Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi all,

I'm very new to the fantastic world of distilling alcohol but I'm keen az mustard to get stuck right in.
So, I recently purchased this lil beauty off WineGlass:


I then acquired the keg you see in that pic and after removing the spear,which just basically jumped out when I showed it the hammer and chisel, I sat the still on top.
I'm now waiting on a keg element from Macstill and I need my plumber mate to weld me in a connection for the still to keg. I will also get him to make me a simple product cooler and extend the outlet pipe to make it easier to catch my hooch!!

As I had a rare day off work today, I decided to get stuck into the cooling side of things.
When I picked up the boka off WineGlass, I saw his radiator cooling set up and decided straight away that I was going to copy it.
So, with that in mind, I started with an old recycling crate, a $10 EBAY FORD EF radiator, a spare set of FORD EF twin thermo fans,

a $20 Bunnings pond pump

and a few various hose that I had just laying around.
The radiator is secured to the crate by some heavy-duty aluminium L-channel and silicone. The thermos are well secured to all that and will be running off a spare car battery.
The plan is to have the water pump from the crate, to the product cooler, up to the coil, back into the bottom of the radiator. It will then be cooled my the thermos as it rises up to the top radiator hose and back into the crate. :think: :think: Thoughts???

The little pond pump will run off 240v mains, along with the element. I'm also looking at getting a 2 ring LPG burner to help pour some heat into it at the start of a run.
I am still a little worried about the pond pump, but at $20 I figured that it was worth a go and I can always upgrade if it shits itself.
Here is a vid of it in action:


As I write this I am sterlising a 45l cube to put down my 1st TPW. I can then let that sit for a while and clear, till I'm ready for my 1st run.

Many thanks must go to WineGlass. The hour or so spent with him when I picked up the boka was very eye opening and he gave me some great advice on distilling. Thanks :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Wish me luck and I'll keep you all posted on my slow but steady progress

Cuz :wave: :wave:

Hey Cuz, that will be one great setup mate.
It will serve you well :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Kimbo wrote:Hey Cuz, that will be one great setup mate.
It will serve you well :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Thanks Kimbo.
But I have an update and its not too good mate.
I call this video" FAIL":


So, that $20 bunnings special was NO WHERE NEAR enough pump for this set-up. I never thought it would be but I just had to try.
I guess I'm trying to go too cheap in this area of the build.
I am now going to look at a submersible pump with a float to get this water moving!

Stay tuned.....

those pond pumps are piss weak mate, you're gunna need a pressure pump ;-)

MacStill wrote:those pond pumps are piss weak mate, you're gunna need a pressure pump ;-)

Yeah, thanks Mac.
I knew they were pretty small but I just had to try...Just in case it worked!! :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead:
I'm already onto a much larger submersible pump that should do the business.

I think you might have to buy a small fountain to use the pump on mate, pathetic was probably the best word to use.
If you can get a pump that has a 3/4" outlet, it should be good enough. Those little ones have about a 500mm head and the flow slows drasticly when you lift the water any higher than 300mm.

You could try these dudes for a good pump, http://www.orangepumps.com.au/mktg/tc2012/op12tc01.htm I got one of their pumps for about 1/3 the list price at a local hardware store, so I think there is a bit of fat in their catalouge prices, but they are in Richmond.
They had a real nice looking little centrifugal pump for about the $80 mark. A proper water transfer pump, cast iron and proper plumbing fittings.

The more flow you can get through the coil, the faster you'll collect. Won't hurt to lash out on a good pump, the cooling system can go on any future stills, including a bubbler, so pretty future proof.

Good to see you moving quick mate. Its gunna be way better than $6 for a can of heads and tails.

Thanks Dan,
I've got a question about a bigger pump tho. Won't running a bigger pump or submersible thru such a small pipe (coil) cause the pump to overheat?

You'll need a pressure pump Cuz,by far the easiest way :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Howdy cuz,

I use a 500w pump and have 4 x 19mm off takes to reduce flow...just T's with inline cheap irrigation switches..like inline to reduce pressure...it's way over size but it does the job in winter when I gotta pump 30m to my still.

bt1

If its a centrifugal pump (impellor style) it wont be much of an issue.
You could also use a pressure switched pump, but it will cycle on and off. A straight pressure pump is ok.

It will only be a problem if you use a big oversize pump, but you will soon know if its getting too hot, then like bt said, you can bleed some off straight back to the tank.

Righto.
SO I have taken everyones advice and gone for a much bigger pump.
I got a bunnings sump pump for $70.
12500 lt per hour and 550w.
I hooked it all up to my existing set up and got a heap more water coming thru



I did a quick measure of the water coming out and its around 1 litre per 20 sec. So 3 litres a minute or 180 l
an hour.
Do you reckon thats enough???

I got a parcel in the post this week...



Now I'll get my plumber mate to make me up a element guard for it and fit it to my keg, along with a couple of other additions.

On another note, I just put my 1st TPW down!! :happy-partydance: :happy-partydance:
I got a 30 litre fermenter and followed Mac's TPW recipe.
Pitched the yeast at 31 deg, put the lid on, fitted the airlock and its away.

That 750w pump will serve you well Cuz. I have one of those and it works a treat :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Kimbo wrote:That 750w pump will serve you well Cuz. I have one of those and it works a treat :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Phew... thanks Kimbo.
I was having a pretty intense internal debate about which pump to use, so I'm glad that your one works well.
I ran my cooling set up for about 90 mins today, felt the pump and it was still only warm.
I'm alot happier now.

TPW is quietly bubbling away in the garage...

Hi cuz
That set up looks great. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Will those radiator fans be run to aid cooling ?

I'm also looking at getting a new pump and although I looked hard at your vid clip, I couldn't see the new pump you got .

Sorry to be a pain but could you post a pic of it and do you have the Bunnings number for it.
Cheers

Sorry to derail your tread but while on the topic of these pumps,does anyone know if they are induction motors and would they start off a 2.5 KVA generator as I am also thinking of using this as an emergency backup pump when we get power cuts.My present Davies pressure pump draws too much start up current for my little genny to handle.

Yummyrum wrote:Hi cuz
That set up looks great. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Will those radiator fans be run to aid cooling ?

I'm also looking at getting a new pump and although I looked hard at your vid clip, I couldn't see the new pump you got .

Sorry to be a pain but could you post a pic of it and do you have the Bunnings number for it.
Cheers

Sorry to derail your tread but while on the topic of these pumps,does anyone know if they are induction motors and would they start off a 2.5 KVA generator as I am also thinking of using this as an emergency backup pump when we get power cuts.My present Davies pressure pump draws too much start up current for my little genny to handle.

Hi Yum,

Yes, the thermos will run to help cool the water.
I will run them off a car battery but I could just as easy run a normal oscilating fan.
Here is a couple of pics of the pump box:




They have 3 types, all next to each other. I just went the biggest!! Hehe...

Goo setup mate :handgestures-thumbupleft: , I have the $50 one from bindings, it's been great and does.the job we'll,pretty quiet for a pump too. Bet your chanting at the bit to get that tpw through it! :-D

Won't be long now...

The first time you drive past a bottle shop and don't need to stop in because you dont need to is a good feeling.

googe wrote:Goo setup mate :handgestures-thumbupleft: , I have the $50 one from bindings, it's been great and does.the job we'll,pretty quiet for a pump too. Bet your chanting at the bit to get that tpw through it! :-D

Patience is NOT one of my virtues and after watching the TWP bubbling away yesterday, I wanted to start making HOOCH!!!

WineGlass wrote:Won't be long now...

The first time you drive past a bottle shop and don't need to stop in because you dont need to is a good feeling.

Sooo cannot wait!!! Just need to work out some flavoured vodka recipes and I'm away...

Howdy,

same pump as I bought. Posted it earlier but I use 4 x 19mm take off lines straight back to the water tank to bleed off pressure...it still belts out.... in fact its overkill but needed in winter as mentioned to pump up to the shed.

bt1

bt1 wrote:Howdy,

same pump as I bought. Posted it earlier but I use 4 x 19mm take off lines straight back to the water tank to bleed off pressure...it still belts out.... in fact its overkill but needed in winter as mentioned to pump up to the shed.

bt1

Thanks bt1,
The way I've got it set ATM, I can easily put on as many take off lines as you too!
I just wated to get it pumping to see the results.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.