MacBoka users

High performance modular SS304 plated columns and accessories.

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Professor Green » Sun Feb 12, 2017 2:22 pm

Sounds like it's flooding, you might have your packing too tight. If you take the column off the boiler and close the needle valve so the only opening s are the to and bottom of the column, you should still be able to blow air easily through the column. If you can you should be right. You could also pop the end cap off and try tipping some water down the column. If it doesn't flow down relatively easily you might need to remove the packing and redo it a bit looser.

Have you repacked the column since you last used it by any chance?

Cheers,
Prof. Green.
Professor Green
 
Posts: 2483
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Victoria
equipment: FSD 100 litre milk can with 2 x 2400W elements
FSD Neutraliser
FSD Carter Head
12 litre double boiler with 2400W element

Re: MacBoka users

Postby hillzabilly » Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:41 pm

Hawkeye wrote:Got a problem with my Macboka....

It's leaking at the lid attachment. Have pulled apart, cleaned seals, wrapped thread with plumbers tape, also tried a flour paste but it won't seal.

Any suggestions???

G -day ,I was just wondering how much power ya throwing at it ,with elements 2000wt or over I found it a lot more likely that the flooding issues were more possible especialy with low ABV wash ,when I ran a 2inch reflux and 30lt boiler,1500-1850wt seemed ta be the sweet spot.I fitted an extra element,used the original 2000wt ta heat up and then swapped the plug to the smaller one for the run.Some build power controlers wich can allow you ta dial into the sweet spot for ya still.anyhooo cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:
hillzabilly
 
Posts: 1509
Images: 0
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:18 pm
Location: PERTH WEST AUSSIE
equipment: 10 gallon OZARK pot still ,2inch and 3inch Nixon Stone coloum stills ,10 and 18 gal beer keg boilers,5gal thumper keg.And the one and only 4" Five Star Southern Cross .

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Hawkeye » Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:52 pm

Right so far so good professor, seems like readjusting packing and checking fitting again I've got it working now.
:handgestures-thumbupleft:

Phew! I have 75 L of TPW to strip still!

Yes the boiler that came with this starter kit from Mac has just one element, run flat out. I forget the size. so I can over power it this is first time it's happened. think I'd need a power controller if I insulated it or had a bigger boiler.
Hawkeye
 
Posts: 94
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2015 11:01 am
Location: Hobart
equipment: 4 inch, 4 bubble plate on a 50L keg with 500mm packed section.

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Professor Green » Sun Feb 12, 2017 5:39 pm

Glad you got it working Hawkeye.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.
Professor Green
 
Posts: 2483
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Victoria
equipment: FSD 100 litre milk can with 2 x 2400W elements
FSD Neutraliser
FSD Carter Head
12 litre double boiler with 2400W element

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Professor Green » Sun Feb 12, 2017 5:47 pm

hillzabilly wrote:
Hawkeye wrote:Got a problem with my Macboka....

It's leaking at the lid attachment. Have pulled apart, cleaned seals, wrapped thread with plumbers tape, also tried a flour paste but it won't seal.

Any suggestions???

G -day ,I was just wondering how much power ya throwing at it ,with elements 2000wt or over I found it a lot more likely that the flooding issues were more possible especialy with low ABV wash ,when I ran a 2inch reflux and 30lt boiler,1500-1850wt seemed ta be the sweet spot.I fitted an extra element,used the original 2000wt ta heat up and then swapped the plug to the smaller one for the run.Some build power controlers wich can allow you ta dial into the sweet spot for ya still.anyhooo cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:


That's a very good thought. I had issues with vapour escaping through the vent rather than flooding but I was able to fix that by wrapping the RC coils with some copper mesh. Maybe 2000W is on the upper limit for these.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.
Professor Green
 
Posts: 2483
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Victoria
equipment: FSD 100 litre milk can with 2 x 2400W elements
FSD Neutraliser
FSD Carter Head
12 litre double boiler with 2400W element

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Bundaboy » Sat Jun 10, 2017 8:13 pm

Not much happening on this thread, probably because the MacBoka just works and that's it, but to stir the pot a little I thought I would give some brief thoughts on my 18th month anniversary.

Yep, I have now been running the MacBoka for 18 months with nary an issue other than I specced it with 2 2.4kWatt elements and have never used the second - oh well - it's a spare.

On the basis of having a bottle of scotch a week I would have spent well over $2000 (in reality, I am ashamed to say, I would have more than that) - given that what I am making is costing me, say, $8 a litre at most (thanks Teddy) I would have to say it wasn't a bad investment at around $900 all up.

My only regret is that I am still tied in to essences, so, again, just to stir the pot, I thought I would ask other MacBoka's what they are doing with it now, and if they had any suggestions on how to wean myself off essences - is there another way to squeeze a decent whisky out of this great still? Cheers all.
Bundaboy
 
Posts: 340
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:58 pm
Location: Southern Highlands, NSW
equipment: MH-943/s water distiller
Some parts in the shed for something more "traditional", 2" MacBoka atop a 50L SS keg fitted with 2 x 2400W weldless elements (with guards).

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Plumby » Sat Jun 10, 2017 8:59 pm

You could soak some domino's in 65% abv neutral for 8-12 weeks but it won't be the same as a cfw, ujssm or bwko run through a basic pot still and aged for the same time. A mate of mine oak's neutral spirit with a teaspoon of maple syrup and 1/4 teaspoon of good quality vanilla essence per litre of spirit at 65% for 12 weeks. It tastes pretty good but whiskey it ain't.
Plumby
 
Posts: 1175
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 7:19 am
Location: South East Queensland
equipment: 50 litre keg boiler with a 2200watt element and a 2 inch pot still called Shaniqua with a 32mm over 19mm 800mm long liebig condenser attached.

Re: MacBoka users

Postby bayshine » Sat Jun 10, 2017 9:09 pm

If you put a lieberg condenser on to it and pull out the packing, couldn't you run it as a pot still? Then you would need to control the heat for your spirit run :handgestures-thumbupleft:
bayshine
 
Posts: 873
Images: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:30 pm
Location: Turquoise coast dubbya aye
equipment: FSD 6 inch 5 plater block head On a FSD 100lt pro boiler
3” copper reducer bokka on a keg boiler

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Wobblyboot » Sat Jun 10, 2017 9:13 pm

It's 2"? Why not turn it into a pot still :-B can u weld or know some1 that can? A pot can make u most of what u need..
Wobblyboot
 
Posts: 669
Images: 0
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2014 4:41 pm
Location: Melb
equipment: 4" glass bubbler

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Azza76 » Sat Jun 10, 2017 11:25 pm

Why modify something that works just build a simple pot to go on your boiler and use the boka to make neutral from the feints?
Azza76
 
Posts: 130
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 10:22 pm
Location: North QLD
equipment: 2" pot still shotgun condenser
2"boka 50 lt keg boiler

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Bundaboy » Sun Jun 11, 2017 3:24 pm

Thanks guys, I have actually got all the materials needed to build a pot still, I actually obtained it before I bought the MacBoka, the reason I haven't built one yet is just the lack of time, I also have been assuming that when I do go down that track that I will have to get into all-grain mashing - something I have no skills in as yet.

I am a whisky drinker not a whiskey drinker if you know what I mean, there are a few whisky recipes but they tend to require some HBO products, not that I have much against that but it's a long way away and postage costs seem to have gone through the roof. However I will be trying some one day for fun.
Bundaboy
 
Posts: 340
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:58 pm
Location: Southern Highlands, NSW
equipment: MH-943/s water distiller
Some parts in the shed for something more "traditional", 2" MacBoka atop a 50L SS keg fitted with 2 x 2400W weldless elements (with guards).

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Zak Griffin » Sun Jun 11, 2017 4:48 pm

You can make quite a drinkable whiskey out of breakfast cereal mate. Have a crack at the CFW or nutrigrain recipes :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Zak Griffin
Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 6832
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:34 pm
Location: Radelaide
equipment: "The Heart of Gold" - 4" Bubbler - finally bubbling!
"Zaphod" - 3" Pot - retired
"Agrajag" - 6" Bubbler - midlife crisis build?

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Plumby » Sun Jun 11, 2017 4:49 pm

Zak Griffin wrote:You can make quite a drinkable whiskey out of breakfast cereal mate. Have a crack at the CFW or nutrigrain recipes :handgestures-thumbupleft:

:text-+1:
Plumby
 
Posts: 1175
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 7:19 am
Location: South East Queensland
equipment: 50 litre keg boiler with a 2200watt element and a 2 inch pot still called Shaniqua with a 32mm over 19mm 800mm long liebig condenser attached.

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Azza76 » Sun Jun 11, 2017 4:57 pm

Plumby wrote:
Zak Griffin wrote:You can make quite a drinkable whiskey out of breakfast cereal mate. Have a crack at the CFW or nutrigrain recipes :handgestures-thumbupleft:

:text-+1:

I'm hoping so just put down gen 3 CFW :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Azza76
 
Posts: 130
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 10:22 pm
Location: North QLD
equipment: 2" pot still shotgun condenser
2"boka 50 lt keg boiler

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Bundaboy » Sun Jun 11, 2017 5:13 pm

Zak Griffin wrote:You can make quite a drinkable whiskey out of breakfast cereal mate. Have a crack at the CFW or nutrigrain recipes :handgestures-thumbupleft:


As I say, I am not a whiskey with a "e" drinker in general, however I really should try those recipes before giving them the thumbs down, I have actually made a couple of weetbix based washes, and I think you could even put FFV in that category being bran based, but after refluxing obviously the flavours are gone.

Does anyone have any thoughts (i.e. worth a try/don't waste your time) on lightly packing a MacBoka (or any reflux still) to make it run as a pseudo pot still?
Bundaboy
 
Posts: 340
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:58 pm
Location: Southern Highlands, NSW
equipment: MH-943/s water distiller
Some parts in the shed for something more "traditional", 2" MacBoka atop a 50L SS keg fitted with 2 x 2400W weldless elements (with guards).

Re: MacBoka users

Postby db1979 » Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:04 pm

Bundaboy wrote:Does anyone have any thoughts (i.e. worth a try/don't waste your time) on lightly packing a MacBoka (or any reflux still) to make it run as a pseudo pot still?


I'm no expert but maybe use the search function on the forum for "pot hybrid". You may need to look at older posts as I don't think it's been talked about for a while, but then, I've been away from here for ages until recently.
db1979
 
Posts: 1760
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:47 pm
Location: South of the big smoke in banana bender land.
equipment: Eve - 4" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (sieve plates), 330 mm packed section on a keg boiler with 2 x 2000 W elements.
Currently having a makeover: 2" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (1" bubble caps, no sight glasses...maybe not for much longer!) on a bain-marie boiler.

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Bundaboy » Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:41 pm

Thanks will do.
Bundaboy
 
Posts: 340
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:58 pm
Location: Southern Highlands, NSW
equipment: MH-943/s water distiller
Some parts in the shed for something more "traditional", 2" MacBoka atop a 50L SS keg fitted with 2 x 2400W weldless elements (with guards).

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Sam. » Tue Jun 13, 2017 10:26 pm

Yep many have run a reflux still as a pot and tried to run a pot as a reflux and yeah you can half achieve each but it won't be the same, get my drift? ;-)
Sam.
Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 10405
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2011 7:19 pm
Location: South Oz Straya
equipment: Original FSD 5 plate 4 inch modular bubbler SSG with hand crafted plates and parrot by Mac.
18 Gal boiler.
2 x 2400W elements and power controller.
.

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Bundaboy » Wed Jun 14, 2017 7:55 am

Sam. wrote:Yep many have run a reflux still as a pot and tried to run a pot as a reflux and yeah you can half achieve each but it won't be the same, get my drift? ;-)


Sure do.
Bundaboy
 
Posts: 340
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:58 pm
Location: Southern Highlands, NSW
equipment: MH-943/s water distiller
Some parts in the shed for something more "traditional", 2" MacBoka atop a 50L SS keg fitted with 2 x 2400W weldless elements (with guards).

Re: MacBoka users

Postby Bundaboy » Tue Aug 08, 2017 6:59 pm

I was just wondering if anyone runs their MacBoka *without* doing a stripping run first? I can't think *why* you would do that other than to get more taste (possibly) into the neutral, still I am always looking for variations on the theme. Cheers.
Bundaboy
 
Posts: 340
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:58 pm
Location: Southern Highlands, NSW
equipment: MH-943/s water distiller
Some parts in the shed for something more "traditional", 2" MacBoka atop a 50L SS keg fitted with 2 x 2400W weldless elements (with guards).

PreviousNext

Return to 5 Star Distilling



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests

x