Pot Still Help Please

[zwagerman9]

Ok guys, just joined aussiedistiller, have loosely looked on both aussiedistiller and homedistiller and have some thoughts.
Currently running an airstill, yeah i know right?
first few attempts into TPW and all appears to go well.
Looking to attempt to make a cheap pot still, still have thoughts on buying a t500 but cost to use weighs in. That why i have found the airstill somewhat useful.

My plans consist of - Very Loosely Consist of- Open to any advice at all.

Pot Still

See pics below,
PTFE Gasket for lid, Paint tin appeals to me cause sealing appears easier than a 19litre stock pot,
Say that I obtain a 25 litre paint tin - stainless steel.
I would like a 25 litre bin or possible bigger to cool.

In your honest opinions does this seem a viable option?
If not what would you recommend?
How would i run the copper?
Heating element watts?
Anyone have any solid ideas for copper to run the spirits? reflux - Simple please.

Cheers,

Rae

[Frank]

Hi Z Rae
and welcome to the friendliest forum etc etc. and I hope your time here includes lots of fun and learning.

Mate, (no kidding either ;-) ), my first suggestion would be to use your Airstill as often as you choose at the moment
and learn what you can regarding suitable washes, runs, cuts, maturation, recipes/essences etc along the way....
The humble airstill may be a little short of ideal BUT, for a beginner and/or a patient person, there is MUCH to learn whilst using one that will assist you in your distilling progression, on MANY levels.
That way..some of your current choices/questions/options may change or be resolved :handgestures-thumbupleft:

BTW..IMO, there is no way I would use a paint tin rather than an AIRSTILL but....the choice is always yours mate :smile:

[maheel]

paint tin is a bad idea if it's not SS

you can buy the 25L base of a turbo still or this other one for about $250




or build a 50L keg boiler for about $150

and then build or buy a still head to fit it. +-$100 upwards to whatever $$$ you want to spend.

you should consider your budget and type of product you want I reckon then work towards you goal of what still / boiler would suit.

[Brendan]

Hey mate,

Welcome to AD.

The paint tin idea you are floating I am assuming is a brand new tin, not one that has previously held paint? If it had I would be worried about chemicals remaining in the tin (scratches, lips, whatever), and how hot ethanol would leech these out, no matter how clean it seems.

If it is new, my concern would be the thickness of the material for several reasons...one would be it's ability to be punctured accidentally while boiling, another would be it's ability to mechanically support the weight of a column attached to it...

You will soon see that the $800 saved by not buying a T500 can get you a long way with better equipment into this hobby.

My suggestion...a 50L beer keg which is usually acquired at a good price ($0-$50max), a heating element for about $50?, one or two hundred bucks worth of copper, a couple of days work...and you'll be well on your way with equipment... :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[crozdog]

first up welcome.

What you propose is feasible but has some issues the other guys have mentioned some. one of the issues i have with paint tins is the seams & ensuring you clean em out.

the coil you mention is called a worm check this one out viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1397

A stockpot can be sealed up with a paste of flour & water with some bulldog clips &/or bricks. Connecting to the pot is the biggest hassle of any build. That said, flanges & triclamps make it easier. kegs are easy to come by 8-)

I reckon you're better off going with a proven design. 2" copper pipe riser with a couple of elbows & a reducer with a union to connect a liebig (tube in tube) condenser is easy to make using off the shelf plumbing fittings and a blow torch. checkout this post by goldie - it details pretty much all that you need viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1478

this post also shows you a finished unit viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1414
and this viewtopic.php?f=7&t=493
Here is a beaut unit in 2.5" viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1259

remember search is your friend. not just here but on other sites too ;-)

[bt1]

Welcome bloke,

Sometimes the right path is clouded by all sorts of considerations. Hopefully we can clear it up a little.

In the real world how much for a 50lt SS ex beer keg? i'm not wanting you to answer just consider your options.

Copper for a 2" /50mm system =<$210 worst case. Got a mate or know a plumber = way less.

Can't solder or don't have the kit...get a plumber you can trust =$50 -$75 plus product samples for a few months
The other bits are the same fermenters, grains yeast etc

Produce approx 6 - 8 bottles per week equivelent of a quality drink with no shit or hang overs in it for a weekly cost of <$12

Sounds good hey? It's real.

So consider...You invest <$300 for mtls/effort/services and $72 for consumables so net = $375

In that time you've made If your a single runner $650 or double runner $450 worht of a great drink, based on $30 per bottle.

Reckon that about solves your issue..what do u think?

bt1

[zwagerman9]

Feels like such a warm welcome, kind posted on homedistiller and got a harsher welcome id say.
Currently with the airstill I am taking foreshots and trying to attempt loose cuts and double distilling TPW which is more work but cheaper than Turbo spirits read on homedistiller parent site about airstill and will work with a rough guide of abv and foreshots. Not concerned with a loss as TPW is MUCH cheaper than turbo as mentioned.
Firstly in response to the paint tin http://www.thepackagingshop.com.au/prod ... tegoryID=1 . Search metal packaging, apparently is steel but wasnt clear on it being stainless. So curiosity there. I did have my concerns with puncture risk as well.
Was hoping to make a bigger pot still as id like to attempt Uncle Jesses Simple Sour Mash, which appears harder with an airstill as time consuming and using backset etc but would like to do it on a cheaper side of cost although the money is there.
With the pail as far as costs go - maybe $20 all up for the pail? i can always ditch the pail and buy a keg.
My concerns with the keg is that assemble, cutting, welding etc in which i have minimal experience in but also minimal equipment for such work currently.
My first thoughts for obtaining a keg would be KegKing springvale, as for copper?

Really appreciate the responses and advice.

Cheers

Rae

[zwagerman9]

See my argument in my head consists of many ideas haha.
Airstill is good for smaller use, slowly getting more out of it but i want more spare time and make the stilling process a bit easier and also easier to get a better quality spirit. Its not so much that money is a concern for me and if I was after an incredibly simple solution i could walk into my LHBS tomorrow and buy the T500 without to much of a quarrell from the boss :P. Technically speaking an airstill is a pot still, but would like to attempt a bigger pot still for a proper mash.
Thoughts come into my head with the keg which make my mind wonder elsewhere as to,
cutting the keg to install a heating element, ensuring appropriate seals, making room at the top for connections .
I think about attempting a 19litre BIGW stove heated potstill, very simple design.
But im here looking for many a solution an idea.
Im slowly realising i need to touch base with some old plumber mates. lol

Cheers

Rae

[MacStill]

All good responses here, great to see you all eager to help out :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I agree with everyone :D

It might take a little longer to source the bits the guys are talking about, but you'll end up with something a lot better and wont need to upgrade even if you end up just using it for stripping runs eventually.

For the cost of a T500 you can do better getting a custom job through this forum, but it is a reflux still that works completely different to a pot still like you're suggesting.

PM 5Star for a pot still, I think you'll be surprised at the cost of getting one built & it'll save you the hassle of finding/buying the tools to build your own ;-)

Finally, keep asking questions before you leap in and end up wasting time money on something you will end up dissapointed with.

Cheers & welcome :smile:

[zwagerman9]

also very briefly a gas bottle came in mind to.. briefly.

[zwagerman9]

Thank you Mcstill.
By all means early phases as time or lack of is winning a battle at the moment. Just something im slowly looking into and attempting not to be as impulsive as I normally am.

[bt1]

+1 what mac said...added advantage is you can keep it private using 5Star and don't need ppl hanging about or asking how's it going....

also consider start simple... a gas 3 ring burner for a keg is ideal...it saves a lot of engineering you really don't need at the start. later you can modify as you want.

enjoy
bt1

[zwagerman9]

I also know im jumping out with 50 million ideas at the moment.
But I have also thought about
http://yourshout.co.nz/distilling.html
25 litre stainless still pot still.
Would be interesting to see if its possible to have it interchangable to reflux. multi using i suppose.
but then we argue delivery, but also AU dollar to NZ dollar

Cheers

Rae

[MacStill]

You'll do a pot on a keg with elec element cheaper, take a look at Goldie's post in this pot still section :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[zwagerman9]

Impulsive suits me right?

[Brendan]

Buying a keg from KegKing is like buying a beer at the footy...sure you'll get the same thing, at 10 times the price you'd get it elsewhere...

I have a heating element from KegKing (weldless, just drill hole and screw in), have heard many complaint about them too, but I have not had any problem with mine...yet. :pray:

As for fittings...about a $6 stainless ferrule, and a $4? stainless triclamp will attach to the top of the keg...then you just gotta attach your copper and off you go :D

[crozdog]

oops clicked on pm not reply.... copied to here for posterity :handgestures-thumbupleft:

zwagerman9 wrote:
i can always ditch the pail and buy a keg.

go on - you know you want to

zwagerman9 wrote:
My concerns with the keg is that assemble, cutting, welding etc in which i have minimal experience in but also minimal equipment for such work currently.

you will have to do the same sort of work to the pail.......many fabrication shops will happily modify kegs

zwagerman9 wrote:
My first thoughts for obtaining a keg would be KegKing springvale, as for copper?

Keep your eyes open in the right place & you will "find" one. for copper, best bet is a friendly plumber as previously suggested. or do what lots of us do & pay a trip to a good plumbing supplies shop - they are the distillers equivalent of a kids lolly shop

Then again there are a couple of guys on here who will do the copper work for you e.g. viewtopic.php?f=33&t=546

read the accessories sub forum for keg modding info

.....as I said search is your friend....

[zwagerman9]

ok now reading on keg stills and preparation another few questions.
I may attempt to "find" one if any obvious suppliers appear but where is a good place to buy cheap, realising that drilling and un-welded element as mentioned above. at least with a worst case scenario would be a quick clean up and a weld down the track with the same element I suppose.\
Never thought to look at bulk plumbing supply shops, briefly looked at bunnings heh.
So it appears im off the paint tin.
And as for the score count Aussiedistiller 10, Rae ....0?
As far as the keg tops go on say the CUB kegs what is the diameter 2"? 3"?

Cheers

Rae

[zwagerman9]

Ok so now I've onto the keg idea simular to Goldies design, Well nearly exactly the same.
I feel confident that I can solder.
Need to figure out cost and parts pricing.
Anyone able to run me off a rough cost list?
how much 2" copper Pipe.
2" 90 degree elbow.
2x Leibig T. How long does the liebig need to be? am i able to shorten it a bit?
3/4 copper pipe. how long depending on leibig?
3/4 90degree elbow.
How do i step down the 2' to 3'.
Goldies appears to have a bolt joiner to disassemble i presume
And tri clamp
do i pressume the ferrule is to join the 2" to kegs 2" with tri clamp?
Making some mental progress.

Cheers

Rae

[SBB]

Gday ZwagerM
You may find this link usefull, it shows an easy and cheap method of creating a keg to still flange/join
viewtopic.php?f=41&t=76