MR-E'S Mongrel Plate Still

by **MR-E** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:17 am

Here's a couple of pic's of the column from my mongrel f/n plate still, it was a working still before I went & added windows :angry-banghead:
I cant get the windows to seal :angry-banghead: & the mongrel things been sitting in the corner mocking me :teasing-neener:

Before I take to it with a big f/off sledge hammer I'm gonna have a chat with 5Star & see if he has something that will seal the windows.

Here's a couple off pic's during the build, sorry I don't have pic's of when it was running.

Shotgun condenser & take off.

Making the defthingy, top & bottom view.

Six plate set up & nine plate set up, I didn't end up doing the extra three plates.

I can't find pic's of the plate tree, I think there on the other computer :think:
I plan on pissing off the easy flanges & using S/S ones & if I can't seal the windows I'll redo the column.
Sorry I don't have more pic's, there all over the place on two computers.

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **MR-E** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:29 pm

Found some pic's of the plate tree.

Pic 9:

Pic 10:

Pic 11:

Making the plates.

New Pic 1:

New Pic 2:

Plate tree assembled.

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **MacStill** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:24 pm

How does it run with no cups on the downcomers?

Great looking rig :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **TJM** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:52 pm

awsome man. had u had it working as the plated column before the windows? what sort of product codenser r u using?

by **MR-E** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:42 pm

McStill wrote:How does it run with no cups on the downcomers?

Great looking rig :handgestures-thumbupleft:

The idea is the top of the d.c's are higher than the 45 deg cuts at the bottom & once the plates are loaded with liquid
above the 45 deg cuts, the liquid should form a seal & there should be no vapour going up the d.c's.
Also where the d.c tips touch the plates, there are no perf holes. Check pic# 11
When I ran it with no windows I got 94%, but I dont know how the plates where behaving, I was running pretty hard, just
doing a test run & getting a feel for it.
A member named WineGlass was the first to use no cups & I copied his idea, he has a vid on youtube so I know his works.
Hope that makes sence cause even I'm confused :laughing-rolling:

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **MR-E** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:52 pm

TJM wrote:awsome man. had u had it working as the plated column before the windows? what sort of product codenser r u using?

Yes & I'm using a shotgun condenser, 5 x 3/8" tubes inside 2" about 16 or 18" long, I can't remember which :think:
You can see the condenser with coolant manifold in the pic's.

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **TJM** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:06 am

love it mate.. what sort of drink do you want to make with this thing? 94 % is pretty high

by **MR-E** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 1:48 am

TJM wrote:love it mate.. what sort of drink do you want to make with this thing? 94 % is pretty high

Yeah the % was high, trying to see if it work for a neutral as well as flavour, that was the only run I did &
as I said, testing for leaks & seeing what it could do, I had it @ 96% during most of the run & 94% was total a.b.v
These things run to fast to experiment with a 25ltr wash, it's over to quick, your busy making adjustments
& then you gotta change jars, it'll keep you on ya toes.
When I get the windows sorted, I'll be able to experiment more, if I could do neutral & flavour I'll be happy.
I make rum & neutral in my 3" Boka & I'm happy with that, just a tad slower than a mongrel plated still though :D
but it don't take me 16hrs, like some report :teasing-neener:
If I was running rum or bourbon in the mongrel, I would aim for 80 - 90% & probably only use 4 plates.

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

p.s ya gotta love the smell of rum when your stilling, it's just :think: ... I don't know the right words :angry-banghead:

by **MacStill** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:46 am

MR-E wrote:These things run to fast to experiment with a 25ltr wash, it's over to quick, your busy making adjustments
& then you gotta change jars, it'll keep you on ya toes.

I agree it's a quick run with only 25L boiler charge, but I've found on all the bubblers I've done that I only make 3 adjustments for a run.

Full reflux
The main body of the run
turn reflux off for tails collection

It's the most user friendly still I've ever ran :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **MR-E** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:49 am

I would have to agree, once the windows are sorted I'll have another aid in telling how things are going.
When I did the run I was only able to run on temp & experience, to gauge where I was at.
I know this still will make great rum or bourbon, but if it can't do a decent neutral its not replacing the Bok.
I think single runs on flavoured spirits & stripping runs followed by a controlled spirit run for a neutral wash
like T.P.W, should do the trick.
I've proven that this can produce high a.b.v on a single run & the results are promising.
Just got to get it done so I can have see if my theory works.

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **MacStill** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:01 am

MR-E wrote:I would have to agree, once the windows are sorted I'll have another aid in telling how things are going.
When I did the run I was only able to run on temp & experience, to gauge where I was at.
I know this still will make great rum or bourbon, but if it can't do a decent neutral its not replacing the Bok.
I think single runs on flavoured spirits & stripping runs followed by a controlled spirit run for a neutral wash
like T.P.W, should do the trick.
I've proven that this can produce high a.b.v on a single run & the results are promising.
Just got to get it done so I can have see if my theory works.

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

It can be done with 4 plates but it's not neutral ;-)

IMG_0219.JPG

by **MR-E** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 1:40 pm

It can be done with 4 plates but it's not neutral ;-)

IMG_0219.JPG

[/quote]

:oops: I wasn't trying to claim to be the first :oops:
Was that single run :?: What type of wash :?:

My result was with 6 plates, single run.
We do stripping runs, followed by spirit runs for neutral when we use V/M , L/M or C/M reflux stills.
I wan't to experiment with number of plates & see if a (decent) clean neutral can be done, using the same method
we use on those type of stills.
There is little info out there in regards to the results from neutral from a plate/bubbler/flute & the info
I have read seem to have mixed results, some are happy, some are not.
They seem to be only doing single runs & only changing plate count, to try & get a decent neutral. (Why :?: )
I'd be happy to do stripping runs then a spirit run for neutral if the result was good, I do that on the Bok anyway.
If anyone here has had good results running plated column for neutral I would like to hear more info.
And before anyone adds, I know plated stills are C/M :teasing-neener:

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **MacStill** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 2:34 pm

I cant remember what the wash was, it would have been UJ or rum & single run, I rarely if ever run low wines in my bubblers.

6 plates isn't going to give you a true neutral IMHO, maybe a nice vodka though... but what is it you really want?

I've had runs go 95% for the hearts in a 5 perf plated column yet the flavour was really strong (good), for single runs and true nuetral I reckon you'll need 10 plates or a short packed column section with your 6 plater.

Something a lot of people overlook with these rigs is that they are essentially just a pot still for flavoured spirits, the pro's that use these to make azeo have a rectifying column they run in conjunction with the plated column.

No harm trying but I reckon I know where you'll end up :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Cane Toad** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:02 pm

I use the 'little' still for making a,for want of a better word,neutral.

But I do a stripping run 1st,and then run it through. I use Bertha for stripping and doing rum and UJ,she's only a 4 player and pulls around the 93-94 mark :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I'm not really into the vodka/neutral,I only make it to keep the missus and her friends away from my good gear :laughing-rolling:

by **Goldie** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:42 pm

HOLLY HELL! That is HUGE! :text-bravo: :text-bravo: :text-bravo: :text-bravo:

:text-offtopic: but how much per hour does bertha produce?

by **Cane Toad** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:28 pm

Not telling :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

by **Cane Toad** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:31 pm

Here's a better pic

Made her when I was off work for a few weeks,after a slight misjudgment in the volvo :angry-banghead:

by **Stephen** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:36 pm

That thing really 'emasculate's' the 'little' one next to it. Jezusfarkinchristdatsbig!

by **MacStill** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:45 pm

Stephen wrote:That thing really 'emasculate's' the 'little' one next to it. Jezusfarkinchristdatsbig!

Yes but the little one is the first operational modular bubbler built, and it has so much more class :D

Now we should all get back to the topic about the OP's still ;-)

Cheers

by **MR-E** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:54 pm

That's some nice gear there Cupcake :handgestures-thumbupleft:

McStill wrote:I cant remember what the wash was, it would have been UJ or rum & single run, I rarely if ever run low wines in my bubblers.

6 plates isn't going to give you a true neutral IMHO, maybe a nice vodka though... but what is it you really want?

I've had runs go 95% for the hearts in a 5 perf plated column yet the flavour was really strong (good), for single runs and true nuetral I reckon you'll need 10 plates or a short packed column section with your 6 plater.

Something a lot of people overlook with these rigs is that they are essentially just a pot still for flavoured spirits, the pro's that use these to make azeo have a rectifying column they run in conjunction with the plated column.

No harm trying but I reckon I know where you'll end up :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I prefer Rum, but also wan't to try Bourbon, I also do neutral as I like making a Kalua knock off & a chocoholic liqueur that missus likes.
I used to make a Black Sambucca knock off years ago, but fucked if I can remember the recipe :angry-banghead:

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft: