 8:39 am

Hi Hayden, welcome to the forum. Your still is what we’d call cooling management (cm) still. Just like a t500.
Best to check with your uncle what solder he used to build it, with both of your skill sets I’m sure it would have been hard soldered but best to check just in case, don’t want lead based solder in your still for obvious reasons :handgestures-thumbdown:

Plus what type of oring are you using?
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Re: Gday from Perth, here's a custom still I've almost finis

Postby Professor Green » Sun May 05, 2019 8:43 am

Welcome to AD Hayden :greetings-waveyellow:

:text-+1: on WJ's safety concerns.

Nice looking build, I like the concept of having the top of the keg removable.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.
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Re: Gday from Perth, here's a custom still I've almost finis

Postby RC Al » Sun May 05, 2019 9:00 am

Welcome mate

That's a hell of a flange on that keg mate, nice skills. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

You might want to consider separate water feeds to the condensers, this will give you more control and help avoid huffing - hot vapor hitting too colder coil and causing issues. You can also then remove the packing and run a tiny bit of reflux to produce a cleaner pot stilled product

I almost can't wait for you to get the bug and build a blingy monster with those skills :))
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Re: Gday from Perth, here's a custom still I've almost finis

Postby Ridgeydidge » Sun May 05, 2019 9:48 am

Cheers guys, yeah I'm not sure on the solder either, surely he wouldn't have used a lead based solder but I will find out. He told me to use a 6mm rubber Oring. I haven't bought it yet, was going to go in this week, due to it being an odd size il have to buy it as cord and glue it together. He has had his like this for a long time with no issues. However il see if they do a different material or even wrap it with ptfe tape.

If I were to try run this as a pot still can I just remove the ss scrubbers in the column? The coil the alcohol vapour goes through in the water tank is 2.4m long. The tank simply fills around it then the water goes over to the column and does 4.5 winds the discharged out side of pipe so it should be a bit warmer by then?
Last edited by Ridgeydidge on Sun May 05, 2019 9:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ridgeydidge
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2019 11:36 pm
Location: Perth, wa
equipment: Home made reflux still 50L keg boiler
60L fermenter


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