Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

db1979 wrote:What about installing a drain on the lowest part of the boiler? I reckon you're pretty game wanting a glasser after that incident :think:

:text-+1: Imagine if the same thing happens with a glass still, you'd be cut to ribons not to mention the cleaning up all the broken glass. There would be shit everywhere.

You tipped the boiler over whilst the still was attached to it?

Get good glass and it will probably be stronger than copper. I dropped a section of 5stars glass and it didn't damage it at all. Not sure if Andrew stocks it now but I can tell ya it was worth every penny :handgestures-thumbupleft:

woodduck wrote:Get good glass and it will probably be stronger than copper. I dropped a section of 5stars glass and it didn't damage it at all. Not sure if Andrew stocks it now but I can tell ya it was worth every penny :handgestures-thumbupleft:

:text-+1: I dropped one of mine too, reckon it chipped the concrete :laughing-rolling:

Looking at getting a reflux still (Pure Distilling), is it okay to remove the column filling to use it as a pot still and if so will this work?

You can buy the lid as a spare part that may be a better option then dismantling every time wanting to use as a pot still.

So many stories here, not really looking forward to adding to them!!

Commune wrote:Looking at getting a reflux still (Pure Distilling), is it okay to remove the column filling to use it as a pot still and if so will this work?

My suggestion, leave the reflux still as is, buy a new lid and a pot still to go with it.... it will save you a lot of pain having to go back and forth and will give you more options.

Btw, I have the pure distilling reflux, and I am so glad I chose this still, it works fantastically and is easy to use.

Commune wrote:Looking at getting a reflux still (Pure Distilling), is it okay to remove the column filling to use it as a pot still and if so will this work?

Probably, but I wouldn't recommend it. The Pure Distilling Reflux is a good and very easy to use "set and forget" still for making neutrals (much better than T500). The water flow is restricted to a lower rate through the inlet pipe. Taking the packing out to try and run it as a pot still, I doubt it would cool the vapours efficiently enough. If you want a pot still, buy a pot still.

southern45 wrote:The Pure Distilling Reflux is a good and very easy to use "set and forget" still

Never leave your still while it’s running

Doubleuj wrote:

southern45 wrote:The Pure Distilling Reflux is a good and very easy to use "set and forget" still

Never leave your still while it’s running

True.

Not as in turn on and leave the room of course (worth clarifying as alcohol valour will escape out the top if you leave the tap on slow for too long). It's more along the lines of no adjustments possible in regards to water flow, the rate is pretty much set for you. It's the simplest still to operate. Whether that's a positive or negative is up for debate.

southern45 wrote:

Doubleuj wrote:

southern45 wrote:The Pure Distilling Reflux is a good and very easy to use "set and forget" still

Never leave your still while it’s running

True.

Not as in turn on and leave the room of course (worth clarifying as alcohol valour will escape out the top if you leave the tap on slow for too long). It's more along the lines of no adjustments possible in regards to water flow, the rate is pretty much set for you. It's the simplest still to operate. Whether that's a positive or negative is up for debate.

Since this is the "Tell us your Fuckup's" thread... I really did once "Set and forget it"....

Because the pure distilling reflux is so f'ing easy to run, I got the fores out, did a few cuts, was in the hearts section and went inside to do the dishes (I can see the still from the window because I run it just outside)... One of my kids got upset about something, anyway, next thing I know about 40-50 minutes had passed and I suddenly remembered the still was running.... Rush outside and the collection bottle was overflowing.... I rescued about 1L out of a 2.5L run :(

Lucky you weren’t running gas....

It’s been a long while since running the still & with relocation rapidly getting closer I thought I’d better start emptying my brew buckets today. Seeing the still was already set up to keep the dust out, I just poured my was in and kicked it off for a strip run.
While packing boxes in the shed, I found my copper mesh still sitting on the bench & the run was almost finished. I don’t really know what the difference is going to be, but now I’m shitting that it’s going to effect my spirits run through the week.

I assume you’re worried about sulphur?
Just put the copper in before your spirit run and it should be fine :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I went to fill up the boiler the other day and only a few minutes into it the wash was overflowing out of my fill port. Turns out I hadn't emptied the boiler from my previous run and cause my fill port is on the side of my column (below my first plate) I couldn't look down it to see if the boiler was already full. So about 20 L of wash was added to about 35 L of dunder. I cut my losses and tipped the lot. :violence-smack:

Live and learn. I'd even bought a high temp pump to drain the boiler while still hot. I guess last run I mustn't have had time to drain it, then forgotten that the boiler was still full. I'll be checking each time from now on, simply rolling it back and forth on its wheels will tell me enough.

Doubleuj wrote:I assume you’re worried about sulphur?
Just put the copper in before your spirit run and it should be fine :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Thanks mate, I was fishing for a bit of reassurance that I wouldn’t wreck my spirits run, I was shattered when I saw what I’d done

Im new here and this is my first post, but its good to laugh at myself and my silly mistakes.

I had made the decision to distill at night time while the kids were asleep to spend more time with the family during the day, doing a stripping run. i was well underway when i noticed i needed more water pressure for the condenser. my house is blessed and cursed with crazy water pressure, so when i turned it up, a leak started around the condenser outlet and i couldn't tighten the hose-clamp any more.
me being tired and not thinking, i decided to take it off while running the still. well as soon as i started unscrewing the hose clamp, i copped a high pressure blast of water to the face and the greenhouse i was distilling in was suddenly a shower. the water was insane, i was frantically trying to save everything from getting drenched, all the while the still is bubbling. i finally turn the water off, but then realize now the still is pumping out 80-90 degree steam with no condenser. i unplug the still and quickly try to set it all back up.

drenched in the middle of the night, outside in Melbourne weather, with an overheating still and in the mayhem i dropped my glass funnel so now im dodging glass as-well.

i eventually got back underway with some new lessons learnt. dont f with water pressure, wear shoes, and always test the condenser seals BEFORE starting.
the worst thing was i also knocked over a liter of 60% alcohol which spilt all over the ground. that was possibly the worst part.

Lexanium wrote:Im new here and this is my first post, but its good to laugh at myself and my silly mistakes.

...

Oh man that could have ended realy, really badly... :shock: Glad you are alright and can laugh about it now!

Yeah you got lucky mate if you were running gas you could have kissed your greenhouse goodbye.

How about dropping into the welcome center and introducing yourself :handgestures-thumbupleft: