Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Howdy,

The first cleaner was a complete shock to me,
I'd:
Filed, ground and wire wheeled brush all fugly bits
wire wheel brushed every plate and every cooper piece inside and out till it gleamed
sandpaper, SS wool to all soldered bits again gleaming
vinegar soaked all pieces and sprayed in addition to 2 x 4" spacers/rock sections
washed several times
re finished with fine grade SS wool and vinegar followed by another wash

so standard prep for a vinegar steam run...the shit that came off it was a shock... the first 5 mins of steam was discoloured and murky...

I kept thinking and re checking what have I done wrong? Nothing I can find was the answer ...the source of the murky shite was the soldered joints. I'd remove all oxidation sandpaper, wire wheel and SS wool but I've learnt it's still has to clean up.
As a observation the shiny copper until it oxides and the acidic acids in vinegar has finished doing it's job, reckon some metal is lost or removed as well contributing to the murkiness.
Got a new respect for cleaning runs as a result a good many hours not the two hour "specials" in future.

I've yet to do a spirit run and I'm trying to tell my self not to make one or two 2"/4" Jackson Cross Flow condensers at the mo...guess the man cave will win out on that score...more copper please Mr. Tradelink!

I tried a few small tests with the so called "sealed" LED's I got as well, yellow, gold and orange ones... kind of wanted a "sunset progression effect" for night runs and a bit of glam...THE LED's where a fail ...sit em in High abv for a couple of days and they are F'd!...more research needed!

bt1

Howdy,

got a bit of time this evening to solder up the new 2"/50mm off set cold finger head for the new glasser. This is a 2" head for the roughly 4" glasser.

Saves the costs of the two 90 degree bends and only fitting I had to buy was the 45 degree bend. The pipe was scrap so not much involved here which is in keeping with the design idea. This uses the 90mm 2" RC I've posted previously.

Cutting the 45 degree join in was ok but templates weren't exactly to scale god know why buy hey worked it out.

Just a twin coil in 3/8" or 1/4" not sure yet...shaft size 3/4"/19.7mm cold finger to do and she's ready for the Easter rush.


Like the idea of offset condenser...kinda fits in and it's much lighter than a 180 degree job in 4" which is a good thing.

enjoy
bt1

With that lighting I'd say you're in a romantic mood, are you off to the brothel tonight :laughing-rolling:

Bloody good idea mac

btw it's a "club" :teasing-neener:

a slight inclination,
bt1

Howdy,

Odd the impressions you get when you can see through the column. My other platers have always had spirit running back down the walls during operation. Natural really as it refluxes against the wall temp and knock back from the RC base and temp drop zone.

In the glasser with the 2"/50mm condenser it was really pronounced. Sure it could hold the near 4"/100mm column in full reflux but the notable visibility of the knock back was well, pissing me off.

I've gone to a 4"/100mm 7 x 3/4"/19.7mm condenser as a result. It's a shortly only 65mm high and I know from 2"/50mm tests it will do the job, but hopefully have more throughput. It also fits with the more is less ideal behind the build.

I'm also not happy with solid rods for the length of the still, so intend to disassemble and add some rod joiner nuts in SS I picked up this week.

I love rustees read silicone seal so might revamp to those at the same time.

I've been well testing the glass elements for what I'd call excessive use. I've been trying to find the outer limit for the glass sections, as they're new to me and most I guess and need to know if they stand up to abuse.
A few so far:
Stood it on the pavers and let it fall. Lost 1 glass section. Better than losing the lot... I suspect the retainer screw punctured the glass section here.
Sprayed it with the hose running it flat out and I do mean flat out (100k btu for test only)
Over heated it to 145c
Immediate shut down and flush with hose

For mine it seems as durable as my other plater. It needs some more care to avoid accidental damage but the glass section seem robust. I read SBB's point elsewhere on his experience with these lantern glasses and accept his word. I don't leave my still unattended and have safety gear on hand so see the risk no differently to my other platers.

I had planned on changing over to 6mm - 8mm thick glass also in borosilicate also but I'm happy with the current. Clearly it's never going to take a knock like a copper column plater and just suffer a dent, but imho the views well worth it.

Past all the experimentation for durability, testing gaskets, etc I'm amazed at the lower costs to build. I'll detail this once I'm done on a final config but needless to say it's a most welcome reduction.

Hope to be able to post a few, normal run as a guide, a stress run posted elsewhere already and a puke on a rum wash so all can see it happening.

cheers
bt1

Howdy,

again thanks Rustee for the silicone gasket tip...raided Big W for the last 2 boxes they had...nice

So , re soldered base and off set condenser, completed the TC ( tiny condenser / tuna can...love this) pulled completely apart new gaskets cut and re screws, assembled, new lock screws etc lining it up properly, put joiners in for disassembly in future.

Long day but we're about done.




bt1

Oops,

New RC condenser


bt1

awesome. just awesome. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

That would look.awesome.running at night with some lights bt :D . Love that little rc, been seriously contemplating doing one, will see your results first :handgestures-thumbupleft: . Good job mate, looking good.

1 up on the lights! Get on that shite bt!

All steamed up...vinegar run





Done...footy and beer time
bt1

nice work mate that looks grate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Stunning looking build mate.

I have been thinking about building one in all stainless, but now I've seen your set up I may just do a similar job. Stainless, glass, stainless. Awesome looking rig.

Regards
ErnieV

Nice workmanship bt1

Top work Bt1 It Is Amazing , i agree with others at night with with some RGB leds for colour change and mounted at the back of the stack and programed to beat to the music :music-deathmetal:

Howdy,

resolved the last two leaks, converted to snap on hose fittings , quick steam run then into a 2 runs..fucking happy to say the least...this glasser sure pushes the abv button and may just be faster than the 4"/100m bubbler...good weekend in all.

It's freaky to watch the fores and shite moving up the column and the plates loading up...I really like it...

the Googe Mk4 downcomer is doing well better than the Mk5...

btw cos I can see it the downcomers load up well b4 the plates do...funky to watch.

It's finished...finally
bt1

Hiya bt1 say if ya hell bent on having lights in it (and for shits and giggles why not) might I suggest say a 12mm or so glass rod running up the guts through the plates like a plat tree. It would require you to seal the bottom end and I suspect the top would need to exist through a silicon gromit or similar above the RC at the top of the vapor path but you could run a line of LED lights down it no probs. Won't make the still run better but it will be a one of a kind with some serious bling happening :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Led strip lights up the screwed rod IMHO don't give it a chance to leak


iPhone Tapatalk

Killer build bt, very impressive stuff :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Wow, this thing is awesome mate! Definitely looks easier than fitting sight glasses to copper tube. Can I ask where you were looking at getting the borosilicate glass from and what kind a price were they?